The man in the cell (Loki fanficktion)

Finally free

Thor's gaze softened for a moment, understanding the gravity of what Emily was asking. "Fandral, take Emily. Retrieve my mother. You will need her expertise to remove Loki's stitches," he ordered, his voice leaving no room for argument.

Fandral nodded, a silent vow passing between them as they turned to leave. Their steps were swift, carrying them through the chaos that their home had become. The castle's once majestic halls were now a battlefield, a stark reminder of the price of war.

They reached Frigga's quarters, the urgency of their mission clear in their hurried explanations. Frigga's eyes widened with the realization of what they asked of her, but she wasted no time in gathering her things. "Lead the way," she said, her voice a mix of concern and determination.

Navigating back to the dungeon, they were met with a palpable tension, a stark contrast to the chaos outside. The magical barriers that guarded Loki's cell flickered as they approached, recognizing Frigga's authority to pass.

The room was dim, shadows clinging to the corners, but Emily's eyes were fixed on Loki, his figure diminished by the golden threads that cruelly sealed his eyes and mouth. They shimmered with a venomous glow, a stark reminder of the lengths his captors had gone to silence him. It was a sight that wrenched her heart, seeing him so vulnerable, so unlike the Loki she knew... the one who was always brimming with defiance and wit.

Frigga's presence was a beacon of warmth as she stepped forward, her hands radiating a gentle, healing light. She worked with precision and tenderness that belied the strength needed to counteract such dark magic. The threads, infused with malice, seemed to writhe under her touch, fighting to maintain their hold. Yet, under her relentless care, they began to unravel, dissolving into motes of shadow that fled from the light she wielded.

As the last of the bindings gave way, Loki blinked against the soft light of the room, his eyes searching, lost, before they locked onto Emily's. The depth of emotions in that gaze was overwhelming... anger, confusion, but beneath it all, a glimmer of the connection they shared, unspoken but palpable.

"Emily," he whispered, his voice raw but unmistakably tinged with relief and something more vulnerable. The sound of her name on his lips, so fraught with their shared past, sent a shiver down her spine.

"They need you, Thor, the army," she found herself saying, the words more than a plea for help... they were an admission of her own vulnerability, her inability to face what was ahead without him. "I need you. We can't face this darkness without your strength."

His eyes studied hers, searching, weighing her words. The Loki she loved was guarded, his trust hard-won, yet in this moment, she saw the barriers fall, if only slightly. "For you, Emily," he said, a softness breaking through his usual resolve, "I will face this fight. But let's not pretend this erases the past. That I forgive them."

His acceptance was not a surrender but a promise, a vow made not just to a cause but to them. In his words, she heard not just the warrior ready to join the fray but the man who, despite everything, still shared a bond with her that not even dark magic could sever.

With Loki now firmly by her side, a wave of relief washed over Emily. The corridors that led them back to the battlefield seemed less daunting, less oppressive, as if his mere presence had cast a protective spell over them. Fandral and Frigga fell into step ahead of them, their determination a beacon in the dim light.

As they moved silently, Emily couldn't help but steal glances at Loki. There was a comfort in his presence that she hadn't realized she'd missed so fiercely. The tension in her shoulders eased, and for a moment, the war outside felt miles away. "I'm glad you're here," she whispered, barely audible over the echo of their footsteps.

Loki turned, his eyes locking with hers, and in them, she found a storm of emotions. "There's nowhere else I would rather be," he said, and the sincerity in his voice wrapped around her like a warm blanket. Their hands found each other, a silent promise exchanged in the brief touch.

But their moment of peace shattered as abruptly as it began. Shadows detached from the walls, forming into figures that blocked their path. Enemies. They had walked right into an ambush. Fandral reacted instantly, positioning himself between them and the attackers. Emily felt Loki's grip tighten around her hand for a fleeting second before he stepped forward, releasing her to conjure his magic.

Fandral launched into the fray, his movements a blur of deadly precision, while Frigga's chants wove a protective glow around them. Loki's hands danced in the air, and the corridor flickered with the light of his spells, each one striking down an enemy or creating barriers to shield them. Emily stood back, her heart pounding, useless in the fight but fervently hoping her presence offered Loki the strength he needed.

An enemy broke through Fandral's defense, charging straight for Emily. She froze, but Loki was quicker. With a flick of his wrist and a word she couldn't catch, the attacker was thrown against the wall, immobilized by an unseen force. "Stay behind me," Loki ordered, not as a command but as a plea, his eyes briefly meeting hers with fierce protectiveness.

The battle raged on, a chaotic dance of magic, steel, and will. But together, they pushed through, their attackers dwindling until the corridor was once again theirs. Loki was at her side in an instant, his concern palpable. "Are you hurt?" he asked, his hands searching for injuries.

Emily shook her head, touched by his care. "I'm fine, thanks to you."

As they resumed their journey to the courtyard and the main battle, Emily couldn't shake off the exhilaration mixed with a profound sense of belonging. Loki was with them, fighting by their side, and for now, that was all that mattered. His presence, his magic, and his undeniable bond with her felt like the flickers of hope in the looming darkness of war.

As they emerged into the open, Thor nodded at her, a silent acknowledgment of the risks they had taken. Loki stood beside her, ready to face their uncertain future together.