Infinity

Chapter 13 Welcome To the New Age

Fire engulfs the forest and sends Vivian into a panic. She starts rearing and bucking as the embers and the smoke fall around us.

I manage to get her to move forward trough the chaos.

"Come on!" I scream, jamming my boots into her sides as the fire inches closer.

She flicks her head back and canters between trees. She stretches into a full stride as we hit the field, which consists of small battles that build the war around us.

I start to pull back on the reigns as I enter the field. Vivian thrusts her head forward, ripping the reins from my hands. I reach forward, fumbling through her mane and grabbing the reins. I pull back, but she keeps running.

I pull my feet out of the stirrups and swing off Vivian. I land on my feet, and quickly regaining my balance. Years of falling off Vivian have led to this perfect dismount.

I catch my breath and head into battle; summoning Delvameg to my hand. I catch a glimpse of my fellow Asgardians fighting against the monsters.

"You cannot escape fate, girl." A voice echoes across the field.

The war ceases immediately and everyone turns to face me- or rather- what's behind me.

My eyes widen as my surroundings darken and the air grows cold.

I turn around slowly, to face a rather unassuming foe. An elf, with skin as pale as the bitter frosts of Joutunheim, dressed in dark armor with pale faces.

I stay silent as he takes another step towards me, inspecting me with crystal blue eyes.

"I did not believe that someone of your race could possess something as rare and as powerful as an infinity stone, but here we are."

I look upon him with little consideration of his worth, "And what do you know about infinity stones?"

"I am Malekith the Accursed, leader of the dark elves, and wielder of the Aether." He flicks his hand and a small glimpse of red spirals into the air, "My power grows weak, and I am forced to remain hidden, until now, the convergence is upon us and I shall rise to power. I give you one chance now to pledge your allegiance to me and surrender the infinity stone, so that you may live."

"And if I don't?"

"Then you shall suffer the fate of those before you." He says, slamming a cold fist into my abdomen, ripping open the old wound, "I shall have my infinity stone, girl, even if I must rip it from your body."

I sit up immediately in bed.

I pull my shirt up and check my scar; still a faded memory made permanent in my flesh.                              

I wipe the cold sweat off of my forehead and throw covers off the bed. I plant my feet on the cold floor. I stumble over to the window, throwing the panels open and letting in the cold night air.

I take a seat on the windowsill and take in the fresh air. I try to stop the trembling, but it comes in waves.

Malekith the Accursed

I dart from my room, running to the library. My bare feet stick to the tile floor as I burst through the door.

I brush the loose hairs from my face and start searching for anything; elves, Malekith the Accursed, Aether. I snatch a book from a shelf. A brief history of our previous rulers;

Long before the birth of light, there was darkness. And from that darkness, came the Dark Elves. Millenia ago, most ruthless of their kind, Malekith, sought to transform our universe back into one of eternal night. Such evil was possible through the power of the Aether; an ancient force of infinite destruction.