Skadi - A Marvel Fanfic

Chapter 26

"Some else is here?" asked Steve. "Who could possibly be here?"

I shrugged. "I'm going to go check it out."

Steve nodded. "I'm coming too."

"Alright, but let's keep this short because we really need to find this book. Agreed?" I ordered. He gave a swift nod before we took of into the halls of the castle again, weapons in hand. Making sure every room was empty as we passed, I froze before opening the door to one particular chamber.

"What's wrong?" Asked Steve, looking worried.

"It's just my old room." I answered before throwing the door open with my weapon raised. I gasped at the state of the room. The normally clean room looked like a tornado had gone through it. The sheets and mattress were on the floor, and my clothes where strewn across in all odd places.

"What happened?"

"I have no idea." I answered him. I looked around the room, trying to locate anything the intruder could have left behind, but there was nothing to hint to us at who could have done this.

A loud bang from outside the room caused me to jump. Sparing a quick glance at Steve, we dashed into the hallway to see a dark figure disappear around the corner. We followed in hot pursuit, but the cloaked figure always seemed to be several steps ahead. We ran back into the main hall, to see the figure huddle over in the middle of the room. Steve and I slowed to a stop several meters behind it.

I approached the figure with caution, carefully pulling back the hood; strands of dark hair came into view.

"Loki?" I gasped as the cloak fell away, revealing a thing and weak looking man. The cut on his forehead was still present but had at least started healing.

"I'm sorry." He whispered before a loud bang echoed around the room. In walked my mother with ten or so soldiers beside her. The obedient henchmen were dressed in dark, tattered clothing; their hands looked like the skin had been tightened across their bones. And their eyes were hollow and black. Like the poor creatures were void of a soul.

Tapping the glowing gem on her necklace with one hand she waved the other at Steve and sent him flying across the room. His back smashed against the wall and his shield slid out his hands and along the floor. Before he could even stand, several of the guards were attacking him, pulling him into a kneeling position with his arms held tightly behind his back. He struggled against the weak looking guards, but they were much stronger than they looked and managed to keep him on his knees. I tried to move towards Steve but two of the guards moved to block me off. The rest of the guards stood around my mother, Loki, and I in a circular formation. I gripped my bow tighter, but didn't make any movement to use it.

"So I don't see you for 30 odd years and this is how you say hello?" I whipped at her, my voice thick with loathing.

"My little snowflake, don't be like that." She replied in her most motherly voice. I scoffed.

"Don't call me that." I growled. "Why are you doing this?"

"Oh sweetheart, you're to young to understand." She cooed, taking a couple of steps towards me.

"Try me." I hissed as she began circling me like a vulture and playing with strands of my hair.

"If that's how you want to play." She hissed back, stopping in front of me and locked eyes. Her normally grey eyes were now almost black. "It's quite simple. The domination of Asgard is what I want. Why, is because I just want plain and simple revenge. I'm doing this for you Skadi, one day you'll understand."

"Why? You're already ruler of the Underworld, why do you want more?"

"Odin thought I could only rule those who we're already dead. But I'll show him just how well I can control the dead." She growled.

"So taking over Asgard is going to help me, how, exactly?"

"Because you're all the family I have left, and I need to protect you. If we do this, we can stop Odin from ever wrongly breaking a family apart again." She said while putting a comforting hand on my shoulder. "However, my plan would be much easier with a strong girl like you by my side."

I thought about it for a moment. I looked between Steve, Loki and my mother.

"Skadi, don't fall for it!" Yelled Steve, but one of the guards silenced him by punching him in the stomach.

"What's in it for me?" I asked.

"Skadi!" I heard from Steve followed by a grunt from another punch.

My mother smiled. "Come with me and I'll show you."

With a turn on her heel and a snap of her fingers, she turned and exited the hall with Loki and her guards trailing behind her. Except the ones holding Steve, they remained put, keeping him at bay.

"Skadi, please don't do this. You're better than this!" I heard him yell. But I didn't dare turn around to look at him. Quickly following my mother, I blocked out Steve's yells and concentrated on the view in front of me.

My mother gave her a smirk as I approached her. She held out her hand and I took hold, like a child waiting to cross a road safely. A loud crash from behind us caused us to turn in time to see Steve use all his force to throw his shield at us.

Pushing me out of the way my mother caused me to stumble and fall hitting my head against the wooden floor of the drawbridge. My vision went blurry as I watched Steve fight off several oncoming guards. I felt someone pick me up and I looked up to see Loki's eyes. The normal electric green had been replaced with a dull almost black hue of green.

In seconds the landscape around us had changed from the barren landscape of Helheim to the inside of a warmly lit chamber.

"Rest my little snowflake." I heard my mother whisper, before my eyes finally shut.