ephemeral ━━ 𝘓. 𝘓𝘈𝘜𝘍𝘌𝘠𝘚𝘖𝘕 ✔

■ honesty

"A payback of what?"

"For letting me think that I imagined you kissed my forehead since this morning. Not that it was true... yet it wasn't. I was right all along."

His gaze fell to his lap, tracing the untitled book as if he was seeing it for the first time. He cleared his throat. "There's something on the desk."

"Right."

"Look at it," came his reply,

"What if I won't?"

He stared again at her. "You wouldn't like to decline my offer."

"Really."

"Just look at it," he sighed.

"×hat is it?" Loraine squinted her eyes to look as if she could study his expression.

"Just go and see for yourself," he replied.

She pondered for awhile, staring at his olive eyes. Loraine couldn't help but think what tricks did this god had on his sleeves again. There might be another catch and she couldn't afford to lose again. However, what confused her was the rarity of him calling her this late. She needed to know his reasons.

"Alright fine," finally, she stood and went over the desk.

Just at the very side of the lamp was the amulet. It rested on the desk peacefully as its silver chains sparkled with the glinting orb. Loraine took it and she immediately felt the pulse of his magic inside - The cool touch of the orb.

"The amulet," she whispered.

She closed her eyes, feeling the amulet safe and intact on her hands. "Why?" She asked softly. "Why the change of mind?"

He pursed his lips and replied. "I had a nightmare." His words echoed along the walls.

She cocked her eyebrows. "What about?"

A nightmare? Him? What was so frightening about it that it had lead him to give the amulet back to her?

"You."

She scoffed. "I'm the nightmare?" She looked at him jokingly. "Well I know I'm that powerful but I never knew you were scared of me," she said, chuckling.

"No," he shook his head. "I am not afraid of you and the nightmare wasn't you. Well, what I mean is..." he broke off, suddenly unable to look at her.

"What you mean was...?"

He hesitated for a minute. "I lost you."

•••

Loki turned and saw Loraine stood behind him. The bright traces of the Crown she was summoning turned out to be Stalwart. Her arms were outstretched pointing to enemies one by one as purple mists formed.

"Loraine?" He called out and turned to look at her ---his voice sounding miles away from him.

"Don't be distracted!" She shouted against the roar of soldiers and Asgardians fighting. "At your front!" She screamed.

Loki bowed and Loraine quickly bent her back over his, tumbling down in front of him. Again, she stretched her arms to her side, flicked her wrist, and a huge wind slapped the enemies away. She extinguished the aura, took her dagger and dashed to the nearest enemy and plunging it to its chest.

"Why are you here?" His voice started to echo.

Loraine's figure blurred away, rippling as if she was water, like a television scratching out.

Here? Why are you here? Why are you here?

Then she seemed like a hundred foot away.

He tilted his head but his mouth was shut and his tongue was not moving.

Here? Why are you here? Why are you here? Why?

Now she was in front of him. Her hands cupped his cheeks. "I love you..." She whispered and kissed him fiercely.

Then the entire place cracked. He pulled away and saw Loraine's face, now drowning with tears yet smiling, cracked like ceramic glass. Loraine shattered down and fell to his feet.

"No!" He heard someone screamed - and found it was his voice after all.

Everything dissolved. The ground bubbled in black goo snaking all around the area, drowning the fallen pieces. He panicked and turned around, examining the surroundings. He saw the war on the east frozen like a picture, dripping with ink as if it was just a wall of figment. The goo covered all of what was left, forming into a four walled room with no windows and door.

I did not kiss you... You did...

Loraine's quivering voice filled the entire room. Then she was there standing in front of him sobbing.

Her face shifted. She laughed at him, her chuckles spreading inside the closed room. Slowly he walked to her, closed his arms around her and hugged her. He found his trembling fingers, intertwined on her hair.

But, it was too soon. Something dragged her away from him, the front wall extending with blackness. She screamed and thrashed and held out both of her arms for him to reach. He tried to reach back, but he was glued to his feet firmly.

Loki! She screamed. The strong unknown entity held his feet in place vanished and he stumbled to the ground again.

Too late... She was gone.

A roar of hideous laughter came. Something about it was familiar.

You promised me the teseract. You failed little Asgardian. It spat. You break your promise... It chanted again, then it clicked its tongue. Brace yourself...

He shouted in anger, pounded the walls, then it shattered down towards the abyss.

She was dying.