When Darkness Falls - LOKI - Book One (Editing)

49. Promise

       "You shouldn't be here," she exclaimed her voice breathless. "You need to go Loki, now. Please."

      "I'm not leaving without you."

     "You have to." Athelia pulled away from him, her eyes beginning to well. She knew what she had to do and knew she couldn't do it if he was here. "Please."

     He stared at her for a moment, uncertainty flooding through him. Though as the heavy footprints came closer, he nodded and grabbed hold of her hand. "Let's go."

     "I can't."

     "There's a cavern in the mountains -" She shook her head abruptly, interupting his plea. "Athelia, please -"

     She gritted her teeth, afraid of lashing out on him and begged him to stop, yet Loki couldn't let her stay here. He pleaded as she looked away, afraid to match his gaze as the beast scaled the sandy hill behind them. She knew time was not on her side and even though Malekith had no where to run, every moment she lingered with Loki was a moment Malekith had to plan and even though the man before her begged her to flee with him, she knew there was no other way and eventually, so did he.

     "You were never planning on coming back were you?" He asked her, taking a step back and dropping her hands. She didn't know what to say to him, so she said nothing. "Your going to try and destroy it?"

      It wasn't a good plan, but it was the only one. "Loki, please go."

     "If you and Thor couldn't destroy the aether together, what makes you think you can do it on your own?"

     "Please. We're running out of time. You have to go." She clenched her burning fists at her sides as she felt the energy tingling towards her fingertips. "This is the only way to save everyone."

     Loki's eyes widened. "I don't care about everyone. I care about you."

     "And I care about my people. Freya. Thor... You."

      "So, you're just going to obliterate the planet and pray you make it to one of his ships in time?"

     Athelia sucked in her bottom lip and her eyes fell on the rising smoke in the distance. She had destroyed every single one of them, stranding Malekith on this world. "I couldn't risk him leaving."

      Loki's eyes widened as he realized what she meant. She couldn't hold his gaze though and she jerked back as he reached out for her. "We need to get off of this planet Athelia. We can go back to Asgard, Thor could destroy the portal and he will rot in the dark where he belongs."

      Athelia eyed him warily as he stepped closer. She could hear the kursed one grunting as he scaled the sandy hills they had hidden within and for a moment, she thought it could work. All she had to do was kill the beast and get to the portal, but the thought of the energy surging within her kept her still. She was a bomb. Beyond nuclear. She couldn't go back to Asgard in this condition and as Loki grabbed hold of her forearm, a muted flutter settled in her chest.

     She stared down at the fingers wrapped tightly against her veiny arm. His long pale fingers remained the same with no blue hue of his magic being drained. A heavy breath escaped her lips and though it broke a piece of her, she couldn't help but let the relief overflow and push away the sadness the lack of his frostbitten grip gave her.

      "Please Athelia," he begged. "We could go anywhere in the universe. You and I. Just come with me."

      She wanted to say yes. She wanted to go with him. She wanted to take his hand and disappear into the mountains. She wanted to walk through the portal and start the life she never thought she could. Freya was safe. Thor was set to be king. Malekith would be left to die here on Svartelheim and no one had to know that she and Loki were free to do and go as they please.

     She couldn't though and she tried her to best to stay strong about it.

       "I can't Loki," she said.

      She took a step back, conjuring a large blade between her hands as a swirl of red embers swam through her fingers. Her gaze fell over Loki's shoulder as the beast finally reached them and she quickly leaned forward, placing her lips against Loki's as she held him tight against her, wishing she could take him in.

     She felt her eyes water as she tried to push away the small bit of her that felt betrayed, but the lack of Loki rushed her. There was no heartbeat to focus on. No scent to cling to  and there was no chill running down her spine as she pulled away from him. He gave her a solemn look, knowing she knew and gently squeezed her hand.

     "I'm sorry," he whispered as he Loki reached forward, grabbing the blade from her hands. He spun quickly, lunging it into the chest of the kursed and Athelia stood there as the beast's sword cut through him.

      There were no years though. No blood. No whimpers. Just a smirk that played across the mad princes face as the kursed one realized what Athelia had already known.

      Loki's wasn't really.

     He hadn't come back to save her.

     He hadn't come back to die along side the woman he loved.

     She knew he was hidden far from her in the safety of what she could only assume was anything but the cell that kept his tricks caged.

      Loki stepped back. His form pixelizing around the blade and despite the falter in his magic, he gripped the beast sword from it's frozen hand and swing it clear through bare meaty skin, letting it's head fall to the ground between them.

          He didn't turn though. He couldn't. He couldn't watch the masked pain fluttering through Athelia's darkened eyes and as she spoke, he found himself wishing he had been there instead of sitting on a throne of gold awaiting the return of his brother who thought he had went back for Athelia.

      "I'm so sorry Athelia."

      She stared at the back of him. His slicked inky hair, didn't budge in the heavy breeze she had found herself engulfed in.

      "Tell them I love them."

      His hands clenched at his sides as he struggled to control his illusion. He pushed hard to turn around and see her one last time, but the energy that swirled around her began to cloud his connection and the sword fell through his fingers as the sky darkened.

     His voice muted as Athelia tearfully walked up behind him. She wanted to tell him it was okay. She wanted to tell him what was going through her head at that very moment, but as she lifted her hand to graze his shoulder, Loki turned back. His green eyes were reddened, pained with regret and as her hand hovered in the air, he dropped his head with a heavy sigh and she watched as his taught form faded slowly in a burst of green pixels.

        "Good bye Loki."