A Burden of Thoughts

Chapter 10

Loki had finished his explanation. Thor had been listening intently throughout it. The explanation had lasted about 5 minutes, with some interruptions in between.

Thor just slightly chuckled, shaking his head as though he were incapable of believing the explanation his brother had just gave. "In all of its entirety, Brother, that reasoning seems hard to believe."

"I assure you, Thor, I am not one to lie of this subject," Loki replied.

Thor knew he was a trickster and the God of Mischief, but he did know Loki wouldn't lie about his own death, at least not for very long.

Thor stood up, much to his brother's temporary confusion, before he followed suit.

The God of Thunder had remembered about the town, and he had to return to look for the child and her mother, who Loki would have no idea about as he was not there to experience it.

"I must find Asmay and Marion."

Loki looked as confused as Thor had predicted in his head that he would. "Who are they?"

"Asmay is a mere child, brother. Marion is her mother. I had been in their town when it was seemingly ambushed by the creatures that had been pursuing me," Thor explained.

Loki just stiffly nodded as he and his brother made their way toward Tamworth.

When they arrived, even Loki was surprised and some bit horrified by the sight. Layers of dust had now covered the marble pathways. Trees were uprooted, houses burnt down to their foundations, the castle collapsed.

Loki opened his mouth to talk, but turned to his brother.

"You were here when this happened?"

Thor hesitated before he slowly nodded his head. Loki continued to stare at the sight before them in bewilderment.

Unlike before, the town was empty, void of anybody or anything, except for the familiar sight of bodies littering the cold ground. The creatures had likely retreated.

They slowly began making their way down to the destroyed town before Thor spoke up. 

"When I had first arrived here, it was astonishingly beautiful...but now seeing what has happened..." Thor shook his head, not wanting to speak of such destruction and horror.

Loki pats Thor's shoulder comfortingly as they come upon the marble pathway covered in layers of dust leading to the unrecognizable town of pure fear and terror. They had to step over bodies, Thor avoiding looking at any of them, though Loki was staring around.

Loki shook his head in disbelief. Even he was perplexed as to what purpose served such violent and unneeded destruction and deaths.

He heard his brother's breath hitch, turning to ask what was wrong when he noticed Thor's complexion going pale as he began coughing, which sounded more like wheezing. The dust did not seem to effect Loki in any manner.

"Brother, I believe we should go to where you can actually breathe," Loki said as he put his hand on his brother's shoulder and began leading him out of the area covered with dust and smoke.

Thor hadn't replied, but when they had finally managed to get back atop the hill they had overlooked the town on, Loki had sat his brother down, sitting beside him. He watched as Thor let out his last coughs and wheezes before he began to get his color back.

"Thank you, Loki..." Thor rasped. His throat took longer to recover than the rest of his body.

Loki gave a curt nod in reply as both brothers stood up again.

"Come on, we still need to return to Asgard..." He said, patting Thor's back.

Hesitantly and regretfully, Thor nodded, and both brothers headed back into the forest, Thor turning and watching as the town became only a slight haze.

He was unable to get the horrifying images out of his head, as much as Loki had even tried to calm him, nothing would erase the memories.

The brothers walked in silence, there was barely a noise heard throughout the forest except for the sound of twigs snapping underneath the weight of the brothers' feet. It wasn't unusual for them to fall into such lengthy silence.

Thor didn't really know what to think anymore. The memories were flooding through his head, flashing before his eyes like a holographic illusion.

Loki was confused when his brother had suddenly stopped, looking at his feet. Loki had followed his gaze and noticed a black aura around his feet. "Thor, what are you doing?"

Thor turned to look at his brother, "This isn't me, I swear-"

He let out a loud yelp as he seemed to fall through the ground and disappear, much to Loki's confusion.

"Brother?" Loki asked, his gaze wandering around the darkened forest. Maybe he's one with the ground now? No, that's a stupid thought.

Loki, knowing his brother had most definitely ended up in a different location, started to swiftly walk through the forest in search of his brother. As long as he hasn't gotten himself into any trouble, it would be okay, right?