The beast is trying to attack me, and its head is only inches away from me. Suddenly, something wraps around its snout and closes it so that it can no longer get to me. I turn around and see Fenrir snarling at me while its mouth is forced to be shut by silver ropes. I then turn around and look up. Ellard and two other elves have arrived to help us. The other elves take hold of Fenrir, while Ellard helps me up and says, "I promised that whenever you need help we are there for you.".
Bucky puts the shackles on Fenrir's legs. When we get the situation to settle down, Bucky comes to me. He pulls me away from Ellard and secures me into a tight hug. He keeps me so close that it feels like he doesn't want anyone else to even see me. I whisper to him, "I am fine love. We need to move forward. Loki needs us.". He kisses me on my forehead, and I look up to his face. "Don't ever do that again. Okay?", he tells me. I give him a kiss. "I am fine. Can we now go and save my brother?", I ask him.
Before we move on to find Loki, Bucky turns to Ellard. He looks angry and frustrated. Bucky is standing right in front of Ellard and looks him in the eyes. To my surprise he then holds his hand towards Ellard and says, "Thank you for saving her. She is my everything.". Ellard looks at Bucky and then to me. He shakes Bucky's hand and says, "Your welcome! You do know that I saw her rings when we first met? It is not in the nature of my people to destroy love. And the love that burns with phoenix fire, couldn't be broken anyway.". Bucky looks at him and smiles. He nods to Ellard and then comes to me, and we continue our mission.
We walk deeper in the Dungeon, but we can't find him. Where is he? "Halla.", someone whispers. I turn around and ask, "What?". Everyone is now looking at me. "No one said anything honey.", Wanda answers. I look at them. "Someone whispered my name. Who else would it be than one of you?", I tell her. Then I realize. "Loki?", I ask out loud. Bucky was going to say something, but before he could do that, I shush him because I hear it again. "Halla, behind you.", the voice says. I turn around and stare at a stone wall.
I start to concentrate my power towards the wall. Wanda steps next to me, holds my hand and joins me. Together we manage to take down the magic that masked Loki's cell behind a wall. When the facade comes down, we see him. It takes some tries but we are able to take down the magic that keeps Loki in the cell. When he joins us, I go and give him a tight hug. I pull apart from him and hit him on his shoulder.
"It was her. I was right!", I say to him. He looks at me and nods. "You didn't have to say, 'I told you so.'. I get it.", Loki responds, and I can hear the shame in his voice. I give him another hug and when I step away from him I say, "Don't worry. I think someone else also needs to hear the 'I told you so.'. Right Bucky?". I look at Bucky and I know that he remembers the fight that we had last time we were in Asgard. I know that he remembers how he defended Deliah. "Fine, we were stupid. You were right!", Bucky says to me.
"Can you say that again the way that I can record that. It might come in handy in the future, or I could use it as my ringtone.", I say to Bucky while I walk to him and give him a kiss on his cheek. Loki finally looks around and sees everyone. "Who are they and what is the next part of your plan?", he asks me. I don't even get the chance to answer because Ellard is already speaking. "We are the Light Elves of Alfheim. And you are the king that denied our request for help.", Ellard says directly to Loki. He looks at Ellard and everyone can see the confusion on his face. I knew that Loki wouldn't do that. He wouldn't have just let someone's cry for help pass by.
"I was told that we had a request for help, but because one of our people was captured in Alfheim. No one told me that the royal family on Alfheim, requested help.", Loki tells them and then continues, "We would never deny request for help from our allies.". Ellard looks at the other elves. They speak something silently. "We can settle this thing after everything is ok in here. We came here to help the princess...", he finally says to us and nods at me while he continues, "and that is what we shall do.". The elves bow slightly to me and then take a stance.
"Ok, we need to go now. The others are trying to find Deliah so that we can stop this nonsense.", I tell everyone. Loki then says out loud the fact that we already know, "She is not working alone. Hela is also here. I don't know how they have met, but Deliah is apparently in love with Hela. But I wouldn't say that the feeling is mutual. Hela is using her to get the throne. Fortunately, the people of Asgard won't obey her. But unfortunately, they trust Deliah.". Loki looks at the floor and then continues, "This is all my fault. I was so eager to find someone that I fell for the first person that was willing to spend time with me. You were right Halla.".
"Why is it that it takes a disaster this big for you two to finally admit that I am right? And why is no one recording these?", I ask them. Wanda is laughing right next to me. "Don't worry. If they deny it later, I can just show everyone those memories.", she promises me. I fist bump with Wanda, and everyone is laughing.
We leave the Dungeon and try to find the others. Luckily we have Bucky and Loki with us because it doesn't take us that much time to run into some Asgardian soldiers. These soldiers are Bucky's friends and loyal to Loki but apparently some of the soldiers take orders only from Deliah. Our group is now bigger, and it is harder to stay hidden. We are almost at the courtyard when an Asgardian horn resounds. "Intruders in the palace grounds.", Bucky explains to me when I look confused of the sound. Someone has seen us or our friends.
The soldiers that joined us ask orders, "Lord Barnes, what are your orders?". I look at Bucky and Loki. I don't understand why they are asking from Bucky, when the king of Asgard is right next to them. I think I still have so much to learn from my home and its traditions. "Bucky is the highest-ranking member of the army in our group. I may be the king, but these soldiers fight side by side Bucky. That is where they take their orders.", Loki whispers to me. He then smiles a little and whispers to me, "Some of the soldiers are even more loyal to Bucky than Thor. But don't tell them that I told you.". I never realized how much Bucky means to the soldiers. For some reason, I never even thought that they look up to him, even though I knew how good of a fighter Bucky is.
Bucky gives them orders to gather every soldier and guard that is on our side and get to the courtyard. He then tells one of the soldiers to alert the dragons and the phoenixes, but apparently that is the limit. "But sir, no one is able to go near those beasts.", one of the soldiers responds to Bucky. I don't hesitate to interrupt, "Do not call them beasts! They are our friends and allies. They are not beasts!". The soldier looks at me, bows, and says "I am sorry your highness. But the dragons won't let anyone near them.". I look at Bucky and tell everyone, "You don't need to worry about them. I can get them here.". I use my powers to contact the dragons and at the same moment that I get my message through, we hear loud roars in the distance and just seconds after there are high pitched screeches to be heard. "They are all coming to help us.", I tell my friends, "Now we just need to end this madness.".
We continue our journey towards the palace. When we get to the entrance, we notice these giant demon-looking creatures at the doors. They look like the fire demons that we fought in Muspelheim before, but eviller. "Those are the gatekeepers of Hel.", Ellard tells us. Fear falls on his face when he continues, "No man is able to defeat them.". I look at Wanda and she looks at me. "You think its our turn then?", she asks me. I smile and nod. We step forward and the gatekeepers point their spears at us. I create two white glowing orbs in my hands and Wanda uses her powers. The gatekeepers stare at me. They don't look so intimidating anymore. They lower their weapons and at the same time, both of them kneel before me.
"What is going on?", I ask. The two gatekeepers speak to me in language that I can't understand. "What?", I ask them. One of them looks into my eyes and suddenly I feel sharp pain in my head. Telepathy. "Why do they all have to do this? Can't you just learn English or something?", I think to myself and one of the gatekeepers speak to me. "We cannot speak any other language than our own, but I hope you will listen. You all will die. She has destroyed people in Hel and now it is time for your realm. Her powers are too great for even your phoenix fire. You should leave now. Save yourself and the one you love before it is too late. Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.", the gatekeeper tells me. After that, they both vanish. "They were here to warn us!", I tell the others.
I am looking at Bucky, I walk to him and hug him. "I can't do this. I can't lose you again.", I tell him. Bucky and everyone else are looking at me confused. I turn around and look at everyone. Loki and Ellard both step closer to us and in unison they speak, "What did they tell you?". Loki and Ellard look at each other after that and I notice that Loki is smiling slightly. Wanda is freaking out, "What did they tell you Hailey?", she asks. I tell them everything.
"Are we sure this is the right thing to do? Should we find another way?", Vision asks us. Wanda is now standing really close to him and holding his hand. Ellard takes out his swords and the other elves follow his lead. "Cuiva Halla Nárendur. Tira nottolya. Tulta tuolya. An mauya mahtië. Ter Oiomornië. Ter ondicilyar. Mettana. Nurunna!", Ellard says. The elves take poses like soldiers. Bucky looks at me. I translate to my friends what Ellard just said, "Awake Halla servant of fire. Face your foe. Summon forth your strength. For you must fight. Through endless dark. Through chasms of stone. To the end. To the death!".
Loki looks at Ellard and quickly with his magic, changes into his battle gear and conjures his swords from nowhere showing that he is going to fight with them. "Let's go and save our people!", Loki says to me. I look at Bucky. We both know that we may not survive. I kiss him and he holds me in that kiss for a while. "For our family.", I say to him, and he responds, "For our infinity!". We all walk to the doors and open them, knowing that after that all hell will break loose.