"Ta-da!" Loki says playfully as the ship skids across the Svartalf ground.
It takes some time for your eyes to adjust from the incredibly bright pathway to the dark world you now stand in. You look around in awe as Thor covers Jane with a blanket, who is still unconscious. "Not a very welcoming place. I'd rank it in between Kamino and Mustafar."
"Are those planets?" Thor asks.
"Fictional ones." Or not.
"What I could do with the power that flows through those veins," Loki says with a sigh, staring at Jane. For a split second, he gives you a look though. Crap. He's going to read my thoughts to try to figure me out again, isn't he? It would certainly make sense. His line about Jane can certainly apply to you as well.
"It would consume you," Thor states solemnly. You subtly tilt your head towards Thor, trying to say he is right about both the Aether and your 'powers.'
"She's holding up alright." Another look directed towards you, before he turns back to Jane. "For now."
"She's strong in ways you'd never even know," Thor says defensively.
Loki pauses, and you sit down in between and Thor, on the side opposite Loki (because you know Thor will nearly attack Loki momentarily. "Say goodbye."
"Not this day," Thor responds immediately. You look down at your feet, feeling uncomfortable. I'm right here, guys. I don't need to hear the debate about whether it's worth it to love humans because of our tiny lifespans. Or, at least that's what you tell yourself is the source of your discomfort.
The argument continues, and you try to ignore it until you can't anymore. Thor is practically on top of Loki, about ready to punch him. You look up and snap your fingers. "Hey! Could you two wait until after Malekith is dealt with to kill each other?!"
Slowly, Thor backs away from Loki. "Mother too wouldn't want us to fight."
"Well, she wouldn't exactly be shocked," Loki admits.
"No one would be," you mutter.
"I wish I could trust you," Thor says, sounding deeply saddened for obvious reasons.
Thor turns away and walks to sit next to you. Putting himself between you, Jane, and Loki. Smart. "Trust my rage."
They fall silent for a few minutes. Thor quickly breaks the silence though, saying they needed a plan. He starts listing his ideas as you listen apprehensively. That is nothing like what is supposed to happen. Before you can respond, you hear Loki's voice in your head.
"Not the brilliant plan you were hoping for?"
You hold back a sigh. Maybe this will work though. "It's not lining up with what I've foreseen."
"And what have you foreseen?"
"You stabbing Thor, supposedly betraying him and delivering Jane to Malekith. But it was all a ploy to remove the Aether from Jane so that Thor could destroy it."
"I can do that."
"Are you sure? How is Thor going to know you don't actually mean it?"
"Oh, this is not the first time I've done this because his plan was foolish."
"You two are something else. What do you want me to do?"
"When I 'betray' Thor, Jane will likely try to help him. Make it look like you're going to teleport her away. I'll stop you, make it seem you are unconscious."
"Alright, I can do that." You have to admit, this is kind of funny that Loki is basically going to do his version of, "Get help."
Not long afterwards, Jane wakes up, immediately focusing on the sky. Not a second later, Malekith's ship bursts through the clouds. Loki parks the ship in a discreet spot behind a large hill, Malekith on the other side. After climbing up, you nod to Loki.
"All right, are you ready?" Thor asks Jane.
"I am," Loki responds, knowing full well that Thor wasn't talking to him. The two brothers stand up, revealing themselves to Malekith. You hover by Jane, supposedly to teleport her the heck away if necessary. "You know, this plan of yours is going to get us killed."
"Yes, possibly," Thor admits. I love you Thor, but, really, your plan was driving me insane.
Loki holds out his wrists, silently asking Thor to take the shackles off. "You still don't trust me, brother?" Loki asks when Thor hesitates.
"Would you?" Despite everything, Thor unlocks the handcuffs, peeling them off of Loki. Loki rubs his wrists for a moment before putting his hands behind his back.
"No, I wouldn't." Loki grabs Thor and buries his dagger in Thor's gut. A second later, Loki shoves Thor off the side of the hill, sending him tumbling towards Malekith.
"Thor!" Jane shouts as Loki leaps down the hill to Thor's still rolling body.
She starts to run after them, but you grab onto her wrist. "Jane, wait! Think about what Loki's doing!" But she doesn't listen, breaking free of your grip and running down the side of the hill. You sigh and run after her. If there was any real danger from Loki, you would have teleported away with Jane in an instant. But you may as well get closer. You keep an eye on what is happening with Thor and Loki as you run after Jane. You watch as Loki 'cuts Thor's hand off.' Not long after that, Jane is at Thor's side.
You run towards her, letting yourself be grabbed around the waist by Loki. "Go limp," he orders as he puts his palm against your forehead. You force your body to be pliant and you see a small shimmer around your body. He's making it look like I'm passed out. Loki drops you to the ground, and you watch from there as Loki grabs Jane and pulls her away from Thor. "Malekith! I am Loki of Jotunheim, and I bring you a gift!" Loki practically throws Jane to Malekith, and she stumbles to the ground. "I ask only one thing in return. A good seat from which to watch Asgard burn."
Malekith and Kurse speak for a moment before Malekith walks towards Thor, who is lying down on the ground in pain. "Look at me." Malekith kicks Thor, rolling him over to face him. He raises his arm, and Jane hovers eight feet up, arms spread out, the Aether flowing out of her. You watch as the Aether slowly drains from her, until nothing comes out of her body. Jane drops to the ground when it's over, barely moving.
"Loki, now!" Thor shouts, sitting up. Loki lifts his hand, and the illusions over you and Thor fall away as Thor summons Mjolnir.
"Over here!" Loki tells you as he runs towards Jane. You teleport next to Jane, and Loki covers both you and Jane with his body. The three of you watch as Thor shoots lightning at the Aether, causing a massive explosion. When the dust settles, the Aether doesn't, as you knew it wouldn't. Shard-like parts of the Aether float off the ground towards the air, looking almost mesmerizing. But, of course, they float straight to Malekith.
In an instant, the Aether slams into Malekith. Malekith's skin darkens to an ashy grey, his eyes a slight orange. Without a word, he turns around and walks off to his ship, several of the other dark elves coming towards you with their weapons. Thor starts fighting his way to Malekith while Loki sticks with you and Jane. Part of Thor's plan was for Loki to prioritize Jane's safety, and apparently he is keeping up with that.
Kurse throws a black-hole-grenade-thing over his shoulder, heading right towards you. Loki shoves you and Jane aside, allowing himself to be pulled in. Before anything can happen, you take a deep breath. Hope this works. You teleport right next to Loki, grab his forearm, and teleport away. The force of the singularity knocks the wind out of you, but you manage to get away before anything can happen. You and him watch as Thor flies straight towards Malekith, but Kurse punches him aside. "Can you fight?" Loki asks, looking at your sword clipped to your belt.
"Does a week of Sif teaching me basics count?"
"Get her out of here," he says as he draws another dagger.
You don't need to be told twice. You grab Jane's forearm and look around for a good place to hide for a bit. You teleport, probably greatly confusing the dark elves that had started to surround you. You and Jane stand in a cavity in a nearby hill, high up enough to see the whole fight.
"This isn't good," Jane says as you and her watch Malekith's ship fly away.
"I sense that, in due time, all will work out," you promise, touching your temple with your middle finger. You and Jane watch the fight. Thor fights Kurse (and over all doesn't do well) while Loki cuts through the rest of the dark elves. Once Loki is done, he grabs a Svartalf sword and runs to Thor. Kurse stands over Thor, completely unexpecting when Loki impales him with the sword. Kurse turns around, seeming more inconvenienced than anything, grabbing Loki by his shoulders and running the sword straight through Loki. Loki falls to the ground, and a second later a black-hole-grenade-thing activates, killing Kurse. You scan the area for any more dark elves before reaching your hand out for Jane. "It's over, for now."