Alright! Here's the second-to-last chapter of Part I!
This one is a little more emotionally intense than the other ones, so brace yourself.
I hope you enjoy!
A M O R A
Amora felt a strange sense of pride as she and Sif passed through one of the many secret gateways between worlds. Perhaps it was just the awestruck look on Sif's face that she found so satisfying.
However, the pleasure was short-lived as they passed the first village of Vanaheim. It was desolate. The shacks were in shambles from a recent raid, the women moved with despair from a recent loss, and the children cried out with tears from a recent fright. But no men were in sight.
Lorelei, Amora thought.
The sun set and the two women set up camp in the forest. Lying down to rest, Amora and Sif both discussed their plan. The raven-haired warrior was naturally eager to face Lorelei's army in battle, but the sorceress was quick to correct her.
"We do not know the extent of my sister's control, let alone her army." She held up the collar that had silenced her. "We must end this at the source. We must find Lorelei and stop her."
As soon as the sky had begun to lighten, the pair continued their journey to Asgard. A tense silence overtook their ride through the forests of Vanaheim as both women grew lost in thought.
Sif finally broke the silence. "Amora, what was Karnilla talking about in the dungeon when she mentioned your inability to ascend?"
"I'm not sure," she admitted, "She spoke of some unknown potential I possess but have yet to discover or wield." Amora shook her head. "It's probably just another lie."
Sif's eyes darkened. "She wants you as a weapon."
"I don't understand what she could see in me that would suggest great power."
"Well, you did enthrall a guard with nothing but your eyes earlier."
Amora opened her mouth, but a sudden shout stopped her.
"Amora! Sif!"
Recognizing the voice, the two women looked back.
"Loki?" Sif called, leaping off her horse just as the prince burst through the underbrush, "Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine," His worried gaze automatically turned to Amora. "Are you alright?"
She dismounted her horse, watching Loki with careful eyes. With Lorelei on the loose, no man could be trusted.
"I am," she spoke, "Why are you not with the others?"
Loki took quick steps toward her, his worried eyes scanning her for any sign of injury, and she almost backed away.
"I have been searching for you in the forest since you disappeared. I only stopped when I saw Erik's village burning."
Sif's eyes widened. "The village was ablaze?"
Loki nodded. "The few surviving women told me that Lorelei had come and ordered the men to destroy everything. I assumed that you would take a less direct route to Asgard, so I came this way searching for you."
Amora's eyes softened, and she wrapped her arms around the prince. He drew her closer, and she relaxed for the first time in days.
"I was so worried about you," Loki whispered. He pulled back, and his face became serious. "But we must get to Asgard as soon as possible."
Working with Loki to reach Asgard made the process much easier. The two sorcerers had used these secret passages before, and it created a warm feeling of familiarity to work side-by-side.
Returning home, they were met with the same conditions as the village in Vanaheim. The physical damage was not as severe, but the women still walked with the same defeated aura. The men, however, were far from gone. They milled about the streets, searching homes and monitoring the women.
The trio quickly retreated into an alley.
"How are we supposed to get to Lorelei now?" Sif asked, "All of Asgard is under her control and probably looking for us."
"I can get us to her," said Loki, grabbing each woman's arm.
Before either could object, they were teleported to the palace. Amora hoped to remain discreet in their approach, but any hope for discretion or surprise was dashed when she turned and saw where Loki had taken them.
They were in the great throne room and seated on the throne was Lorelei. The redhead smiled. "Thank you for delivering them, Loki."
Amora stared in horror as he bowed his head, and several guards approached to restrain the two women. They struggled, but there were too many men to fight, and they found themselves on their knees and chained to the ground. The guards dispersed and Lorelei approached the two, snatching the collar from Amora and placing it around Sif's throat.
"I do not have the patience for your voice, my dear," she said lightheartedly as she returned to the throne, "Hopefully, after today, I will never have to hear it again."
"What have you done, Lorelei?" Amora demanded.
Her sister's humor disappeared, replaced by rage and indignation. "I am doing what I was destined for. What we were destined for. But you are too weak to realize it. We have always been greater than these Asgardians but never had the opportunity to rise. This is my rise, Amora."
"Where is Odin?" Amora's anger grew at the thought of harm coming to the royal couple. "Where is Frigga?"
Lorelei chuckled. "Oh, they are keeping each other company in the dungeon. I would have kept the old man out here, but he is not as much fun to play with as the others."
The redhead's eyes lit up. "Speaking of the others," she turned and called, "Thor, please bring our special guest out."
Sif visibly stiffened as the prince came into view, urging Lord Erik forward before shoving him onto his knees near the throne.
Lorelei stood and slowly approached the nobleman. "You should be grateful, Amora. I only spared our father this long so that we could share this moment."
No, Amora thought, struggling against her chains as her sister conjured a dagger and crouched next to the defeated man.
"I chose not to enthrall him and deny him witness of my historic rise, but now the time has come." Lorelei rested her hand on his shoulder. "Your family, Erik, do you miss them?" she asked gently and earned a single nod.
"You can see them again."
He looked up hopefully, "How?"
"Do not listen to her!" Amora cried out, but her words went unheeded.
Lorelei held the dagger out to Erik. Tears welled up in his eyes as he took it with a trembling hand and lifted it up.
The onlooking brunette shook her head. "Do not do this, Lorelei. This is not you."
"You do not know what I am," Lorelei snapped and turned back to Lord Erik, regaining her sympathetic tone, "Go on. Reunite yourself with Sigrid and Elof."
Erik stared at Lorelei, one last tear going down his cheek, and he drove the dagger deep into his abdomen.
"No!" Amora cried out, struggling against the chains that bound her. She could only watch as the life slowly disappeared from her father's eyes.
"No," she whimpered and looked up at Lorelei, "How could you? They were our blood and you killed them all."
"They deserved it," the redhead shouted.
"They deserved justice, not death!"
The look of rage on Lorelei's face contorted in disgust. "Look at you. Where is your power now?" she mocked, "Karnilla said that you were better, that you had the greatest potential." She chuckled bitterly. "Always the perfect sister. Always the desired sister. Until now."
Amora scoffed. "You speak as though you never had any suitors."
"I never had the one I wanted most." Lorelei's voice lowered. "But you did. You had your prince."
Amora looked in horror at Loki standing at attention beside the throne.
The redhead turned back to look at Thor on the side opposing Loki. "I am not going to kill my prince just yet. He is much too fun to play with," she then turned to smile at the woman kneeling at her feet, "But I will kill yours, and then you will know my pain."
"No, please," Amora spoke quickly, trying to stand to her feet, "I'm sorry, Lorelei. I'm sorry that I could not help you. But you do not need to do this."
Lorelei only smirked before pulling the dagger from the corpse and moving toward Loki. "Did you not find Lord Erik's sacrifice noble, Loki?"
No, no, no! Amora screamed at him mentally.
He nodded. "I did, my lady. He did what was necessary for those he loved."
"It was admirable." Lorelei held the dagger out to the prince. "Do it for me."
"Lorelei, please," Amora pleaded, tears welling up in her eyes, "Please, I beg of you, do not do this." She could not bear the thought of Loki dying in front of her, of living without him.
The prince accepted the dagger and Amora grew more frantic.
"Have a care, sister!" she cried out, searching Lorelei's face for any sign of her little sister.
She found none.
The brunette watched helplessly as her friend raised the weapon. He glanced at her, but showed no concern for her despair.
"Please don't," she croaked.
Loki drew the dagger down to deliver the killing strike. Amora squeezed her eyes shut, and tears ran down her cheeks. The pain and rage built up inside her like a burning fire, consuming her. Unable to bear it, she screamed
"Stop!"
* * *