The Fallen (Part One)

The Storm

Nina didn't sleep but stayed wrapped in Loki's arms listening to his steady breathing and thumping of his heart. She knew that Loki had no intention on letting her go with him she had seen the look on his face. It had sealed her decision to get to Thanos before he had the opportunity to talk to him himself. She would not allow him to sacrifice himself for her no matter what he said, she could never live with herself.
Nina slipped from his arms taking a moment to stare lovingly down at him as he slept on his back one arm flung over his head. She dressed as quietly as she could and made her way out the back door.
The cold shocked her after coming from the warmth of the cabin and Loki's arms she shivered for a moment. She had no ideas if what she was about to do would work but she had to try for both of them. She walked away from the house the snow crunching under her feet and her teeth chattering.
"Thanos, can you hear me? I know you are here I need to speak to you." she felt stupid speaking to the empty air around her but she had no idea of another way.
"Child,you called my master?" The Other stepped from the tree line starling her enough to pull her energy into her hand. "You need not fear us."
Nina watched the hooded figure come to stop yards away and balanced her energy in both hands.
"I have heard different." Her heart pounded and she had to calm her breathing.
"I understand but Thanos only wants to give the Prince of Asgard his rightful place."
"You offer him no choice."
"Loki has made a deal with my master that must be kept. He will get what he desires and Loki will as well. You will as well. You wish to be at his side and you shall be."
"He does not want me to go but I will go willingly if it will keep him safe. I will do what I can to see he doesn't fight you. I need to know he will be safe."
"You are wise my child he will be taken care of. Thanos wil be pleased."
"Nina!" Loki's voice was a deep growl from behind her from back towards the cabin.
The Other didn't move but Nina spun to face him her body shuddering at the anger in his voice.
"Ahh Prince Loki your Princess is well chosen."
"What have you done!" Loki growled again.
"Loki I..." she didn't have a chance to finish before she was knocked off her feet flying through the air and into snow by an energy blast. She struggled to move her breath knocked from her chest he had cast on her and obviously had more magic than she thought.
"What a way to treat your future Queen Loki." The Other said still not moving.
"You stay away from her she will be going no where with us." Loki was shaking in anger he could not believe that she would do something so dangerous. He eyed her trying to get to her feet and squared off at The Other.
"Stay down Nina!" He demanded angrily.
"Loki no!" She yelled
Loki threw a blast at The Other who in a blurr moved aside.
"You are angering me boy!" The Other charged him, to fast for Loki to react grabbing him by the throat and lifting him in the air.
"No!" Nina stood and pushed her own energy blast at The Other forcing him to drop Loki to the ground.
"You are both becoming tedious it is time to go!"
"She stays." Loki coughed coming up from his knees. Nina made her way to him.
"I am afraid that is impossible."
"Loki, please it's alright." Nina reached for his arm but he spun on her his face blank with fury.
"You have no idea what you are saying." He swung back to The Other. "I will go back without her."
"You act as if you have choices to make boy. She will come."
"I would rather Thanos kill me a million times than subject her to him."
"That can be arranged but you will still do as your told. We had a deal and you will follow through with it." The Other waved a hand towards them but Loki stepped aside dragging her with him and sending a wave of blasts at  The Other.
The Other was knocked backwards but remained standing he waved his hand towards them.
Loki screamed dropping to his knees his hands pressed against the sides of his head as roll after roll of pain squeezed his brain.
Nina looked helplessly pulling her energy field around them and kneeling beside Loki.
Loki rocked back and forth a moment longer before the pain lifted leaving him feeling exhausted he looked up at her.
"There is no way out. He will have me do what he needs done but you do not need to be involved I will come back for you. If you love me you will walk away. " Loki begged her.
"Loki there is no where for me to go but with you." She touched his face as The Other shot a blast at her shield that reverberated through her.
"Now you will both die and we will do what we need to do." The Other blasted her shield harder and it collapsed sending her backwards across the ground all the air was knocked from her she moaned trying to focus her eyes as they blurred. It was as if everything moved in slow motion as she tried to pull herself up to her knees watching Loki once again scream on the ground falling to his side and writhing in pain. The Other close by watching him from under his hood.
Nina used her energy to push The Other back making him break contact with Loki she crawled to his side he was no longer writhing he was no longer moving.
"No!" Nina rolled him onto his back laying her head on his chest trying to hear anything tears of pain spilling down her cheeks. "Loki please open your eyes." She rocked him back and forth sobbing an open void in her chest.
The Other stood a few feet away and watched with no reaction.
Nina couldn't think couldn't process anything other than that this could not happen he couldn't die she wouldn't allow it.
Nina laid her hands on his chest her eyes closed she pulled on everything she had inside of her searching for Loki in the darkness. A small beat a flicker of a flame trying to stay burning against the pull of death, pain still echoing inside him. She pushed into that flame into that beat begging it to engulf him forcing the air into his lungs forcing the pain away. She smiled tears washing down her face as she felt him reach out surrounding her physically and mentally in his embrace their hearts beating together she continued the push till she could feel his magic his soul becoming new again. Her heart slowed her flame slowly flickering her soul overjoyed as his life over powered her own.
"Nina, Nina stop!" Loki was sitting up cradling her in his arms screaming into her with everything he had his own tears falling on her face. She opened her eyes the beautiful blue dimming as she looked at him a smile slowly touching her lips.
"Your alive." She whispered raising her hand to his cheek.
"Nina you have to heal yourself you have given to much." He held her close his eyes pleading.
"It's the only way, you have to be totally you to survive what's next on your path."
"No! I need you, to be who I need to be." The panic flooded him as he felt her grow more limp in his arms. "Nina what do I do?!" He asked.
"You survive." Nina ran her finger tips across his lips." I love you." She slid her hand into his hair pulling him lightly to her and kissing him sending the rest of herself into him.
Loki felt her release her head  falling back her blue eyes closed he crushed her against him a guttural scream escaping from the depths of his soul pain flowing through him. There was nothing to fight for now, he did not care what happened to him death, life it was all the same now.
"Bury your Princess. It will then be time to go." The Other didn't move but stood observing ,there was no conflict in Loki now and he knew his mind would be theirs.