A GODS WEAKNESS [l.laufeyson]

THIRTEEN

     In his cell Loki lays on his bed, bored and throwing an empty cup into the air and catching it. Meanwhile, in a cell he shares with other prisoners, Algrim removes the gem from his stomach and crushes it in his palm. His whole body starts to shake as molten heat radiates up his arm and throughout his body. His cell mates panic and begin shouting for help while banging their fists against their cell's energy shield. Hearing the commotion, Loki rises from his bed.

The heat that consumes Algrim grows so intense, it emits an explosive wave of heat so powerful, his fellow inmates are incinerated. His armour clothing and horned mask have become fused to his body like a skin. He transforms into Kurse. Using the head of one of the screaming inmates who survived the blast, Kurse now smashes his way through the energy shield. An alarm is sounded throughout the palace. Two guards within the dungeon rush to stop him, but he lifts them by their throats and roasts them with his molten hot hands. Not long after he proceeds to release the other prisoners.

Beyond the dungeon, the guards run to pick up their swords and shields. With prisoners pouring past like rats, Kurse approaches Loki's cell, the last in the row. Loki has been watching the prison break with cautious curiosity. As Kurse stands on the other side of the barrier, Loki gives him a long, predatory stare.
Kurse turns away, deciding not to release this one from his cell. Unperturbed, Loki offers some parting advice.

"You might want to take the stairs to the left." Kurse stops to consider Loki's words and turns towards the left.

~

Meanwhile within the palace, Thor, Jane and Frigga hear the alarm.

"The prison!" Frigga is the first to notice.

"Loki!" Thor's first thought was his brother.

"Go, I'll look after her." Thor sheds his cloak as he runs to the balcony, he leaps from the edge and catches Mjolnir in the air as it hurtles past.

Running through the corridor of the palace towards the dungeons, he spots Astrid.

"Astrid!" Thor hollers to the Princess who seemed confused by what was happening.

"Thor!" Astrid runs up to him relieved. "What in the nine realms is going on?!"

"I'm not sure but listen to me carefully. I want you to head towards Odins chambers, do you understand me? Run as fast as you can okay? There my mother will keep you safe." Astrid obeyed Thor's command and ran as fast as she could.

~

In the dungeons Fandral and Volstagg have joined the Asgardian warriors to battle the escaping Marauders.

"It's as if they resent being in prison!" Fandral shouts.

"There's no pleasing some creatures!" Volstagg can't help but jest with his friend. As soldiers and prisoners battle beyond his cell, Loki sits calmly at the edge of his cell beside the energy shield and reads a book. Thor arrives, and a group of Marauders warily back away.

"Return to your cells and no further harm will come to you. You have my word." As he turns his head to the right, a Marauder punches him in the face.

"Very well, you do not have my word." He joins in the fight, laying waste to all prisoners in his path.

~

Astrid is still running towards Odins chambers. She can see it up ahead. She is almost there when suddenly a hand grabs her wrist and harshly yanks her into a room. She opens her eyes to see her father.

"Where in the Hel have you been?" Frey was fuming. Did he even realise what was going on?

"Father please listen to me. We are being-" He slaps her sending her down to the floor hard.

"How dare you instruct me to listen to you... you vile being!" He then kicks her in her stomach, winding her.

"I wish I had ended you long ago." These words hurt her. She knew her father hated her, but she didn't know it was to the point he actually wanted her dead. It sounded stupid in her head. But there was a part of her who still wished her father loved her.

"Now I realise... of course..." he father had figured something out. All she could do was curl into a ball and expect the worse.

"How could I be so stupid to let you out of my sight... you were down in the dungeons visiting him..." Astrid was hoping he wouldn't find out. What both of them didn't realise was someone walked to the door Frey had left open. They stood there watching the both of them.

"No matter... once I'm rid of you... I will get rid of him." Astrid's eyes shot open, still in a ball on the floor. Her heart was pounding faster dreading what he was going to do. Her body started aching. The same energy she felt by the healers room yesterday.

"I will end him myself... And I will make it slow and painful... enjoying every second of it."

"STOP IT!" Astrid sat up screaming. A white aura around her body with some sort of energy being released sent the King flying back into a pillar with great force. The glass windows shatters and the figure standing at the door quickly shields themselves behind the wall watching they aren't caught up in the blast.

Astrid looks over to her father, her vision blurry. She's not even sure if he's alive after that. The magic power she felt though was extreme. This must of been years and years worth of magic building up.

She sees two figures walking towards her. She can't quite work out who it is before she blacks out. She can hear them but doesn't understand their language.

"Don't kill her. Her power is incredible, she could be of use to us."

The creature simply looks at his master before picking Astrid up and slinging her over his shoulder.

"Now let's go get what is rightfully mine..."