Both Monsters (Loki X Reader)

25. Goddess of Death

Y/N's POV:

"So he's gone. That's a shame. I would've liked to see that." the woman spoke, glancing around the empty field, like a predator searching for its prey. I let out a nasally laugh, because while I'm sure I won't like this being, it was at least good to know we shared the same sentiment on our deceased parents. I smiled briefly, until Thor spoke.

"You must be Hela. I'm Thor, Son of Odin." Thor's voice was so void of emotion at this point that it was becoming almost frightening. The Goddess, however, seemed unfazed, bored by us even; barely even giving us so much as a glance in acknowledgment. Sarcastically chastising Thor on his lack of similarity to his late father, despite hardly looking like the man herself.

"Perhaps we can come to an arrangement." Loki's stern proposition came from beside me, his tone formal, diplomatic even; maybe he really had been attending some of those meetings back on Asgard after all. I frowned slightly, realising now how I'd do anything to go back there; go back to the life we'd previously been living.

"You sound like him." Hela retorted, making me inhale between my teeth; of all the things to compare Loki to, that wasn't the most favourable one. "Kneel." her tone playfully demanding, as she now fully scanned our figures, a smug smile pulling at the corner of her mouth. My eye's once again flicked between the two brothers, who remained standing if not slightly more baffled. Eyeing Loki as he cocked his head to the side, almost as if he were about to bow for her instead.

"Beg your pardon?" I scoffed at Loki's disbelief, thinking back to how I had even managed to get myself tied up in another pile of family drama; a family of messy Gods for that matter. I suppose it couldn't possibly be any worse than that. Hela smirked as if hearing my internal thoughts; flicking out her hand and watching as a large blade appeared between her fingers, repeating her earlier demand for us to kneel. It turns out things could get worse.

Thor grunted in disapproval, simultaneously launching his hammer at the Goddess of Death. Except she didn't flinch, she hardly even blinked. The hammer stopped suspended just in front of her, held in place by a single, relaxed hand as if the mighty Mjölnir had been made of air this entire time. I couldn't take my eyes off her, barely hearing Thor's voice of disbelief. The hammer began vibrating violently as two different forces fought for power, with light sparking out at the sides. Okay, it was a lot worse.

Loki's hand suddenly grabbed my waist, harshly yanking me to his side. Using his body to block the entire wave of lightning and force of power barrelling towards us. Yet, despite tightly holding my eyes shut, my face pressed flush against Loki's chest, I could still see the white light consuming us; the hairs on my neck and arms standing to attention. Electricity in the air. Then nothing. It all disappeared again.

Peeling myself away from Loki slightly, and bravely reopening my eyes again, I gasped seeing Mjölnir completely shattered and discarded amongst the grass, like just some ordinary rock. Hela meanwhile smiled back at us, using her hands to brush her scraggly, black hair up and out of her face. Except it entirely disappeared instead, and in its place her hair transformed into more of a battle head piece. Both her hands now holding a long, metal blade each as she took slow, meticulous steps towards us.

Loki's eyes widened, rapidly glancing down at me and back up at the approaching Goddess of Death; his arm tightening even harder around me. "Bring us back!" his voice alarmed as he yelled up to the sky. My hands flew to grab his body, shaking my head violently.

"No wait!" my voice now equally panicked, but it was too late. The familiar rush of air made my hair whip around my face, my vision clouding by the myriad of bright colours. I could feel my knuckles turning white as I clung to Loki's jacket. Our bodies hurtling through the darkest depths of space.

"Loki!" Thor's worried call came from above, as he gestured to Hela quickly gaining on us. Before I got the chance to react, Loki was throwing me up to Thor, who caught me with one arm around my waist, holding me firmly. Loki swiftly materialised a dagger in his hand and lobbed the blade down at the woman with force. Yet in the blink of an eye she turned the dagger back around, watching it hurtle towards Loki's body again. As Loki went to dodge the blade his body clashed with the walls of the Bifrost, breaking our chamber of safety. The scream ripping through my throat as I watched Loki's body get thrown from the Bifrost and out into the void of space.

Hela closing the gap even faster now, with Thor only just managing to push me from his hold before she wrapped a hand around his throat. The two battled against one another for dominance, except Thor was only able to flail about desperately. Grasping one of my holstered knives, I plunged the blade deep into her shoulder. Mouth hung open in disbelief as she effortlessly shrugged it off and continued to throw Thor from the Bifrost; his body spiralling down into the void as well.

I sneered, through gritted teeth as the Goddess turned to face me. Watching as she fully eyed me with a smile. "You know, I thought I already had every reason to hate your Father, turns out the list just never ends." I spat, as Hela casually pulled my blade out from her shoulder, turning it in her hand before running it along my cheek. Blood smearing across my face.

"Brave one, aren't you? Especially for a Mortal." she mused, tucking my blade back in the holster strapped to my thigh. "It would be good to have someone as skilled as you by my side." she continued, as I rolled my eyes, clenching my fists beside me.

"I'd rather die, then kneel before you on My Throne!" I hissed, eyes trained on her face as she smirked with a twisted sense of pride.

"I can see why my baby Brother likes you, perhaps I'll be kind and gift him you back again." she leaned in closer, her grin halfway between a smile and a threat before I felt a sharp pain shoot through my side. Growling, I kept my eyes locked on her; determined not to show an ounce of weakness. "Don't forget to hold your breath, Darling." she whispered before I felt her blade retract from my side and a firm hand on my chest. Only for my body to be roughly forced through the Bifrost, and begin plummeting through the darkness.

...

I'm dead, I've got to be. Everything is blindingly white. I've actually finally died. Shifting my body slightly I howled in agony. Or not. If I'm dead, then why am I still suffering with so much pain? Reluctantly I opened my eyes, very much confirming the grim reality of still being alive. Alive and surrounded by trash. Brilliant.

Reaching a shaky hand to my side I felt the familiar sticky substance of blood leaving my body. Lifting my head slightly I scanned the area for something to ease the bleeding, when my eyes landed on a discarded flag a little way up a scrap pile. With a gritted moan I forced myself up onto my feet and began the climb to the material. With one hand still covering the gruesome slash in my side it took an exhausting amount of effort to make any progress. Firmly planting my feet on old parts of machinery and other random metal components each time I descended up.

Finally grasping the fabric between my hands I yanked the flag apart, tearing through it with ease as my side sang with protest. I began folding up a small square to place against the open wound before tightly securing the material around my side with multiple knots. Hopefully it'll be sufficient at binding the flesh back together long enough for me to figure out where the hell I should go next.

With both hands now free, I clambered the rest of my way up to the top of the pile with slightly more ease. From the top, I noticed a fairly large city far off in the distance. I cocked my head slightly, trying to weigh up my options; it was gonna be a long walk, but it was better than staying out here and waiting to die that's for sure.

...

Mountain after mountain of rubbish went by as my feet began to drag from the trek I had embarked so far, the city still a little way off in the distance. Pausing for a moment, I took the opportunity to glance down at my side, the already grubby fabric now stained a murky burgundy. The heat in this Hell pit was nearly unbearable, as I shielded my eyes from the sun. The quicker I get into the city, the better. I huffed a pained sigh, as I began to heave my heavy legs further into the trash once more.

...

Collapsing against the building wall and swiping a hand across my brow, in a meek attempt at removing the fever now settling in. My half-lidded eyes slowly drifted upwards, taking in the monument that loomed over me; the side weirdly plastered with metal sculptures of different faces. And yet, despite the bizarre décor choice it was clear to me that no matter what, I needed to somehow get inside that building.