Beauty and the Trickster

Chapter Zero

"I love no one, I am a God." He bellowed, towering over with his eyes cold and dark. I was struggling to fight against him pressing a dagger into me.

"I will kill you and feel nothing." He roared; my anger was boiling over. Yet I could not lose focus, this was not him, my Loki would never say such things.

"Loki, Please." I pleaded, struggling against his strength. He kept pressing against me, forcing us to press against the wall. Fleeting a glance over to an injured Captain America, I was just trying to buy ourselves time until the rest of the team came back.

"You mortals are all pathetic, I will rid this world of your existence enchantress." Loki hissed angrily; his emerald eyes almost as black as his raven hair. His blue dagger began to pulse with power, I kept my concentration on trying to hold him back.

"Leave her alone, Prince of Asgard," Cap muttered trying to pull himself off the ground, Loki's eyes flicked in his direction with annoyance. An illusion of himself appeared, swiftly kicking him to the ground again. He let out a groan but kept trying to crawl towards me.

Loki's double kept kicking Steve, all while his real persona kept pressing the dagger closer and closer to my breast.

No light was left in his eyes, I knew I would not stop trying to free him of his curse.

Using my magic would almost immediately cause my strength to fail, so I had to try and fight long enough to put him to sleep.

I pushed my magic through my palms, willing it to spread into his body. I could see the soft glow move up his own hands spreading quickly all over his body. Blanketing him in a violet aura, his eye color flickered a shade lighter. I grew hopeful that I could break his walls, but I only angered the parasite attached to him.

Loki screamed so loud the house windows shook, taking me off guard I stumbled with my strength. He took advantage of my weakness and struck hard across my face, tossing me to the ground further away from Steve. The air is leaving my body, causing a painful yelp to escape. He was roaring clutching at his head, his voice wavering with an unknown tone. Enraged, he lunged towards me. Sitting on top of my body, pinning my arms to the ground.

"You Vile Witch," Loki hissed, striking me again, I could not fight him anymore. My heart would not allow me to hurt him.

Tears escaped my eyes, while I looked up at my beloved. "I'll make you pay; I'll make you suffer." He spat with so much venom, it could have killed. His hand raised above his head, whilst another dagger appeared in his palm. Closing my eyes, I only hoped he would be free of this darkness.

"You're a pathetic girl," A darker voice spoke. "Fight, or I will take you. By death or by choice." The Darkness growled its threat, I knew what I was going to have to do.

Forcing a wave of energy throughout my body, I could feel myself connecting to the deepest parts of Loki's mind.

"I love you." Was all I could hear him screaming, those were the words I needed to give myself strength. I'd gotten through to him, Loki could see me. He was fighting from inside, so I needed to use more magic to break the hold on him. The burning feeling spreading over my body forced my eyes open, looking up to see Loki's eyes full of tears and bloodshot. His arm was trembling above his head, still clutching the dagger. A black matter pouring out of his back with a hissing sound, his body reacting with a shiver.

Loki was fighting to come back, so I had in fact broken the connection. He appeared frozen, reacting to taking control of his body again, his face slowly relaxing showing more emotions. He shifted above, allowing me to move my arms again.

The Shadowed mist now hovered above our heads, looking for another way into the host. Loki's double illusion faded away, while Cap began groaning, attempting to stand again.

"Cass?" Loki's voice cracked; I offered a weak smile. Reaching up to touch his face, staring into his green eyes, those beautiful, mischievous, yet loving eyes. They had brought me so much happiness, having dragged us both from the darkest of places. It was only fitting that I could save him in return, even if it would be the final time.

"I love you," I managed to force out in between sobs. Concentrating a huge amount of magic into my palms as I tenderly touched his face, Loki's eyes blinked only for a moment of realization before rolling into the back of his head.

"No," He muttered as I willed him to sleep.

His lean body rolling over, falling into a deep sleep on the floor. The dagger disappears before crashing to the ground, the house once again rumbling with an unearthly rage. The Dark mist taking over the entirety of the house, Steve had finally managed to come to my aid, but I'd saved just enough magic to take him out as well.

"Cass, don't do this." He looked down at my glowing hands, all while blackened tears rolled down my face. "Please, we can find another way."

"If I do not, this will never stop. I have too, for all of you." Quickly placing my hand on his outreached arm, I forced my magic into Steve's body, he was fighting against me. Grabbing a hold of my arms, which only triggered a stronger reaction. He slowly fell to his knees, his blue eyes refusing to look away from me before he finally gave in with a groan. Collapsing to the floor close to Loki, leaving only the roaring of my magic ringing in my ears

Over the dull hum of power, I could hear Tony's suit now, they were close. I had to finish this before anyone else was hurt, so turning my eyes back to the ever-growing dark spiral of mist above my head.

"Take me instead, I'm ready for you." I stood tall, casting one last glance to my sleeping prince "I will not fight you anymore." The voice hidden in the mist roared with laughter, as I felt his chilled invisible fingers around my throat.

"I will take you, and make you regret making me wait." The darkness hissed in my ear; tears flooded my eyes making it almost impossible to see.

The dark wave of black swirling down around me, almost blanketing my vision in darkness. I could almost make out Loki, he was beginning to shift on the floor, fluttering his eyes before snapping them open in anger.

Silly god, he was fighting my magic quicker than I thought.

"No!" He screamed, reaching out to pull me into his arms. It was too late, taking in the last glimpse of my beloved trickster. My light was snuffed out, leaving my body cold and then nothing.

This was my worst nightmare, Death.