Special Agent 2: The Dark Soldier

Chapter 57

Sunlight filled Loki's eyes as he came out the other side of the portal, his boots landing on old asphalt. It took him a moment to adjust to his new surroundings, the air hot in comparison with Jotunheim. Then he noticed the buildings, rising all around him, and his blood ran cold.

Midgard.

The two Dark Elves were ahead of him, striding towards one of the buildings. Loki recognized it; it was the very building Captain Morris had been killed in front of, the same building he and Agent Sniper had fallen from.

They're heading for Sniper. They sense her, like they do me.

Loki took off after them, baring his teeth in anger. They would pay for causing Frigga's death, he swore it. And this time, he would abide by his word.

The thud of footsteps behind him caught his attention and Loki glanced back to see more Dark Elves barreling through the portal. The battle hadn't ended, it was simply changing locations.

"Brother!" he heard Thor yell, just as he and Hailstohm jumped through. Loki turned as his brother and the frost giantess engaged the other Elves, racing after Malekith and the Elf with the Power Stone just as the door to the building opened.

Agent Sniper's rifle was the first thing Loki saw, and it fired immediately.

Both the Elves avoided the shot, but Sniper only fired again. When that bullet was also dodged, the rifle vanished and Sniper herself appeared in the doorway, rifle across her back, her eyes intent on the Elves.

"They've come for us, huh?" she called, and Loki knew she was talking to him.

"Aether," Malekith breathed, halting and turning so as to be able to look at both Loki and Sniper. "Kyma jaat leitko." Then he thrust out both his hands, one toward each of the hosts, and curled his fingers inward. "Ilekeni!"

Immediately, Loki felt the Aethur bursting against his veins, his skin, struggling to escape him. He tasted the darkness again, slimy on his tongue, and his mind flared with someone else's thoughts.

Agent Sniper's thoughts.

And he knew that she felt his own thoughts, that the connection they had shared ever since falling through that window had grown stronger. He could sense her in his mind, sharing his thoughts while having her own, and he heard her voice as clear as day.

"What is going on?"

"The Dark Elves seek the Aether," Loki told her. "As we both are its hosts, they are trying to draw it out of us so they can reshape the universe."

"Into what?"

"Primordial darkness."

"Ah, hell, no."

"I'm glad we're on the same page concerning that."

As if they had planned it, the Aether struggling inside both of them – Loki could sense its turmoil within Sniper as well as he could feel it in himself – suddenly surged into an attack, and Malekith was hurled backward.

Red rimmed Loki's vision, and he felt Sniper in his mind as clearly as if he was looking right at her. The other Dark Elf – Arvolt, the Aether whispered – raised his hands and sent a blast of amethyst power right at them.

Loki went to lift his hand to counter it but was pulled off balance as Sniper dove out of the way. Her action drew him right into the path of fire, and only by meeting the blast with a crimson one did he avoid injury. Regaining his balance, Loki shook his head, trying to dispel the disorientation from his mind. But it didn't leave.