Krystal

19

It seems like forever since Thor went to get help. Whatever beast was following us never strayed far from where I'm hiding, so it definitely knows I'm here.

Every now and again I can see it's shadow silhouetted across the ground, it's definitely a lot bigger than I originally thought.

I've just about given up all hope of rescue or escape by this point, when I'm suddenly aware of an unfamiliar magical presence approaching me.

Green magic slowly ebbs through the air in my direction and stops directly in front of me. I can sense that it means me no harm when I reach out and touch it.

I feel a protective aura around it as it then travels up my arm and all the way up to my neck. Suddenly, I hear the familiar click of the collar unlocking which makes it drop to the ground with a heavy thud.

"Thank you" I whisper to it as it travels back the way it came from.

I don't know whose magic that was, but they've at least given me a fighting chance of surviving whatever was coming next.

The sound of the collar hitting the ground seems to have alerted it to where I am. I could now hear it breathing it was that close.

Run, just get up and run, I keep telling myself, but I can't even will my legs to work because I'm so afraid.

The ground beneath me begins to move and when I look up, I see an impossibly large hand gripping the trunk of the tree, attempting to yank it out of the ground.

"Shit!"

That's when I finally find the will to run. I take a second to look back at what it is, and notice it's a giant gargoyle type beast that's at least forty feet tall.

It sees me running away and throws the now uprooted tree in my direction. Luckily, I'm now able to use my magic to quickly deflect it and stop it from crushing me.

I can hear something else coming from the direction I'm running towards, like thunder or something? It's definitely the sound of horses.

Around thirty soldiers on horseback narrowly avoid trampling me just before I see Thor, now wearing full armour, running to me.

"Thank the gods, your alright!"

"They can't kill that thing, it's too strong, they'll all die" I tell him, desperately out of breath from running.

"What do you propose we do?"

"I can stop it if you can get me close enough".

The monsters now using another tree like a bat, swinging left and right, attempting to knock the soldiers off their horses as they begin firing arrows and throwing spears in it's direction.

"Aim for the legs!" he orders them when we get closer.

Thor throws his hammer, sending it hurtling through the air and striking the monsters hand, finally knocking the tree from it's grasp.

As the hammer returns, it collides with it's shoulder, causing it to lose balance and stagger before falling to it's knees, but it still continues to attack them even then.

"It is now or never, tiny witch".

Using my powers, I push the monster forward so it's laid out face down on the ground and hold it there. It's strong and fights against the hold I have on it with all it's might.

I hadn't needed to use this much power in a very long time, so it takes every ounce of energy I have to overpower it.

"FREEZE!"

I can finally release my hold on it, but collapse to the ground exhausted. I look into the eyes of this monster as it lays there, unable to move when I notice something interesting, something behind it's eyes.

She's watching us right now and she knows I'm here on Asgard.

"Stop!" I shout when one of the soldiers is about to drive a sword through it's eye.

The beast's skin was clearly impenetrable, the arrows and spears hadn't left a single mark, so driving a sword through it's eye would be the only way to kill it.

"What is wrong?" Thor asks me.

"She's watching us. She's spying on Asgard through their eyes".

"So we should kill it?"

"I might be able to speak with her, if you allow it?"

"You are welcome to try".

"We cannot trust a witch, Prince Thor. She may be in league with these beasts!" one of the soldiers states.

"Remember your place!" he defends me.

I look deep into the eyes of the monster and place my hand on it's head, searching within its consciousness for whatever connection it has to the witch I'd been searching for.

"Hello, Krystal" I hear in my mind.

"There you are".

"You've finally found me. So close and yet so far, little dove".

"You and I will see each other again soon enough".

"Do you really believe that the Asgardians will send you here to kill me?"

"I'll find my way there with or without their help, and when I do you're as good as dead".

"They will never trust you, not really".

"Well thanks to you I don't trust anyone, so that means nothing to me".

"So how does it feel? To have been completely alone and without love since your precious husbands death?"

"If anyone knows about loneliness, it's you. Jealousy, bitterness and being a general bitch were always your weak points. Not to mention that you always chased after men who could see right through you".

"I could have any man in the palm of my hand, but as soon as you would walk into the room they would forget I even existed".

"It wasn't my fault you always wanted what you couldn't have, or that you used me as a scapegoat for your own insecurities".

"Tell me, because I never got the opportunity to ask, did he die instantly or was it slow and painful?"

"Your death will be much slower, I can promise you that".

"Until then, little dove".

And with that, she's gone. Hearing her voice again after all these years filled me with such hurt and brought back all those painful memories.

I run into Thor's arms just before one of the soldiers kills the monster.