Sometimes, Death is better

Branding

Loki's eyes opened up suddenly, sending a shock of anxiety through his body. He had lost so much blood that he couldn't seem to move at all.

He was still tied to the table, the circle of blood stained on the left side of his neck. He was still puzzled about why the Guard had drawn that, but he figured, since he was awake now, he'd soon figure it out.

As if on cue, the Guard threw the door open and stormed into the room, a smile speed across his face.

Loki tried to raise his head up to look at the Guard, but he had no success. He just laid there, waiting for the Guard to walk over to him.

Loki heard what sounded like a metal rod being dragged across the floor.

All the fear that was built up inside him started revealing itself.

"Good, you're awake", the Guard said, stating the obvious.

Loki had just enough strength to ask one question.

"What's with the rod?"

The Guard walked over, close enough to where he was now hovering over Loki.

"Well, it'd be pretty hard to brand you without it, now wouldn't it?" The Guard answered.

The Guard raised the rod up enough for Loki to see the end. The end looked like the two intertwining horseshoes that weren't exactly true horseshoes. They had sharp spikes at the ends of them one side looked like it had horns.

At this point, Loki wasn't surprised.

"Where's it going?" Loki managed to say.

The Guard looked over him and touched the center of the circle, making Loki flinch.

"Right there", the Guard said proudly.

The Guard turn around and walk out of the room towards the fire that had been made and stuck the metal rod directly in it.

Loki wished that he could see what was happening, but his arm was still leaking blood. Every time he'd move, he'd open one of the wounds on his arms.

He heard the Guards heavy shoes stomping on the ground, walking back towards him. Loki tried to prepare himself... but could one really prepare for something like this?

The Guard walked over on Lokis left side, rod in hand.

"Hold still."

Loki's body became as stiff as the table beneath him. He awaited the touch of the rod to the side of his neck.

The rod touched down directly in the middle of the circle of blood, burning through his skin as if he was just laying in fire.

All of a sudden it was like Loki's body found it's movement. His body started jerking back and fourth, as if trying to stop from burning.

Loki couldn't help but scream as the rod burned through the side of his neck.

It felt like forever, laying there, when the rod was finally removed.

The Guard seemed happy as ever at the mark left on Loki's skin.

"I guess we can take you off the table now", the Guard said, staring to remove the restraints.

He untied Loki from the table, picked him up off of it, and set him on the ground up against the table.

Loki's neck was still burning from the brand mark.

The room was cold, or maybe it was just all the blood he lost that was making him cold.

He sat there against the table leg glaring at the Guard with utter rage and pain in his eyes, watching as the Guard exited the room, locking the door behind him.

Loki laid his head back on the leg of the table, wincing at the searing pain that came from the mark, awaiting what was to come.