Brother Avengers

Brother Avengers Chapter 22

"You think I'm strong?

Well, though I seem to be tough,

I'm afraid of one thing.

It's realizing that I've lost the person whom I gather strength from.

So don't ever go.

I'm not that strong."

-Unknown

Loki couldn't breathe—he choked roughly against the metal point pressing against his throat. His helmet had tumbled off—it lay beside him, useless. He kept his eyes shut. His hands quivered weakly as they gripped the shaft. He couldn't feel his arms or legs or anything else. His consciousness faded...

Then...

Frost stung his fingertips.

A roar distorted his hearing.

The spear lifted off his neck.

Loki gagged, twitched away and grasped at his throat. He blinked rapidly, his eyes watering—

And saw Doom's whole body catch a direct blast of billowing frost.

In half an instant, a thick layer of blue ice encased him completely, freezing his stance and his half-raised arms. Loki swiped at his face, trying to clear his eyes—

Ulrik towered right behind Doom, letting loose the full fury of the ice casket upon him.

The gust ceased. Doom stood, locked in place, the All-Father's staff clenched in both hands. Loki took a ragged, stunned breath—

And suddenly, long, wicked metal claws flashed through the air and cleaved Doom's head off.

Loki jerked.

Doom's head thudded to the ground with a thick, heavy smack.

Then, Ulrik deliberately shoved the rest of the body onto its side—and with a curled lip, he watched it smash onto the floor.

The next moment, two strong hands grabbed Loki's arms and hefted him up. Still coughing and swallowing blood, Loki staggered up and leaned heavily against the person who kept hold of him—the person who smelled of gunpowder, leather and cigars.

"Easy there, Green Eyes," Logan soothed, holding onto him and slapping his back. Loki broke into a fit of shivers as his legs turned to water—but Logan held him up, and Loki grasped the leather sleeves of his jacket, gratefully resting his chin on Logan's shoulder.

Then, a broader, colder hand came around and pressed against the top of Loki's head.

"Are you all right, little brother?" Ulrik's deep tones asked.

Loki's eyes fluttered closed and his slick lips pulled into a smile.

"I'm older than you," he croaked.

"You are still little," Ulrik reminded him. Loki forced his eyes open and gazed up at the giant who stood so close to him and Logan. Green eyes twinkled back at him. Loki tried to right himself, and opened his mouth to thank Logan—

A deep, unearthly rumble shook the palace floors and rattled the fixtures.

And a fathomless, otherworldly crack split the air.

"Odin!" Frigga yelped. "The mountain!"

Logan, Loki and Ulrik's heads came around—

To see Frigga and Odin running toward the far balcony that faced the Fields of Elheimmer.