Fix You (Loki Romance)

Chapter 45

Loki's POV

The silence was broken by Loki's panicked, anguished scream. His head fell into his hands as every memory, every pain, crashed through his body. The full force of Thanos' powers threaten to rip him apart in that one moment as he fully understood what he'd done.

He swore it was a dream, a trick. He'd believed that when Ebony freed him, that it was another illusion. He was still chained to the chair with the relentless pulsing of the gem to flood his mind with Thanos' thoughts and hatred.

He'd let it wash over him, the cold, blank control. He'd ridden it out, believing if he just let it take its course it would end soon. Complete and utter submission, that was all it took. He thought it was just another hallucination; in this one, he was killing Baldr. It was no different from the rest. But the moment Baldr's blood sprayed across his hands, he knew. He'd done it.

He'd brought the destruction they feared and it was too late now to mourn his mistake.

Thanos stood above him, grinning at the dying sun. Someone shouted and all eyes turned to the slowly moving moons, on a collision course. He understood. The sun would die and implode. The moons would collide. The legends claimed creation would come undone. But these weren't real gods. Nonetheless, the balance of their world hung on the thin thread of life connected to one strange man. And that man lay dying at Loki's feet.

Ebony took off running, blocking out Loki's screams and Thanos' laughter. The people left alive and in the vicinity watched their hope run away. They erupted into panic. Loki held his head in his hands, enduring the chaos in and around him.

................

Ebony's POV

I ran for Luk. He was frozen to the spot, standing over a battalion of dead shadows. He turned to me and I saw the fear, the panic and grief in his eyes. I grabbed him. "The Cell. We need it to open. Hel!" I shouted, pulling her out of her fear. "You can restore Baldr if we act quickly. Go! Now!" They stared at me blankly. I shook Luk. "Do you hear me?! We can stop Ragnarok!"

He snapped to attention and ran for where the Cell had been brought, just on the edge of the city square. I ran to Kenna and pulled her away from the riot. "I told you to stay hidden!" I snapped.

"I only promised not to do anything stupid! Rowan's still inside, I made him stay!"

"Dammit, Kenna!" I pushed her down behind a broken wall. "Stay down and watch your father." She nodded, her eyes wide and filled with tears.

Taking her hand, I made sure she looked at the ring. It was glowing softly, growing cold. "You see this? Even in all that pain and confusion, he's protecting you. You need to stay strong and make sure he doesn't go anywhere. Okay? I'm going to end this." She nodded.

I took off running, sliding to a stop at Luk's side. "How much longer?"

The Cell had unfolded from its compact state. I could hear the locks turning and clanging under the door. I looked up at the moons and checked the sun. We were running out of time. Turning back to the palace, I saw a full scale battle going on there. We were on our own. The people were in a frenzy, running for their lives. Loki was barely alive as Thanos' powers tore through him. I could see the rippling force as it streaked through him. Thanos stood over him, his eyes on us and the Cell.

"Luk?"

"I can hold him off." He murmured. "Get your husband."

Hel was dragging Baldr's body out of the way. She knelt beside him, her hands working over his chest. I ran to Loki, kneeling in front of him. I tipped his chin up and looked into his lost eyes. "Come back to me." I said. He shuddered.