Loki's Downfall

VI

Morning came and Luka wasn't home, nor was he below in the terrace with Loki anymore, obviously. My instant reaction was to fly down to the palace and find where he was hiding, and Loki's chambers was the first place I looked.

I could tell there was a body lying in the bed of the room. At first, obviously, I thought it was Loki. But when I flew to the front of it to peek and make sure, the tenant sure looked like Loki...yet, different, younger...about the same teenage way he did when we were together. There he was, just sleeping. But....

Suddenly my eyes widened and I tore the covers off the body. My jaw dropped as the boy was startled awake and he leaned up to look at me. Those are not Loki's eyes! He relaxed quickly and looked away, appearing to recognize me. I could barely speak after I managed to yell, "LUKA?!" in sheer confusion.

His eyes widened then as he looked down at himself and cursed under his breath, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands. "I can explain," he mustered. "Explain?! Luka, this is beyond explanation! How are you even-" I shouted, unable to compose my thoughts. Luka was alive. Actually alive. With pale skin and black hair; an exact copy of Loki, everything except his eyes.

"Mother! Calm down!" He cried as he stood up. I kept my eyes wide and my mouth closed as I waited for the explanation. "Father can do some pretty cool stuff with magic," Luka started, looking at his arms and chest, admiring his stature. "Look, I'm even my real age now." My mouth hung open. "Your father cannot bring people back from the dead! That's impossible!" I cried. "But he did it!" He pointed out excitedly.

I wanted to cry, I was so frustrated. Even if Loki did know what he was doing with the initial spell, his filthy twin here would be hard to conceal from the kingdom as a live deity. He couldn't have been thinking straight.

I threw a palm to my forehead. "Tell me where he is," I ordered, giving up on fighting with the victim about his father's doings. I suddenly noticed my hand was glowing...Loki wasn't far. Sure enough the mastermind revealed himself in a shimmer of light across the room, and was walking toward Luka and I already. "You seem upset, my love," he started with a sarcastic tone. I huffed, "I am not your love, you still don't know who I am."

Loki just smiled as he came to a stop right beside me. He gestured to Luka. "Fit to be a prince, isn't he?" He hinted. "Oh no!" I shouted as I shot Loki a death glare. "He won't become a pawn in this game. You don't know him either, you had no right to do this to him!"

"Mother," Luka interrupted. Loki and I both tore our glares off each other and to our son. "You always told me you were sorry for me not being able to be with my father, but he's here now, I can finally be with him this way. It's not about being in the 'game,' I just want to be in a real family," he explained. Hearing Luka defy me this way suddenly changed my perspective.

Part of me understood him, but my other half was still steaming. Here's me, I've taken care of Luka as best I could since we passed away. Then here's Loki, whom Luka has officially known since yesterday, and already he'd rather be with him than me? I have to tell myself I understand. I understand.

"But our family isn't complete," Loki hinted. As I turned my head he was already looking at me. I regained my original outlook real quick after I saw those dead eyes. "What do you know about family? What do either of you know about family?!" I cried, "What you're doing to Asgard is wrong and you know it, now you've dragged our son into it!"

Luka suddenly stiffened for a moment, then he trudged away toward the doors, the exit of the chambers. I could tell he wanted to leave, but he must have remembered it could get him in trouble if he were caught in the hallways looking so much like Loki. He stopped turned around, leaning back on the door sliding down until he was sitting down to the ground. He watched Loki and I fight.

"Serena, I want to fix us, I want to remember you...both of you," Loki argued as he gestured to Luka and me. I shook my head. "And hide us in the palace for the rest of our lives? Or make it even more believable and tell everyone your cover, Odin, has a new Queen. But then how are you going to explain a prince as old as Luka that just shows up and looks exactly like Loki, the 'deceased' son of Odin?"

"Serena-" Loki tried to start his counterargument but I kept mine rolling. "Give me one good reason why you both shouldn't be slaughtered right now, then you'd be just as Luka once was. You can be with us. You'd have none of this scrutiny. Why do you insist on ruling this god forsaken realm, Loki?"

Loki stared blankly. I even glanced to the side at Luka, who's jaw was hanging open in shock of what I said. I understood not why they both seem to think it was such an awful idea or question.

"I told you before, I can't go back on my actions," said Loki grimly, running out of arguments for his side. I raised my brow in disbelief. "You're sure as hell trying to!" I pointed to Luka for emphasis on my comment.

"Then where will the realm lie? If all of us are dead. There will be no one left to rule." Loki's voice rose as he found more support for himself. To that I had no answer, even though for all I knew Odin wasn't really dead. Maybe Loki had trapped him somewhere. Wouldn't I have seen Odin's spirit wandering around if he'd died? Because surly he wouldn't have a proper burial like Frigga had. If Odin's death was meant to be a secret assassination...of course the ceremony would be entirely conspicuous to the kingdom. (That's sarcasm).

I kept quiet at first, until Loki pointed his staff at me, probably thinking he won the argument and I was submitting to him. But I held my hand up and jumped away, yelling, "No!" I knew I'd have no power against Loki if he wanted to use the magic to bring me back to life, but perhaps he respects me more than that, maybe he'll listen.

To my surprise my cry stopped him, and the staff leaned upwards in his hand again. He still stared me down. "Very well, Serena. If you don't wish to live, fine. Enjoy your days in the afterlife, alone." Then, with a swipe of his hand, my surroundings dimmed. I looked down at my chest, I was clear again. "Now, wait a minute, Loki!" I shouted as I stomped my foot. Luka shot up off the ground then too, yelling just about the same thing to his father. I yelled more, and Loki heard me, but he paid no mind.

Finally I got so frustrated that I just flew away. Off the terrace and far away, but I knew not to where.

Why is Loki acting like this? Luka and I will do him no good in life, not in the position he's in. Yet he's so stubborn, he won't give up Asgard to be with us. It's his way or the high way. What is he trying to prove?!