Dark Reality (MCU Book 2)

Chapter 9: Plan to Escape

Word had spread quickly about what had happened. No one was really sure how to process it, and mostly spent the rest of the day cleaning up the damage the Dark Elves had done among preparations. Zima had decided to take Jane back to her room, and the two women sat in silence for a moment, neither of them sure what to say.

"I'm... so sorry." Jane finally says, breaking the silence.

"Thank you." Zima responds. "I also hope you know that none of this is your fault, if you're thinking that."

"I wasn't, but they were looking for me."

"They caught us by surprise. None of us thought there were any of them left. We won't let them get what the Aether. Besides, I'd hate to be the poor soul that would be on Thor's bad side if they did."

"Thanks. That does make me feel a little better."

"Now, let's get you into a nicer dress. I think I know just the one." Zima goes back to look through her dresses, and pulls out her blue one. "This was one of my favorite dresses. I want you to wear it tonight."

"I don't think I could-"

"Please, I insist. I haven't wanted to wear it in a long time. I'll even help with it. And it will definitely look great on you."

Jane nodded and changed into the blue dress with Zima's help. Once the dress was on, Zima added the armor, and the two started casually chatting for the next few hours. The next thing they knew, it was starting to get dark, and there was a knock at her door.

"Zima, Jane, it's Thor."

"You can enter." Zima responds.

The door opens and Thor walks in. "It's time. We need to go."

Zima nods and the three head out for the Queen's funeral. All of Asgard had gathered, and most of them had orbs of light in their hands. Nobody spoke, with only sounds of rippling water and crackling flames. Zima stood by Jane, and spotted Sif, Fandral, and Volstagg nearby, nodding to them. They each nodded back. Frigga's boat sailed by, and once it was far enough, one of the archers sent the fire arrow, landing on the boat. The ones for all the soldiers that fell during the attack also sailed by before their boats were also lit. All that anyone did now was watch as they sailed away from them, and the light orbs sent skyward. When it was over, the crowd slowly dispersed to get ready for the night.

The next day, Zima had got up and dressed as usual before meeting up with Jane, who said she wanted to look for the library so she could try and learn what she can about the Dark Elves and the Aether. Zima escorted her there, asking if she needed any help, but Jane said she'd be fine by herself for a while. Zima simply nodded and returned to her room to sketch. What exactly she was drawing, she wasn't sure. She just let her mind drift off and draw whatever. After some time, she got bored and decided to go check on Jane, but she wasn't in the library. She went to look for her, but ran into Sif instead.

"Have you seen Jane?" Zima asked.

"No, I haven't." Sif replied, "Have you been doing alright?"

"As well as I can be. What about you?"

"I'll be fine. We all will. It's just a lot to process."

"It really is." Zima paused for a moment. "Would it be alright if I asked you to train with me again? Maybe it could take both our minds off of things for a while."

"Sure."

The two headed to the training area, and started off with some light sparring. Over time, they started to get a little more into it and having fun as usual. Both women had almost completely forgotten the larger issue at hand until Thor approached them.

"Sif, Zima, I need your help."

"What is it?" Zima asked

"I can't tell you here." Thor explains, telling them to meet him at a specific location, and to make sure they were alone.

"You're planning something." Sif acknowledges, "I'll be there."

"So will I. Whatever it is, I'll help." Zima adds.

Thor thanks them and the three head off in different directions. Zima had gone to her room, quickly touched up from all the training, and used her magic to summon a cloak around herself before heading out to meet with Thor. When she entered the room, She saw Sif, alongside Fandral, Volstagg, and Heimdall.

"Thank you all for coming." Thor says once everyone had gathered. "What I am about to ask of you is treason of the highest order. Success will bring us exile and failure shall mean our death. Malekith knew the Aether was here. He can sense its power. If we do nothing, he will come for it again but this time, lay waste to all of Asgard. We must move Jane off world."

"The Bifrost has been shut down, and the Tesseract locked away in the vault." Sif states.

"There are other paths off Asgard." Heimdall says, "Ways known only to a few."

"Two, actually." Zima adds, "And if both can be useful, I say we have both with us."

The others knew exactly who Zima was referring to. Sif glanced at the others, Fandral gave an annoyed expression, and Volstagg stared at her in disbelief.

"No." He says.

"We don't need him." Fandral adds.

"We don't know that." Zima counters. "Yes, I am aware of the additional risk, but it's one I'd be willing to take. I can handle him."

"I agree with Zima." Thor says, "We will need all the help we can get, and I trust her. If Loki tries anything or betrays us, Zima and I will deal with him."

"He will betray you." Fandral insists.

"He can try." Zima counters, "But we can handle him. We're taking him with us."

"Well, what then?" Fandral asks, "Your lovely mortal is being guarded by a legion of Einherjar who will see you coming from miles away."

"Zima or I won't be the ones that come for her." Thor says, looking at Sif, who gave a slightly irritated look in response.

"Fine. I'll do it." She says.

"When you get her, meet us by the throne room." Thor adds.

"And what of the Allfather?" Sif asks.

"It is my sworn duty to notify him of crimes against the throne." Heimdall states. "I can keep him away long enough so that he cannot immediately stop you."

"We will still have to act fast. The second he finds out, he'll send my father and the guards after us." Zima adds.

"Hold on. Assuming you two can get Loki's help, and you can free this mortal, what good would it do?" Volstagg asks. "We'd all be dead the minute we step one foot outside the palace."

"That, my friend, is why we won't be leaving by foot." Thor answers, "There is still a Dark Elf ship inside. We'll take that and make our initial getaway. Fandral, you will follow us in one of our smaller ships, where we will meet you. The guards will still think we're in the other ship and continue to pursue it. After that, you stop any other guards, and we'll make our full escape."

"Any further questions?" Zima asks, which was met with silence. "Then we all know what we have to do."

With that, the group slowly left to do their part, again making sure no one noticed.