The Devil Within: Matt Murdock

The Exile

Castle made of gold, streets of silver. The square was always bustling, full of life. But at this moment, in this moment, everything was still. And quiet. The dark elves had invaded the kingdom of Asgard, homes destroyed and aflame. There was a panic, it was unspoken, a silent cry for help.

A pair of green eyes glanced over the still body, cold hands in contact with the cold skin. They were Judas'— Loki's only twin and biological sibling, apart from Thor. She held the queen, Frigga, in her arms. The silence was now understood:

The queen was dead.

"Mother? Mother wake up!" Judas urged, trying to shake the poor soul awake. She hadn't gotten a cell like Loki, being on less of a punishment than her own twin. She had heard footsteps behind her, followed by a bright flash, knowing Thor would attack Malekith. "Mother please," she begged, kissing the woman's head. Heavier footsteps followed, forcing Judas to glance over. The way that she was holding her mother said everything, even if no word was spoken. "Judas. What have you done?" the allfather stormed towards her.

"Malekith. He- he came after Jane and I-" He pried the frost giant's hands off the cold body. "No! No please-" "Hush. We will speak of this later. Leave us" "Odin. I-" "SILENCE!" Judas shut her mouth, warm tears rolling down her cheeks as she looked at Thor. "Leave us" the woman lowered her head, moving past her brother and went into her room.

"Judas?"

The familiar voice rang in her head, turning to see an illusion of Loki beside the closed doors. She didn't speak, just sat on the enormus bed in tears.

"You're hurt."

Judas gave a glare, lifting the robes and waving her hand to heal the wounds on her. Silence. She loved it, but not like this. This- she felt something even more wrong was going to happen soon enough.

...

Judas had predicted right by the next morning. Guards shook her awake and before she knew it she was being dragged down the palace halls. Dropped before the throne, the princess made no sudden protests or movements. Silence.

"Speak for yourself, my child" "Malekith came after the aether, and mother- she made the illusion of Jane-" "and what? You killed her?" "No! I- tried to save her!" "I don't want to hear your lies anymore. Take her to a cell. I will sort this later" "Do not touch me" Judas glared, looking back at Odin. "I did not kill my mother. Do you really believe I would be that selfish? Frigga was more of a parent to me than you ever were"

Odin was still. Staring down at the just-awakened frost giant at the foot of the throne. "Take her away" Odin watched the guards pick her up yet again, faces dodging her thrashing hands. She was taken down to the dungeons, a screaming and crying fit. "Let go of me" she let out a pained grunt, coming in contact with a white marbled floor.

Loki was seemingly comfortable, surrounded by several piles of books. Once he heard the thud, he finally looked down from the lettered pages. "Judas?" she pushed herself up quickly, a knife thrown in the air at one of the guards, the door forcing it to bounce off the transparent wall. Loki made his way over to Judas, a gentle hand hovering over her shoulder. "Don't touch me" she spat, flinging the knife towards the other. "Judas. It's just me, dear" "Loki.." she turned, wrapping her arms around the lean god and sobbing into his shoulder. Loki wasn't one for affection, but he would do anything for Judas. Even over Thor

"Mother is dead"

Just then, did both the laufey twins' worlds fall apart. "Come here" Loki set up an illusion to hide Judas' despair, sitting her on the bench. "Oh, darling" Loki held his sibling close, tears of his own sliding down his cheeks. "She's dead" Judas repeated, holding onto his coat, almost for dear life. "Shh. It's alright, she's in Valhalla, with Tiamat" That sentence almost made her cry harder, if it were possible. Her child stripped away from her at birth, and then the blame set on them like a monster. "Don't you leave me too, I'll kill you" "I would never, never leave you, Judas. You're the only person I care about, dear"

Their sibling relationship was always a tight bond, neither of them usually got along with Thor, only each other.

"Judas" the woman was sleeping, ignoring the call of their name. "I'm afraid they are asleep, brother" "I do not care. Wake her" "I can't do that" "Guards!" Thor called on the royal guards to bring Judas out, moving so he wasn't hurt by her thrashing. "Loki!" Judas fought as hard as she could, before being baren down by shackles.

...

"Let me go this instant" she spat on Odin's shoe, forcing the guards to grip her harder. Another guard held Loki nearby. "Judas. You have committed an unforgivable treason to the kingdom of Asgard." "I have committed no such treason!" "SILENCE!" "You have no proof of me doing anything! I was protecting her" "Lies. And I won't hear it anymore. You will be bonded with the world serpent, Jörmungandr, and hereby exiled from the Kingdom of Asgard for your crimes"

Panic went through her body, as well as Loki's. "My sibling has done no such thing. She doesn't deserve any punishment such as this, Odin. Let me do it" "You have your punishment. Judas is a murderer and a liar" "and am I not the same? You know the capabilities of Jörmungandr." Odin didnt budge, one of the witches holding the ring the serpent was hidden in.

"Do it"

In a matter of minutes, Judas' world turned black. And the last thing she would see is Thor watching, no intention to help his poisoned sibling, while Loki rushed to her in a panic.