Feel Something

Chapter 6: Brand New Shoes, Walking Blues

A dagger of inky black ice stabbed into his shoulder, turning his skin a hideous dark blue.

"You are unworthy of these realms you would claim to protect."

Another dagger in his hip, the pain bringing him to his knees as the blue continued its spread.

"You are unworthy of the loved ones you have betrayed. I now take from you your power"

A final dagger shot toward his chest, stopping inches from his heart before slowly pressing in. As it buried itself deeper into his core, his seidr—the very essence of who he was—poured out of him, carving out a hollow cavern in his center.

All that remained of the Asgardian prince was a small child with cerulean blue skin and blood red eyes. He cowered up at the face before him as it shifted between the Aesir father he knew and the monstrous frost giant he feared. "Father, please—"

The fathers raised their hand, sending a final blast of darkness at the young boy that consumed him and cast him into the abyss, screaming for his mother.

~~~

Darcy awoke to the horrific sound of Loki's blood-curdling screams. The broken terror in his shrieks sent chills down her spine as she leapt from her bed and rushed to his side. Loki was still in his own bed, back arched further than should be possible as agonized cries raked at his throat.

"Loki! LOKI!! Wake up!!" Darcy pressed her hands into his shoulders and shook him, desperate to free him from whatever held him captive in his own mind.

Without ceasing his screams, Loki barreled out of the bed, tackling Darcy roughly to the floor. The wind whooshed from her lungs as his weight pressed down upon her, hands pinning her wrists painfully to the floor above her head. He had finally stopped screaming, but a blind rage filled his eyes—his red eyes—as he panted with fury and desperation.

"Loki," Darcy rasped, "It's just me. It's Darcy. You're safe."

Breathing deeply, Loki shut his eyes for several long moments. When he opened them again, they were back to their normal vibrant green. He loosened his grip on her arms to bring his hands up to his face, running the tips of his fingers over forehead and cheeks as if afraid of what he might find. Seemingly reassured, he turned to take in Darcy's disheveled appearance beneath him.

Their struggle had loosened her hair from the rough top-knot she always slept with, the strands sprawled in a chaotic halo around her flushed face. She tried to school her features, reassuring him she was alright, but it was hard to hide how disturbed and worried she was. "You okay?" she choked out, still working to refill her crushed lungs.

"I...I am well," Loki responded unconvincingly. "I apologize." Before Darcy could respond, Loki leapt off of her and locked himself away in the bathroom.

Groaning, Darcy sat up and rubbed at her aching spine. She'd probably have bruises from how hard she hit the floor, but otherwise everything seemed to be in working order. If she still had any doubt that Loki wasn't human, she certainly didn't now. No human could have eyes as red as Loki's were in that moment without some serious movie-magic contact lenses. The sound of his agonized screaming still echoed in her ears. She shivered to think what sort of nightmare could cause him to lash out so...animalistically.

Darcy settled on the edge of her bed and waited for Loki to come out. He was completely silent on the other side of the bathroom door for a good half hour before she heard the squeak of a faucet and the sound of rushing water in the shower. Figuring he might be a while, and having already washed the night before, Darcy took the opportunity to change out of her pajamas, opting for her go-to high-waisted jeans and a vintage white-and-blue Rolling Stones t-shirt.