Child Of Ice

Chapter 20

Loki's eyes fluttered open, revealing the ceiling of his room. It took him a brief second to remember what happened and realized that he was lying in bed. "Loki?" He turned his head and saw Laufey and Freya giving him concerned expressions. "Are you feeling alright, son?"

"Yes," he replied, sitting up. "What happened?" Freya asked. "I saw visions of Ymir."

"Wait. Ymir?" Freya asked, and Loki nodded. Laufey and Freya exchanged glances, and he asked, "What happened in these visions?"

"Nothing, really. They were just flashes of images of him."

"It sounds to me like he's trying to talk to you," Freya said. "Freya, we don't know if this is Ymir," Laufey stated. "I think it is. I keep sensing an ancient power, and the fact that I keep seeing visions of Ymir, I'd say it is him."

"If it is Ymir, where would he be, and why would he be sending visions to you, Loki?"

"I could always find out."

"How?" Freya asked. "I could cast a spell that can determine where a type of energy is coming from. If it is Ymir, we'll be able to tell."

"A spell like that takes a lot of energy. Are you sure you can cast that spell shortly after collapsing?"

"I'm very resilient. Besides, my mother...Frigga taught me a way to conserve energy while performing the spell."

"Okay, but be careful. Plus, it's alright if you call Frigga your mother. She raised you after all," Laufey reassured him. Loki smiled and replied, "Thank you."

"Do you need us to do anything?" Freya asked. "I need quiet, so can you step outside for a few moments?"

"Yeah, sure. Just let us know if you need anything," Laufey replied. Loki nodded, and Laufey and Freya left the room.

Loki then sat criss-crossed and closed his eyes. He focused on his breathing and heartbeat, and soon, his mind calmed as everything faded away. In his mind's eye, he saw a warm glowing green ball of energy in his heart.

Now, without the technique Frigga taught him, he'd have to spread his energy out in all directions for a few minutes, which would be draining. He turned his focus to the familiar ancient power he'd been sensing.

It took the form of a cold, large, blue light that was distant. Loki focused more on it and saw a single strand of its energy reaching toward him. Loki reached out and grabbed the strand.

A surge of power shot through him, causing him to shiver. He carefully pulled the strand toward his own energy and grabbed a strand of it. He pulled the two strands together, and the strands connected. As soon as they did, images flashed through his mind.

He saw a mountain several miles west of the palace. Then, the image changed to a large cave inside the mountain. Ice covered everything from the ceiling to the floor. Inside the cave was a large wall of ice with a figure as tall as the mountain.

Suddenly, the figures eyes snapped open, revealing glowing blue eyes. Then, a deep, gruff voice echoed around Loki. "Beware the coming darkness, little one."

Loki's eyes snapped open and practically clambered off the bed. He slammed open the door, startling Laufey and Freya. "Oh, dear, you gave us a heart attack!" Freya exclaimed. "What's wrong, son?" Laufey asked.

"It is Ymir, and he's waking up."

"What? Are you sure?" Freya asked. "Yes, because he spoke to me."

"What did he say?" Laufey asked. "He said, 'beware the coming darkness'."

"What does it mean?" Laufey asked. "I don't know, but one thing is for certain, we need to find Ymir. He's in a mountain several miles west from here. If we hurry, we can speak to him when he's fully awake."

Laufey and Freya exchanged glances again, and Loki suddenly felt anxiety. What if they didn't believe him? What if they think he was lying? What if-

"Alright. We'll search for him, but you need to get plenty of sleep. We'll start tomorrow," Laufey stated. Loki smiled as his anxiety melted away. "Thank you," Loki replied. "You're welcome. Now, get some sleep. We'll see you tomorrow morning." With that, Laufey and Freya left.

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

Odin approached Heimdal at the Bifrost and asked, "Is there any sign of Loki?"

"No, your majesty," he lied. "Any sign of Ymir?"

"Ymir continues to stir. I believe he'll wake up soon." Odin frowned. "Is there something wrong, your majesty?"

"Heimdal, be honest with me. Did my wife tell you to keep Loki's location a secret?" Heimdal hesitated but nodded. "Yes, but I think it's wise."

"'Wise'? What's 'wise' about lying to me?"

"It's wise because I think Loki needs time away from Asgard. Besides, she didn't ask me as a queen. She asked me as a worried mother. Prince Loki may come back when he's ready."

"Speaking of princes, I'll have Lady Sif and the Warriors Three bring Thor back. If Ymir wakes up, we'll need my son here to help protect Asgard."

"Are you sure that is wise? We're not sure what Ymir's intentions will be once he awakens."

"Still, I can not take that chance." With that, Odin walked away, and Heimdal sighed. "I hope you figure this out, Prince Loki."