Birthright

Cast Out

"Loki! Asa! Thank Gods you're here. She's gone completely off her rocker! Manacles don't seem to be making much of a difference!" Sif shouted across the mele to them as they ran into the prison corridor.

Hela's troops and what remained of Asgard's palace guard battled furiously in the narrow corridor.

There was a blast further along, and a couple of guards flew through the air, smashing against a wall and landing in a sickening heap.

Thor could be heard; Mjolnir ranged back and forth, taking out Hela's minions as she tried to cause a diversion and escape.

Hela suddenly appeared from round a corner, manacle hanging. Only attached now by one wrist, their effectiveness lost. All they did now was hang limply and get in the way.

"YOU!" She screeched."I've a bone to pick with you!" She pointed at Loki."You need to get THESE off me! How DARE you. Who exactly do you think you are?"

Loki smirked and threw a couple of daggers at her, more in hope than expectation. Naturally, they missed, but he'd made his point. "Not going to happen, Hela. You seriously think after what you've done, I'm going to let you go?" He laughed mirthlessly.

"Oh, and for the avoidance of doubt? I'm the God of Mischief. Who are you again?" He stood, arms out, replacement daggers in each hand.

"Me darling?" She smiled coolly. "Has noone told you? I'm the Goddess of Death!" Hela turned and smiled at him, eyes glowing and left - unchained - hand extended with a long dagger in it. As she emphasised the word 'death', she seemed to summon a black cloud vortex.

For a second, Loki, Sif, and Asa stood transfixed. Her magic was getting far stronger than anyone could have anticipated. Then, before anyone could stop her, she grabbed Asa by the hand and yanked her towards her. The dagger pierced Asa's shoulder, making her drop her sword. Asa screamed in agony, and before anyone could stop them, both she and Hela disappeared into the vortex.

Sif and Loki looked at each other and ran towards the swirling cloud just in time to see it disappear. Loki threw a couple of daggers for good measure. "No!" Sif shouted,"you might hit...." they clattered to the floor with a metallic clang.

"I was not angry since I came home till this moment!" Loki screamed into the air, face red with rage, vein in his neck straining not to rupture.

He began fighting like a madman, slaughtering what remained of her troops without mercy. He, Thor, and Sif, together with the Asgardian troops, soon subdued the few that were left.

Loki stood, gripping one of the last by the collar. His dagger snug against the cowering man's neck."Where did she go?" Loki snarled, his face a hair's breadth away. "WHERE DID SHE TAKE HER?"

The man stared at him, even now, defiant. It seemed he'd made his choice. "Go to Hel..." he hissed.

"You first!" Loki sneered, and the dagger dispatched him instantly. Dropping the corpse on the ground, he stepped over it and joined Sif. "Well, what do we do now!?"

Sif shook her head. "I have absolutely no idea. She could be anywhere." They walked slowly through the injured and dead. Moans and groans broke the relative silence, now the fighting was done.

Thor had made his way outside and joined Heimdal, Hogen, and the loyal citizens that had come to their aid. There were a few prisoners, and they were huddled together, surrounded by the angry mob.

"Heimdal!" Thor reached him, and they embraced warmly. "Are we glad to see you. We need you more than ever, my friend. She's gone. Taken Asa with her. Can you see her?"

Heimdal handed a chain, currently attached to a prisoner, to Thor. "Give me a moment." He walked off to a quiet corner and closed his eyes.

Thor glared down at the soldier on the other end of the chain, who visibly wilted.

"Mercy Your Highness... please?" He pleaded and before Thor could answer, the soldier disappeared in a green flash, leaving the chain dangling.

"Request denied." Loki's voice was low and terrifyingly calm. Thor turned and sighed.

"Brother...."

"WHAT?" Loki snapped. "They deserve no mercy. They are all traitors." He stood, arms crossed over his chest, scowling. His horned helmet gleamed in the sun. His face was pale and sweaty, his eyes manic.

Thor had seen that look once before, and now he was worried.

"Loki... we need them alive. We need to know where she's likely to be." He tried not to sound impatient or accusatory. Loki was in danger of diving over the edge of sanity again. It was up to Thor to save him. He'd failed his little.he once before, he couldn't again.

"She took her. Gods only know where. THEY won't tell us? Then they're worse than useless. Kill them all. Traitors." His voice was full of emotion, breaking almost. It was the only ray of hope that Thor had. While Loki 'felt' he wasn't beyond hope.

Thor sighed. "Heimdal is looking for her. We will find her brother. We - You - WILL see her again."

"My Princes," Heimdal walked over and paused, head bowed. "I'm sorry. I can not see them. Either of them." He looked at the brothers, almost afraid to speak. He'd seen both their anger in action. He had no wish to be on the receiving end of either.

"What do you mean? You can't see them. You can see everyone and everything!" Thor spoke before Loki got a chance to. "Are you sure they're not just on some remote realm?"

"No." Heimdal stood, "I see millions of worlds and trillions of souls, and I can assure you they are not to be seen."

Loki said nothing. He turned away and let out a scream of frustration. Thor put a hand on Heimdal's arm and shook his head silently. He motioned for him to leave and the Gatekeeper retreated to take up the vigil again.

"Brother..." Thor moved to Loki and put a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go inside. We need to think...."

"Think? THINK?" He turned on Thor, automatically raising his dagger. "Was THINKING how Borr defeated the Dark Elves? Was THINKING how Odin defeated Laufey? Although, perhaps with hindsight, he should have done a little more of that.." he lowered the dagger and looked at his brother.

"I know you want her back Loki but lashing out blindly, killing anything that moves? Not the answer." Sif walked over and stood between them.

"Not blind anymore." Heimdal piped up. "I know where they are. Svartalfheim."

Thor and Loki exchanged a look. "Oh Gods. Dark Elves. That's all we need."