The Tales of Loki

The Tale of Loki's Blood Moon: Part 5

A man, tall, pale, with long black hair, solidified before Loki. Loki's hands stiffened on the scepter and he raised the sharpened emerald on the end pointed right at him. The man snickered. "Your scepter doesn't frighten me. You should be more concerned about cutting yourself. Once I smell blood, the desire is too great!" the man said as he slowly approached Loki. Loki raised his hand and said a spell that stopped the man in his tracks. "You have magic. My servants say it flows in your blood. I can smell it from here. Yes! You'll be the first," the man said. Loki dropped his hand and positioned the scepter across his chest.

"The first what, if you don't mind my asking?" he queried in a sarcastic tone of voice.

"My first victim!" the man said, and his canines extended abnormally, like the fangs of an animal. With unnatural speed, he leapt on Loki, who could not bring his scepter up in time. He did, however, manage to raise his arm. The monster's fangs sunk into his bicep, and for a moment, Loki thought the creature would tear a hunk out of his arm. Instead, the man placed his arms around his mouth, and Loki soon heard him sucking. He was drinking his blood! That was when Loki took his scepter and spiked him in the chest with his scepter. The creature fell from him silently, and Loki glanced at his arm. Bite marks could be seen through his sleeve, and Loki also perceived several little streams of blood. He turned with a roar and lashed out, sending the beast flying back to the other side of the hall. It stood up after a moment and raised its arms. "Come my children! Aid your master. Bring me blood of the god!"

Loki looked over his shoulder and saw hideous beings coming toward him. They were pale, thin, gnarled, with hollow eyes and fangs. Loki raised his arms and said many magical phrases as fast as he could. Loki closed his eyes, and torrents of flames came from his hands. The creatures that were nearest him, were incinerated. The other monsters cried out in fright and retreated. Their leader yelled at them, telling them to bring him Loki, but Loki was not going to hang around. He turned and ran down the hallway, desperate to find the stairs. Several of those creatures still waylaid him, but Loki had magically found his staff, and transformed it into his double-headed sword. Those that tried to stop him, had their heads severed from their necks. Loki was surprised when there was no blood. Their heads simply fell and their bodies turned to dust. Many of them got in his way, and Loki thought for a moment that he would be overcome. But he finally stumbled into the sunlight and the monsters stopped dead in their tracks. Some of them were in the sun, and their pale flesh burned, and turned black. Loki stopped and looked over his shoulder. He saw them shrieking at him. Loki looked at his arm again and examined the marks. After the loss of blood and the extraordinary things he had just seen, Loki lost consciousness.

End of Part 5