Autumn Leaves

Jotunheim

Around three hours later, Loki realised that Savannah was going to wake up, lying on top of him, and assume the worst. So, naturally, he carefully rolled her off of him, and began preparing a few bags for their next trip. He was nearly finished, when he noticed Savannah watching him.

'Good, you're awake. We need to leave soon.'

'Where are we going?'

'Jotunheim.'

'Seriously?'

'Yes.'

'You don't sound excited. Why are you not excited?'

'It is a long story, and I am not in the mood for recounting it now.'

Sensing some raw emotion behind his words, she nodded, and sprung out of bed, smoothing down her clothes. Her body still thought that she wasn't naturally vertical, and the room spun temporarily, before she staggered forwards, and fell into Loki's arms.

'Nyaaah,' she said.

'Are you quite alright?'

'I'm fine- just stood up too quickly, that's all.'

'If you feel dizzy again, at any time today, please tell me.'

'I'll be okay, Loki.'

'Just tell me, understand?'

'I will,' she said, and then muttered under her breath, 'Control freak.'

'I am not a control freak, I am just concerned about your safety. It probably isn't healthy for you to make so many trips via the Bifrost.'

'I've got the magic bottle Valius gave me, remember. I'll be fine.'

'If you say so.'

He took hold of her arm, but she wriggled out of his grip.

'Can't we hold hands instead?'

She wasn't sure why, but she really wanted to hold Loki's hand.

'Of course,' he said, taking her hand in his.

They were floating in the swirling black vortex of absolute nothingness, and then freezing in the swirling white snow of Jotunheim.

At least, she was.

Loki had gone slightly blue, too, but he didn't seem cold. He looked down, and quickly made a hand gesture. It was a sort of magicky gesture, not the rude one she used to flash at Tony when they first met. Intense warmth enveloped her, suddenly, and she smiled at Loki, grateful for his magic.

'Aren't you cold?'

'No. I was born here.'

'Jotunn, right?'

Loki winced, but nodded.

'Is that why you're blue?'

'What?'

'You're blue. Did you not notice?'

'No.'

'Aren't they Frost Giants?'

'Yes.'

'Well, you are pretty tall, but not exactly giant.'

Loki winced again, and Savannah realised that she'd said something that she shouldn't've. But what was it?

'I was left to die, because of my diminutive size,' he said, possibly reading her thoughts.

'Right, sorry.'

'You were not to know.'

'What's next on our list of twelve labours?'

'What?'

'Reference to Greek/Roman mythology. Hercules, or Heracles was set to-'

'Yes, I know about his twelve impossible tasks, but I do not see the relevance.'

'We had to find twelve ingredients, for a magical antidote, all of which are from mythical creatures, which I was sure didn't exist up 'til now.'

'An interesting observation.'

'Thanks. What's next, anyway?'

'Cyclops.'

Savannah tried to remember what the Cyclops had that they needed. She couldn't.

'What is it we need, again?'

'A toenail.'

'That's nasty.'

'Yes, it is.'

'How are we going to get it?'

'Cyclopes are disgustingly unhygienic creatures. All we need to do is find a Cyclops, and I guarantee that there will be giant toenails, and trails of mucus strewn around them liberally.'

'Good, but gross. What's the plural of Cyclops?'

'Cyclopes.'

'Okay, let's go.'

'No need.'

'What?'

'It seems one has already found us.'

'I assume that is bad.'

'Yes.'

'Shit.'

'Shit indeed.'

'Quick, make us invisible.'

'I already have.'

'So why did you say it was bad?'

'Because, they stink.'

'Then we get the toenail, and leave.'

'No. I mean, unless a Cyclops is asleep, its natural odour can be fatal.'

'But you're immortal.'

'And you're not.'

'Then go, and get the toenail. I'll be fine here.'

'I don't feel safe, leaving you here, by yourself.'

'I'll be fine,' she repeated, 'Now, go, and get me a nasty toenail.'

Loki walked away from her, and towards the Cyclops. He then started running, bent down to pick something up, and teleported back to her side, panting heavily.

'Were you holding your breath?'

'Yes. Otherwise, I may have lost consciousness.'

'Why didn't you just teleport there, then.'

'Because, you can't teleport and be invisible at the same time. The Cyclops would inevitably have seen me.'

'But you teleported back.'

'Yes, because I wasn't there anymore.'

'Where's the toenail?'

'Don't worry, I have it, along with the rest of the ingredients.'

'Where? I don't see them.'

'I have stored them in a small pocket of space.'

'Cool. Let's go.'

And, from the icyness of Jotunheim, they were nothing, and then burning alive in the fiery pits of Hell.

Except, Loki called it Muspelheim.