The Stronghold 2: Immortals

Portal Chat

When I woke up again it was to see Delta running around trying to keep the monsters busy. Some were fighting, others had drifted back to Nightmare and others were set on eating the girl.

"Help," she wailed. I didn't think about what I was doing, I just shot two beams of shadows and light up into the sky and hoped for the best.

To my utmost surprise the world went dark and a moon came out from behind the clouds. The full moon. A deep, guttural howl sounded from inside the building and the screaming reached an even louder volume. I shadowed myself inside and gripped a handful of Starr's fur, reappearing back outside and letting the werewolf run at the monsters and just praying he wouldn't get hurt. He was still freshly turned and pretty weak from the previous night and I was afraid for him but after seeing him rip a large, armoured monster's stomach open I felt reassured that he would be okay.

Shaade, the portal's closing my side, Loki said urgently. I need help.

"Delta, knock me out," I commanded. The girl looked at me as if I was mad but led a creature over to me. Its spiked tail hit my forehead and I fell back, slipping back into unconsciousness once more.

*

"This can't be healthy," I grumbled, feeling blood on my fingers as I put a hand up to my head. Loki grunted in reply and I saw that he was incredibly pale, putting all of his strength into keeping the glistening window open.

"I'll give you a hand," I said, joining him and letting shadows seep from my fingers. A little bit of light joined the shadows, patching up the cracks in the portal. I could see myself, unconscious, just beyond it. 

"You do realise that there is no hope for this world, yes?" Loki said conversationally.

"Which one?" I asked, adjusting my aim so my side of the portal was as strong as Loki's. 

"My world. Our world. It's a frozen wasteland. Even Midgard, with its flaws and global warming and such nonsense, is a safer place to be." He sighed and ice particles spread across the ground. "The creatures must be trapped here."

"People will die," I pointed out. "People we once knew."

"Save a damaged world and risk losing a perfectly good one? Is that really a good idea?"

"Since when did you get all philosophical and, well, human?" I questioned. 

"Since I realised that there was a chance for me to exist in Midgard," Loki replied softly. "It's good and all, being a psychopathic Frost Giant demigod, but if I want a normal life... It would never happen."

"Wait, you? Normal?"

"Don't be so sceptical," Loki said in irritation. "If a wanted murderous demon with out of control powers and a playboy attitude to life can settle down with a boyfriend in a prejudiced society then I can fit in."

"That was a long sentence."

"I've been rehearsing it in my head."

We fell silent again and I mulled over what Loki had said inside my head, wondering at his motives. When nothing came up I decided to ask.

"Why do you want to go to Midgard? Why leave... Asgard?" I gasped slightly as I remembered the name of my homeworld, of the land I was about to abandon, the people I was going to leave behind. Then I shook my head and remembered that I'd left everyone behind long ago, that it was better if I just forgot.

"Because of people," Loki said shortly. 

"Georgina?" I guessed slyly. Loki shifted uncomfortably and I started laughing.

"Aw, does the scawy fwost giant have a cwush?" I teased. Loki shot some ice at my feet and I yelped but carried on laughing anyway.

"Don't worry, Pepper will only murder you fifty billion times over," I reassured him, a twinkle in my eyes. 

"He's divorcing her, or has divorced," Loki said curtly. "I've been a little busy with this war that's going on to watch the proceedings." 

"They'll get divorced and everything will be clear for you, mate," I said. "George still remembers you, still likes you. Just don't go all weird and blue, okay?"

Loki nodded and I managed a smile before I was surrounded by mist and pulled back to the living world. To Midgard.

*

Pegasus landed on a clifftop and immediately vanished. Georgina hit the floor with a thump and quickly scrambled out of the way as a lurching, rolling monster came crashing towards her.

"Are you Georgina?" a red haired girl asked. Georgina nodded and the girl looked relieved.

"Good, the backups arrived," the girl said. "I'm Delta, by the way. Give me a hand controlling these things, will you? There's also a werewolf in there so be careful."

"I wondered why it had gone dark," Georgina said, looking around for her friends. The Thestrals had merged with the darkness and some nervous looking young women were stood together in a group. "Guys, we need to fight these things. Be careful. And apparently there's a werewolf here somewhere." The friends nodded and split up, each of them using their powers in a different way. Emmi was instructing her Pokemon like an army general and doing it incredibly well. Rebecca was electrocuting anything that came close and anything that got too close she stabbed violently and was soon covered in blood with a manic grin on her face. Amalia had got a weapon from somewhere and was attacking things with surprising energy. Sophie was hissing at something, pretty much full cat, and they were staring one another down. A wolf and a cat. 

"Werewolf," Georgina realised. "Oh dear."