The Stronghold 2: Immortals

Good Old Shaade

Loki stood alone and looked up at the sky as hundreds upon thousands of monsters trickled through, swamping the city. Buildings crumbled as they approached and people screamed as they ran from cover, instantly snatched up by long talons or curling claws the second they broke free. As blood dripped from the sky and screeches pitched so high that they shattered Times Square's famous advertising screens Loki just stood there. He wasn't going to move because he couldn't. His head could turn and his eyes could blink, his mouth move and all of his senses were intact. His legs, however, were fixed in place and his arms could only move in a small radius.

"I thought I'd help after all," Shaade said cheerily, appearing just in front of the demigod. "Even though you punched me quite hard. I'm only here because I live in this world too and don't want to be eaten. Being immortal is good and all but I don't want to wake up coming out of some furry thing's arsehole." 

"You're mad," Loki said. 

"I know," Shaade agreed. "But hey, I'm a demon, and I'm willing to fight these bitches for you." He spun on his heel and his wings opened wide, hitting Loki in the face (probably on purpose - it was Shaade, after all). 

"Hey! Big creepy Asgardian things!" the demon hollered, hands cupped around his mouth. Every non-human head turned to stare at the demon who was tiny in comparison to the beasts. 

"Come and get me!" Shaade cried, launching himself into the air and doing a somersault before getting used to his wings and speeding off. Many humans that had been captured were dropped to the floor while others were stuffed in mouths hurriedly as the creatures hared off after the demon on a suicide mission. Part of Loki's heart died as he realised that his old friend wouldn't return alive. The hole was swiftly built back up again by anger as he noticed that he was still locked into position. Cursing in his own language Loki struggled and eventually used enough magic to free his legs, promptly toppling over and hitting his head on the kerb. Ears ringing and vision blurring the demigod sat up, staying still until he could see straight again. 

"Time for work," Loki said to himself, standing upright and letting his armour wash over his human clothes. He straightened his back and flexed his fingers, feeling the comfortable weight of a sceptre settle into his left hand. Smiling he raised it up and let lightning crackle from the pointed tip - watching Thor practice for so long had rubbed off on the younger demigod. 

As bright light split the sky the clouds healed over. The beasts were trapped on Midgard but that wasn't good enough. Adjusting his flow of energy Loki directed the now blue power at a nearby building, a glistening portal melting into the wall. All he had to do was lure the monsters back somehow and all would be well, albeit a little quiet with half of New York eaten. 

"Coming through!" a panicked English voice shouted. The dark shadow of what looked like an angel passed over Loki's head but the sudden screaming told the demigod that it was actually Shaade, heading directly for the portal. 

"Look out," Loki called calmly. Shaade veered to the right at the last second and the swarm of creatures that had been pursuing him fell through the shimmering window into another world. Loki wasn't quite sure where they'd gone, he just knew it was somewhere very far away. 

Roaring and screeching alerted the demigod and the demon to even more beasts coming into the square. Shaade used his shirt to wipe sweat off his forehead before springing into the air and confusing the grounded creatures, swooping around the large group and diving dangerously low only to rocket back upwards again. Slowly the roars grew in volume until Loki's teeth were rattling in his skull from the vibrations. He motioned to the demon to take the monsters through the portal and Shaade nodded, brushing back his hair before shooting towards the doorway through to another dimension. Again he sped upwards at the last second but a claw reached out and snagged his leg, yanking him through. The monsters were spurred on by Shaade's defeat and raced through, eager to capture their prey. Loki simply stood there dumbly, in shock from what he'd seen. 

A hand shaking his arm brought the demigod to his senses. "Close the bloody portal!" Harry bellowed. His shirt was covered in blood and he was trembling violently. From his lack of fatal injuries Loki could only assume Amalia had been killed or sedated.

"I don't know-" Loki began but Harry slapped him. Reeling from the impact the demigod fell back, his sceptre shattering on the ground.

"You do know how!" Harry was close to tears, the strain showing in his voice. "I can see it, in your head! Close it before we all burn, Loki, or God help you." His eyes flashed and Loki saw a side to the quiet man that had never been exhibited before. It was fear of the rawest kind, a terror that mingled with anger while resigned sadness hid behind it. 

"You broke my sceptre," Loki pointed out. Harry was about to hit him again and so Loki stepped away, turning to face the portal and snapping his fingers. As middle finger brushed thumb the portal closed; but not before a burnt, battered form with ragged wings stumbled through. 

"I am never helping you again," Shaade said weakly, falling at the Frost Giant's feet dramatically. "I almost died, Loki. I'm immortal and I almost died." Seeming to notice that Harry was also stood there Shaade bent his head back. "Hi Harry. Where is everyone?"

"Brian, Starr, whatever-he's-called went on a rampage," Harry said flatly. 

"Who's dead?" Loki asked urgently.

"Cleo, Angel, Sophie, Amalia, Starr himself and Max and Tobi are badly injured," Harry said, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "Rebecca's still in her electrical coma and I have no idea where Georgina is."

"I need to know," Loki growled, pacing in a little circle anxiously. "It won't work if I don't know."

"What won't work?" Harry questioned but Shaade spoke first.

"Don't, Loki." The seriousness in the demon's voice frightened the demigod slightly but he kept his composure, looking down on the shorter man with one eyebrow raised.

"Why not?" Loki asked innocently. 

"You know why not. We were warned against it. We were told never to use it, for hell's sake!"

"It's only to be used in extreme circumstances," Loki corrected. "And this is a very extreme circumstance."

"What are you going to do?" Harry asked. Loki glanced at him and said simply:

"Put everything back to normal and make everyone human."