FrostIron Short Stories

Genius and the Jotun: I Will Return to You

Tony saddled Mach 2, sprinting him towards the men. He had the sword sheathe strapped to his waste and the steel weapon in his hand. The men all bore the same expression.

Anger, but a mindless anger.

"Where is everyone going?!" Tony shouted, pulling up on the reigns. Mach 2 reered up next to a small group of men and they waved their torches at Tony.

"To kill the monstah!" Said one man. Tony looked at him.

"What has this monster done to you?"

"Well we was told 'e 'had you and Jahvis impisoned," Said another, more foolish sounding, man. Tony laughed, "wha' are you lawfin' at me fo'? Iz true idn't it?"

"And how does that apply to you?" Tony asked, by holding up this group, he slowed the procession behind them a bit. The man had no answer, and he began to look angry at being talked down to, "See, you can't even answer me! Don't be fools, go home." Tony put the sword away and tore away from them all, but he was a bit late.

A large procession of them had gotten to the castle already. And Tony saw a large figure moving around in the window almost near a balcony.

Loki. He thought instantly, his heart fluttered excitedly at the thought of Loki.

Tony noticed a familiar, sickly looking horse. It was Justin Hammer's. Tony ran Mach 2 even harder, dismounting only when he reached the doors.

Tony knew this castle well enough to find Loki's chambers. The other men were still outside, stumbling dumbly to find a way. Tony slipped away from their groups silently, lingering in the shadows as well.

"HAMMER!" Tony screamed when he saw him in Loki's rooms. Hammer held a sword in front of Loki, he held it awkwardly, and with both hands even though it wasn't even a great or longsword.

"Ah, Stark, I see you've already returned to your pet." Hammer spat, staring at Loki. Loki had perked up a bit when Tony entered the room. He was bleeding in certain areas, looking weak.

"Leave him out of this. This is between us and Loki has no quarrel with you."

"He's still a monster!"

"He's not!" Justin swung his weapon in a most awkward of ways, he was unpracticed and it showed. Meanwhile, Tony was dancing around him, leaving small, deep cuts, or long and shallow ones on him. Until finally Justin clashed their swords together, Tony shoved him back, kicking him outside onto a balcony.

"I'm tired of you, you shrewd, foul, evil, tricky little man! Be glad I don't kill you where you stand, because you deserve to be killed as harshly as any torturer could concoct!" Tony screamed, tears streaming down his face. This creature that called himself human, that had given himself a name, Justin Hammer, he was the monster, not Loki. Loki looked like a monster, making him the thing that people were horrified by, knew to steer clear from, but Justin looked like a man, and it's hard to know to fear a man if his mask was docile enough looking.

"You can't kill me! You are too much of a coward Stark!" Justin said, breath rattling out of his mouth in a wheeze, Tony laughed at him.

"I am a coward, but I am not a coward for admitting it," Tony reared back and brought his leg up, kicking Justin onto his back. Justin landed next to the balcony railing, with Tony staring down at him, breathing hardly. Tony simply left him there, "Loki, are you okay?" He went over to him and Loki smiled, something Tony had missed.

"I am fine, why did you come back?" Tony knelt down in front of Loki, his steel sword hanging limply in his hand.

"Because you were in danger." Tony answered easily.