Loki: Storm of Swords

Chapter 90 - Loki Unleashes the Dragon

Surtur was a little late in figuring out what Loki was doing, until the casket was in his hands. "No!" the giant practically screamed as he did his best to throw Loki away like a piece of trash. However, the casket unleashed its power, and half of Surtur's face was consumed by ice. Loki did not fall far as Rhaegal came swooping in and he caught him on his back. Loki juggled the casket as he twisted himself around so he could situate himself in the saddle. 

 "Utmärkt räddning, Rhaegal. Även om nästa gång jag ger dig en order, följ den! (Excellent save, Rhaegal. Though, next time I give you an order, follow it!)" Loki hissed. Rhaegal snorted and shook his head, rattling the bridle.

"Are you well, Loki?" Thor asked as he flew by. Loki took the time to study his armor and clothes and saw that they were singed, but his skin was unburnt.

"I think I'm alright for now," he responded. 

"Use the casket wisely, brother," Thor reminded him.

"Brother? When did you start calling me that again?" Loki questioned.

"Since I saw that you brought the King of Jotunheim. I'm not an idiot, Loki. I know who he is," Thor answered as he hovered beside Rhaegal. Loki grinned, knowing that Thor would feel 'threatened' by his actual brother. 

"Loki!" cried a voice and Loki turned his head, seeing Jon approaching on Viserion.

"Jon! Stay back! You can't do anything here!" Loki shouted. Surtur turned and saw Jon flying towards them and grinned. He fractured the ice surrounding half his face, reaching a flaming hand out for Jon. "Turn!" Loki warned, flying Rhaegal towards Viserion as fast as possible. Thor reached Jon first and spun around to face Surtur. He batted the hand to the side, but was swept away a second later by Surtur's free one. Jon pulled on Viserion's spikes in an attempt to get him out of the way. "Jon!" Loki cried as he used his magic to teleport himself and Rhaegal into Surtur's path.

"Loki!" 

"Brother!"Loki was sent hurtling from the sky and Daenerys could almost feel the dual pains of her half-brother and her dragon. Both Drogon and Viserion screeched out loud, letting the whole world know their sorrow and anger. Thor turned on Surtur, his blind rage causing him to lash out with lightning and rain began to fall from the sky. Jon took Viserion to the ground and once he landed, he ran to where Loki had fallen. 

"Loki! Please! Please don't be dead!" Jon pleaded as he crashed next to his uncle. Rhaegal's eyes were closed and one wing had managed to curl around Loki, who had been dislodged from the saddle. Loki was leaning against his dragon, blood flowing from a wound to his head, and his one arm complete twisted. Jon winced as he reached out and felt for a pulse on Loki's neck, just as his uncle showed him. "Please, if not for the sake of Westeros, then for the sake of your family... come back."

Loki would come back if he was not trapped in the spirit world. Loki looked around and saw both Frigga and Rhaella staring at him. "What happened? Am I dead?"

"No, Loki, you are not dead. But if you don't get up, you will be soon," Frigga answered.

"How do I do that? Surtur's power knocked me out of my own body," Loki pointed out and Rhaella stepped up to him. She held out her hand and the blue ice orb that Byleistr had given him as a peace offering. "The seeing ice crystal?"

"But it is not a seeing ice crystal," she said.

"Did you know that Byleistr is another half-brother of yours? He was Laufey's child with a Frost Giantess," Frigga told him.

"Wow. The old man sure got around," Loki commented. Both Frigga and Rhaella gave him a look and the Targaryen queen held out the globe.

"This ice orb actually contains the soul of the last frost drake of Jotunheim. This beast was killed by Bor when he was a young man. But its soul was captured by the sorceress, Angriboda," Frigga explained.

"Angriboda! My first wife?!" Loki exclaimed. 

"In doing so, she preserved the essence of the beast, and now, it waits for a new vessel in which he can live again," Rhaella said and Loki shook his head.

"I don't know if Rhaegal will be the same!"

"Rhaegal won't live either if you don't do this," Rhaella retorted and she held the orb out. "Rhaegal might have been born a fire breathing dragon, but once the soul of the last frost drake bonds with his own, he will become the most powerful dragon in history. No dragon has ever had the powers of ice and flame at their disposal. Just like his rider, so to shall the dragon be." Loki hesitated for a split second, eyeing Frigga, before he accepted the orb from his mother. 

"Now go, our son. Return to your body and restore Rhaegal to an even higher power," Frigga whispered. Both her and Rhaella kissed him and vanished. Loki looked at the ice orb in his hands and began to apply pressure, cracking the cold façade. 

"Sameina með mér sál síðasta frost drake. Tieðu þig við kistuna af fornum vetrum og gefðu mér fjallið, sem aldrei hefur sést af dauðlegum eða ódauðlegum augum. (Combine with me, the soul of the last frost drake. Tie yourself to the Casket of Ancient Winters and give my mount a power that has never been seen by mortal or immortal eyes)," Loki commanded as the crystal shattered. 

Back in the physical world, Thor landed in front of where Jon was cradling Loki. Rhaegal had not moved either and Thor feared for both Loki and his dragon. "You mean to stand between me and my prize, Odinson?" Surtur queried. 

"I mean to stand between you and all the worlds if necessary," Thor rejoined. Jon raised his head and found Surtur staring down at him.  

"And what do you intend to do, little Targaryen bastard? After I slay the Odinson, you will be the only thing between me and the Laufeyson. How do you intend to stop me?" Surtur challenged and Jon held Loki a little tighter. 

"If I have to die by the side of my uncle, I will do so. My wife would prefer me to die fighting than running away," he retorted. Surtur grinned and raised his sword. Mjolnir came up, ready for action at any given moment. However, that was when a chill wind picked up and the clouds shifted. The flames on Surtur's blade sputtered against the breeze and the Fire Giant glanced around. Thor glanced over his shoulder at Loki's body in Jon's arms and the youngest Targaryen looked at his uncle as well. Suddenly, Viserion purred and nudged Rhaegal's still form and the other dragon stirred. Loki's eyes snapped open and his retina's were glowing a frosty blue. Jon gasped and almost dropped him. Loki's previously broken arm twisted and repositioned itself with a dull crack. Loki sat up, seemingly unaware of both Jon and Thor. He crawled over to Rhaegal and that was when he held out his hand and everyone saw the blue flame dancing in his hands. 

"No!" Surtur cried as he reached for Loki. But Loki beat him to it; shoving the sapphire flame into Rhaegal's chest. The resounding roar the dragon emitted caused everyone nearby to cover their ears. Even Daenerys, who was the Mother of Dragons, covered her ears and buried her face in Drogon's neck. Rhaegal raised his head to the skies, spouting flames, but not just any flames; sparks that mixed in a spiral with ice. It was a beautiful combination of red-orange and clear-blue. Loki stood up, stroking Rhaegal's neck, his skin blue and his eyes red. When Rhaegal dropped his head beside his master, his one eye was red and the other was blue. "It can't be... it's impossible," Surtur said, clearly in denial over something. Thor pulled Jon away, and even Viserion created space between herself and her sibling. 

"Like me, Rhaegal is a one of a kind now; a cross between a fire dragon and a frost drake. His soul has bonded with the soul of the last frost drake, Icarus. Let's see you swing that big sword now," Loki challenged as he climbed into Rhaegal's saddle. The dragon was invigorated with his new power and snorted, both frost and smoke coming from his nostrils. "Ge sig på (Attack)," Loki whispered and Rhaegal charged Surtur. The Muspel king stepped back, uncertain as to how powerful Rhaegal and Loki would be now. 

"Go, Loki!" Thor cheered.

"For Westeros!" Jon shouted.

"Frostborn! Frostborn! Frostborn!" the soldiers all started chanting. The Unsullied smashed their spears against their shields, and the Northerners did the same with their swords. Sansa grinned as she watched Loki take command of the situation. Alfie brushed against her to get her attention.

"I know, Alfie. He's given us hope."