The Bargain

Chapter 24: Twenty-Fourth Installment

Twenty-Fourth Installment: Into the Deep

The captain didn't want to wait around, and for that Loki was grateful. He wanted to get traveling through the shadow over with. It was much easier when he was alone, for he simply drifted through the darkness like a shadow himself. With an entire company of fools tagging along, he had to actually walk through it.

It was unpleasant. Hopefully, he would only have to do it a few more times before he found the witch.

"What sort of weapons will the dark elves have?" Steve asked.

Ever the soldier. Loki considered. "Swords, but unlike any you've encountered. They will be enchanted with dark magic. If they even score the smallest wound, you will like as not bleed to death. They are deadly, dangerous even to the Aesir. However, dark elves wear mundane armor of tooled leather. They will be weak against your bullets." He reserved a rare smile for Stark. "Against your suit they will be all but helpless."

The fool human broke into a ridiculously pleased grin.

For some reason, it caused Thor to glare at Stark. Loki didn't even bother asking. He didn't care.

"How deep into their ranks are we gonna have to wade?" Barton asked.

"I've been giving that some thought," Loki replied, "and I have an idea that will help minimize the time spent fighting. Natasha, are you and Hawkeye up to a little reconnaissance?"

The clever redhead caught on instantly. "Yeah. We can check out their numbers from a safe distance."

"Maybe cause a distraction," Barton added.

"The more time you can give me, the better," Loki said, "though it shouldn't take me long to find the doorway."

"Won't the dark elves know it's there?" Stark asked.

"No," Loki said. "They're not visible unless you know they're there. None of you could see it. You only saw a gaping chasm."

The humans all shuddered.

"What about us?" Thor asked, gesturing to include the captain and the good skin-changer.

Loki gave Thor a sardonic look. "You, my dear Thor, are a little too . . . recognizable. I'm afraid you would draw exactly the attention I would prefer to avoid."

A touch of chagrin entered his brother's expression. Loki grimaced inwardly. Apparently, he was back to thinking of Thor as his brother. It was increasingly difficult to hold onto the anger he'd harbored so long with Thor being so damn . . . thoughtful.

He didn't care for this change.

"So we stay out of sight," the captain said.

"Unless a fight does break out, of course," Loki said. "Dark elves are strange about magic, so I would prefer no conflict."

Stark raised an eyebrow. "Strange about magic? What does that mean?"

Loki resisted the urge to sigh. "Remarkably few of them can use it," he explained with more patience than he felt, "so they covet it. I would be to them as a great big shiny piece of new technology would be to you." A slight grin that was all-too genuine.

Stark grinned, too.

Thor again gave Stark a disapproving scowl.

It irritated Loki. He decided to ask about it as soon as possible. For now, though, it could wait. He stopped in front of a building that was more than half crumbled in decay. Its state made Loki feel a pang of regret. Once, this city had been utterly magnificent, rivaling Asgard. Now it was a forgotten ruin.