A Song Named Alice

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Stumbling, Loki tries to stand up all the way. And as he clutches his stomach with one hand, he readies himself to fight. "You won't get me that easily," he rasps. 

Forseti laughs as he playfully pushes Loki around, forcing him against a wall. As his fingers steady, he grabs Forseti by the collar of his shirt and throws him back. He attacks with punch after punch, but when they're all evaded, his strength evades him. 

"Tired already?" Forseti jests. 

"Shut up!" 

After another missed dart, Forseti takes a few steps back, out of Loki's reach. "It's time to end this," he groans. "I've had my fun, but now this is getting old." 

When Loki tries to hit him again, he swirls around and heaves him back to the ground. While wobbling back up, he knees him in the stomach, just below the ribcage, forcing him back down. Watching Forseti eye him smugly while coughing. "I won't let you take my pocket watch," he breathes while his vision blurs with every breath. 

"And what can you do against me? You're about to lose consciousness. There's no way that you could bring both Alice and yourself away from me, even if you knock me unconscious. Give it up already." 

"N-Never." He wheezes. 

The ground swirls around him in a huge mass of grey. The more he stares, the more nauseous he feels. As he's about to repeats his denial, the pain flares inside him. His head droops and he lays limp. "You're more stubborn than I thought, Loki." He grins.

When Loki wakes up, water dripping from his face, he stares around him, observing his surroundings with his faint vision. The room, lit by only one light bulb, shrouds the figures around him in near darkness as he looks down the hall in front of him. Unable to find an end to the tunnel, he checks around him. 

While he does, a voice yells at him. "Listen to me you blasted fool!" He tries to connect the voice to a name. 

Nothing comes to mind, so he tries to make sense of the figures of the room. There's one in front of him, who splashes water on him recently, two holding onto him, and three beside him. 

As he tries to make out any of the three beside him, the voice yells at him again. "Don't ignore me, I know you can hear me. I'm not blind." 

Nothing comes to his mouth as he tries to speak, only pain gushing from his stomach. He groans in response. 

"Great." The voice says. "You're bold when you're faced with danger, but now that you're captured, every little thing hurts you. Can't you say anything?" 

Like before, nothing comes from his mouth but a groan. Although, his eyesight clears and he's able to make out who stands in from of him and beside him. In between two men, like himself, Alice is held limply in their arms. 

Loki glares at Forseti as his voice returns to him through the pain. Forseti smiles. "Well, now that you're paying attention to be, please hand over your pocket watch. If not, I'll be forced to hurt Alice even more. Last time a punch sufficed, but this time I'll make sure she'll hurt more. So, what will you chose? Your friend's life or the pocket watch? Decide quickly or I'll choose for you. And trust me, you won't like my decision, I can guarantee that." 

Alice or Lacie, who should I pick? I don't want to leave any of them behind, but I know what you'd both want, especially you, Lacie. "I," He tries to speak as pain sparks up his throat. "I'll... give... you..." 

"Well?" He says while he taps his foot. "Speak up for crying out loud. I don't have all day to listen to your pathetic mutterings!" 

Loki gulps, fear welling up inside him. "The pocket watch." He finally says. "I'll give you my pocket watch."