Loki: The Burden of the Throne

Chapter 25

"It's over, Lorelei. Surrender."

"Why would I do that? I've bested you before." Lorelei replied to Sif.

"You will not do so again. Unlike you I don't repeat the same mistakes."

"No, you make new ones." Lorelei sneered as Sif lunged at Lorelei with her sword.

Each woman skillfully deflected the blows of the other's sword with her own as they battled over the forested ground.

"Would you like to hear the last words of your dear Haldor before I ran him through? Even in his last moments he was completely devoted to me." Lorelei taunted Sif as they battled. "Poor Sif, never to have what your heart most desires, while I can have any man I choose."

"They are but slaves."

"Is that not what 'love' is? Slavery? You either become a slave to them or to the idea of them, as you yourself have been for so long." Lorelei said scornfully. "You and my sister have much in common."

"I take that as a compliment." Sif said, landing a kick to Lorelei's midsection, sending her hurtling against a tree, Lorelei recovering just as Sif rushed at her, dodging her.

"It is a compliment to be compared to my pitiful, pathetic sister who spent her life pining for one so insignificant and worthless? At least you have better taste. I never understood how the same loins who brought forth one such as Thor could also create such a sorry excuse for a prince. It was no surprise to me to learn of his true heritage. When I take the throne, at least Asgard will again be ruled by an Asgardian."

"What are you talking about?" Sif asked, as the two women circled each other.

"He has not told you? You do not yet know before who...or what...you now bend your knee, whose orders, like a dog, you follow?"

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The battle commenced among the trees as those Fury had brought together along with the troops he had sent in that had arrived to back them were joined by Asgard's warriors, Thor in disbelief as he witnessed Loki at the head of Asgard's army, rushing to his side to join him amid the fighting.

"Brother! What are you doing here?" Thor asked as the battle raged, both Thor and Loki downing foes rushing upon them, Loki with his daggers, Thor with Stormbreaker.

"Did you think I would let you once again have all the glory? Verda has been returned to Asgard. Father has awakened from his slumber." Loki answered as he felled another attacker.

"If you were to fall..."

"I believe my queen brought you here to ensure that doesn't happen." Loki said as he and Thor each dispatched another masked soldier in white, both brothers observing the frenzy of the oncoming soldiers.

"They fight like Berserkers!" exclaimed Thor as he swung Stormbreaker, taking down more attackers.

"They are." Loki said, recalling that along with the Tesseract, Lorelei had also gained possession of the Berserker Staff from Randolph. Deciding that he needed a more formidable weapon than his daggers, Loki stowed them away, producing Mjolnir in his hand, quickly sending it flying into the oncoming throng, catching it as it returned to him.

"Not bad...lower your grip...give it a bit more of a twist on the release...." advised Thor. "Here...I'll show you." Thor said, holding Stormbreaker out to Loki and reaching for Mjolnir. Loki took Stormbreaker, eyeing Thor as he handed Mjolnir over. "Like this..." said Thor as he hurled Mjolnir into the ranks of the oncoming army, the hammer cutting a swath through them. "It's all in the wrist." Loki reached out, intercepting Mjolnir upon its return, as he handed Stormbreaker back to Thor.