LOKI: Love and War

XIX

The metal beast descended on the people, it's thundering steps shaking the vehicles lining the street. People ran in the opposite direction, panicked and afraid as they tried to escape the alien threat.

All aside from the warriors, who moved against the tide of mortals towards the destroyer. Even without eyes, Freyja could feel it's burning gaze shoot through her. And instantly she knew exactly who was watching them.

Loki...

She could feel his intent to kill, to declare war, to enslave.

It seemed that her every ability was now completely entuned with the side of her that married her soul to war. Now that her senses were no longer focused solely on the desires and matters of the hearts around her, it left her mind free to accept the side of herself her mother had always favoured. It seemed almost laughable in fact, as now she no longer needed the part of her that celebrated love. Because there was no love here. Not anymore. Her love had been possessed by Loki, but now, Loki desired nothing but war.

In that case - a war would be waiting for him.

"Keep him distracted" Sif cried, darting out of sight as the remaining warriors became caught in the ever-nearing sand cloud, kicked up by the metal beast approaching.

Through the roar of moving metal, Fandral called out, "What do you think? 'The Svartalfheim Twist?', 'Kiss of the Hag?', 'Face Full of Boot?'"

Volstagg grinned, "The Flying Mountain"

Fandral groaned, "Not 'The Flying Mountain'. It threw out my back for a year last time!"

"Trust me, it'll work" Volstagg waved away the comment, before the pair moved into action.

Freyja could barely watch, holding back beside Hogun. He glanced her way.

"I know you are innocent in all this" he said, "I want you to know that. Just in case we don't make it out of this unscathed"

"Thank you Hogun" Freyja nodded.

"Come on!" Volstagg bellowed as he took off running at full speed. As he reached his comrades, Hogun and Fandral braced themselves, then grabbed him on either side, and with all their strength, hurled the warrior into the air, aiming for the chest of the huge metal beast.

Volstagg cried out, "For Asgard!"

As if unprepared, the destroyer reacted too late, and suddenly like a cannonball, Volstagg barrelled into the creature. For a fleeting moment, the warriors thought that perhaps it had worked, but quickly their hope was swept away, as it remained standing despite having been struck by the voluminous warrior.

It lifted Volstagg in it's black metallic claw, before savagely hurling him into Hogun and Fandral, knocking them from their feet. Freyja ducked away, falling to her knees with snarling teeth.

The destroyer stared at her, and Freyja felt Loki's gaze once more. She wondered what he was thinking. What he had planned for them. Would he kill her? Or simply harm her? Was there any possibility of Freyja and her companions leaving this Realm alive?

Before Freyja could answer her own question, Sif suddenly reappeared. Leaping from a nearby rooftop, raising her deadly spear above her head, she plunged it deep into the back of the creature, the sound of slicing metal turned every eye, and a shared feeling of triumph rolled through each onlooker.

The destroyer stood motionless, the fire in it's faceplate dimming, as if shutting down. Sif grinned victoriously upon it's back. A look that spread to the other warriors infectiously.

But of course it wouldn't be that easy.

The beast began to move once more, clanking and undulating as it rotated it's torso 180 degrees, until it faced Sif who crouched upon it's back. The unnatural posture was unsettling, and Freyja held her breath as Sif prepared her escape.

The blast of the creature barely missed as she finally dove from the behemoth. And in retaliation of her escape, the beast stood at it's full height, towering above them once more before pulling Sif's staff from it's armour - as effortlessly as removing a splinter.

"Regroup" Freyja ordered, the blood of War boiling in her veins, "And brace for a counter attack"

Sif and the Warriors Three gather, just before the monster unleashed another earth shattering blast. No one could escape quick enough, and the force suddenly sent each and every one of them flying backwards, scattering the group in their own bruised heaps in the sand.

Freyja groaned, her breath knocked from her lungs as she pulled herself up on uneasy legs. Her eyes darted to her comrades, assessing the injuries sustained. There were a few.

Volstagg, Hogun and Fandral lay motionless across the street, Sif struggling to catch her breath as she pulled herself upright...

A look of fear painted her face. A look Freyja had not yet seen on the warrior.

Freyja turned to run to her, just as Thor ran across the battlefield.

"Thor!" Freyja yelled.

"Tend to the others" He shouted in reply.

She wanted to demand he return to a safe distance, but she knew it would have been pointless. No matter how much she wanted to protect his new mortal form. His companions stared on from across the way, the woman he'd been so attached to looking on with concern and fear in her lovely eyes.

"Wake up" Freyja snapped, shaking at Fandral and Hogun urgently, one eye trained on the destroyer who grew ever closer. She knew it wanted to attack again, but she couldn't help but feel his hesitance. As to hurt the three warriors, would mean to unleash a blast directly at his wife. Whether his heart had truly been lost or not, she knew there was still fondness in him for her.

The pair coughed the sand from their lungs, prying their eyes open as if stirring from the deepest sleep. She offered her hands to them both, and after several seconds they grasped her open palm and stumbled to their feet.

"Volstagg" Freyja stated, searching for the large warrior amongst the kicked up dust and debris.

"I see him" Fandral grit his teeth, and began running before anyone else could even spot the injured friend.

Hogan and Freyja followed, as Thor and Sif joined them.

"Get him out of here!" Thor shouted.

"No. We can still fight!" Fandral replied.

"But not win. Move Volstagg, or he'll die!" Thor pressed, then a slow grin spread across his face, "Don't worry, my friends. I have a plan"