FROM THE ASHES - L. Laufeyson [1]

Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Yet Another Death on My Hands

Back on the Dark World stood a lone Einherjar guard.

He had been there to scout out the events of Thor and his battle against the Dark Elves. It had been Odin's request for him to do so and once he had done that he could return back home.

The guard got off of the aircraft before walking about the battlefield in search of a body, weapons, or the remnants of any skirmish at all, but instead found nothing but dirt, ashes, and the extremely faint footprints that had been left behind after the recent dust storm.

Seeing there was nothing to report the guard turned around to return to his ship that he had left across the clearing, he winced feeling a sudden shooting pain pierce through the skin on his side, before putting his hand against his hip.

He slowly fell to the ground, letting out a quiet whine in anguish before pulling his hand away and finding his own crimson blood coating and sticking to his fingers. He writhed as the excruciating pain filled every one of his nerves. He gasped, taking in deep breaths still in shock as he looked up to find the culprit appearing before him.

Coming from the midst of a green illusion that had made himself invisible was the Prince of Asgard. The God of Mischief.

It was Loki.

Loki gazed down at the Einherjar guard in regret and a slight twinge of guilt that thrashed around in his stomach. Adaline wouldn't have wanted him to become a bad person and he himself didn't want to kill the man but it had been the only way for him to fulfill his plan.

"I'm sorry," Loki muttered lowly, looking into the guards eyes sadly. "But I have to protect Adaline. And as long as I don't exist, then she will be okay."

The guard stared at him with furrowed brows from under his helmet as the blood pooled underneath where he lay, mixing with the dust and soot.

Loki watched as the light disappeared from the guards eyes, signifying his death. He then turned around, leaving his back to face the man he had killed and looking down at the dirt sinfully. He knew Adaline would be upset with him and after what she said to him when he 'died' he was sure she would rethink her words.

In the time that he was waiting for the scout to arrive, Loki had thought over Adaline's words to him, letting the shock settle in as he stood cloaked in the Dark World.

She loved him.

He couldn't believe it. Thor had been right, Loki truly had been blind to the way Adaline treated him and acted around him.

His feelings had been reciprocated, and while he was overjoyed at the fact, he also realized it could never be. Loki's past was too corrupted. If Thanos knew that Loki had escaped his hold, and was moving on with his life, instead of being trapped in a cell for all eternity, he would find him. He would make his life a living hell once again, and without a doubt, find out about Adaline one way or another.