In The Shadows | Loki

WHEN ARE YOU NOT READY TO STAB THOR?

When I wake up, it takes a second for me to remember where I am. I slowly sit up, looking towards where Thor and Jane are standing on the other end of the boat, talking quietly. The boat had already stopped, and we were waiting on something.
        "How are you feeling?" I turn towards where Loki is leaning against the side of the boat. He has a dagger in hand and is twirling it slowly.
         “As good as I can feel, I suppose.” I murmur, slowly getting to my feet. He nods once, glancing towards Thor and Jane. I notice Loki’s cloak fall to the ground, and I bend over and pick it up, wrapping it around my shoulders. I was still cold.
         “He’s explaining the plan to her.” He says after a moment.
         “Are you going to explain it to me, or am I going to be forced to go in blindly again?” I ask. His gaze returns to me, and he’s silent for a second. “Thank you for this, by the way.” I murmur, lifting an edge of the cloak.
         “We’re going to convince Malekith that I’m double crossing Thor. Jane won’t know that. Her reaction has to be genuine.” He begins to explain. “We’ll use him to extract the Aether from you and Jane, and kill him before he’s able to gain the power of the Aether.” I nod once.
        "Risky, but I doubt I'm about to come up with anything better." I murmur. "How are you going to convince Malekith of the double cross?"
        "I'm going to stab Thor and cut off his hand." Loki replies easily.
        "Of course you are." I sigh. "Better get all that pent up anger at him out now, honey." Loki lets out a low chuckle, his gaze going back to the dagger in his hand. "How far are we?"
        "Not far."
        "Well that wasn't vague or anything." I murmur, glancing out at the dark planet. The wind makes a few strands of my hair whip around. Pieces had fallen out of the updo that Frigga had done. Loki straightens, moving to slow the ship.
        "The ships are on the other side of that hill." He explains. I nod once, shrugging off Loki's cloak and handing it to him. He takes it, clipping it back on.
        "Loki, are you ready?" Thor asks, and he nods once. We all jump off the ship and begin to trudge up the hill. "Jane?" I look up at Thor's worried voice. "Jane?"
        "Malekith." Jane whispers. Her eyes are completely red. The aether had taken her over.
        "Are you ready?" Thor murmurs.
        "I am."
        "When are you not ready to stab Thor?" I murmur under my breath. Loki rolls his eyes.
        "You know this plan of yours will get us killed?" Loki asks.
        "Very possibly." We hit the top of the hill, and I see the ships and dark elves in the distance. Thor sends Loki a cautious glance, and I see Jane do the same.
        "You still don't trust me, brother?" Loki asks, and I frown at that. I knew he wouldn't call Thor brother, unless....
        "Would you?" Thor asks.
        "No, I wouldn't." Loki replies, pulling the dagger our from under his cloak and stabbing Thor. Jane screams as Loki tosses Thor down the hill, and I shout in alarm. I watch as Loki marches after Thor's rolling form, and I glance at Jane once before following them, staying a distance.. I hear Jane behind me. Malekith turns, walking over when he sees what is going on.
        "Loki, stop!" I scream, knowing I had to convince Jane. Loki ignores me.
        "You think I cared about Frigga? About Ophelia? Anyone?" He kicks Thor in the stomach, and I hear Jane gasp. "All I ever wanted was you and Odin dead at my feet!" Thor raises his hand to summon Mjolinr, and I hear Jane scream as Loki slices Thor's hand off, making him yell out in pain.
        "Loki!" I scream, just as Jane screams out for Thor. We both rush over, and I feel Loki grab me by the back of my dress, pulling me back to his side. He's got Jane by the arm, and he steps around Thor, right in front of Malekith.
        "Malekith, I am Loki of Jotunheim, and I bring you a gift." He throws Jane towards Malektih first before tossing me on the ground as well. The harsh way I hit the ground forces the air from my lungs, and I'm thrown into a coughing fit, unable to move. "I only ask for one thing in return: a good seat from which to watch Asgard burn." The large creature that had helped Malekith attack me earlier leans towards the dark elf and rumbles something in a foreign language. 
        I watch as Malekith walks towards Thor, and I struggle to sit up.
        "Look at me." Malekith murmurs, moving Thor with his foot. He lifts Jane into the air, and I let out a surprised gasp as the Arther is ripped from her body. Jane falls to the ground.
        "Part of it's missing." I hear Malekith murmur. His gaze falls to me, and I'm suddenly jerked forward, stopping only a foot away from him. "You have it."
        His hand latches onto my arm, and I feel him pulling the Aether out of me. When his skin touches mine, I'm suddenly thrust into darkness. I can see only black, and there's nothing but silence in my ears. I had never tasted or smelled nothingness before, but that was what it was. Malekith was nothing. He was darkness. I blink, and I'm back. Malekith tosses me back to the ground, and I watch as he puts the Aether back together.
        "Loki, now!" Thor screams.

         I watch as Thor’s hand reappears, and Mjolnir comes flying over the hill and into his hand. I watch as Thor shoots lightning through the aether, but it simply reforms. Fear begins to pound through me as the Aether shoots towards Malekith’s outstretched hand, and I throw out my hand without thinking, channeling the darkness I had absorbed. The aether halts mid-air.
         “No!” I hear Malekith roar, and his attention focuses on me. There’s a rage on his face that makes my mouth go dry. I knew I couldn’t let him take this power.
         I focus every ounce of energy to force the aether towards me, and Malekith jerks forward to try and absorb it before it can come in contact with my skin.
         “OPHELIA NO!” Loki screams.  The Aether shoots through me, filling my veins and taking over my mind with pain. The monster he’s fighting with falters at Maekith’s roar, and Loki is able to drive his dagger into something that begins to beep. I can’t think. I can’t feel. Loki turns to look at me, but everything is… empty. There is only the power of the aether.

         I kill the Algrim, turning in time to watch just as Ophelia absorbs the Aether. The emotion on her face fades and changes, going blank. Her eyes go red, and she slowly gets to her feet. She glances around, and frowns at the furious Malekith. She raises her hand, and Malekith goes still.
         “I deserve that power! I fought for it! For centuries!” Malekith roars. Ophelia doesn’t react for a moment.
         “You deserve nothing.” Her voice is void of any emotion. “Die, dark elf.” She waves her hand, and the black dust from the planet begins to rise and swirl around her. The red mist of the aether joins it, and the dark elves scramble back. Malekith screams as the power hits him, and he is torn to shreds.
         “Ophelia!” I shout, but she doesn’t react to me, slowly rising into the air with the power.She begins to send multiple streams of power towards the dark elves massive ships, destroying them in seconds. Thor scoops up Jane, moving her away from the destruction.
         Ophelia sweeps out a hand, destroying every dark elf, ignoring their horrified screaming. I feel Thor come up behind me, and neither of us say a word, watching the destruction.
         “We have to stop her.” I whisper, and Thor says nothing. “That isn’t Ophelia.”
         “The power is taking over her mind.” Jane murmurs. “She warned me about this when she first came to London. It only ever happened once before, and that was a little after she first gained her powers. She wasn’t nearly this powerful.”
         I exchange a look with Jane, and the fear in her eyes strikes me to my core. One glance at Thor and I know he has no clue what to do.
         “Ophelia!” Jane shouts suddenly, grabbing her attention. Ophelia frowns, letting herself float to the ground and the power of the aether disappear. She’s several yards away from us, the death and destruction behind her.
         “I…” She trails off, frowning. “I have business to attend to.”
         “What?”
         “Earth has some things to pay for. Some things that I was too scared to do before.”
         “Ophelia, wait.” I try to stop her, taking a few steps forward. She throws out a hand, and I sail through the air, hitting the ground harshly.
        "Loki!" I scramble to my feet, but she's already flying up and towards the convergence. 
        Towards Earth.