Unbroken

Chapter 83

A million thoughts ran through Trinity's head. She didn't know if she was scared or happy. Of course she wanted to marry Loki, she'd been in love with him since they met, but they were in the middle of a war... was it smart to commit to this right now?. She stood there silently for several minutes, Loki knew what she was thinking, because he had the same thought at one point too.
"I know timing seems bad" Loki said after a few minutes of quiet "and I know we wouldn't be able to get married until after the war, and I originally planned to do this after the war, but something made me bring the ring with me... I didn't want to leave the palace without it because I knew I wanted to ask you, and I knew I didn't want to wait that long. I want to be with you Trinity" he said. She seems to find words.
"We would be commuting to something that might be taken from us. One of us could get killed" she said back, kneeling down with him. Loki nodded.
"I know".
"We could get separated".
"I know".
"Something could happen, we could loose the war".
"I know".
"You could get taken back to Jotunhiem-". Loki didn't let her finish that last one.
"I know, Trinity. I know. I know the dangers, I know the risks. I know we could both end up heartbroken, I know our life together could end before it starts, but- for me, it's worth the risks. You are worth it for me.... I know I'm asking a lot, so if it's not worth it for you that's okay, but-" he was cut off by her leaning forward and crashing her lips against his. She brought her hand up to his face and kissed him deeply for a moment before pulling back.
"I love you Loki" she said, then kissed him again. After a moment, Loki pulled back.
"So... so that's a yes then?" He asked.
"Oh, right. Yes, yes I will marry you" she said with a small chuckle. Loki smiled too and put the ring on her finger. She tried to kiss him again but he cut it short.
"I would love to keep kissing you... but I'm in a lot of pain right now" he said. Once she accepted, his mind relaxed and all the pain in his stomach started to register again.
"Wow, I'm sorry, I forgot. Get back in bed" she said, helping him off the ground and back onto the bed he was in before. But as soon as she got him to his feet, the ground shook suddenly and explosions were heard from below them. Loki knew what was going on.
"We're under attack" he said. Just as he said it, Thor burst through the door. Trinity had an arm around Lokis waist and Loki was leaning on her a bit.
"Some of Laufey's men are trying to take the fortress. We're trying to buy enough time to get the injured to safety, but we need to move" Thor left it open for Loki to choose; fight or flee. Before Loki could answer, Thor disappeared down the stairs heading to the ground floor.
"Go. Go with the escaping team. I'll meet you back at the palace" Loki said, pushing his pain to the back of his mind once again as he got himself dressed and armed himself for battle. Trinity grabbed his arm as he picked up some daggers.
"You can't fight in this condition, come with me Loki. You don't have to fight every battle" she told him, staring deeply into his eyes, a harshness in her face; a cold determination to keep the man she loved alive.
"This war is happening because of me. I can't run while other men risk their lives. Go to the palace, and I promise you I'll meet you there. Go, now" Loki told her, pulling his arm free and continuing to arm himself. Trinity stood frozen for a minute, then the ground shook again, this time more violently. The lights flickered and Loki nearly stumbled over.
"If you won't come with me, I'll stay with you" Trinity said, going for a closet that was filled with armor and weapons of her own. Loki didn't even argue, she was a strong soldier, and a fast thinker, and Loki often felt that the Asgardian army didn't utilize her strength enough.
As soon as they were armed, they dashed out of the room and down to the ground level. Loki was already in pain, he could barely stand up straight, but he'd have to figure out a way to fight.
Once they made it out of the main building, they were faced with the chaos of battle. There was no order, no strategy, no leadership or command. Just masses of soldiers, and weapons, and bodies. Moment ago this day would've been the day Loki and Trinity got engaged, but now that happiness was swept away and tainted with death and destruction.
Loki was confused, this was a medical compound, why would Laufey waste so many men to attack a fortress that didn't house masses of weapons or strong resources? It seemed like a stupid plan, and laufey wasn't stupid, so what's his game? Loki looked around and saw a Jotun soldier that he personally knew, and particularly hated. His name was Zenoch, and he always tormented Loki in petty, often humiliating ways; when Loki was chained to a wall, Zenoch would put food just within his reach, then when Loki went to grab it, he'd snatch it away, laughing like a psycho. He treated Loki like a stray rodent, as did everyone else, but he was particularly bad because he could play mind games. like Frigga and (now) Loki, Zenoch learned magic, and specifically, telecommunication. If he was able to touch someone, he could make them see and hear whatever he wanted, for as long as he wanted, he just needed a single touch. Loki hated that, he hated when he got cornered and Zenoch made him witness something horrific and sickening. He hated it when Zenoch put him in a state of torturous hallucination and just left him for hours, with no way to escape until someone had enough heart to wake him up and release him form a mental prison.
Loki felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up when he saw Zenoch, and then he felt the blood rush from his face when Zenoch turned and their eyes locked. Loki froze, then Zenoch started coming toward him, Loki felt the urge to run and he didn't fight it. He turned around and bolted. He wouldn't abandon the fight, but he knew that he couldn't prevent Zenoch from forcing him into the horrible mental limbo state.
"Loki!" Loki heard Zenoch shout his name. This was strange because for one, very few people try to call their enemy toward hem during a battle, and two, none of the frost giant ever used Lokis name, they all still just called him 'runt' or 'boy' or 'useless piece of trash', so hearing his name come from Zenoch caught him off guard. He knew he couldn't run forever, he couldn't just hide from Zenoch now. Loki spun around and extended his daggers threateningly.
"You're not my puppet master! And I won't let you take this compound!" Loki barked with surprising force and strength. He didn't realize that he and Zenoch were now separated from the battle until Zenoch slowed his pace and calmly walked toward Loki. Loki had to concentrate hard on not moving his feet.
"I don't want the compound, I just want to talk to you" Zenoch said calmly, almost hypnotically.
"Talk to me? When have you ever talked to me? You always just stick me in mental prisons until you decide to wake me up again. What makes you think I'll believe you?" Loki snapped back. Zenoch was uncomfortably close, only a few feet away. Loki kept his daggers ready.
"Laufey has a message for you. He wants me to show you Something"
"I'm not letting you show me anything" Loki said in a low dark voice as he took a step back, but he hit someone when he backed up, then felt a large cold hand lock around his bare neck.
"You're not the only one who can be in two places at once" Loki heard Zenoch say in his ear. Too late, Loki realized that the Zenoch he'd been talking to was an illusion, and the real Zenoch now had the physical contact he needed to infect Lokis mind.
"Hopefully someone here can get you out. I won't be sticking around" Zenoch growled, then Lokis surroundings dissolved and new surroundings formed in front of his eyes;
He was at the palace, down in the treasure room, he saw a soldier, and Asgardian, showing Laufey the way Into the treasure room, letting laufey steal back the casket. Loki knew this man, he was a member of the council, and he was a traitor to Asgard.
The scene shifted, the palace was suddenly overtaken by a massive swarm of Jotun soldiers, their strength increased exponentially with the help of the casket. The Asgardian army was too weak. They fell.
The scene shifted again, the palace was in ruins, Asgard was frozen over, laufey sat atop a throne that was decorated with the heads of Odin, Thor, and Frigga. Loki was an oppressed save once again. Trinity's body lay lifeless in a corner, her hand outstretched toward Loki. No matter where he moved, she was always reaching for him, and he was never able to touch her.
"The house of Odin is full of traitors." Laufey said "you should hurry back and warn them" Laufey added. Then the scene quickly shifted once more.
Loki said was in a dark room, then suddenly water started flooding in in violent waves. He was thrown against the ground and swept up in the aggressive currents. He was thrown around in the water, crashing against the walls, unable to pull himself to the surface, adrenaline pumped through this veins and intense panic took over him mind. He struggled with all his might to get to some air to breath, but the more he fought, the worse it became. His terror and hysteria just kept getting worse, his failure to reach air making his anxiety and alarm become more and more aggressive.
He would be forced to live this panic until someone woke up him.
His fear and panic and anxiety would only continue to get worse and worse, eating away at his sanity until someone snapped him out of it. Unfortunately, no one here knew how to do that.