Loki After Endgame: Cheating Death

Chap 25: Into The Dark

Kamilla:
For a moment Loki's eyes are distant as though he's lost in memories. Then he smiles sadly as he points to the runes on the wall. "This is the symbol for lightening and this is the symbol for the Bilgesnipes. Sif and I used to combine the two runes to write Thor's name."

He points to another rune that looks like an arrow with a snake coiled around it and sighs, "And this is the symbol for my name.  Sif used our made-up language to say that she's taken an ancient scroll of spells from Odin's vault and hid them with another important artifact in a secret location nearby. She believes these objects must be kept away from me at all costs."

Loki scoffs and shakes his head, "She certainly didn't expect me to come here." Loki smears the ash with the palm of his hand, effectively wiping away all traces of the message. "I imagine she'll be sorely disappointed when she discovers I got the message rather than Thor." He adds bitterly.

"Did it say anything about where she hid them?"

"Yes. She left us a ridiculous rhyme as a clue."

"And the clue is..." I prod.

He sighs wearily, "Search the place where vice and greed, go to forfeit their life and deeds."

"What the hell does that mean?"

Loki pauses thoughtfully, running his hand through his hair and admits slowly, "I'm not entirely sure. But I suspect she's referring to a gamblers den."

"Okay." I nod. That makes sense, greed and vice certainly seem to suggest some sort of alien casino. "Are there a lot of gambling dens here?"

"Yes. We may have to search them all. But for now, let's assume it's whichever one is nearest." He squares his shoulders and strides out of the building determined to find what he's looking for. "Come on, let's go." He calls out over his shoulder as he waits just outside of the museum's ruins.

I follow him, matching his stride as he navigates us around the wreckage, towards a large building that although burnt, somehow remains erect. The front door has been ripped off its hinges, and the beams that frame the doorway have melted, but other than that the building remains intact. There's a neon sign that flickers in the darkness, with swirly alien writing on it.

"Is this it?" I ask whispering, even though Loki and I are the only ones here. I don't know why, but a strange sensation comes over me as I peer into the dark building, as if something evil once lived here. Rather than reply Loki conjures a green flame in his hand and enters the shadowed building. I shake off my overactive imagination and follow him down the dark entrance. After all, the scanners didn't detect any signs of life, so there's nothing to worry about. The hallway leads us to a large open space, with a giant round skylight illuminating the room with a hazy beam of starlight. There's a long and wide metal table in the center, with several empty cages stacked beneath it and what appears to be a bar along the wall. I scan the walls carefully, "I don't see any more runes."

Loki purses his lips and heads towards the bar, "Sif is smart, I'm sure she hid her clues well." He replies as he pulls a bottle from the wooden shelf and pours himself a drink. I watch him drink the bright neon green liquor from the corner of my eye, as my mind works over the clue.

"The second part, where they forfeit their life and deeds..." I murmur furrowing my brows, "Could that be referring to a cemetery?"

Loki eyes light up and he strolls towards me, his green eyes shimmering with excitement. "That's brilliant."

I grin, enjoying the warmth of his approval, "It is a cemetery?"

"No don't be ridiculous. There are no cemeteries here." He quips waving me off dismissively.