3 | 𝐃𝐎𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐃 ▹ LOKI LAUFEYSON

xviii. the exodus

A M O R A

Amora's ears were ringing. That was the first thing that broke through the haze of unconsciousness. A sharp light pressed on her eyelids and she squeezed her eyes shut to block it out. She started to suck in a breath, but the dust grated against her dry throat and forced itself back out in a cough. More sensory information started filtering in, like how her arm ached and a sharp grunt broke through the ringing in her ears.

"Come on, Amora," a familiar voice gritted out, "You've got to give me something. I can't do all the work."

Amora's brow furrowed, and she blinked open her eyes just as the grip on her arm let go and dropped her. She hit the ground with an 'oof' and a groan, pushing up on her arm. Lorelei let out a heavy sigh as she collapsed on the stone beside her. She was covered in a fine layer of dust, dulling her red hair and streaking where she had wiped the sweat from her brow.

Judging by the pile of rubble threatening to tumble down the mountain, they were outside of the stronghold. The mountain sagged, on the verge of caving in on itself. A testament to Hela's power.

Amora snapped up, but she immediately regretted it as her head spun. "We—" She hacked out another bout of coughs. "We have to get to the others. We have to warn them."

"Are you insane?" Lorelei stood to her feet with some effort. "That witch just dropped a mountain on us. Listen..." She put both hands on Amora's arms. "What we need to do is leave this place."

Amora sighed. "Not this again."

"Yes, this again. You don't have to be these people's hero. They've got Thor for that."

"No." She shook her head. "I can't just leave. I have—" She huffed out a weak breath. "I have to do something."

Amora wiped her hands on her skirt, but they were still covered in dust save for the lines running across her palm. Sucking in a sharp breath, she crouched down, staring down at her hand.

Lorelei shifted beside her. "What are you doing?"

Amora only shook her head, closing her eyes and flexing her fingers. Her thoughts went back to Yggdrasil and Urd's lessons, their strings of fate, the burn of another's fate resting literally in the palm of her hand. She breathed out a steady breath and focused her mind on a single name.

Hela.

The string burned hot in her hand, and Amora jolted as old images filled her mind. Bloody battles of old. Asgardian armies razing planets. Hela riding Fenris into the frontlines of armies. The Valkyrie appearing over the horizon. Hela's descent into an inky blackness.

Amora pushed through the visions as the world around her became clearer and closed her fingers around the coarse string of Hela's life.

"What is that?" Lorelei breathed, her voice haunted.

"It's Hela." Amora opened her eyes and held out her other hand. A pair of shears appeared in her hand, the cold metal sending a sharp chill running up her arm.

She didn't hesitate. She couldn't afford to. In one fluid motion, Amora brought the blade up and cut the string. The severed end turned black and fell to the ground.

A stillness fell over them. Amora glanced around, but nothing else happened. Just a still and deathly silence. If anything, it unnerved her even more. She had just sentenced Hela to certain death, and the universe was silent.

"Did you kill her?"

Amora shook her head. "No, not yet. But she will die." She stood to her feet, only the barest waver in her step. "We have to get to the others."