Part 8

“I'm scared 'cause the past
Keeps pulling me back
Distorting the future
It's holding me close
It loves me the most
It's tearing the sutures…”

                          (The Razor’s Edge)
 

Thor was getting irritated that they couldn’t find a way to move faster in this damned and bare land. He terribly wanted to go ahead with the help of Mjölnir, but he just couldn’t leave his friends behind. He saw on them that they tried to move as fast as they could without tiring themselves too much. They will need their strength when facing their enemies. They couldn’t know yet what Loki has cooked up this time and also Thor knew that being cautious was essential if they wanted to survive this adventure too.

In deadly silence they left the lifeless pine forest behind and approached a smaller village that looked deserted, but they knew that the souls of the departed were around, probably hiding after seeing the lightning and hearing the distant noises of the fight. These were no warrior souls. Men and women who died in battle were taken to Valhalla to feast and celebrate until the end of days, Ragnarök came. It was unlikely that these souls would attack them, but they could never know what Loki’s daughter, Hel has been doing in her own realm during all these years. This is why they forced their eyes to see better in the thickening fog as they tried to go around the town at its edge, looking for something that could make it easier for them to get to the castle. So far fortune didn’t favor them.

The thicker the fog grew, the darker Thor’s thoughts got. He knew his brother well, he knew that for a while now Loki was capable of doing anything to achieve his goals and the feeling Thor got from the direction of the castle was alarming to the demigod. What if his brother fulfilled what he indicated while unleashing the power of the Bifrost to destroy Jötunheim? “Well maybe, when we are finished here, I'll pay her a visit myself!” Thor could still clearly hear those words in his head before he had enough and started fighting Loki. That threat didn’t sound so idle now that Loki got Jane. All kind of possible scenarios ran through Thor’s head, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to guess what his little brother’s plan was with her. Probably he’ll present the most unexpected scenario Thor could think of. Loki has always been cleverer than him. Loki was the brain and Thor the muscle. A very good combination until they both had the same goals. But when the brain turns against the muscle…

Thor still wasn’t sure he understood fully what made his brother change and lose control this much. The years spent in love and peace didn’t mean anything to Loki after all? That possibility hurt the older brother deeply, because he loved Loki the most despite his difficult personality too. Yes, he was always different and somehow “darker” than most of them, but Thor would’ve never thought that he’d turn against them like this. This was beyond all mischief and reason. This was cruel and evil. Treason. Not just against Asgard but him too. Thor wondered if Loki always sensed that he wasn’t one of them and their father’s confession just confirmed those worries. Thor never really had the chance to ask this, because Loki refused to go home with him and once he got captured he didn’t have the time to visit him, because he was trying to clean up the mess his brother made. And maybe because he was too afraid to face him and hear what he had to say.

He just hated how far apart they’ve got and that they kept drifting apart with every decision they made. Why did Thor see hate in those familiar green eyes when once, on dark nights, there used to be only love there? And even before that when they were only kids and Loki looked up at him in awe, making Thor feel like a hero, making him want to become stronger and better in fighting to be able to protect his little brother… Yes, for a very long time Loki was Thor’s real reason to be good, for wanting to become a better version of himself. He and his love inspired him deep down, but all the disappointment and hurt Loki caused to him, their family and realm made Thor wonder if there was anything left from that love.

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard his friends draw out their weapons and warn him. He looked ahead and saw a dark figure in the swirling mist not far from them. The outlines were slightly blurry and when the fog cleared up around the small figure Thor’s blue eyes widened. He looked as if he saw a ghost – well technically that was exactly the case. The spirit of a seven or nine years old boy was standing there in the shadows wearing simple clothes that made it obvious that he’s been dead for a few centuries now. In Thor’s eyes he looked a lot like Loki as a child with the raven hair and the big eyes that seemed hollow and sad at the same time. He gave off a strange vibe that made his friends feel uneasy, but he didn’t move or try to hurt them so Thor lowered his hammer.

“What do you want with us, child?” he asked on his low voice.

The child didn’t say anything just waved for them to follow and took a few steps towards the edge of the village.

“I don’t like this, Thor. It might be another trap” Fandral whispered in the silence while the child stopped and waited for them.

“I have to agree. Maybe we should ignore him and continue our way to the castle” Lady Sif nodded.

Thor glimpsed at them then looked back at the waiting child, some old and happier memories flashing in front of his eyes. “He might want to help us. Good souls wander these villages too” he said carefully taking a step towards the slightly transparent spirit. Of course he didn’t trust the boy either but there was only one way to find out what he wanted.

“Thor…” Volstagg started too but they followed him nonetheless.

“I know, my friends, but this is our only chance to find a faster route to the castle” he murmured keeping his eyes on the boy who kept the distance between them while leading them towards the edge of the town, but instead of walking between the houses he followed a path behind the houses and barren back gardens.

No one was in sight as the fog thickened once more, making Thor and his friends follow the ghost child faster not to lose him from their sight. In a few silent minutes they arrived to the side of a smaller hill. There was an entrance that looked as if it belonged to an abandoned mine. The friends exchanged some unsure looks but after all followed the child that seemed to glow somewhat in a bluish light as he walked noiselessly in front of them. The tunnel wasn’t that dark, the blue light of torches came from just around the next curve. Following the path of those strange torches they went deeper under the hill until the boy stopped pointing ahead as he looked up into Thor’s eyes.

“What is there?” he asked and carefully got closer to check around the corner when the child refused to speak. The tunnel opened up there, turning into a tall and wide cave of ice and rocks. The eerie blue lights of the stones and some other torches glistening on the ice stalagmites and stalactites all around. It was a breathtaking and dangerous sight. Thor heard his friends come closer and he looked down next to him when he heard the slightly creepy voice of the ghost child whisper around them, but he didn’t move his mouth as he talked.

“Follow the torches and you will find yourselves near the castle faster and hidden from curious eyes.”

Thor shivered lightly from the way he spoke but didn’t show it just watched him put a pale finger against his closed lips. “Don’t wake the dead…” he added and vanished from sight. The blond man looked back at his friends who looked just as serious as he did.

“I don’t like this. This child gave me shivers” Lady Sif mumbled under her nose.

“Yes, but we don’t have a lot of options. We either go on the surface blinded by the mist or follow this path and get to our destination faster and more hidden.”

“I have a bad feeling about this, but I vote for this route” Volstagg sighed and stroked his copper beard as the others nodded in agreement.

Thor turned around and squeezed the hilt of Mjölnir tighter, the hollow brown eyes and the raven hair of the child haunting him as they continued their journey.

Part 9

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