The Truth
Chapter 6: The Truth
June 2, 2011
Lyssa and Thor worked together to make and serve breakfast while the morning light streamed through the large glass doors. Jane, Darcy and Erik sat at the table, the two women watching the older man down some painkillers to help his hangover while Aria babbled away in her highchair, nibbling on pieces of toast.
“Shh, Aria, not so loud.” Erik moaned, wincing against the bright sunlight even though his back was to the doors. He was dressed in a royal blue button-down shirt with a black sweater on top, navy-blue jeans and black running shoes.
“Gyanpa huwt?” Aria asked, cocking her head to the side curiously. She was in a purple printed dress with silver mary jane shoes on her feet, her disarrayed, naturally layered curls held back with a silver headband decorated with a light purple flower on one side*. Her blanket was hanging over the back of the highchair, close by but away from the food.
“Yes, Prongslet, Grandpa is in pain because he did something quite silly last night.” Lyssa said, glancing at the toddler over her shoulder. She was wearing an ivory lace cap-sleeved knee-length dress with a silver flower pendant and earring set and ivory 4” high platform heels, leaving her hair open.
Erik shot her a dirty look which she blithely ignored.
“Gyanpa have potion?” Aria asked with an appropriately disgusted look on her face.
Thor also shuddered at the mention of potions, remembering all the times he had been forced to down the vile concoctions. In his personal opinion, they were no better than poisons, for all that they aided healing. He was once again in borrowed clothes consisting of a light grey t-shirt with a navy-blue unbuttoned plaid shirt over it, a pair of navy-blue denim jeans and dark grey shoes.
“No Grandpa can’t take any potions.” Lyssa replied, laughing lightly at Aria and Thor’s reactions to the mention of the brews.
“Gyanpa wucky.” Aria remarked. “No take icky potion.”
“Yes, that does make him quite lucky, doesn’t it?” Thor asked with a smile, placing a small plate of eggs in front of the toddler.
Aria grinned up at him before turning to her meal and digging in, using her child fork and spoon set to feed herself. Thor absently pressed a kiss to her forehead before turning and joining Lyssa, resuming his task of aiding her.
As soon as the pair had their backs turned, Jane pulled out her phone and flipped through the settings. She was in a white band t-shirt with an off-white plaid shirt over it, black leggings and brown boots, her hair open. “Guys, you won’t believe what I saw this morning.” She said gleefully, opening the photo gallery and holding it out to her friends.
“Is that-?” Darcy asked in a whisper, a bright grin on her face. She was also wearing a band t-shirt but in grey with a smoky grey sweater over top and a maroon scarf around her neck. She also had on a pair of dark grey denim jeans and black boots, her hair open with a tan-colored hat on top.
“Wow, it is!” Erik exclaimed, also in a whisper. His eyes were wide in shock, his jaw hanging open at what he saw.
It was a photo of Lyssa, Thor and Aria earlier that morning. All three were fast asleep, Thor with his arms around Lyssa and Aria who both looked peaceful like they were exactly where they belonged.
“See, p’ease.” Aria asked, looking up pleadingly at the adults. “Aunnie Jane, Awia see, p’ease.”
“Okay, Aria, you can see.” Jane said, wheeling the highchair around the table and setting it between herself and Darcy. “Look, Aria, who’s this?” She held the phone in front of her, showing her the photo.
“Awia!” Aria exclaimed delightedly. “An’ Mama an’ Thow.”
“Where’s Aria, Mummy and Thor?” Lyssa asked, carrying a jug of orange juice to the table while Thor brought the remaining plates.
“There!” Aria said, pointing at the phone in Jane’s hand.
Jane looked at Lyssa and Thor sheepishly, showing the photo she had taken. “You guys looked so adorable. I couldn’t help but take a picture of it.” She explained slightly defensively.
Lyssa looked at the photo, an expression of surprise crossing her face at the sight of how tranquil she looked in Thor’s arms and the way he was curled around her and Aria, protecting them from the cool dawn air and from falling over the side of the cot.
Thor meanwhile wasn’t sure to be upset at the photo being taken but decided to take his cue from Lyssa. The pretty redhead didn’t seem upset or angered so he decided to let it go and instead focused on the image itself, seeing himself curled around Lyssa and Aria in a way that his father had curled around him, Loki and Frigga many a night so long ago.
“Just don’t go posting those online.” Lyssa said after several minutes, handing the phone back to Jane and sitting down in her chair.
“No problem.” Jane chirped happily, pocketing the phone.
With that, they returned to their meal and the conversation turned to what the plans were for the day. Jane and Lyssa would begin working on resuming their research while Thor said he would look after Aria and Darcy would split between the two groups like she always did. Erik was somewhat skeptical about Jane and Lyssa’s explanation of the conversation they’d had with Thor the previous night regarding the Realms, not because he didn’t believe them but because he knew what the scientific community was like. However, he wisely waited until Thor was preoccupied with washing the dishes (the exiled prince had insisted on doing the task as a way to earn his keep and be of some use), after he and Aria had returned the mug Lyssa had repaired back to Izzy along with apologizing for his previously arrogant behavior. Aria was on the counter next to him, keeping him company and playing with the soapy water.
“It’s a beautiful theory, girls.” The older scientist said softly, pacing in front of them with a mug of coffee in his hand.
“I can almost see the ‘but’ coming.” Lyssa said dryly.
“But you won’t be able to convince the scientific community of any of it.” Erik said gently. “Not without hard evidence.”
There was a knock on the doors and a male voice delightedly exclaimed, “Found you!”
Everyone turned to the doors at the sound of the voice and had varying reactions – Thor grinned brightly, Aria clapped happily, Darcy and Jane stared in shock with their jaws dropping and Erik’s coffee mug slipped from his suddenly slack fingers, his own jaw also dropping in shock. Thankfully, the mug landed on the counter and not the floor.
“You were saying?” Lyssa asked dryly with amusement coloring her tone and features. She couldn’t help but snicker at the reactions of her friends and colleagues, all still staring in stunned disbelief at the new arrivals.
There were four of them, three men and a woman, all of them dressed in armor and visibly carrying weapons. While each of them possessed the same otherworldly beauty that Thor did, a glaring indicator that they were also not from Earth, they seemed to glow with an ethereal light at the same time that enhanced their beauty.
“My friends!” Thor boomed delightedly, wiping his hands on the towel and lifting Aria off the counter as the visitors opened the doors and came inside. The golden-haired prince laughed, passing Aria to Lyssa before he ran towards his friends and embraced each of them.
“This is good! This is good!” The voluminous red-haired man said jovially.
“I don’t believe it.” Erik muttered faintly in shock.
“Oh, excuse me!” The red-haired man said, turning his attention to the stunned mortals and Lyssa. “Lady Sif and the Warriors Three.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Lyssa said with a warm smile, taking charge since Erik, Jane and Darcy were still in shock. Lyssa lowered Aria to the floor and then dipped into a slight curtsy, her move received with a short bow from the red-haired giant.
“I am Volstagg, the Voluminous.” He introduced himself, rising from his short bow. “This is Fandral, the Dashing.” He gestured to the handsome man with short blonde hair who gave a similar short bow in Lyssa’s direction. “And Hogun, the Grim.” He gestured to the dark-haired man with almost Asian-like features who also gave a small bow. “And Lady Sif.” The dark-haired woman with them also gave a short bow rather than a curtsy, her presence there being as a warrior rather than a lady of the court.
“I am Lady Lysianassa Potter.” Lyssa began. “This is my daughter, Lady Arianwyn Potter.” She gestured to Aria who waved shyly before running to Thor, grabbing her blanket as she passed it, and hiding behind his legs, looking up at the strangers curiously. “These are my friends, Professor Erik Selvig, Dr. Jane Foster and Miss. Darcy Lewis.” She gestured to each of her friends in turn who all waved faintly.
“My friends.” Thor said with a smile, lifting Aria into his arms and perching her on his hip. “I’ve never been happier to see anyone.” His smile faded, a sad look taking its place. “But you should not have come.”
The happiness on the Warriors’ and Sif’s faces faded into confusion as they exchanged looks.
“We’re here to take you home.” Fandral said, not understanding Thor’s reaction.
“Y-You know I can’t go home.” Thor said sadly, hurt filling his eyes at the perceived barb thrown at him by his dearest and oldest friend.
Without warning, Lyssa gasped, drawing everyone’s attention to her and preventing the conversation from continuing any further. Her eyes went wide and unfocused.
An elderly white-haired man, his face weathered from the passing of time and the ruling of a kingdom though still ageless in appearance, lay sleeping on a magnificent bed. Gold silken sheets covered him to his chest while a shimmering gold forcefield surrounded him. A beautiful woman with equally ageless features sat by his side and held his hand.
“Lyssa?” Erik asked worriedly, not liking the blank look on the woman’s face.
“Mama?” Aria asked with a whimper, clinging tightly to Thor who began rocking her and rubbing her back soothingly.
“What is happening?” Sif asked with a frown. She and the Warriors Three shifted without thought so that they were guarding Thor (and Aria), the exiled prince currently defenseless without his powers and carrying a child in his arms.
“I don’t know.” Jane said, shaking her head. “I’ve never seen her zone out like this before.”
Lyssa remained unaware of the conversations around her, the worry aimed in her direction. She was lost in the throes of her vision, seeing something that none of the others could see.
A dark-haired man with light green eyes, black hair and fair skin, dressed in black and dark grey armor with a green cape gripped the spear in his hand tightly. The grip was the only outward sign of his anger. He strode down the hall and to the far end of the Vault where there was a grid-like wall instead of smooth marble and stone. His spear thudded against the cool marble flooring, the sound echoing in the cavernous room, and the grid-like wall melted away. A giant figure, made of smooth metal and standing at over 7’ tall, stepped forward with echoing footfalls.
“Ensure my brother does not return.” The man ordered with a cold look in his eyes. “Destroy everything.”
Lyssa gasped, swaying on her feet for a moment before her eyes rolled upwards and she pitched forwards.
“Lyssa!” Erik, Jane, Darcy and Thor shouted in unison, alarm clear on their faces.
Volstagg darted forward and caught her before she hit the ground, sweeping her smaller form into his arms.
“Mama!” Aria screamed, crying in fear. Thor rubbed her back and rocked back and forth in an attempt to calm the screaming toddler. Unfortunately, it did little to soothe her, Aria knowing that something was very, very wrong with her mother.
“Put her on the table.” Erik said, pushing his worry aside in favor of helping his hearts’ daughter. Volstagg did as he was told, gently placing Lyssa on the wooden surface. The red-haired giant stepped back while Erik checked Lyssa’s pulse, his worry clearly visible. “She’s okay, just unconscious.” He declared finally after several tense minutes. “She should come around-” Before he could finish his sentence, a low groan filled the air.
Everyone turned to the sound and saw Lyssa sitting up and rubbing her forehead. “Ow.” She moaned. “Anyone get that Hippogriff that trampled me?”
“What’s a Hippogriff?” Darcy asked, momentarily sidetracked.
“A large creature with the head and torso of an eagle, complete with the wings, and the back end of a horse.” Lyssa replied absently, swinging her legs over the side of the table and sliding off. Before Darcy, or anyone else could comment on her response, she looked at Thor. “Your father, he looks really old with white hair and a gold eyepatch?” She asked him urgently.
“Yes.” Thor replied slowly, looking completely confused. “Why do you ask?”
“Remember how you told me last night that Loki told you that your father passed away? How the treaty with Jotunheim is contingent on your exile?” She asked, tone still urgent.
“I do.” Thor replied, still confused and wondering why the redhead was asking such questions.
The Warriors Three and Sif exchanged looks, each of them just as confused as Thor, though not for exactly the same reasons. It was obvious that Thor had been misinformed of what was happening on Asgard; while the Frost Giants were angry, there was no treaty in place. Rather it was Loki’s refusal to undo the Allfather’s last command as his first.
“Loki lied, at least about your father. He’s alive.”
“What?” Thor breathed in disbelief, torn between relief at his father being alive and heart-broken at his brother’s lie.
Aria, who had been wriggling in Thor’s arms for the past several minutes in her desire to be passed to Lyssa, stopped moving. Instead, she wrapped her tiny arms around Thor’s neck, hugging him comfortingly. Thor automatically began rubbing his back, accepting the reassurance the toddler was trying to give.
“I know not how Lady Lyssa is aware of this, but she is correct.” Sif confirmed. “Thor, your father still lives.”
“Forgive me if I sound rude, my lady, but how is it you know this?” Hogun asked, looking at Lyssa with suspicion.
“I have the gift of Foresight.” Lyssa replied simply, assuming that the Asgardians would know what she was talking about. Judging by the looks of understanding on their faces, she was right. “Although, personally, I think it’s more of a curse.” She muttered under her breath.
“Wait, that’s how you always seem to reply to things before we even say them and how you know what will happen before it does?” Jane asked.
“Sometimes.” Lyssa replied, nodding.
“And whenever you zone out, you’re getting a vision?” Darcy asked.
“Most of the time.” Lyssa replied.
“All right, you can explain about it later.” Erik said before anyone could ask any more questions. “What did you see? Even though we’re only being told about your gift/ curse/ whatever now, this is still the first time you’ve passed out because of it.”
“That’s just because I’ve never seen anything further than Earth.” Lyssa said reassuringly. She turned to Thor, Sif and the Warriors Three. “I saw a man, black hair and green eyes dressed in dark grey armor with a green cape, carrying an ornate spear.”
“That sounds to be Loki.” Thor said with a frown.
“He was-”
Lyssa was cut off by the sound of thunder rumbling in the distance. Everyone turned towards the sound, looking through the still open doors to see a swirl of grey clouds forming out in the desert, a stark contrast against the clear, cloudless sky. Throughout the town, people murmured in confusion, pointing up at the swirling clouds that slowly descended to form a vortex.
“Was somebody else coming?” Darcy asked nervously.
“A giant robot.” Lyssa replied. She looked at Thor, the fear shining in her eyes for him. “That’s what I had seen. ‘Ensure my brother does not return’, were Loki’s exact words.”
“He has sent the Destroyer.” Hogun said, gripping his weapon tightly.
“Loki’s ordered it to destroy everything.” Lyssa revealed as they ran out into the street.
“Lyssa, you have to take Aria and leave.” Thor said, passing Aria to her. The toddler was silent but was sucking her thumb furiously and gripping her blanket tightly.
“And what are you planning on doing?” Lyssa asked incredulously, perching Aria on her hip.
“I’m staying here.” Thor said firmly.
“Thor’s going to fight with us!” Volstagg declared delightedly.
“Volstagg, Thor doesn’t have his powers, remember?” Lyssa reminded the Voluminous Warrior.
“My friends, I’m afraid Lyssa is correct.” Thor said gently, stepping closer to the Warriors Three and Sif. “I’m just a man. I’ll only be in the way, or worse, get one of you killed. But I can help get these people to safety.”
“If you’re intending to stay and help, then so am I.” Lyssa said firmly, glaring up at Thor and daring him to argue with her.
Thor looked at her for a moment before nodding in surrender. “We’ll need some time.” He told his friends.
“You’ll have it!” Fandral promised, pivoting on his heels and darting off with Hogun, Volstagg and Sif.
Lyssa drew her wand from its disillusioned arm holster and hastily conjured a sling, strapping Aria into it against her chest. She then waved it at her throat. “Sonorus.” She said before gently resting the tip at her throat. “May I have your attention, please?” To her audience’s surprise, her voice was amplified several times, allowing her to be heard throughout the town. “All residents, please evacuate the immediate area and buildings in a calm and orderly fashion. This is not a drill, I repeat, this is not a drill.”
Thor, Darcy, Jane and Erik began ushering people to safety while Lyssa repeated the call. The townsfolk were confused but allowed themselves to be piled into several vehicles, the urgent expressions on the evacuators' faces telling them that it wasn’t the time to argue; thankfully, living in a small town in the middle of the desert made them quite used to abrupt evacuations.
Just as the first of the cars, vans and trucks, each filled to capacity, drove off towards the town limits, the Destroyer came into view on the main street. It unleashed a wide blast of orange-white energy through an aperture in its head, the fiery beam striking a parked car on the curbside. The car exploded in a ball of flames, frightening the remaining townspeople who screamed; the sounds were drowned out by the noise of the Destroyer firing another blast, this time at a car parked in the gas station.
Aria whimpered softly, burrowing her face further into Lyssa’s chest and gripping her blanket tightly.
“Hurry!” Lyssa shouted, ushering people into a jeep, her wand tucked back into its holster. “Stick together!”
Thor, Erik, Darcy and Jane joined her with a few stragglers who were quickly ushered into the jeep as well. They slammed the doors closed once the last person was inside and the driver waited only long enough for the evacuators to clear the way before gunning down the road as fast as the vehicle would allow.
“For Asgard!” A voice sounding a lot like Fandral’s shouted.
Hearing the shout, Thor spun on his heels and ran towards his friends, Lyssa, Darcy, Erik and Jane hot on his heels. They skidded to a stop a short distance from the Asgardians, watching as Fandral and Hogun launched Volstagg into the air and towards the Destroyer. With his axe raised high, he let out a mighty yell that turned into a choked scream as he was backhanded by the giant metal robot and sent flying back.
“Arresto Momentum!” Lyssa shouted, instinctively holding her hand out in Volstagg’s direction. The spell slowed his descent so that he didn’t crash into the cars that littered the roadsides. “Thor, take Aria.” She said, her hand still outstretched in Volstagg’s direction, focusing on gently lowering him to the paved ground.
Thor quickly undid the sling and took the toddler. Aria was quiet, watching with eager eyes while the rest only watched in amazement. As soon as his feet touched the ground, Volstagg shook his head to clear away his shock at the magic that was used on him. However, before he could find the source of the voice that cast the spell that spared him quite a few bruises, the Destroyer loomed over him menacingly; he was defenseless, his weapon having been knocked out of his hand when he was sent flying back by the giant robot.
But it wasn’t the Destroyer that caught his eye; rather, it was Sif who jumped off the roof of a nearby building. She let out a mighty cry and landed on the back of the Destroyer’s neck, piercing her lance into its back and forcing him to bend over until the tip of the blade touched the ground.
The energy that had been building within the robot died away and everyone let out a sigh of relief while Sif gave Volstagg a smug grin.
The grin, and everyone’s looks of relief, froze on their faces when the Destroyer began to reposition itself while still bent over. Lyssa ran forwards without hesitating, leaping into the air and growing a pair of large shimmering feathered wings from her back, mostly pure white in color but interspersed with silvery gold feathers.
Erik, Jane and Darcy stared at Lyssa with their mouths hanging open in complete shock. Thor just gave a small smile, taking in how breathtaking she looked.
“D-Did Lyssa just-?” Erik stammered.
“Grow wings and fly?” Darcy finished numbly.
“Oh, yeah.” Jane said, nodding faintly.
“Mama fwy!” Aria said, clapping delightedly.
Fandral and Hogun ran forward and tugged a still slightly stunned Volstagg out of the way while Lyssa reached Sif and grabbed her hand. She pulled the dark-haired woman off the Destroyer seconds before it discharged another energy blast that shot into the air.
The force of the blast, though missing them, sent Lyssa and Sif flying several feet sideways until Lyssa was able to regain her flight momentum and hover in the air, gripping Sif’s forearms tightly.
“Fall back!” Sif shouted as the Destroyer straightened up and off the lance that had been embedded into it. “Lyssa, can you let me down near the others?”
“Sure.” Lyssa replied, readjusting her hold on the Asgardian’s arms and flying towards the Warrior’s Three.
The Destroyer unleashed another blast of energy, aimed in Lyssa and Sif’s direction. Unable to completely dodge the blast, Lyssa screamed in pain when her wing was brushed by the beam, burning it.
“Mama!” Aria screamed, reaching out to her only to be held back by Thor’s firm grip.
“Lyssa, drop me and I’ll try to catch you!” Sif said as they rapidly began losing altitude.
Gritting her teeth against the pain, Lyssa didn’t reply but did as Sif said, dropping the Asgardian woman. As soon as her feet hit the ground, Sif spun around and held her arms out, catching Lyssa in her arms just as her wings retracted and she fell.
“Are you okay?” Sif asked, setting the woman on her feet.
“I’ll be fine.” Lyssa said through gritted teeth, her arm slung over Sif’s shoulder as they moved towards the Warrior’s Three. “I haven’t let them out in a while so they’re more sensitive than normal. Don’t worry, they’ll heal in a bit.”
The Warrior’s Three moved towards them, each looking crossed between worried and impressed. Just as the two parties reached each other, another blast from the Destroyer sent them flying in opposite directions, destroying several buildings and telephone poles at the same time.
Fandral, Hogun and Volstagg crashed into the diner while Sif and Lyssa landed on the hood of a nearby car, flipping over it and landing on the other side.
"Espulso!” Aria screamed loudly, waving her hands furiously at the Destroyer. Tears streamed down her face, her emerald green eyes filled with anger at the robot for injuring her mother.
Though she mispronounced the spell, something that could ordinarily be quite dangerous considering magic's potentially lethal applications, her will power, determination and the fact that she was still a child enabled her to push the robot back several steps with the Expulso Curse; it had caused an immense explosion at the Destroyer’s chest that marred and slightly dented the smooth metal plating.
“Good girl, Aria!” Lyssa said with a groan, using the car to push herself to her feet.
Sif, pushing herself to her feet as well, could only gape at the toddler in her prince’s arms. Thor, too, was gaping at the child in shock. No one other than beings of immense power could mark the Destroyer’s metal form, let alone push it back; Sif’s attack hadn’t even scratched the massive robot and here was a child, not even 2 years of age, who had managed to mar and dent it.
Who was this child? And her mother who wielded a kind of magic that had never been seen in mortals? Not even in the witches and wizards native to Midgard?
The Destroyer quickly regained its bearings and stepped forward, closing in on the scattered group with energy building once again.
“Go! Now!” Thor shouted, curling his arm around Aria and pushing Jane ahead of him with his other hand. “Run!”
The Destroyer faced the diner where the Warrior’s Three had landed and discharged the energy blast. The small building exploded in a ball of fire, glass shattering in every direction; the force of the blast sent Volstagg, who was largely unaffected by the explosion aside from being disoriented, flying back into the street and into the buildings on the other side of the road while Hogun and Fandral were able to be protected by the walls.
“Okay, does that thing have any weaknesses?” Lyssa asked, peeking around the side of the car to look at the advancing Destroyer. Small fires had erupted everywhere, and the air was filled with dark grey smoke.
“It is controlled by whomsoever wields Gungnir.” Sif said. “I have never seen it defeated, though I have never before had to fight it.”
“So, we would need a miracle.” Lyssa muttered as Thor ran up to them. “Thor! Where’s Aria?”
“She is with Jane, Erik and Darcy.” He replied reassuringly, crouching in front of the two women and putting a hand on each of their shoulders. “Sif, Lyssa, you both have done all you can.”
“No.” Sif argued, shaking her head and wincing slightly. “I will die a warrior’s death. Stories will be told of this day.”
“Sif, there won’t be any stories if we all get killed.” Lyssa stated bluntly, looking at the dark-haired Asgardian as though she had lost her mind. “And I’m sorry to say, none of us quite meet the requirements to be a ghost.”
“Live.” Thor said gently, agreeing with Lyssa. “And tell those stories yourself.” Sif nodded, albeit reluctantly. “Now both of you, go.” He ordered firmly while taking Sif’s shield.
Lyssa grabbed his hand, squeezing tightly. “Be careful.” She said softly.
Thor smiled softly and gently squeezed her hand before letting go. Lyssa glanced at him for a moment before darting around the car with Sif, all three of them ducking when the vehicle exploded. Thor ran towards the Warrior’s Three, Fandral and Hogun aiding Volstagg while Sif and Lyssa ran to Erik, Aria, Jane and Darcy.
“Erik, are you okay?” Lyssa asked, seeing her mentor being supported by Darcy while clutching his side. She took Aria from Jane’s arms, holding the quietly whimpering toddler against her chest and rubbing her back soothingly.
“Yeah, don’t worry about me.” He said as Sif wrapped her arm around his waist and supported the majority of his weight.
“We need to fall back.” Fandral said coming up to them, he and Hogun supporting Volstagg. “Come on.”
“Come on.” Sif said, turning and walking away from the Destroyer with the rest of the group following close behind.
The sound of a shield clattering against the concrete ground reached Lyssa’s ears and she stopped. “Wait.” The redheaded witch said, turning and looking towards Thor.
“What’s he doing?” Jane asked worriedly.
“He’s going to try and speak with Loki.” Lyssa said softly, gently prying a lock of her hair out of Aria’s tight grip and replacing it with her blanket.
They all watched with growing horror and trepidation as Thor walked purposefully towards the Destroyer.
“Brother, whatever I have done to wrong you,” Thor began softly, not stopping his strides towards the robot. “Whatever I have done to lead you to do this, I am truly sorry. But these people are innocent. Taking their lives will gain you nothing, it will not bring Anera back.”
Sif and the Warrior’s gasped quietly at the mention of Anera, each of them remembering Thor’s beloved and Loki’s best friend. In each life she had lived, she would fall in love with Thor and become Loki’s best friend, bridging the differences between the brothers. In the last few lives she had lived, Thor and Loki desperately tried to keep her at arm’s length, doing everything they could possibly think of to keep her away so that the cycle would not repeat itself only to fail spectacularly each time – Thor would fall in love with her and she with him while she and Loki would become best friends.
Lyssa heard the quiet gasps and glanced at the Asgardians. She wondered who Anera was, the name sounding familiar; it was obvious that the woman meant a great deal to them, especially to Thor and Loki and that she was gone from their lives. At the back of her mind, despite praying that the woman was still alive somewhere, Lyssa knew that she was dead, and her heart went out to the brothers.
Thor stopped directly in front of the Destroyer; the robot’s facial structure retracted downwards as the energy built up inside it. “For the past 25 years, you have blamed me for what had happened to her.” Thor continued, drawing everyone’s attention back to him. “So take your vengeance out on me and take my life. And end this.”
For several seconds, everyone watched with bated breath, eyes firmly on the Destroyer and waiting to see what Loki would do. Then, the energy slowly died out and the robot’s facial structure reformed. The small group let out sighs of relief as the Destroyer began to turn away.
Suddenly, without warning, the robot backhanded Thor. The blond man let out a breathless groan as he flew backwards.
“No!” Lyssa screamed, setting Aria down and running forward. “Arresto Momentum!” She cried desperately, waving her hand at Thor’s soaring form. She gently lowered him to the ground and ran towards him. He gasped for air, each breath he struggled to take feeling as though fire was piercing through his lungs. Lyssa fell to her knees next to him, taking in the cut over his right eye, the lacerations littering his cheek and the deep gashes on his chest, all of which were bleeding heavily. “You’re gonna be okay, honey.” Lyssa said desperately, drawing her wand and waving it over his broken body, scanning his injuries. Tears fell from her eyes as she read the result; he had several broken bones, a collapsed lung that was rapidly filling with blood and countless bruises, contusions and lacerations.
Thor coughed, blood spewing from his mouth. He looked at her, bringing a shaking hand up to cup her cheek. “It’s over.” He whispered, coughing up more blood that spattered Lyssa’s ivory dress.
“No. It’s not over.” She denied, shaking her head. She didn’t seem to notice the blood on her dress as she began healing his wounds; however, his injuries were too severe even for magic to heal. There was a small part of her, the part of her that she was vehemently ignoring, that knew this. Thor was dying.
“I mean, you and Aria are safe.” He rasped, clinging onto life through sheer willpower.
“We’re safe, baby, we’re safe.” Lyssa confirmed, covering his larger hand with her own smaller one and pressing it further against her cheek.
“It’s over.” He repeated softly.
Thor inhaled deeply before letting it out, his eyes fluttering closed and his heart, which had been beating overtime in an attempt to keep him alive, stopped. His hand slipped from Lyssa’s hold and hit the ground with a quiet thud that echoed in the suddenly silent air.
“NO!” Lyssa screamed, shaking him as tears fell from her eyes. “No.” She sobbed.
Erik wrapped his arms around Darcy and Jane. Aria began crying and Sif tucked her head against her chest, she and the Warrior’s Three staring in horrified sorrow at their friend’s fallen form.
Thor Odinson, firstborn son of Odin All-father, Crown Prince of Asgard, was dead.
Links:
*Aria outfit (no jacket; silver headband with purple flower) -https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/474566879480295073/
*Lyssa 3rd day outfit (with flower shaped earrings matching the necklace), hair open -https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/434527064019857433/