Loki Laufeyson - Soulless
Loki Laufeyson - Soulless
The onslaught did not cease. Wave after wave of guards surged towards us, their bodies piling up in a gruesome display of carnage, the once grand space now reduced to a cramped and chaotic battleground. And still, more reinforcements arrived.
The stifling lack of space made the fight a suffocating nightmare. Every move was restricted, each step feeling like wading through thick mud. Even the slightest adjustment meant the difference between a solid hit and a painful miss.
The chaos was deafening. Thunderous booms shook the room as we frantically tried to anticipate the guards' next moves, our hearts pounding in terror and adrenaline coursing through our veins.
My heart thumped in my chest as I envisioned the weight of what was at stake. Amelie's wide, terror-stricken eyes seared into my mind, imprinting themselves on the face of every person I glanced at. The fear that had emanated from her gaze consumed me, suffocating and overwhelming, making me hesitate.
Bucky, however, surged on. He gritted his teeth, determination etched into every line on his face as his jaw clenched so tight I swore I could hear his teeth grinding together. He was a soldier through and through, seemingly unfazed by the chaos surrounding him. But I knew better - it was the rage and terror coursing through him that drove him forward, propelling him past any obstacle in his path. I could see the wildness in his eyes, the deep-seated rage and terror that spurred him on. Every muscle in his body seemed to vibrate with raw energy as he pushed forward, unstoppable and unyielding. Nothing could stop him now, not when vengeance burned within him like a raging inferno.
I looked around, my eyes darting between each of the Avengers. Natasha and Clint moved with deadly precision, their weapons slicing through enemy after enemy. No trace of fear or exhaustion showed on their faces as they gracefully danced between attacks, their movements like a choreographed song of death. Where Bucky was wild rage, they were almost elegant, barely breaking a sweat as they moved lithely among the battle - their steady counting the only hint that they held any emotion at all.
Bruce stood at the back, his body tense as he desperately tried to avoid direct violence in the conflict. Since that time in the tower, I had not seen his alter-ego again, and I understood why he tried so hard to keep him at bay.
Peter struggled against the guard's grip, trying to break free from the makeshift ropes binding his arms. I clenched my jaw and focused my energy, using my magic to transport myself closer. In one swift motion, my daggers flew through the air with deadly accuracy, piercing the guard's face before he could react. His surprised look transformed into one of emptiness as I stood before him, my weapons still coated in his blood. Peter didn't flinch, his expression filled with awe even as the guard’s lifeless body hit the ground.
“Oh gosh, thank you, Mr Loki, sir!”
I quickly cut his bindings loose. “You really don’t have to call me sir.”
“Oh… I’m sorry s... Mr Loki!”
I felt a tired smile pull at my lips. Bucky appeared beside us, an alarming amount of blood covering him from head to toe. I looked him up and down, too tired to ask.
“It’s okay, it’s not mine.”
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I breathed in deeply. “I need to find Amelie.”
“We’ve got it handled in here. Go.”
I looked up, briefly glancing between him and Peter. “Don’t die.”
Bucky's lips curled up into a smirk as Peter remained silent, as if he could sense the seriousness of the moment. It was a brief but powerful bond between two ex-villains. They were now heroes, but the ghosts of their pasts still lingered behind them, always threatening to resurface.
Bucky nodded seriously. “Don’t develop a hero complex.”
A genuine laugh bubbled up from my throat, the sound odd against the backdrop of chaos. As I made my way through the battlefield, using my magic to levitate and throw enemies out of the way, I couldn't help but think how strange it was that this was now my life - fighting alongside superheroes. But then again, I had always been drawn to chaos and destruction. It was a part of who I was, a part that I tried to suppress. But now, with Amelie's life at risk, all thoughts of redemption flew out the window.
As much as I hated to admit it, there was something exhilarating about being back in battle again. My heart raced as adrenaline pumped through my veins. With every strike of my daggers, every flicker of magic from my fingertips, I felt alive.
Perhaps it was having someone to fight for, that drove me so.
In all my years as a villain, I had never felt this sense of urgency and determination. Amelie's life was in danger and I wasn't about to let her slip away like this. I cursed myself for not acting sooner somehow, for not being there to protect her from whatever horrors she was experiencing now.
With a wave of my hand, I threw open a set of heavy metal doors that led to an open courtyard. The walls of the mansion surrounded it on all sides, but hardly any windows looked out onto the bleak space.
On the opposite side, I caught a glimpse of Amelie as she was dragged inside. Her face was bruised and bloodied, her clothes torn and tattered. But even in her weakened state, she still held an air of strength and defiance.
The intensity of my feelings came crashing down on me like a tidal wave, knocking me breathless, and the overwhelming surge of love and adoration nearly pushed me to the floor.
It was like a punch to the gut.
I ran forwards, chasing after the mortal woman who had claimed my heart, desperation clawing at my insides.
Without warning, a burly guard tackled me from behind, his arms wrapping around my waist and knocking us both to the ground with a thud. With a snarl, I spun and obliterated him without a moment’s hesitation, my magic consuming him as he screamed in agony.
The sound was raw and guttural, like a wounded animal being torn apart by its predator. It echoed through the courtyard, reverberating off the stone walls.
The guard's face contorted in terror and pain, his mouth open wide as his body convulsed. A vein bulged on his neck and sweat coated his skin, and still he screamed.
The stench of burning flesh filled the air as his body disintegrated into a suffocating cloud of ash, consuming him from the inside out, leaving only his scorched, lifeless eyes staring back at me in terror. His gaze remained fixed on me. The metallic taste of death lingered on my tongue and the powdery remnants of his being coated my skin.
In that moment, I knew that something beyond this world had claimed him for eternity. Something meant only for the horrors of the soulless, of those who revel in damnation.
I had seen it. Had run from the nightmares too real to hide from. Too all-encompassing to lose. They followed you through time, chased your shadow across the planes of reality. Their presence burned into your vision, so that even death could not erase it, like an imprint on your very soul.
The only noise to be heard was the sound of my ragged breathing. With great effort, I managed to stand up straight, swaying as my legs fought to hold me up.
This was a darkness I had sworn to never see again.
Thoughts pulled at my mind before disappearing, leaving behind a strange combination of disorder and complete stillness. A deafening silence.
Blinking the ash of his remains from my eyes, I trudged forwards. I could shelve this for now. File the horror away to torture myself with at a later date.
I was a monster, an abomination.
A monster that was going to spare at least one soul before succumbing to his own destruction.