What Just Happend?
" They say follow your heart,
but what if your heart is in a billion pieces?
Which piece do you follow? "
"Shit!"
Brunnhilde ran as fast as she could, Korg and Miek right behind her. Her biggest priority right now was to get the Asgardians to safety.
"Korg, Miek! Get the Asgardians to the escape pods right now! I'll clear the way for you!"
"You got it!" Korg's voice was surprisingly serious, even Korg didn't find time to put humor into his words. Miek followed Korg wordlessly as they went down the corridors to lead as many Asgardians out as they can.
The alarm rang loud in the Valkyrie's ears as the lights blinked red. Only a few minutes had passed since the attack had happened. An army of troops, which she had vaguely recognized as Chitauri, began to attack their ship, clearing their way inside. It was obvious they were here for something but, what they wanted, she had no idea. Most likely something important by the number of troops that have been sent.
A mob of Chitauri stood in the way of her and the exit for the escape pods. Valkyrie pulled out her Dragonfang, and with a battle cry, charged into the herd of enemies.
The Chitauri hissed loudly when they fought back. She dodged the blade swung at her, dropping the attacker with a swift swipe of her sword. Unfortunately, that gave another Chitauri time to deliver a blow to her stomach.
With a growl, she swung her sword at multiple throats as a few dropped dead in a matter of seconds. The last remaining were easier to take down. Snapping a few necks along with running her Dragonfang through others, she was standing in a pile of dead Chitauri.
Brunnhilde didn't acknowledge how long that took her but, it was enough for Korg and Miek to come back with the Asgardians in tow.
Just from the look of it, she could tell that there were fewer Asgardians than there were when they first came on the Statesmen.
"We found as many as we could. The others are somewhere in the other rooms. We would go looking for them but, we thought bringing the remaining here first was a better idea." Brunnhilde gave a nod, moving past the refugees.
Calling over her shoulder, she spoke loudly. "Get them and yourselves on the escape pods. I'll find the rest and bring them here." She heard Korg's small agreement and that was all she needed to break into a sprint through the halls.
Opening each door in the hallways, she led each of the remaining Asgardians out.
"I'll take you to the pods, follow me!" Brunnhilde began walking at a face pace instead of running so the Asgardians could keep up.
"Miss Valkyrie?" The woman in question looked down at the small child that was keeping up with her stride.
"Yes?" Brunnhilde wasn't the best with children and she didn't want to test her skills right now.
"Why are we under attack? We didn't do anything bad." Brunnhilde slowed down a bit as she caught sight of the two Chitauri walking through the hall.
"Wait here," Leaving the Asgardians, Brunnhilde ran at the Chitauri, sidestepping the weapon aimed at her and slid underneath it. She grabbed the handle of the blaster and twisted it out of the alien's grip.
Brunnhilde used the blaster to smack the Chituari in the face, knocking the creature unconscious, then blasted the other Chitauri with the blaster.
"It does not matter if we did or did not do anything bad." She continued ahead, waving her hand for the Asgardians to follow. Answering the little girl's question, she looked down at her.
The girl had blonde hair that we pulled back into a messy braid with loose strands surrounding her face. She was not wearing a dress like the other girls. Instead, she was wearing a beige tunic with black leggings and brown boots. She could tell the girl was not of Asgard just from her clothes. Maybe Vanir?
"They need something from us, I'm not sure what. What I do know is that you need to get to safety." Looking back at the Asgardians, she continued. "Come on, that's the last of you. I'll get you on the pods and the talking rock man will lead you from there all right?" The few Asgardians that were left nodded.
"But, are we not supposed to fight back?" The little girl protested. Brunnhilde shot down the Chitauri standing down the hall with the blaster and looked back to the crowd behind her, there were old women and men, women holding their newly born babes, and a few children amongst the crowd. Her throat felt tight before she continued walking down the hall. They were in no condition to fight, they had already sent a few remaining soldiers onto the escape pods so they could protect the Asgardians if needed. The rest were fighting off the Chitauri.
"Sometimes, it is better to run than to fight. Trust me." The girl still looked uncertain, but Brunnhilde had already helped her onto a pod before she could disagree.
"Is that all?" Brunnhilde gave a solemn nod as Korg took the last refugees in the pod where all the other Asgardians were. "There should be enough space for us left. Come on, Brunnhilde."
Korg had begun to call her Brunnhilde after he learned that was her name. She could tell he preferred calling her by her name, rather than 142. She didn't mind either.
"No, Korg. I'm going to find the brothers, Heimdall and Bruce." Korg opened his mouth to object as Miek step forward to interject. "Get the Asgardians out of here! I'll be fine!" She could hear Korg yelling after her and Miek chittering loudly, but it did not matter.
They would leave, and the Asgardians would be safe. Brunnhilde had to find the rest of the group and get the fuck out of here!
The Statesmen reeked with the smell of blood. She knew that the smell consisted of both, Asgardian and Chitauri blood that was shed. It was always from one hellhole to another. One problem to the next. First the battle with Hela against the Valkyrie's, then Sakkar and the shit that came with it, then Hela again and the bringing of Ragnarok, and now this absurd attack.
They could never just get a break.
It had happened so fast. Brunnhilde was helping the Asgardians with the rations alongside Korg, Miek, and Heimdall. Bruce was making sure the Statesmen was running correctly, and the two brothers were at the front deck. All of a sudden, the alarm had rung, and a shadow of a large ship was casting over them.
A man at the intercom had begun to speak loudly when the attack had first started. "This is the Asgardian refugee vessel Statesman! We are under assault, I repeat, we are under assault – The engines are dead, life support failing! Requesting aid from any vessel within range…We are 22 jump points out of Asgard. Our crew is made up of Asgardian families, we have very few soldiers here! This is not a warcraft, I repeat, this is not a warcraft!" Brunnhilde had raced out of the hall and began helping Asgardians make their way out.
She could not comprehend what was happening, all she had known was that the remaining Asgardians had to get to escape pods. Korg and Miek had followed her lead, she was not sure where the brothers, Bruce and Heimdall went, and she still didn't, but what mattered was that no more innocent lives were taken.
Brunnhilde had been so lost in her thoughts, she did not notice anyone coming up to her. That was until two firm hands were placed on her shoulders, turning her around. She was ready to strike the attacker but paused as a familiar face greeted her.
"Where were you?" Loki shook his and began guiding her to the ship's dock, hands still on her shoulders.
"It matters not. You need to get out of here." She halted and spun around on him, stepping away from the Commodore now insight.
"I'm not leaving! I'm staying here to fight!" Loki opened the Commodore's hatch, then turned back to her. He looked exhausted but, the determination was clear in his eyes. His short hair was filled with dust, with splashes of blood, his armor looked no different. He had a few cuts across his face but, that barely seemed to bother him.
"No! You are going to get in this fucking ship and lead the Asgardians to Midgard." Brunnhilde opened her mouth to interject, but he grabbed her by the waist and practically threw her inside the Commodore. "No, this is not up for discussion! The being who leads this army is not one to be messed with, which is another reason why I need to go find Thor's mighty arse." Loki grumbled before continuing. "Keep the Asgardians safe," He paused, giving her once over before adding, "and yourself."
"Who's the being who leads the Chitauri?" Loki hesitated and that alone made Brunnhilde's stomach do flips inside. "That being is the one who found you from the Void." It wasn't a question. Brunnhilde could piece things together when she wanted to. "Loki, who's the being behind all of this?"
Loki licked his dry lips and looked at Brunnhilde, dead in the eyes. His green eyes were as empty as she had ever seen them.
"Thanos."
"Hear me, and rejoice."Ebony Maw made his way through the dead Asgardians as if they were nothing more than trash littered to the ground. "You have had the privilege of being saved by the Great Titan. You may think this is suffering...No,...It is salvation ." The alien stood in the middle of the front deck, spreading his arms wide. "Universal scales tip toward balance because of your sacrifice. Smile…For even in death, you have become Children of Thanos."
Loki tensed slightly as Ebony Maw passed him. His experience with any of Thanos's children here wasn't exactly the most pleasant.
Proxima Midnight adjusted her spear closer to him. If that, was meant to intimidate Loki, it was not working. He had already been on the wrong end of that dreadful spear many, many times. It did not affect him anymore.
Loki could feel Cull Obsidian's harsh breaths ruffling the hair on the back of his head, Corvus Glaive's weapon scratching the metal floor, and could sense Ebony Maw's powers. It was familiar.
He remembered being in this exact position when he went with Thanos's children on a mission. Standing in the front lines against the people who dared to go against the Black Order. Thanos had made Loki shield himself from Heimdall's sight, and like idiot Loki was, he did. And he hated it.
Loki could feel familiar eyes on him and found Heimdall laying on the ground, staring at him, then at Thanos, watching the scene unfold from his pained position. Loki forced himself to look back to Thanos, ignoring the dull golden in Heimdall's eyes. As much as he hated to admit it, Heimdall was one of his favorite people to go to as a child. Now watching that same man near their death was something he was not ready for.
"I know what it's like to lose..." The Titan's voice was loud and rumbled through the whole hall. Loki dreaded hearing that voice again for years. Alas, his luck finally ran out.
He had been hanging from a string all these years, now that string broke.
Loki was expecting it this, of course. He was just upset that it cost innocent Asgardians lives. Loki had what Thanos wanted. The Titan knew that.
He couldn't lie his way out of this one. Loki needed a plan and fast.
"To feel so desperately that you’re right… yet to fail, nonetheless." Thanos reached down and picked up Thor by the Asgardian's collar. Loki felt his stomach coil at the sight of his brother limp in the Titan's grasp, weakly trying to get Thanos to let go of him. "It’s frightening, turns the legs to jelly. I ask you, to what end? Dread it. Run from it. Destiny arrives all the same. And now, it’s here. Or should I say… I am."
Loki barely held back the eye roll that was threatening to take over. Leave it to Thanos to deliver an entire monologue about destiny to make himself look as menacing as possible.
Thanos brought his arm up, showcasing the gleaming Infinity Stone inside. Loki's insides churned at the purple hue the power stone gave off. He could sense the overwhelming power radiation off the Stone from his seidr.
Thanos set Thor down on his knees, setting him in a kneeling position as he clutched the King's head, his one massive hand holding the entirety of the head. "The Tesseract, or your brother's head, I'd assume you have a preference." The prince hesitated.
He could give the Tesseract to Thanos and complete his overdue payment and maybe, both the brothers could escape alive. Thanos may let them leave. He doubted that he would. Loki knew, if he wanted to keep the Tesseract from Thanos, Thor would die. If he gave the Tesseract, Thanos may let him and Thor go.
That was an impossible scenario, however.
He owed Thanos. There was no way Thanos would forget how Loki had sabotaged his plan and changed it, how Loki had made little errors during the attack so the Avengers could pick up on them. How Loki had kept his seidr to limited use. How he had given hints in every damn phrase he said. How he had attracted as much attention as he could so the Avengers would do something and defeat him so he could be sent to Asgard and have an ax swung at his head and finally, finally, everything would be over! Even death was something he wasn't worthy of. Thanos must have figured out his sabotage by now.
Loki was going to die today.
Maybe if he chose the Tesseract, Thanos would be caught off guard, being called out on his bluff. Thor could survive the Infinity Stone, Loki had survived the Mind Stone, surely Thor could handle the Power Stone.
"Oh, I do, kill away." Just saying the words made him want to keel over. Thanos's eyes widened before he took his gauntlet and pressed it to Thor's temple.
Thor screamed.
Loki stood, holding his breath, watching as his brother screamed and writhed in pain. A memory popped into his head of how he once felt the pain of the Infinity Stone just as Thor did. He pushed the surfacing memory away and focused on his brother.
He would be fine. Thor was strong
Thor screamed and screamed until Loki couldn't take it anymore.
"All right, stop!" The grin on the bastard's face grew as tears began to shine in Loki's eyes. Thor's head hung limp, blood dribbling from his mouth, yet he still found the power to speak.
"We don't have the Tesseract...It was destroyed on Asgard..." Thor's voice was heavy as blood oozed out from his mouth. Loki swallowed tightly and raised his hand.
The plan did not work. He was being selfish. Thor could not die, he would not let him.
'Your world in the balance, yet you bargain for one man'
His own words rang through his ears as the blue glow of the Tesseract highlighted his face.
"You really are the worst brother..." Loki was the worst brother. There was no doubt about it. He was a horrible brother. He was a selfish, lying monster.
Loki focused back on his brother, vanishing his dark thoughts away. Not the time.
"I assure you, brother, the sun will shine on us again." It was a big promise, but he was already too far in to back out now. Thor looked up at him, ready to say something but, Thanos spoke first.
"Your optimism is misplaced, Asgardian," Loki smirked despite the critical situation. The bulking image in the back moved closer as Loki got ready to move.
"Well, for one thing, I'm not Asgardian." you know that, asshole. Thanos had found many ways to take advantage of his heritage, the bastard knew he was Jotun. "and for another...We have a Hulk."
Loki held onto the Tesseract and lunged for Tho, tackling him onto the ground and out of the Hulk's way.
The Hulk roared, crashing into Thanos engaging him in a fight. Loki didn't care about that right now.
Loki pulled Thor's broken frame in his arms, pressing his index and middle fingers to the man's temples. Loki had tackled Thor hard enough to make his brother dizzy and pass out. Loki did not have time for Thor to recover from the action though.
Loki poured his seidr out, healing the worst of his brother's injuries using the last of his energy. The gash on Thor's temple began to stitch close, Loki could sense the broken bones shifting into place.
Loki's energy drained as the pain from his injuries began to worsen. The seidr that was working to heal him was now being directed to heal Thor. Loki would be lying if he said he wasn't a little upset about that. Still, it barely mattered.
Thor mattered.
Blue eyes slowly opened and blinked multiple times and Loki had never been so relieved in his entire life.
The relief died soon enough when Thor got up at full speed and pulled Loki up with him. Thor picked up a metal pipe and headed at Thanos.
Taking in surroundings, Loki noticed the Hulk was sprawled out beside him. Loki grabbed onto Thor's hand, pulling him back, Thor shrugged him off and gave a nod to his right.
Loki was barely able to react when the Bifrost roared and Hulk's frame got sucked in the beam. Loki met Heimdall's eyes, which were becoming a dark orange from the drainage of his energy.
Thor stepped in front of Loki and placed a hand on his chest. Loki looked at his brother, shaking his head a second late before he was pushed into the Bifrost.
"Thor No!-" His yell was cut short over the roar of the Bifrost as bright colors filled his vision
The last thing he saw before the endless light, was the tiny smile his brother gave him before Thanos had hit Thor with the same pipe his brother had used a second ago.
Fuck!