by J. C. Diem
With a nod of agreement, Violet made them blend in with the buildings as they crept closer. When Nat was near enough to read the Grimgorg ruler’s mind, she grinned fiercely. As soon as she’d spotted him, she’d known Fate was guiding their steps. Scanning his thoughts, she picked up on something vital. Rho had a secret that no one knew about. It was a spell that had been passed down from father to son for dozens of generations. It could only be used in the direst of circumstances.
Waiting until they were safely away from the aliens, she told her companions what she’d learned. This spell would change everything, but only if they could somehow manipulate the Grimgorg ruler into triggering it.
Lexi thought there was a way they could use this knowledge, but first they had to find Bianca and see exactly how much she meant to Loki.
Chapter Forty-Three
~~~ Alpha World ~~~
LOKI HAD LEFT THE APARTMENT early that morning and was currently somewhere in the city. Thinking she was still asleep, he’d pressed a gentle kiss against Bianca’s temple before carefully sliding out of their bed so he wouldn’t wake her. It was now after dark and her heart was still fluttering at his display of affection. Somehow, she’d managed to penetrate the shield he’d erected around his heart. Like it or not, he cared about her, even if it was only in a small way.
Making coffee, she heard footsteps at the door and froze. Tiptoeing over to the door, she put her ear against it and heard low voices talking. One of the unwanted guests tried the handle, but Loki’s magic held. He’d decided to lock her in again after her near-death experience when she’d gone in search of clothing.
They whispered again, then all was silent for a while. Just when she thought they’d left, a misty doorway appeared on the wall beside the door. Bianca backed away, empty mug still in her hand. A beautiful brunette in tight black leather stepped through the magical opening. Next was a gorgeous girl with black hair and assessing dark brown eyes. Finally, a young blond girl stepped through. She was just as pretty as the other two.
“Hi,” the brunette said brightly. “I’m Nat. This is Lexi and Violet.” Her friends nodded, but remained silent. Her accent was foreign and sounded either British, or Australian.
Although they looked human, Bianca sensed they were far from it. “What do you want?” she asked nervously. Her hands were trembling and she clutched the mug harder. The last time she’d had a visitor, she’d ended up tied to a pole and had almost been evaporated by explosives.
“We’re here to save the universe,” Violet said.
“We need your help,” Lexi added.
“I already slept with Loki like Fate wanted me to,” Bianca told them in annoyance. “What else do you need me to do?”
All three women gaped at that information, which meant they hadn’t been aware of her mission. Nat’s eyes widened as she rummaged through Bianca’s memories. “Holy crap,” she said with a grin when she replayed the events that had transpired last night. “Loki isn’t just the God of Mischief, he’s also apparently a god in the sack.”
Bianca gasped in outrage when she realized her thoughts had been violated. She hurled the mug at the brunette, but the strange woman caught it neatly and tossed it onto the couch in the living room. “Who the hell are you people?” Bianca snarled.
“We’re Fate’s chosen warriors,” Lexi told her. “We’ve just battled Loki on all three of our worlds. We defeated him and sent his minions packing.”
Bianca’s face drained of color. “You’re not going to kill my Loki, are you?”
“Nope,” Nat said before the poor girl could faint. Barely five-foot-two, Bianca was almost fragile in appearance. She wore a pretty green dress and black shoes. A crude bandage was wrapped around her right wrist. Her eyes had gone a dark, stormy gray when she’d thought Loki was in danger. They returned to hazel after hearing they didn’t intend to harm him. “Fate wants us to change history before Chaos can win,” Nat added. “We think we know how to do it, but we need your help.” She could always just hypnotize the girl, but she wasn’t sure how long it would last. Bianca had to stay close in order for them to pull off the plan that Lexi had outlined. It was brilliant, yet fraught with danger. It would take all of the skills that they possessed to pull it off.
Bianca was torn between the loyalty she was beginning to feel for Loki, and the destiny of humankind. These women had been chosen by Fate, and so had she. She might not possess magic, or any useful skills, but if she could prevent humanity from being turned into slaves, she felt obligated to help. “What do you need me to do?” she asked in resignation.
“Come with us,” Violet said. Just as they’d guessed, Fate had thrown Bianca into the deep end, the same way she had to them. They were all in this together now. “We just need you to stay close to us and to not give us away. If Loki learns about our existence, all intelligent beings in all dimensions will be doomed.”
“Gee, no pressure,” Bianca muttered and followed the three warriors through the misty doorway. Glancing back as they headed for the stairs, she saw the doorway fade away to nothing.
“We could really use Fate’s help,” Lexi said when they emerged onto the street.
“You shall have it,” Fate replied as she materialized. Instead of her usual black cloak and shadowy form, she wore a black leather suit, cape and mask. “Your plan is sound. I have already ensured that everyone will be in position when the time is right for you to act. I will be watching from nearby and I will step in when I am needed.”
She disappeared again and the three warriors heaved quiet sighs of relief. Fate approved of their plan and she was going to do her best to make sure it would work. Unfortunately, dealing with Loki meant it could backfire horribly. He was unpredictable and unstable. There was no way to anticipate how he would react to the performance they were about to put on. They just had to hope that Order would prevail over Chaos this time around.
“Let’s go,” Nat said. Following her gut, which was really Fate guiding her steps, she headed towards the heart of Reaverton. Hearing Uldar roar from somewhere nearby, she pinpointed his general location, then came to a stop on a strip of grass in a small gap between two buildings. “This is going to be tricky and it will take every ounce of concentration we have,” she said. There was no trace of her usual mischievousness. Right now, she was Fate’s warrior and she wasn’t going to let herself be distracted. They had one chance to pull this off. If they failed, they would doom every world in every reality to enslavement.
“I’m ready,” Violet said.
“Don’t move from this spot,” Nat said to Lexi and Bianca. Lexi nodded and Bianca jerked her head up and down shakily. She had no idea what their plan was, but she already knew she was going to see something strange happen.
Nat grabbed hold of Violet, then went into motion. Moving so fast that they were a blur, she streaked through the streets and saw Uldar standing in the midst of carnage. Some humans had made the mistake of trying to fight back and he’d reduced them to a bloody ruin. Racing up to his back, Nat halted long enough for Violet to reach out and touch him. Violet transformed into his twin, then Nat sprinted back to Lexi and Bianca.
Violet put her hand on Bianca’s arm, then touched Nat on the shoulder and changed her so she looked exactly like their newest recruit. Bianca put her hand over her mouth to muffle her surprise at seeing an exact copy of herself. Lexi drew her backwards deep into the gap between the buildings where they would be almost invisible.
Holding Nat by the shoulder so she could maintain the illusion that she was Bianca, Violet saw Loki saunter around the corner at the far end of the street. Letting out a roar to get his attention, she drew her hand back and punched it through Nat’s stomach.
Nat didn’t need to fake a high-pitched scream of agony. Violet dropped her to the grassy strip of ground, then raced off as if she was going in search of another victim. Rounding the corner, she lost her hold on the illusion and hurried around the back of the property where Lexi and Bianca were hiding.
Lexi heard Loki scream in rage and went on the move. Sinking into the ground, she flowed through the soil over to Nat. She reached up, grabbed hold of her by the waist and yanked her downwards just as Fate materialized to take her place. Instead of wearing the black leather suit and mask, Fate had also assumed Bianca’s appearance.
Lexi and Nat rose through the earth in the shadows of the two buildings next to Bianca. Violet leaped over the back fence and joined them as Nat broke her body down to repair the hole in her stomach. With Bianca peeking over their shoulders, they watched the drama unfold. It was up to Fate to finish their plan. Knowing her unmatched powers of manipulation, they hoped whatever she was about to say would be enough to push him over the edge.
Chapter Forty-Four
~~~ Alpha World ~~~
A SENSE OF DISQUIET was rising inside Loki again. He had the sudden urge to check on Bianca and headed for their apartment. He couldn’t shake the feeling that she was in danger. Turning the corner, he heard a roar of triumph and saw Uldar standing halfway along the street. To his horror, he held Bianca in his clutches. He didn’t know how she’d managed to leave their apartment, or how the Viltaran had found her, but his intentions were obvious.
He began to run, but his magic eluded him when he tried to use it to increase his speed. Uldar punched his hand through Bianca’s stomach and Loki screamed in denial. It was lost among the wails of terror coming from the humans in the nearby area. Uldar turned and ran, unaware that his betrayal had been witnessed.
Dropping to his knees beside his ward, Loki’s hands fluttered over her poor broken body. Blood and entrails poured out of the hole in her stomach. To his astonishment, she was still alive. Knowing there was nothing he could do to help her, he gently lifted her head onto his lap.
His astonishment increased when she shimmered and her clothing turned into a tight black suit, cape and mask. Instead of being long and black, her hair was shoulder-length and auburn. “What is this?” he asked in confusion. Fate didn’t fight him as he pulled her mask off. Eyes that he’d been unable to determine the color of fluttered open. They were now dark gray with pain and he saw Bianca’s lovely face staring up at him. Putting two and two together, he realized the two women shared more than just their lack of height. They had the exact same bodies as well. Fate had disguised her hair and face, but they were apparently one and the same. “Was Bianca Caldwell even real?” he asked in a tone of betrayal.
“She is real,” Fate said weakly. “But she lives in another dimension. The person I tasked you with guarding is a mere copy of her, as is this form that I have been using.”
“Why?” he asked as he cradled her head on his knees and held her hand. “What was the purpose of all this?”
Tears stood in Loki’s eyes. He took her hand and pressed her palm against his cheek as she struggled to articulate a reply. “I was given the task of showing you that you are not evil,” she told him in a fading voice. “Despite the choices that you have made and the chaos you have wrought, you are still worthy of being loved.”
He held in a sob as her words cut through the pain and betrayal he’d felt his entire lengthy life. He’d been made to feel worthless and she’d gone to a great deal of trouble to prove to him that he wasn’t. It left him feeling hope for the first time that he could ever remember. Hope that there might be a chance for him to find love after all. It withered when he realized the person who had instilled these feelings in him was dying.
“I have something that belongs to you,” she said and tried to pull him down to her.
Loki gathered her into his arms and lifted her up. She pressed her mouth against his and strength flowed through him as she restored his magic. Holding her against his chest, he pressed her hand against his cheek again. “Why have you returned my magic to me when you know what I have planned for the universe?” he asked.
“No one is beyond redemption,” she said. “Not even you, Loki Laufeyson.” With that final message, her eyes fluttered shut and the life seeped from her body.
Lowering her to the ground, he pressed his face to her chest and howled in rage and pain as she turned transparent and disappeared. When she was gone, he lifted his head and stared bleakly into the darkness. Bianca had wormed her way through his defenses and had breached the walls that he’d built around his heart. Against all odds, he’d come to care for her and now she was gone. He had thousands of years of loneliness looming ahead of him and it suddenly all seemed so pointless.
Climbing to his feet, he dressed himself in his full battle regalia and went in search of Uldar. He had a score to settle with the Viltaran. He’d killed the only person Loki had cared about in two hundred years and had left him broken and alone.
Finally seeing Uldar ahead, he didn’t give his former ally any warning. Loki didn’t care about fighting fair. Revenge was fueling him and so was his rage. With his magic fully restored, he sent an illusion of himself ahead to distract the hulking monster. It almost worked and he was about to ram his sword into the Viltaran’s back when Uldar sensed danger and whirled around to face him.
Moving quickly for such a gigantic being, Uldar leaped backwards and the sword just missed him. “Why do you betray me, Asgardian?” he snarled.
“Why do I betray you?” Loki said incredulously. “Perhaps it is because of Bianca Caldwell,” he said and saw Uldar flinch.
Uldar didn’t know how Loki had found out about his plan to tear the woman apart, but it was too late to avoid bloodshed now. His ally was intent on killing him, but he was about to learn that Viltarans weren’t easy to beat in combat.
Loki blocked the swing of Uldar’s meaty hand and his breath whooshed out when a foot connected with his stomach. He flew back, hit the ground and tumbled for a few yards before he came to a stop on his back. Seeing Uldar leaping towards him, he rolled to the side and sent a jolt of raw magic at his foe.
Fire ran through Uldar’s body and he grunted in pain. He shook it off and swiped his talons at Loki’s face. The Asgardian rolled away and leaped to his feet. Using his sword this time, Loki sent a bolt of electricity flying towards him. Uldar nimbly sidestepped it and lunged forward.
Knowing he couldn’t beat Uldar in hand-to-hand combat, Loki called on multiple copies of himself. Uldar turned in confusion, unsure which one was real. As one, the Lokis stepped forward to stab him. He roared in rage and pain when a sword skewered him in the back, “Fight me like a man, coward!” he spat and spun around.
“Is that what you said to Bianca before you killed her?” Loki asked. His rage increased and he shifted around so he was facing his opponent. He threw himself forward and his sword pierced the creature’s black heart.
Uldar gasped and sank to his knees. He grabbed hold of Loki and dragged him down so they were face to face. “You think that will kill me?” he rasped.
“No,” Loki replied. “But I am fairly certain this will.” Taking Uldar’s hand, he forced him to clasp the sword and sent a surge of power into his weapon. Lævateinn reacted to having a foreign hand touching her and the ward kicked in. The blade turned white hot from the influx of extra magic. Uldar shrieked in agony as his heart caught on fire. It spread through his internal organs, instantly turning them to ash. His scarlet eyes bulged, then burst and he fell limply onto his side.
Loki pulled his sword free and stared contemptuously at the smoking body of his enemy. He’d exacted his revenge, but it hadn’t changed anything. Bianca was still dead. She’d been sweet and almost innocent and she hadn’t deserved a brutal death like that.
Something Fate had said floated to the surface of his mind. She’d told him that Rho had the ability to change his destiny. It was a longshot, but it was the only chance he had to possibly undo the damage that Uldar had caused.
Chapter Forty-Five
~~~ Alpha World ~~~
HEARING ENRAGED ROARS coming from the throats of thousands of clones, Loki realized they were aware of Uldar’s death and were taking their fury out on the humans. Uld
ar had been linked to the nanobots that had turned them into the hideous beings they were. The clones weren’t the only ones that had been affected. The droids were also going berserk. Chaos raged through Reaverton as the Viltaran armies ceased converting the populace and began slaughtering them instead.
Loki knew Rho was a coward at heart. He would retreat and hide until order was restored. The one place he felt he would be safe was on the personal transport ship that Uldar had given him. Loki had passed the ship earlier and knew exactly where it was.
Using magic to increase his speed, he reveled in having his power fully restored. He hadn’t realized how weak he’d been without it. Passing the fleeing Grimgorg shamans, he beat Rho to the ship and blended into the wall to hide himself from view.
One flaw in Rho’s plan to hide here was that his robot pilot had also gone berserk. The droid had abandoned his post and was nowhere to be seen. None of the Grimgorg could fly the vessel. They couldn’t even close the ramp.
“Guard the entrance,” Rho ordered his lackeys. He was wheezing from sprinting to his ship and leaned on his staff to catch his breath.
“Sire, one of my men reported that Loki was responsible for Uldar’s murder,” one of Rho’s shamans reported.
“Murder is such an ugly word,” Loki said mockingly as he stepped out of the shadows. “He took something precious from me and I repaid him in kind by taking his life.”
Yellow eyes darting around the ship, Rho sneered when he saw the Asgardian’s mistress wasn’t with him. “You killed your ally over a mere woman?” he said incredulously.
“Bianca was different,” Loki said almost to himself. “I have never met anyone like her before.” Despite everything he’d done and the atrocities she’d witnessed him performing, she’d still cared about him. In time, she might even have come to love him. He’d convinced himself that love wasn’t real, but he knew better now. Even a monster like him could feel, but it had taken a special kind of person to break through his barriers.
