Wayfaring Stranger (2/9)
There's a Bad Moon on the Rise
Hope you got your things together,
hope you are quite prepared to die.
Looks like we're in for nasty weather.
One eye is taken for an eye.
-Bad Moon Rising, CCR
Both Steve and Loki were still clutching the plant when they landed in a vast snowy plain. The snow couldn't hold their weight, and they immediately sunk to their their knees. They glared at one another over the mistletoe. A million cold stars and a full moon shone above them.
"My quarrel is not with you, human. Let go," Loki demanded, pulling the mistletoe and Steve with it.
"No," Steve said. He yanked the mistletoe violently, cursing himself for not grabbing his shield as soon as Loki revealed himself. It was still strapped to his back and he couldn't reach it without loosening his grip on the plant. He gave the plant another healthy yank; Loki's arms jerked forward with the effort.
Loki snarled.
"You trifle with things you do not understand. Let go."
"I will not," Steve said. He tried to reposition his grasp on the mistletoe and found his hands wouldn't budge. Trying to loosen his fingers, and finding himself unable, a feeling of horror rolled over him. Ignoring Loki for a moment, he focused all his energy on separating himself from the plant.
He couldn't do it.
He looked up at Loki. His enemy had seemed to realize that he, too, was trapped. Loki's brown was furrowed, his mouth pinched. Steve realized Loki's staff was tucked under his arm and that he was unable to access it. That was a small blessing, at least.
Their eyes met again.
"Let go," Loki repeated.
"I won't. I can't," Steve amended. "I suspect you can't, either."
Loki attempted to remove his own hands with a violent, ruthless motion. Steve chose a different tactic, forcing himself to relax and loosen his grip entirely. With effort, his left hand finally began to pull free from the mistletoe. It gave way with a popping sound, his hand tingling with the effort. He tried the same thing with his right, but it remained soldered to the plant, and by extension, Loki.
Loki watched Steve and replicated the effort, able to slide his right hand free. His left remained stuck and Loki's patience gave way; he rapidly shook his hand, jiggling Steve's connected arm.
Giving up in his endeavor, Loki reached for his staff the same moment Steve reached for his shield.
"Maybe if I kill you, I'll be free from this," Loki said, pointing his staff at Steve and shooting a blast of pure energy. Steve held up his shield, and the blast deflected into the distance. He thrust his shield out and was satisfied when it hit Loki. The trickster let out a grunt but could only fall back as far as his attached arm would let him. They both stumbled, Loki's weight carrying Steve forward.
Loki levied another shot that Steve deflected. Steve didn't want to release his shield at his foe, lest it give Loki an opportunity to get a shot in. They continued trying to kill each other for a few minutes before Steve, behind his shield, said, "This appears to be getting us nowhere." He heard a sound of frustration and lowered his shield slightly to peer over at Loki.
"It would appear not," Loki grudgingly admitted.
"So what? A truce?" Steve ventured.
Loki didn't answer, but slowly lowered his staff. Steve eyed him warily.
"You are wise to not trust me, but I suspect that even were I to kill you, it would not rid me of this curse."
"Curse?"
"Indeed. My mother is not as stupid as I thought. Although she failed to exact an oath from the mistletoe, it would appear she's cursed it all the same."
They stared at one another balefully.
A cold wind kicked up. Steve suddenly became aware of their surroundings. Ice fields lay around them. The snow, unfettered by obstacles, blew with the wind, forming huge dunes that shifted and undulated endlessly. The constellations in the sky were foreign, and even the moon looked strange. Loki shuddered and his skin took on a blue hue.
"Looks like you won't last long out here," Steve observed.
"Fool. This is my true nature." Loki's eyes glowed red, and he scowled at Steve. "I am a frost giant, or did my brother not enlighten you?
Steve shrugged. "He just said you were his brother. What's a frost giant?"
Loki scoffed. "My father stole me from the halls of our enemy. Even my own kind found me too frail for their liking. I suspect it is you who will find this place unforgiving."
Steve tried to appear nonchalant. "I survived through one freeze. I can do it again."
They both fell silent. Loki glared at the cursed mistletoe, and Steve looked over the ice plains.
"Where are we?" Steve asked after a beat.
"Niflheim," Loki said. When Steve gave him a blank look, Loki sighed in exasperation. "The farthest northern region, on the lowest level of the universe. It is the realm of death and Hel resides here, and so does Nidhogg, the great serpent who eats the corpses and gnaws on the roots of Yggrdrasil."
"On… on a tree?" Steve asked incredibly.
"Do you know nothing?" Loki hissed.
"Not about mythologies of fake religions," Steve returned. He made a mental note to research Norse mythology when he got back.
"Of all people in the nine realms, it is you to whom I cursed." Loki sounded petulant.
"Hey buddy, it's a two-way street."
As the snow glanced across his cheeks, he was belatedly grateful that Agent Coulson and SHIELD had decided to upgrade his suit to a more thermogenic material. He glanced over at Loki, who was now a deep blue, his red eyes glowing like sullen embers.
Loki tried another futile yank with his arm. He raised his staff, eliciting a "Woah!" from Steve as he brought his shield to bear. Loki glared at him before concentrating on the plant, a beam from his staff enveloping it. The plant glowed a brilliant blue but otherwise was unaffected. Loki lowered his staff again.
After a moment Steve asked, "So what's your plan now? I bet you didn't see this coming."
"Obviously, I did not," Loki sneered. "We walk," he added, tugging at the plant, and Steve along with it. Steve stood rooted.
"Yeah. Where?"
"There are only two people who can break this curse. One is my mother and we are not visiting her. We will travel to Alfheim instead," Loki said, and if that was defeat Steve heard in Loki's voice, he refused to acknowledge it. "The land of the Light Elves."
"What's there?"
"The Queen of the Elves. Her magic is equal to even that of Lady Frigga. She will be able to break this curse."
"How do we get there?"
"We must find the trunk of Yggdrasil. From there, all worlds are accessible to us. My mother likely intended that whoever grabbed the mistletoe would be killed here, cursed to roam these icy lands until they succumbed."
"I'm not going," Steve stated, proud that he could take a stand on something. He knew a thing or two about dying in icy lands for the good of others.
"I will not die here with you!" Loki declared, his red eyes burning. He set off deliberately, his clawed feet gaining traction in the ice.
Steve dug his feet in and yanked. Loki stumbled.
"Tell me one reason why I should go," Steve demanded.
Loki stopped abruptly. He turned on Steve, teeth bared.
"This plant is protected and so long as it lives, so shall we. We will be cursed to wander these fields forever, neither living nor dead, until the end of all days. Our names and faces will fade from the memories of those who knew us, and we, too, will forget our families and companions. Even as all the stars in the universe fade and grow dark, still will we wander. Niflheim existed before even the first god or giant was created, and will exist long after. The workings of the universe cannot touch us here."
A chill that had nothing to do with the air seeped into Steve's bones. He licked his chapped lips.
Steve realized that this is where his cowardice hid. Not in the bloody fields of Germany or the empty cockpit of a doomed plane. Here, where oblivion stretched forward into eternity.
He stumbled forward.
Chapter end
A/n:
This was the alternate for the chapter lead:
Time can be a tyrant but it always served you well
A game is just a game and a prize is just a prize
How do you keep a straight face when you're telling all those lies
You are the one, you are the bullet in the chamber of the gun
You are the long forgotten predator's son
And you will be here ages after I'm gone
I can only hope to kill you
A Song is a Weapon-Stars
As you may have guessed, the song quotes are fairly important. They'll give you clues to the story or the characters. BELIEVE IT. I've literally spent hours agonizing over the chapter leads.
As a side, for those of you with kitties and puppies at home with you today, give them an extra hug. On December 5, I found my precious kitty Wyatt, a stray Okinawan cat who found me on the streets a month before I rotated back home and wiggled his way into my life and into my heart, on the road outside my house. He'd been coming home from his latest great adventure and didn't make it. I loved this kitty as much as a person could, and my husband loved him twice as much. Now his little Wyatt won't be waiting for him when he returns from Afghanistan.
So if you've got a pup, or a kitty, give them an extra squeeze.
Hope you got your things together,
hope you are quite prepared to die.
Looks like we're in for nasty weather.
One eye is taken for an eye.
-Bad Moon Rising, CCR
Both Steve and Loki were still clutching the plant when they landed in a vast snowy plain. The snow couldn't hold their weight, and they immediately sunk to their their knees. They glared at one another over the mistletoe. A million cold stars and a full moon shone above them.
"My quarrel is not with you, human. Let go," Loki demanded, pulling the mistletoe and Steve with it.
"No," Steve said. He yanked the mistletoe violently, cursing himself for not grabbing his shield as soon as Loki revealed himself. It was still strapped to his back and he couldn't reach it without loosening his grip on the plant. He gave the plant another healthy yank; Loki's arms jerked forward with the effort.
Loki snarled.
"You trifle with things you do not understand. Let go."
"I will not," Steve said. He tried to reposition his grasp on the mistletoe and found his hands wouldn't budge. Trying to loosen his fingers, and finding himself unable, a feeling of horror rolled over him. Ignoring Loki for a moment, he focused all his energy on separating himself from the plant.
He couldn't do it.
He looked up at Loki. His enemy had seemed to realize that he, too, was trapped. Loki's brown was furrowed, his mouth pinched. Steve realized Loki's staff was tucked under his arm and that he was unable to access it. That was a small blessing, at least.
Their eyes met again.
"Let go," Loki repeated.
"I won't. I can't," Steve amended. "I suspect you can't, either."
Loki attempted to remove his own hands with a violent, ruthless motion. Steve chose a different tactic, forcing himself to relax and loosen his grip entirely. With effort, his left hand finally began to pull free from the mistletoe. It gave way with a popping sound, his hand tingling with the effort. He tried the same thing with his right, but it remained soldered to the plant, and by extension, Loki.
Loki watched Steve and replicated the effort, able to slide his right hand free. His left remained stuck and Loki's patience gave way; he rapidly shook his hand, jiggling Steve's connected arm.
Giving up in his endeavor, Loki reached for his staff the same moment Steve reached for his shield.
"Maybe if I kill you, I'll be free from this," Loki said, pointing his staff at Steve and shooting a blast of pure energy. Steve held up his shield, and the blast deflected into the distance. He thrust his shield out and was satisfied when it hit Loki. The trickster let out a grunt but could only fall back as far as his attached arm would let him. They both stumbled, Loki's weight carrying Steve forward.
Loki levied another shot that Steve deflected. Steve didn't want to release his shield at his foe, lest it give Loki an opportunity to get a shot in. They continued trying to kill each other for a few minutes before Steve, behind his shield, said, "This appears to be getting us nowhere." He heard a sound of frustration and lowered his shield slightly to peer over at Loki.
"It would appear not," Loki grudgingly admitted.
"So what? A truce?" Steve ventured.
Loki didn't answer, but slowly lowered his staff. Steve eyed him warily.
"You are wise to not trust me, but I suspect that even were I to kill you, it would not rid me of this curse."
"Curse?"
"Indeed. My mother is not as stupid as I thought. Although she failed to exact an oath from the mistletoe, it would appear she's cursed it all the same."
They stared at one another balefully.
A cold wind kicked up. Steve suddenly became aware of their surroundings. Ice fields lay around them. The snow, unfettered by obstacles, blew with the wind, forming huge dunes that shifted and undulated endlessly. The constellations in the sky were foreign, and even the moon looked strange. Loki shuddered and his skin took on a blue hue.
"Looks like you won't last long out here," Steve observed.
"Fool. This is my true nature." Loki's eyes glowed red, and he scowled at Steve. "I am a frost giant, or did my brother not enlighten you?
Steve shrugged. "He just said you were his brother. What's a frost giant?"
Loki scoffed. "My father stole me from the halls of our enemy. Even my own kind found me too frail for their liking. I suspect it is you who will find this place unforgiving."
Steve tried to appear nonchalant. "I survived through one freeze. I can do it again."
They both fell silent. Loki glared at the cursed mistletoe, and Steve looked over the ice plains.
"Where are we?" Steve asked after a beat.
"Niflheim," Loki said. When Steve gave him a blank look, Loki sighed in exasperation. "The farthest northern region, on the lowest level of the universe. It is the realm of death and Hel resides here, and so does Nidhogg, the great serpent who eats the corpses and gnaws on the roots of Yggrdrasil."
"On… on a tree?" Steve asked incredibly.
"Do you know nothing?" Loki hissed.
"Not about mythologies of fake religions," Steve returned. He made a mental note to research Norse mythology when he got back.
"Of all people in the nine realms, it is you to whom I cursed." Loki sounded petulant.
"Hey buddy, it's a two-way street."
As the snow glanced across his cheeks, he was belatedly grateful that Agent Coulson and SHIELD had decided to upgrade his suit to a more thermogenic material. He glanced over at Loki, who was now a deep blue, his red eyes glowing like sullen embers.
Loki tried another futile yank with his arm. He raised his staff, eliciting a "Woah!" from Steve as he brought his shield to bear. Loki glared at him before concentrating on the plant, a beam from his staff enveloping it. The plant glowed a brilliant blue but otherwise was unaffected. Loki lowered his staff again.
After a moment Steve asked, "So what's your plan now? I bet you didn't see this coming."
"Obviously, I did not," Loki sneered. "We walk," he added, tugging at the plant, and Steve along with it. Steve stood rooted.
"Yeah. Where?"
"There are only two people who can break this curse. One is my mother and we are not visiting her. We will travel to Alfheim instead," Loki said, and if that was defeat Steve heard in Loki's voice, he refused to acknowledge it. "The land of the Light Elves."
"What's there?"
"The Queen of the Elves. Her magic is equal to even that of Lady Frigga. She will be able to break this curse."
"How do we get there?"
"We must find the trunk of Yggdrasil. From there, all worlds are accessible to us. My mother likely intended that whoever grabbed the mistletoe would be killed here, cursed to roam these icy lands until they succumbed."
"I'm not going," Steve stated, proud that he could take a stand on something. He knew a thing or two about dying in icy lands for the good of others.
"I will not die here with you!" Loki declared, his red eyes burning. He set off deliberately, his clawed feet gaining traction in the ice.
Steve dug his feet in and yanked. Loki stumbled.
"Tell me one reason why I should go," Steve demanded.
Loki stopped abruptly. He turned on Steve, teeth bared.
"This plant is protected and so long as it lives, so shall we. We will be cursed to wander these fields forever, neither living nor dead, until the end of all days. Our names and faces will fade from the memories of those who knew us, and we, too, will forget our families and companions. Even as all the stars in the universe fade and grow dark, still will we wander. Niflheim existed before even the first god or giant was created, and will exist long after. The workings of the universe cannot touch us here."
A chill that had nothing to do with the air seeped into Steve's bones. He licked his chapped lips.
Steve realized that this is where his cowardice hid. Not in the bloody fields of Germany or the empty cockpit of a doomed plane. Here, where oblivion stretched forward into eternity.
He stumbled forward.
Chapter end
A/n:
This was the alternate for the chapter lead:
Time can be a tyrant but it always served you well
A game is just a game and a prize is just a prize
How do you keep a straight face when you're telling all those lies
You are the one, you are the bullet in the chamber of the gun
You are the long forgotten predator's son
And you will be here ages after I'm gone
I can only hope to kill you
A Song is a Weapon-Stars
As you may have guessed, the song quotes are fairly important. They'll give you clues to the story or the characters. BELIEVE IT. I've literally spent hours agonizing over the chapter leads.
As a side, for those of you with kitties and puppies at home with you today, give them an extra hug. On December 5, I found my precious kitty Wyatt, a stray Okinawan cat who found me on the streets a month before I rotated back home and wiggled his way into my life and into my heart, on the road outside my house. He'd been coming home from his latest great adventure and didn't make it. I loved this kitty as much as a person could, and my husband loved him twice as much. Now his little Wyatt won't be waiting for him when he returns from Afghanistan.
So if you've got a pup, or a kitty, give them an extra squeeze.