by J. C. Diem
Chapter Eleven
~~~ Violet’s World ~~~
“WHICH CITY DO YOU PLAN for us to attack first?” Rho asked Loki. His shamans were busy ferrying portals to the faerie’s world. There were only around five hundred of the fae, so they wouldn’t require many of the devices.
Tens of thousands of Rho’s magicians were waiting on his swampy world. Disguised as simple warriors, they were poised to begin the invasion. They would be doing the bulk of the work, but he wasn’t about to attempt to renegotiate the terms that he had agreed on. Like his duplicates in the other dimensions, he would turn on his allies and strike them down once he no longer needed them. Then he would have all the slaves he could possibly need.
Seeing the greed that Rho couldn’t quite disguise, Loki gave an inward sigh at his simpleminded ally. The Grimgorg ruler thought he was far more intelligent than he actually was. He was laughably transparent, as were the faeries. It had been a gamble to trust either of these species, but Loki was deeply embroiled now. He would have to watch his back to make sure neither of them stabbed him in it while he wasn’t looking.
“I believe a test is in order before we embark on a full-scale attack,” Loki said. He’d had the portal tuned to a grassy field near a small town in the center of the US. He wanted to see just how capable his allies were before they took on somewhere more challenging. “There is a village a couple of miles away from here. I would like to see the faeries in action before we attempt to invade a large city.”
Rho nodded wisely, wishing he’d thought of a test run himself. The Asgardian wore a permanent look of contempt that he wasn’t even aware of. He clearly thought himself to be far superior to either of his allies. Rho couldn’t wait to wipe that smug look off Loki’s face. First, he would have to wait until more portals had been infused. He wanted to have enough for his human and Asgardian slaves to be able to invade several worlds simultaneously.
Nifirial watched the pair with an amused smile. This endeavor was already proving to be far more entertaining than he’d anticipated. Neither of his allies were aware of just how powerful his fae magic was. The ancient curse that had been cast against him was the only thing that had the power to defeat him. Since there were no undead beings in this dimension, he would remain safe.
Sweeping his gaze over the growing number of Grimgorg warriors that were appearing from nowhere to land all around them, Nifirial knew they weren’t what they seemed to be. He could feel their magic pulsing inside the vast majority of them. His sharp teeth appeared as he grinned to himself. His people would feed deeply on these sorcerers and increase their strength exponentially. Stealing the magic of others was one of the reasons why they had been banished so long ago. Only the darkest of fae would resort to such an evil deed. Nifirial and his kin had embraced their darkness and they reveled in it.
Soon, he would reach his full strength. When he was bursting with power, he would return to the realm he’d been evicted from. First, he would have to assist Loki and King Rho to defeat the citizens of this world. Loki thought he was clever, but he had missed one vital point when he’d worded their bargain. The Asgardian should have known how dangerous it was to make deals with faeries. He hadn’t stipulated that the fae wouldn’t turn on him and the Grimgorg when their deal was concluded.
Catching the sly looks that passed between the fae, Loki felt his hackles trying to rise. It was a warning that they were more dangerous than he’d anticipated, but there wasn’t much he could do about it now. For better or worse, they were tied together, at least until this world had been quelled.
In the distance, he could make out the lights of a small country town. The Grimgorg had to trot to keep up with him as he made his way across the field. Loki continued to wear his dark green shirt and brown trousers rather than donning his full battle regalia. He didn’t want the humans to know they were in danger just yet. His golden helmet, leather suit and shiny silver sword would have been a dead giveaway that he wasn’t a friendly visitor to this realm.
Head bobbing like a vulture pecking at the rotting body of a dead animal, King Rho hurried along beside Loki. He used his black staff to assist him. He hid its true nature from his allies. Only he and his shamans knew that it could shoot poison at his enemies. It also acted as a cudgel if necessary. Right now, it allowed him to keep his balance so he didn’t trip and embarrass himself by sprawling on his face in the long grass.
Behind him, his shamans and warriors followed. Each one was carrying portals that would allow them to send their captives to Asgard. The faeries had yet to choose a location to send their slaves to. Nifirial wanted to see the silver collars and portals in action before he would make a decision.
Nifirial waited until his people began to arrive before he trailed after Loki and King Rho. Each of his kin were aware of their roles in the coming war. They knew not to turn on their allies until he gave them the word. They would pretend that they needed to fully replenish their magic each time they used it, rather than just topping up every now and then. They would grow stronger each time they consumed a shaman’s essence. Before long, they would be unstoppable.
When the last faery appeared, they hurried across the field to catch up to their ruler. Each was beautiful, yet alien in their appearance. Their pale skin glowed whitely beneath the faint moonlight. Their strange and almost colorless blue, brown or green eyes took in their surroundings. There were few trees to offer them cover, yet there was also little danger. It was late enough that most of the humans they were about to capture were asleep.
Their noses wrinkled at the smell of iron as they neared the tiny hamlet. It was their only weakness in this realm. Their magic could combat the metal, but it came at a cost, as Nifirial had proven by binding the gates of heaven and hell. He and his warriors had been sorely depleted of their magic afterwards.
“Raise your shield,” Loki said imperiously to Rho once they reached the outskirts of the town. The Grimgorg monarch shot Loki a sour look at being treated like a lowly lackey.
“That will not be necessary,” Nifirial said with a languorous wave of his hand. “My kin and I can create barriers that will prevent the humans from fleeing.”
Interested to see their spell, Loki didn’t argue with the fae lord. He wanted to test their abilities and this would be a good opportunity. Rho muttered beneath his breath as the faeries motioned for them to step into the town. Nifirial’s kin spread out and waited for his signal. He sent a brief flare of yellow light into the sky. When it appeared, a dense, thorny shrub erupted from the ground to surround the entire town. It was a smaller and less dangerous version of the plant that had bound the gates of heaven and hell.
Loki reached out to touch the hedge. He yanked his hand back when a branch whipped towards him. A thorn caught on his shirt and tore the fabric. If he’d been any slower, it would have opened a nasty gash in his arm. “Very effective,” he said. He was impressed despite himself. The bush was so solid that not even a speeding car would be able to pass through it easily.
“Our dome is far better than this barrier,” Rho said sourly. “This plant is only a measly ten feet high.”
“Allow me to rectify that,” Nifirial said. With a wave of his hand, the hedge grew to twenty feet high. “Will that suffice?” he asked in an overly polite tone.
“It won’t keep airborne vessels out,” Rho pointed out. He knew the humans had jets that could shoot heavy artillery. He’d spied on this world often enough to know their capabilities.
“If we act quickly, we will not need to be concerned about the humans sending in jets to defeat us,” Loki said before his allies could descend into an argument. Their egos were strong and they were bound to clash. He just hoped he would be able to stop things from getting out of hand.
With an affronted glare at Rho, Nifirial sauntered towards the nearest house. A pack of six Grimgorg shamans hurried after him. Each one carried a bag full of silver collars. Disdaining to use magic, the faery kicked the door open with brute force. Splin
tering in half, it fell off its hinges. He stepped over the threshold as a sleepy human male stumbled out of his bedroom to see what had woken him.
The man flicked on the light to see a stranger striding towards him. “Who are you? What do you want?” His wife and two small children cowered behind him, using him as a shield. Their fear was still fresh at how close they’d come to being invaded by demons. Angels had saved the day that time. They’d thought they would never have to worry again. Apparently, they’d been wrong.
“We are your new lords and masters,” Nifirial informed the inferior being. He stepped aside to allow the shamans to scurry forward. “Bow your heads and accept your destiny,” he said.
In direct contrast to his order, the human balled up his fist and punched the closest hideous green alien right in its yellow eye. The Grimgorg magician went down, knocked out cold. The warriors pulled twin pairs of pitted bronze swords while the man shouted at his family to run.
“It seems the earthlings are unruly,” Nifirial said to himself more than to the shamans. Calling on his magic, he froze the family in place. The fallen alien woke up and was helped to his feet by his friends. With a snarl, he darted forward and punched the human in the stomach. Caught in a stasis spell, he didn’t even feel it. Collars were placed around their necks and Nifirial released his enchantment. The prisoners’ expressions instantly became placid. They’d been rendered docile, just as King Rho had promised.
With the four humans now subdued, Nifirial followed the magicians to the portals that had been placed on a flat stretch of road. The captives were pushed through the glowing blue devices and landed in the throne room on Asgard. They were herded away to an area where they would wait before being sent elsewhere to invade new worlds. Given the correct instructions, they would become fierce warriors. A billion of them would easily be able to take over whatever worlds they were dispatched to.
Loki sauntered over to speak to his ally. “Are you satisfied with the methods we use to control the humans?”
Nifirial inclined his head. “Indeed. The collars and portals are very effective. They will prove to be invaluable to us.” He’d noticed the Grimgorg gathering metal and sending it through the portals so more collars could be made.
Hiding his unease at the thought of giving the fae access to portals that could take them anywhere in the universe, Loki smiled. “Good. I am sure our alliance will prove to be beneficial to us all.” With their expertise at using magic, it was possible they might be able to learn how to tune the devices themselves. If that was the case, they could spread out much further than he’d intended.
Hearing the warning in Loki’s polite tone, Nifirial’s smile dimmed. His new friend had no concept of the danger he’d unleashed by forming their partnership. He would quickly discover that he should have left them to rot on their distant planet.
In less than an hour, the entire population of the town had been captured and had been sent to Asgard to join Rho’s army. Nifirial would receive his share of humans as well, but he’d been content to simply watch the process and to assist however he could this time. Now that he had seen just how effective the collars and portals were, he would happily use both to his advantage.
Loki swept his hand towards the waiting portals. “Shall we?” he said. Their next destination was many miles away, but the doorways would take them there in an instant.
“After you,” Nifirial replied just as politely. He didn’t want to turn his back on the Asgardian. He had a feeling Loki would be just as treacherous as his own kind tended to be.
Chapter Twelve
~~~ Alpha World ~~~
WAKING TO FIND HERSELF alone, Bianca came close to bursting into tears again at the simple joy of not being locked in a cell on the Viltaran ship. Guilt weighed on her heavily that she’d had to leave the other captives behind. Saving them was beyond her abilities. She had no influence over Loki. She didn’t kid herself that he would stop his allies from stripping the planet of people if she asked him to.
Climbing out of bed, she shuffled to the bathroom and took care of her pressing needs. After washing her hands, she realized she was clean and was wearing a different t-shirt and undies. Heat rose in her cheeks as she realized that Loki must have bathed and dressed her. She was ashamed that he’d seen her in such an awful condition. Then again, she’d only been in that state because of him.
Wearily ignoring her embarrassment, Bianca returned to the bedroom and searched her suitcase for something to wear. She pulled on fresh underwear and a white dress made of a soft, clingy fabric. The choice of clothing was deliberate. Loki liked her in dresses and her main goal now was to make him happy.
Her stomach cramped painfully, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten in several days. She entered the kitchen and was amazed to see the coffee machine was full. Loki must have watched her enough times to figure out how to use it. Pouring a cup, she searched the cupboard for cereal and sat down at the dining table to eat.
Loki appeared shortly after she finished eating. He wore a scowl and barely flicked her a glance before stalking into the living room and plonking himself down on the couch. As usual, he put his feet on the coffee table, uncaring that he left scratches on the surface.
Without being asked, Bianca made him a mug of coffee and placed it beside his feet. She sat on the couch near him and curled her legs up. In silence, they watched the news as it reported on the state of Dallas.
Feeling Bianca’s gaze on him, Loki couldn’t stand her silent scrutiny anymore and turned to face her. Apart from the dark shadows beneath her eyes, she looked much better. He particularly liked the dress she was wearing. It clung to her and emphasized her cleavage. “What’s wrong?” he asked, tearing his eyes away from her enticing breasts. She obviously had something on her mind.
“Did you know?” she asked as he slid his gaze from her chest back up to her face. Maybe this dress had been a bad idea. He seemed to be having trouble focusing.
“I am afraid I will need a little more information than that,” he said dryly.
“Did you know the Viltaran prisoners were being fed human flesh?”
He noted that her tone was enquiring rather than accusing. She was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. “No,” he said in a clipped tone. “I have taken steps to rectify the matter.”
Her smile was beautiful and he was amazed when she leaned over and hugged him. Unsure of how to react, he held his mug away so he didn’t accidentally spill the hot liquid on her. When it didn’t look like she was going to let him go, he gingerly patted her on the back with his free hand. He’d seen humans doing this when they were trying to comfort each other. It seemed to work, because she finally released him.
Bianca knew Loki was uncomfortable with being hugged and she was amazed he’d let her hold him for so long. She kissed him on the cheek and his surprise almost made her laugh. “Thank you,” she said with great sincerity and his brows drew down into a frown.
“For what?”
“For saving me and for making sure the prisoners have better conditions.”
“As I told Uldar, the humans will only be useful to him if they are alive and relatively well.”
Bianca saw beneath his stiffness and knew he felt a smidgeon of guilt at the treatment the captives had been receiving. “Well, thank you anyway. If you hadn’t stepped in, they’d probably die before you even finish invading my planet.” She wished the Earth had never been attacked at all, but she could now see that it could have been a lot worse. Without his intervention, many more humans would have died.
It was disconcerting to be thanked for enslaving the populace and Loki couldn’t think of anything to say. Thankfully, she didn’t expect him to say anything and she turned her attention back to the TV.
In the back of his mind, he wondered whether his kin were receiving any better treatment at the Grimgorgs’ hands. After being ridiculed and disrespected by them his entire life, he shouldn’t care at all, yet a tiny spark of concern still remained.
Bianca noticed Loki was brooding and did the only thing she could think of. Sliding closer, she leaned against him. He looked down at her with a frown, but he didn’t push her away.
It was oddly peaceful having Bianca at his side and some of Loki’s loneliness faded. He rolled his eyes inwardly at just how soft he was getting. It was almost unthinkable that he could find comfort in the company of a mere human. He put his arm around her shoulders and she snuggled against him.
It was almost time for them to leave and move to another city to begin their invasion all over again. The Viltarans had suffered a few casualties this time. Just as he’d secretly hoped, the Texans had fought back. Enough of them possessed guns that they’d been able to mount a small defense. It hadn’t been anywhere near enough to stop the invasion, but he hadn’t expected them to. He didn’t want his allies to lose. He just wanted to see them squirm.
Seeing a grim smile playing around Loki’s mouth, Bianca knew better than to ask him what he was thinking about. Servants didn’t question their masters. They just did as they were told without comment. That was what she was now and she had better remember it. The consequences of disobeying him had been carved into her mind. She shivered slightly and he unconsciously held her tighter.
Glancing down at Bianca, Loki saw how pale she was. It would take time for her to recover from her ordeal. He didn’t need Fate to appear and lecture him about the girl’s fragility.
After having almost all of his magic forcibly removed, he now knew his own life was on the line. Some part of him knew he was damned, but he stubbornly clung to the hope that he could find a way to thwart Fate. She’d warned him that the path he had chosen was filled with danger and he’d ignored her. He was now bound to this course and there was no way out of it. He would just have to do whatever he could to keep Bianca from harm until Fate decided her future.