PART A LITTLE AT A TIME!!!!” Hallthor yells.
Silence is their response, the only noise that is audible at all in the maze is their sobs as they watch the dark wings of Thanatos wrap around Curios body pulling him to the underworld.
“Let’s find Loki and make sure he gets what’s coming to him, Heimdall can do what he likes to me but one way or another Loki will pay.” Kol screams. “Do you hear me Loki?!”
Hallthor and Kol get up and run through the corridor intent on finding Loki, as the two of them scurry off Loki reappears watching them run.
“I hear you son and believe me before this day is through you will be all alone with no one to turn to but me.”
After five frost giants, three giant serpents, four Cerberus and six dark elves Hallthor and Kol stop for a quick breather.
“This place is endless.” Hallthor points out.
“He has to be here somewhere, he’s too arrogant not to be here.”
“You’re right son.” Loki laughs as his face appears in a wall.
Both of the demigods attack with all the power at their disposal but it’s all for not, without noticing it Loki has separated the two of them with a clear wall. They realize what’s happening too late, Hallthor turns trying to break the clear wall only to find that he’s trap in a cube with no way out. Kol rushes to his aid hitting the walls over and over hoping to free him but to his horror the walls don’t budge as the inside of the cube feels with water slowly. With Kol watching Hallthor struggles and gasps for air until after a couple of minutes he stops moving as Kol keeps pounding on the wall with tears in his eyes.
“FATHER!!!!” Kol roars dropping to his knees.
“You see now son? Nobody beats me, nobody. Your surrogate family is gone, I am what you have. Your choices are join me or die, what do you decide? I make this offer only once.” Loki laughs enjoying his own son’s pain.
“Are you really so evil that you delight in your own son’s pain?”
“I am a god of evil, make me proud Kol, join me and you will delight in the pain of others the way I do.”
“I will make you proud father because right now I am delighting in the knowledge that for once you have lost at your own game, that’s right father. You have been fooled, none of us were here and in fact I have already taken back Lady Sif’s hair, goodbye father enjoy your defeat.” Laughs Kol disappearing from sight.
The three demigods are heading as quickly as they can back to the city of Asgard, but Loki’s magic is working against them. The air is thick like sludge forcing them to the ground so they can’t use flight anymore. The moment they land the three of them run as fast as they can towards the city.
“Hold on.” Kol says, quickly he raises the hair into the air. “I am Kol son of Loki and Thor, I have completed the second quest.”
Light engulfs Kol for a moment as Odin steps out into the air above them with Lady Sif and Lord Thor. “Welcome to Asgard Kol, you have done well.” The hair floats out of his hands and merges with the rest of lady Sif’s hair giving it a beauty beyond what it already had. As they watch Loki runs up only to turn away quickly and fly back to his castle in the distance afraid to anger Odin.
“The second quest is complete, go now and meet with Vasos. Once he has completed his second quest the two of you must begin the two quests that are for you both. Your friends may travel with you until the start of the quest when the gods will transport you to the beginning of your first challenge, take that time for all of you to celebrate together. Now go with the gods’ blessings.”
“We did it.” Celebrates Hallthor jumping up and down with glee.
“Yes we did.” Smiles Kol. “I couldn’t have done it without you guys, thank you both.”
“Hey we’re family remember?” Curios asks happily as the three of them fly towards the ship carried by Kol.
Minutes later they are on the deck of the ship sailing slowly towards the exit from Asgard back to Midgard.
Kol is content to just sit back and watch his brothers for the time being happy that they are all alive and well. The one thing that troubles him is not knowing if Vasos is okay or not, as he day dreams about all the things that could be going wrong he forgets about the world around him.
“Look out!” Yells Curios shoving Kol to the floor of the deck.
Turning around Kol sees Loki holding a dagger to Curios throat.
“Well played son, you had me totally fooled. There may be hope for you yet the only thing you need is a hole in your heart, so behold the beginning of the darkness that will grow inside you!” He yells killing Curios before Kol’s eyes then disappearing.
The yells, screams and cries shatter the air carrying the pain of Hallthor and Kol all the way to Asgard.
Seconds later Thor and Sif are there staring gravely at Kol and Hallthor cradling Curios limp body close to them.
Shooting a bolt of lightning into the air Thor walks over to them. “My sons, it is a hard thing to lose a brother. Trust me I know, my own brother Balder was lost to Loki’s evil. Do not let the hate take root it is exactly what he wants.”
“Can’t you bring him back father?” Questions Hallthor.
“No my son, the Norns have cut the string.”
“Do not fear young demigods, Curios has earned a place in Elysium.” Thanatos’ voice echoes over the deck as his wings wrap around Curios making his body disappear.
“What happened? What’s Elysium?” Questions Kol anxiously.
“It is the place the heroes go for the Greeks, it is a never ending paradise.” Sif says hugging Kol and Hallthor close. “I am sorry I doubted you Kol, you are a good man and I am proud that you are my surrogate son.”
“Thank you.” Sniffs Kol trying to get his tears under control.
“I wish you had time to grieve my sons but you must go, Loki will try to hurt you both as long as you are here but he won’t interfere with the quests. Make haste to Vasos on the island of the sirens and begin your next quests, go with our blessings.”
Thor and Sif sail into the air leaving them with their pain.
“What now?” Floggen asks quietly trying to hide his tears.
Kol stares off into the distance crying a little longer before he straightens his face. “Now we go and help Vasos, I will not lose anymore brothers.”
Immortals Children Of The Gods Page 43