CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX —
( Trust my rage. )

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As they flew over Svartalfheim, Jane laid down to rest, and Thor placed a blanket over her. "What I could do with the power that flows through those veins," Loki said while looking down at Jane.

"It would easily consume you," Thor said.

"She's holding up alright, for now." Thor walked over and sat down, and Evelyn did the same next to Loki.

"She's strong in ways you'd never even know," Thor told him.

"Say goodbye," Loki replied.

"Not this day," Thor said.

"This day, the next, a hundred years is nothing," Loki told him. "It's a heartbeat. You'll never be ready. The only woman whose love you prized will be snatched from you."

"And will that satisfy you?" Thor started to raise his voice.

"Satisfaction is not in my nature," Loki replied.

"Surrender's not in mine," Thor countered.

"The son of Odin—"

Thor abruptly stood up. "No, not just of Odin! You think you alone who loved mother? You had her tricks, but I had her trust!"

"Trust. Was that her last expression? Trust? When you let her die!" Loki leant in closer to Thor.

"What help were you in your cell?" Thor asked.

"Who put me there?" Loki asked. "Who put me there?!"

Thor grabbed a hold of Loki. "You know damn well! You know damn well!" Thor raised his fist to punch Loki.

"Boys," Evelyn warned, and Thor slowly put his fist down.

"She wouldn't want us to fight," Thor told Loki.

"Well, she wouldn't exactly be shocked," Loki said, sharing a smile with his brother.

"Thor," Loki murmured, "you shouldn't get too attached to the mortal. Her mortality will only bring you sorrow in the future." As he spoke, Loki's gaze shifted to Evelyn, the sorrow evident in his eyes. She averted her gaze, feeling the weight of guilt, knowing that Loki's beloved had passed away during her birth.

Thor looked between them and must have known, for he changed the subject. "I wish I could trust you," Thor told Loki, then turned his back to him.

Loki stood up. "Trust my rage."

They continued to fly through Svartalfheim when Jane's eyes suddenly snapped open. She rose to her feet and looked ahead.

"Jane?" Thor asked.

"Malekith," she said as his ship came into view.

After landing the ship, they all walked over towards the top of a hill so that they could watch Malekith and his men in the distance. "Alright, are you ready?" Thor asked Jane and Jane nodded her head.

"I am," Loki replied as they all rose from hiding.

"You know this plan of yours is going to get us killed," Evelyn told Thor.

"Yeah, possibly," Thor replied. Loki held up his shackled hands for Thor to uncuff him.

"You still don't trust me, brother?" Loki asked.

"Would you?" Thor asked as he took off Loki's cuffs. Loki rubbed his hands together as he looked down the hill.

"No, I wouldn't." Suddenly, Loki took out a dagger, stabbed Thor, and threw him down the hill.

"Thor! No!" Jane cried out.

Loki and Evelyn leapt from the hill, their figures silhouetted against the setting sun after Loki quickly maneuvered Thor to the ground. As they descended, the cool evening air rushed past them. Their determined steps carried them down the slope, closing in on Thor. "You really think I cared, brother?" Loki's voice echoed through the quiet, tense atmosphere. "About Frigga, about anybody?" Evelyn marched over and kicked Thor in the stomach, sending him flying a few metres. "All I ever wanted was you and Odin dead at my feet!"

"I never really wanted to save Earth. I just wanted to destroy it," Evelyn growled. She frightened herself, realising how easy it was to turn back into the heartless Annihilator. Thor raised his hand, attempting to summon Mjolnir, but Loki cut off his hand, making Thor scream in pain. Evelyn froze her arm and turned it into a spear, stabbing Thor through his shoulder with it.

Jane rushed over to Thor, but Loki grabbed her and turned to face Malekith and his dark elves. "Malekith, I am Loki of Jotunheim. This is my daughter Evelina, and we bring you a gift!" He threw Jane at Malekith's feet.

"We ask only one thing in return," Evelyn said. "A good seat from which to watch Asgard burn."

"And to spare my daughter's life," Loki said. Evelyn looked up at him with a frown, but he was already looking down at her.

That monster thing that broke out of his cell and didn't let them out turned to Malekith and told him something in their language. Malekith walked over towards Thor, who was squirming in pain on the ground.

"Look at me." Malekith kicked Thor to turn him over. He lifted Jane into the air with his powers and extracted the Aether from her. She fell to the ground when the red substance finally left her body.

"Loki, now!" Loki used his magic to reform Thor's hand and he quickly summoned Mjolnir. Loki and Evelyn rushed over to cover Jane as Thor shot lightning at the Aether in an attempt to destroy it. There was a loud bang and everything was silent. But then the Aether began to rise from the ground and Malekith quickly absorbed it, then turned to leave on his ship.

Two dark elves started attacking Thor, but he quickly took them down. The giant monster threw one of his vortex weapons towards Loki, Jane and Evelyn. Loki quickly pushed the girls out of the way and started to get sucked in, but Evelyn promptly jumped up and pulled him back.

They landed on the ground, and Evelyn looked at him. "You're welcome."

Evelyn stood up as some Dark elves began to circle Loki and her. They shared a look before attacking them. One of the elves attacked Evelyn with a sword, but she quickly blocked him with her sword and then used her leg to knock him to the ground before stabbing her sword into him. Another one came up behind Evelyn, but she was quick to flip him over her shoulder and then sliced his throat. Evelyn turned and ducked just in time from another Dark Elf. She quickly jumped up, wrapped her legs around his shoulders, and then bent her back to flip him over. She bent down and snapped his neck. Evelyn turned around to see that Loki had taken care of his as well and saw something in his eyes as he looked at Evelyn, something she had never seen from him before: pride.

Evelyn looked at where Thor was and saw that he was struggling with the monster. Loki and Evelyn made their way towards it as it continuously punched Thor into the ground. Loki pushed Evelyn back behind him as he took her sword from her hand.

"What're you—" but she was cut off by Loki stabbing the beast in the chest. The beast turned around and looked at Loki, then pulled him against the sword, stabbing Loki as well. Evelyn's hands flew up to her mouth as he eyes widened. The beast pushed Loki off of him, then began to walk over towards Thor.

"See you in hell, monster!" Loki said to it. There was a red flashing light on the sword. It then exploded before the beast could do anything, destroying him.

Thor and Evelyn quickly rushed over towards Loki as his breathing began to get heavy.

"No, no! Fool, you didn't listen!" Thor and Evelyn crouched down on either side of Loki and cradled him.

"I know, I'm a fool. I'm a fool!" Loki squirmed with pain.

"Stay with us. Stay!" Evelyn begged him as she held onto his hand. "I can't lose my dad."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry..." He choked out.

"Ssh," Thor nodded his head. "It's alright. I'll tell Father what you did here today."

"I didn't do it for him," Loki said.

Evelyn held Loki's hand close, holding it against her chest as she looked into his eyes, desperately trying to hold back her tears. "Hey, you can't leave. Do you hear me? I won't let you go, okay?"

Loki looked at Evelyn, his breathing slowing down. "I'm proud of you, Evelina. So very proud of the person you've become." His eyes closed, and his skin turned to its blue Frost Giant form.

As Thor's anguished cries echoed through the room, Evelyn lowered her head, her heart aching for him. Her training with both HYDRA and S.H.I.E.L.D, taught her the importance of suppressing her emotions during a mission and to deal with her own feelings later, in the privacy of her own home. At that moment, all she could do was gently place Loki's hands back onto his chest and wrap Thor in a comforting embrace as he wept uncontrollably.

Loki may have been a villain, but he was a hero that day in their eyes.