Deep in Asgard's dungeons, Hermione met Loki again.
"Frigga's fine," Hermione said without preamble.
At her words, Loki's tense body visibly relaxed.
"Come on out. You're free," Hermione continued.
Loki raised an eyebrow, looking a little surprised. "Fa... Odin agreed just like that?"
"What else were you expecting?" Hermione rolled her eyes, then used the token Odin had given her to deactivate the cell's light barrier.
Loki chuckled and strolled out of the cell.
Knowing his mother was safe, he had reverted to his usual self.
"I have to say, you're much more straightforward than I expected. Working for you is far more comfortable than being Odin's son," Loki said with a smile.
"Hurry up," Hermione said. "We're short on time. The sooner I get the Aether, the sooner you get to 'die.'"
Loki shook his head and looked at the nearby cells the Dark Elves had destroyed. Who knew how many prisoners had escaped? He shook his head inwardly.
Once he became king, he would have to catch them all again, one by one.
Tch. What a pain.
Inside the palace.
"Hey, we meet again. You're my idiot brother's..."
Smack!
They had barely met, and Loki hadn't even finished his opening line before Jane charged up and slapped him without a word.
The slap rang out, leaving Loki utterly bewildered.
"That was for New York," Jane said coldly.
Loki held his cheek, looking helpless.
Then you've hit the wrong person... His gaze instinctively flicked toward Hermione.
"Well done!" Hermione said.
Loki: ...
Fuck!
Svartalfheim was a barren, lifeless wasteland.
Fierce winds howled, whipping dust into the sky.
The three landed, and Jane looked around curiously.
"So this is Svartalfheim? It's awfully desolate."
She had expected some sort of alien city, something at least on par with Asgard.
"They're