Jotunheim

[ngm_miscellaneous]

The portal from Vincent's magic opened on one of the middle levels of the Norse universe. Snow crunched under boots and bare feet as the Avengers assembled in the realm of giants. The sharp, craggy land was as welcoming as an ice pick between the shoulder blades. But out there in the cold and blowing landscape was a young girl waiting to be rescued.

Comments

[vincent_amora]

"LOKI!!" Vincent rushes ahead, but winds up clipped by Jay swinging one of the Loki replicants. Vincent is knocked to the floor of the cave.

The Casket tumbles out of his grasp. "NO!"

[the4thblackknight]

Out of the corner of his eye, Marcus saw the casket go flying. Disbelief washed through him. That thing had nearly cost him and Erin their lives and Vincent dropped it?

"You incompetent tit!" He shouted at Vincent, ducking around the 'Loki' he was swinging at to try and recover the thing.

[wateronthebrain]

"Someone grab it," Erin yelps as one of the Lokis back hands her and she goes bouncing into a wall in surprise.

[ngm_villains]

One of the Loki look-alikes not actively engaging anyone laughs.

"Fool!" He grabs the Cask and starts to open it to engage some of the power of the Cask.

"You simply tripped... and here I thought you were an Avenger." Loki had failed to notice the little trick Amora had left behind. Luck is about to go towards the Avengers now.

[comic_awareness]

A carefully controlled photon blast freed Audhild, and Bruce scooped her up.

"Don't worry," he said. "We're gonna go home now."

[avengingwarbird]

Roxie noticed that one of the Loki-alikes was not like the others.

She rushed him.

[lil_hulk]

Jay saw what Roxstar was doing. Since she was going for the front, Jay was swinging a not-quite-puny-god at Loki's backside. If the fake disappeared, he would at least smack Loki with one hand with the way he was holding the ragdoll fake.

[vincent_amora]

Vincent just starts shrieking at Marcus and Loki alike as he hurls attack after attack at the Loki with the Casket. "Shut up shut up SHUT UP SHUT UP!! I AM an Avenger!!"

He has to sell this part until Loki's fully tried to tap the Casket's powers.

[wateronthebrain]

Did Vincent go crazy? Oh he did. Great. Well she decides she better make the Loki with the Cask trip so she has a puddle of water form just in front of his feet.

[ngm_villains]

Two thing happen.

No wait make that three. Loki dodges Roxie by mere inches first. Second he sneers and steps forward to fling a Cask empowered spell at Vincent.

Three, he trips and slides because of the unexpected water on the ground.

[pintsizedbruiser]

"I want to go home," Audhild complains.

"Loki ist mean!"

[comic_awareness]

Bruce lifted off the ground, aiming toward the exit. "I've got her!"

"Hang on tight, kiddo!"

[vincent_amora]

Vincent is about to press the advantage the slip yielded when Bruce flies past with his sister. He locks his jaw and snuffs the spell out in his palm. "Another day, Laufeyson.

Avengers! We are leaving!"

He flies at full speed after Bruce, pulling a glass orb from a pouch and smashing it upon the ground. A whirling vortex opens back to Earth. "I'll hold the portal. Go, now!"

[pintsizedbruiser]

"Brother!" She scrambles against Bruce for a moment before going still. Audhild is pretty upset right now. The stress is clear on her face.

[comic_awareness]

Once Bruce was certain they were safely back in the courtyard, Bruce finally released Audhild.

"Okay, I never want to do any of that. Ever again."

[the4thblackknight]

Marcus didn't say a word. Once they were through the portal, his duty was discharged and he was done with this. He brushed past the rest of the group and headed to check on his horse.

[lil_hulk]

Jay came out of the portal from Jotunheim back to the Avengers' courtyard. He hunched his eight-foot tall frame a bit. He glanced after Marcus, looked at Bruce, and then shook his head.

"I'll go see if Marcus needs help, then I'm wrecking the training room."

The big Hulk turned his back on the rest of the Avengers and slowly trailed after his departing friend.

[avengingwarbird]

Roxie nodded at Bruce as Jay and Marcus stalked away. "Make that two of us," she said quietly.

[wateronthebrain]

Erin just stumbles then gives Bruce a tired smile. "I'm just going to go change. I don't feel like destroying anything. Just like sleeping for a week."

She is bone tired right now.

[comic_awareness]

This... this was going to be a rather difficult rest of the day, even after the rest of the mess.

"Vincent, after you've seen to Audhild, meet me in the war room. The rest of you... get patched up, get food, whatever you need. World's been saved. And somebody let Marcus and Jay know I wanna talk to them too."

[vincent_amora]

Vincent comes through the portal just as it closes, practically nicking the heel of his boots he cuts it close. He hurriedly takes Audhild from Bruce. "I'll report to you when I can. I need to make sure she's truly safe this time."

He puts a hand into her hair, holding her tightly against his shoulder. "Everything's going to be alright, Audhild. I promise."

[ngm_adults]

"Tell me, Vincent, is that an Avengers promise or a cut-rate-version-of-Father promise?" Dr. Vernard asks as he approaches.

[vincent_amora]

Vincent would hold Audhild tighter still if not for worry of hurting her. "It is my promise to her, Kristoff." He's much too tired and frustrated to use the 'Dr Vernard' pretense of pretending they haven't gotten closer.

[ngm_adults]

"That's good. Perhaps it will be good for something then. But we need to talk. At length. Once she's home and secure."

[vincent_amora]

"Very well... Bruce, I will return when I can. Kristoff, excuse me, but I'm a bit too low on energy for teleportation right now..." The three children of Doom begin to rise into the air, before Vincent has them flying across town to the apartment Roxanne left to him and Audhild. The skylight opens for them and they gently alight into the living room.

Vincent takes Audhild to her bedroom. "I need to speak with Kristoff for a little bit. You just lay down and rest. I'm right here if you need me." He carefully puts her on her bed, before stepping back out.

He had every intention of standing coolly in front of Kristoff and delivering a 'Well?' or 'So?' or something equally impassive; but the day is just too much. He puts his back to a wall and crumples to the floor, shaking in relief and exhaustion. He looks up at Kristoff. "I... I wasn't sure we'd find her."