Though Nornheim officially belonged to the Asgardian territories, the Queen, Karnilla, long ago declared it a separate sovereignty. Karnilla did not recognise Odin as her ruler, but as long as the Mistress of Magic was not a threat to the other Realms, the Allfather allowed her the impression she ruled Nornheim alone. Something he only did at the insistence of Frigga, who saw Karnilla as a dear friend and sister. 
After making their plans known to their parents, Loki and Thor had requested Frigga contact Karnilla. Lady Sunna was an excellent manipulator. She was more than capable of spinning some tale about Loki taking Sigyn against her will, and despite her enmity towards him, Karnilla might reconsider the apparent alliance she had with Lady Sunna once she learned the truth. But even if the Norn forces of demon and man did not fight this day, they would still have to face the Marauders and Lady Sunna's unknown magic.

The Bifrost carried the Einherjar to the edge of the Norn Forest. From there, Aeric led Thor and Loki on a carefully marked path to where Sigyn was kept in a labyrinth of caves just beneath the ridge atop where the Keep stood. Only by walking the path could one pass the magic shield and get to where the Marauders were. But once inside, none could come out. Not unless they had Lady Sunna's permission.
Had Aeric not pointed out the faint scratches on the trees and rocks, neither Thor nor Loki would have noticed them. They were so randomly placed, an animal could have made them. But when formed together, they formed runes. Barrier runes — basic magic any sorcerer could wield. Effective to keep anything and anyone out, including beings as powerful as Heimdall. The trick to pass was to recognise it. And thanks to Aeric, Loki had.
He undid the barrier with a counterspell, so the army wouldn't fall under its effects. But Loki was no fool, and neither was his foe. This wouldn't be the only thing that would keep him from retrieving his wife. From what Aeric told them of Lady Sunna, she was a cold-hearted and calculating witch that carefully planned everything for herself and her family. Her greatest mistake, however, was making Loki her enemy.

A few miles away from the caves, Thor sent scouts ahead, wanting to be certain things were still as Aeric had claimed before they engaged in battle. Until they returned, there was nothing to do but wait. Yet no one sat idly by. Every man and woman present made sure their sword and axe were sharp, their bow was strung, and their shield was ready to defend the glory and honour of Asgard and retrieve their beloved Princess. 
Thor gathered the Warriors Three, Lady Sif, and the other army commanders, to discuss several attack tactics. The terrain was rough, meaning the cavalry could not attack head-on, but thanks to Aeric's intelligence, they could go around their enemy to surprise them from the side. If Fandrall and Hogun could keep the Norn occupied long enough, Thor could attack the Marauders with Volstagg and Sif. That just left Queen Karnilla's demons.

"How many men do you need?" Thor asked Loki.

"None."

"You plan to go against them on your own?" Aeric asked in surprise.

"We have some magic wielders among the Einherjar," suggested Thor. "They can help you."

"I have all the power I need."

Loki felt his brother's eyes on him as he dismissed the offer. He clearly perceived Thor's confusion from the corner of his eye, but had no intention of explaining himself. His brother would not understand. None of them would.

"I would prefer it if you had these men with you, Loki," insisted Thor.

He rolled his eyes. "Fine. But a lightning strike from your hammer would do more harm than anything they can conjure up."

"So, is this the plan, then?" inquired Volstagg impatiently. "Loki deals with the demons, Fandrall and Hogun lead the cavalry, and Sif and I follow you into battle with the others?"

"Unless the scouts report back with other news than what Aeric has provided us with," said Thor, "it seems to be the best strategy."

"Pardon, but who do I follow?" asked Aeric.

"You are staying here," reacted Loki harshly.

"What? Why?"

"Because I say so."

"I am a skilled archer! I can help you!"

"What part of 'no' do you not understand? You are a liability, Aeric. Your mother will undoubtedly have realised her shield is down. She will be looking for the person responsible for bringing an Asgardian army here. What do you think she will do once she discovers it's you?"

Loki understood why he wanted to help. But he couldn't allow it. He made Aeric look at him by putting his hands on his shoulders. It felt so odd to act like the older brother for once.

"Sigyn will not forgive me if anything happened to you," he continued, kinder but still sternly. "I cannot watch you and rescue her at the same time. I need all my powers to fight the demons and your mother. You have already done more than enough by coming to me and bringing me this far. Let me take it from here."

Aeric pinched his brow and lips, reluctant to give in. But to Loki's relief, the young man eventually nodded his consent. Good. He would have hated to knock Aeric out and tie him up. Okay, maybe he wouldn't have, but Thor would have certainly objected, and Loki could not very well do the same to him.
The Einherjar followed Thor and his comrades before they would ever follow Loki. They might make an exception to save Sigyn as she was well-liked among even the rabble, but to put it to the test now seemed like too great a risk. Thor was a bother sometimes, but all things considered, if it came down to it, there was no one Loki would rather want fighting beside him.

The scouts returned an hour later — not a minute too soon, as Volstagg grew more impatient with the prospect of a glorious battle to save a damsel in distress — and confirmed all Aeric told them. The troops were rallied and divided to attack at once. They could not afford to waste another moment. As Loki had predicted, Lady Sunna had indeed realised her shield was down, and the Marauders and Norn had begun to prepare for battle, under the leadership of Sigyn's brothers. Thorin led the Marauders, Björn the Norn forces and — to Loki's great joy — Ivar the demons.
The second son of Asgard grimly oversaw the thirty magic wielders under his command. None even came close to the awesome power he or Frigga had, but they might do some damage if they worked together. At the very least, they would keep the demons occupied. If Ivar was truly there, Loki could not be bothered in dealing with simple, mindless creatures. Not when the veritable monster stalked among them.

"Brother, a moment!"

Loki turned when Thor called and approached. He gave a frustrated grunt and a dismissive wave. "If you are here to convince me to let Aeric fight, you are wasting your breath. And my time."

"What? No, you were right to keep him back. That's not why I came. I believe I might have a way to help you. Before when you said lightning would harm the demons. Did you mean that, or did you speak in jest?"

"Obviously, I meant that," Loki said, annoyed at this unnecessary delay.

A smile crept up on Thor's face. "Then is it not obvious what we must do? I will go with you and hit the demons with my lightning, and then you and the other sorcerers can finish them. Volstagg and Sif can lead the charge against the Marauders. It will take me but a moment to join them if I use Mjölnir to fly."

"That... is not such a bad idea, actually. I'm impressed, Thor. Perhaps there is hope for you yet. All right, join us then. We will discuss how we engage the demons on the way."

"No need. I have already thought of that. It is the perfect way to catch them off guard and hit them swift and true."

Loki met Thor's wide grin with suspicion. An impending fight and the chance to gain glory for himself and Asgard always raised Thor's spirits, but in this case, his brother seemed a bit too excited to Loki's liking.

"I am not going to like this, am I?"

***

It was well after sundown. All was quiet. Too quiet. They all sensed something was amiss. Word of the Asgardians' arrival had spread throughout the camps. All knew an attack was imminent. What disturbed all was that the mighty Thor and his Trickster-brother were at the head of their army. Those two rarely worked together, and the God of Mischief was not a seasoned warrior like the Crown Prince. Whatever drove them to join forces now, it did not bode well.

The Marauders, hardened plunderers who claimed to fear nothing nor no one, had fought the Asgardians before and believed to know what to expect. But they had expected the same numbers as always and not the overwhelming force they faced that night. Though they kept it well hidden, dread struck each as they faced the Einherjar.
The Norn, who were Asgardians by birth and ancestry, had made a mistake in underestimating their foe's abilities. They had not believed their adversary capable of using their cavalry since the chosen battleground proved unfit for horses. But to their astonishment, the Asgardians found a way around the rocks and marshes and charged through the forest and tall grass, their horses neighing furiously. The Norn were blind-sided, taken completely by surprise without time to raise any defence.
And then there were Queen Karnilla's demons. Ravenous beasts who might have turned the tables for both other forces... were they not duped by the oldest trick in the book — misdirection.

"GET HELP! MY BROTHER, PLEASE GET HELP!"

The golden-haired Crown Prince appeared out of nowhere, holding the Trickster up as if the man were gravely wounded. The demons were startled by the sight. Had something attacked them? What else would drive them to beg the enemy for help?
Some cautiously moved towards the pair. When they were but a few feet away, the panic-stricken expression on the Asgardian Prince's face changed to a grin. Without warning, the mighty Thor hurled his brother into the crowd of demons. The Trickster rolled onto his feet before anyone realised what was happening, and at once, a hundred snakes sprang out of the earth from where he stood. Their powerful bodies wrapped around the demons, their venom paralysing them with a single bite. Those that overcame the snakes ripped them apart or trampled them underneath their feet. 

All eyes — and some had more than two — were on the Trickster in their midst. What had possibly possessed him to do this? It was the move of a desperate madman. But one look upon his mischievous smirk was all they needed to realise the dreadful truth. They had fallen right into a trap.
The first-born Odinson came down upon them with a thunderous roar. Mjölnir hit the ground, and all demons who stood too close were swept away by the tremendous force of impact. Lightning shot through their bodies, burning or dismembering them all. The survivors drew back in horror, trembling for the first time in their lives.

"Told you that would work," boasted the Crown Prince.

"Yes, yes, you're a genius," replied the Trickster, patting some dirt off. "Next time, I'll throw you. See how you like it."

"Why change a good thing? Besides, you would not be able to throw me; I'm bigger."

"Heavier, you mean." They gave each other a broad smile, as only brothers could, before the Trickster shooed the eldest Odinson away. "Now run along and play 'warrior' with the other children. We can take it from here now."

The mighty Thor nodded and flew off with his hammer. Had the demons not been so dumbstruck, they might have still stood a chance then. They might have been able to see through the other illusion. The Trickster gave a wave with his hand, unveiling about thirty men. The demons found themselves completely surrounded. 

"Let's get the real fun started, shall we?"

***

The brothers' sudden and well-planned attack had taken the beasts off guard. Yet, despite their obvious lack of intellect, the demons were still a force to be reckoned with. For every slain, another five stepped up. They did not care if they had to walk over or on their fallen brethren to get to their prey. But the demons were not used to this sort. This prey fought back. And how.
Limbs fell off with rot, eyes popped out of their sockets, rocks and stakes of wood flew about dangerously, and even animals who would not usually draw near a demon now suddenly attacked wildly to kill. A patch of turned into quicksand, making any demon dumb enough to step upon it sink into the earth in mere seconds. Howls and ear-piercing screams filled the night. 

Yet amidst all the fighting and the seemingly easy victory at hand, Loki was anxious. This was going far too easily. Was this it? A clash of armies? No, it couldn't be. Not with someone like Lady Sunna holding the strings to these puppets. And where was her son? Where was Ivar? He was supposed to be here, leading the demons. Loki searched everywhere, but found him missing. 

Something is wrong. These demons, the Norn, the Marauders... They're keeping us occupied. 

An explosion suddenly illuminated the sky. Loki turned his head to where Thor battled the Marauders. His eyes widened when he saw a great grey-scaled dragon rise into the air. The winged beast snapped at something too small to make out from this distance, but Loki had a pretty good idea of what, or rather who, it was. 

"We meet again, Trickster."

Loki spun on his heels to find Ivar smirking at him a few feet away. To Loki's surprise, Sigyn's eldest brother wore no armour. He did not even hold a weapon. Ivar was bare-chested, proudly showing the runes tattooed on his skin. But one very particular one caught Loki's eye. One that was not tattooed but smeared in blood. And in its exact centre, at Ivar's heart, a gem pinned right into his flesh — a dragon gem.  

No... No, that's impossible! How did they get those? 

"I see you recognise this bit of magic." Ivar grinned wickedly. "Mother thought this quite fitting for the fall of Asgard. All we needed was Sigyn's blood. A bit of that fire coursing through her."

"Don't do it," warned Loki. "You will lose yourself to the beast. You will be left with nothing."

"I will be left with everything!" 

Loki pulled his dagger out of his wrist cuff and threw it at Ivar, hoping it would break the gem. But the blade did not even hit the jewel. It was swallowed whole by the creature Ivar was transforming into. His skin was no longer flesh and blood, but black scales. His body was no longer that of a man but of a serpent drake, growing longer and greater with every heartbeat. Rows of razor-sharp teeth glistened in the faint light of the moon above. And fiery red eyes flared with a fire mage's flame.

***

"Do you hear that, my dear girl? Do you hear the roars? The screams? That is the sound of Asgard's forces crumbling under our might. Oh, just listen to it, Sigyn! How wonderful it is!"

Sigyn averted in disgust. She could not bear to see her mother gloating, revelling in the death of others. Was there truly nothing the woman would not do? Turning her own sons into dragons... It was yet another line Lady Sunna had readily crossed without hesitation.
Sigyn had begged her mother not to continue with this plan. But her plea had been met with laughter. The witch had drawn blood from herself and Sigyn to paint the runes upon her sons. Sigyn's fire and Lady Sunna's desire to be the most powerful being in the universe were all that was necessary to fuel the dragon gems. Ivar, Thorin and Björn had transformed into dragons mere minutes after entering the battlefield.

Sigyn had read of this in Bor's tome. It was a fire mage's truest potential and undoing. As a dragon, they became the ultimate being. But once transformed, the only known way to undo the magic was to break the dragon gem — a nearly impossible feat to do. The beast would take over the mage's mind, destroying the person they once were. Everything and everybody the mage ever fought for was forgotten.
Only the most desperate mages had dared cast this spell, tempting the fates by believing it might be different. But all had suffered the same fate. All had become mindless monsters.
All had died.

***

At least it will be a most glorious death if I die here, thought Thor. To be defeated by a dragon... What better way?

He struck the grey-scaled dragon's head hard with Mjölnir, but the blow barely tickled the beast. Thor met the dragon's grin. It was hard to believe that mere moments ago, this had been Sigyn's younger brother, now transformed into a drake worthy of legend.
Thor took to the sky, prompting Thorin to follow him. He fought the dragon with all his might, striking it with Mjölnir and his fist too, summoning lightning down upon it even. But nothing seemed to harm the beast. Its scales were too thick. And it was fast. Very fast. Thor was only just able to dodge the talons, the only victim being his red cape, now flapping in tatters about him. 

From up above, Thor had a clear view of the entire battlefield. The cavalry had the Norn on the run. So far, they had not been attacked by a dragon, which was a small mercy. Loki, however, was not so fortunate. Thor's heart sank upon seeing his brother fight a giant serpent drake, undoubtedly Sigyn's older brother, Ivar. 

This needs to stop! But what can I do? Nothing works against this damned beast. 

Thor dodged another of Thorin's snaps. It was then he saw a flickering where the heart should be. A gem of sorts. Was that it? Was that what gave Thorin this power? 

Very well, then. Let's try this. 

Thor spun Mjölnir faster and faster. Ominous clouds gathered above them. Lightning tore through the sky as the Crown Prince of Asgard launched himself toward his foe. Mjölnir struck the gem. The dragon roared in pain. A tiny crack appeared in the jewel, shattering it further. 

Come on... Come on!

He never saw the talon coming. It ripped Thor away from the gem, and worst of all, Mjölnir was knocked out of his hand. Thor stretched his hand to summon the hammer back to him, but he crashed onto the ground before his fingers closed around the handle.
Between the ringing in his ears, he heard the dragon's mighty growl. The beast above circle him like a vulture and then dived. Someone cried out his name, but Thor could not make out who it was. 
But then, when the dragon was nearly upon him, a heavy smoke fell over him and the rest of the army. Thor frantically looked around him. Was it another part of the enemy's plan? Was it some freakish natural phenomenon? Or... was it...? 

"THOR! Thor, where are you?"

Sif's voice reached Thor. He crawled up to his feet and called back to her, leading her to him. When Thor finally saw his dear friend, he saw she was not alone.

"Aeric, in Odin's name, what are you doing here?" he exclaimed angrily at the young archer. "Loki told you to stay away!"

"I don't give a damn about what Loki says! I am going to free Sigyn whilst everyone is fighting!"

Thor groaned at Aeric's stubbornness, but also applauded the young man's bravery. Aeric peered up, the dragon's form peeking through the impenetrable smoke. "Odin's beard, is that...?"

"Your brother, yes. I believe Loki is fighting Ivar. Björn is yet to appear, though."

"He won't fight," said Aeric. "Not like this. This isn't honourable. We need to transform Thorin and Ivar back before the dragon gems take over completely and they lose their minds."

"I hit the gem full-on, but it did not break." Thor gritted his teeth, ignoring the pain in his body as he stepped forward. "Perhaps if I can strike it one more time —"

"Thor, no, you are hurt." Sif halted him. "You cannot go on."

"Sif, I have to destroy that gem!"

"Leave that to me." Aeric reached for the quiver on his back, pulling out a gold-tipped arrow. "My father gave me these before I called upon the Bifrost to take me to Asgard. These arrows were made in a fire mage's flame. It was my grandmother's last act before she died. She knew my father was courting my mother and made him promise to hide them from her and to only use them in case she created a monster beyond anyone's control. When my mother gathered the dragon gems, my father knew this was what she meant. I just need a clear view."

Thor nodded and spun Mjölnir, grunting against the strain. The smoke about them evaporated. The dragon had not yet noticed the smoke was dissipating beneath him and was just about to pass over them. Aeric aimed his bow, moving along with the beast in the sky. The arrow then whooshed through the air and hit the gem dead-centre.
The dragon gave an agonising roar as it plummeted down with its wings folding around its body. Thor jumped up and caught Thorin's transforming form right before he slammed to the ground. He sighed in relief at finding Sigyn's brother was still alive. 

"Take care of him!" Aeric yelled. "I will free our sister!"

"Aeric, no, wait!"

But the young man was already gone. Thor hoped that whatever Lady Sunna still had in store for them, she would not dare cross that last line. 

***

The serpent drake froze when he saw his winged brother fall out of the sky and change back into a man. Loki grinned, glad he had managed to buy Thor enough time with his own barrier shield to take out Thorin. Now to deal with Ivar. 
Loki summoned several illusions of himself to surround Sigyn's beastly brother. They all stretched out their hands, a faint greenish glow illuminating their fingertips. The drake searched for the real Loki, but he was well hidden among them, constantly moving to confuse Ivar even further. Once he was behind him, Loki took a deep breath and closed his eyes. 
All the ancient powers the Trickster had drawn from the Urdarbrunn surged through him. It nearly overwhelmed him, but this was why he had not used it until now. With at least ten other versions of himself, he could spread this magic. Scattered, yet wielded by only one individual. Controlled chaos balanced out perfectly. 

The raw magic hit Ivar's body from all sides, and he gave out a terrifying shriek. The serpent drake writhed, thrashing its giant body around. Loki's hands trembled. He could not keep this up for long. Just a little more...
Ivar slowly transfigured back into the man he used to be, wildly waving his hands, as if that would stop the ancient magic from taking effect. Loki moved his right hand just a little. The version of himself who stood on his opposite side moved his left hand. The dragon gem shattered into dust. Ivar cried out and fell to the dirt where he belonged. Loki sank to one knee, panting heavily. He did it. He won.

"DAMN YOU, TRICKSTER!" Ivar's mad bellow made Loki jerk his head up. "Mark my words, you will be dead at my feet come dawn! I will not hold back! I will not stop until I destroy you!"

Loki smirked at the threat. "I cannot tell you how disappointing that is to hear."

Sheer fury pushed Ivar back onto his feet. He charged at Loki, blinded by hatred. Or at least he thought he did. But the Loki who had spoken was merely an illusion — one Ivar fell right through. 

"Because if you are not holding back..."

The warrior jumped back up and attacked again.

"... that means this is the best you can do."

And again.

"And your best..."

And again.

"... is pathetic."

Before Ivar could attack again, Loki's duplicates conjured a dagger out of thin air and simultaneously threw it at the giant brute. Ivar's breath caught when the weapons pierced his body. The illusions may have been fake, but thanks to the magic Loki now wielded, the daggers weren't. The real Loki slowly stepped up to Sigyn's brother, another knife already in his hand. Ivar looked up at Loki, blood trickling down his chin and chest as he coughed. He chuckled weakly. 

"Sh-She w-will hate you. Perhaps n-not now, but... one day, s-she will... hate you. F-fire mages a-are incapable o-of... anything else."

"Shows what you know," sneered Loki.

His dagger slashed through the air. 

***

Sigyn heard a scuffle behind her. She tried to turn around, but her chains and broken body prevented her from doing so. It was probably just an animal, anyway. No one knew where she was except for her mother and brothers. Ivar, Thorin and Björn were out on the battlefield, and her mother had gone. She dared to hope perhaps Aeric had returned, but she knew he would not. He had done his part. 

"Sigyn?"

Sigyn gasped when her youngest brother knelt beside her, carefully eyeing his surroundings. "Aeric? How did you —?"

"I found another way in." Aeric dropped his bow and pulled a golden-tipped arrow from his quiver. "I couldn't come in through the front. There is a bit of a fight going on. The entire Asgardian army is here for you. So is Loki. I will take you to him. Sit still now."

"But you were safe. Why did you come back?"

"I found someone who believes in me. She is worth the risk."

Sigyn stared at him. She did not know what to say. Except maybe... "Thank you."

Aeric smiled and struck the arrow's tip a few times against the shackles around her ankles. To her surprise, they came undone. To be free of their weight alone was already an immense relief to Sigyn. She could feel some of her strength returning already. Aeric took hold of her left hand and did as he had done with her ankles. The shackle fell to the ground with a soft thud. 

"Almost done," he whispered. "I will carry you out and —"

Aeric choked on his words. He gasped for air, his skin going pale and his eyes widening. Like a puppet on a string, he was pulled back by an invisible force. Sigyn screamed when he hit the ground in the middle of the cave. The golden-tipped arrow rolled away from his hand, just out of her reach. She looked up, trying to see what had attacked her brother. Her heart stopped when she saw her mother walking towards him, with her hand stretched out before her. 

"Oh, my sweet boy." Lady Sunna's voice dripped with mocked lament. "You really should have stayed away."

"Mother, please, don't," pleaded Sigyn. "I will do whatever you want. I will go wherever you want. Please do not harm him. Mother, please!"

Her mother raised her head, flashing her false smile. "Now, now, Sigyn, what have I always told you? Betrayal does not come from outside. It festers from within, born out of bad seed. And what must we do with bad seed?"

She clenched her hand into a fist. Aeric convulsed violently as the spell gripped him. He gurgled. Blood seeped out of his mouth, eyes, nose, and ears. Sigyn watched in horror as his fingers reached for her. 

"S-S-Sis... ter..."

"NO!"

***

Loki looked down at Ivar's body. He still held the bloodied dagger in his shaking hand. He had never killed someone like that before. The bastard would have met his end at an executioner's blade, anyway. So why not his own blade?

"Loki!" A heavy hand landed on his shoulder. "Brother, are you well?"

 "Yes." Loki glanced back at his brother. "You look like hell."

"I feel like hell," grunted Thor. "We stand victorious. Karnilla received Mother's message and ordered an immediate retreat. The Marauders wisely abandoned the battle. Björn surrendered himself to Karnilla; she is changing him back as we speak. Thorin is in chains and —"

"Ivar has been dealt with," finished Loki, scowling again at his brother-in-law's body. 

"That just leaves Lady Sunna. Are you ready for her?"

"Ready as I'll ever be."

"Perhaps Aeric will have already freed Sigyn by now."

Loki turned to his brother, his brow raised. "Aeric? What are you talking about?"

"He came into the battle and helped defeat Thorin before running off to save Sigyn."

"And you let him go? Thor, you idiot!"

Loki made for the entrance of the caves beneath the Keep but was suddenly forced down on his knee. The serpent pendant burned fiercer than ever before. Sigyn's magic had awoken again. But it was out of control — almost just like that night in Frigga's garden. Something was happening to her. Something bad.
With a strained grunt, Loki crawled back up, pushed Thor aside, and sprinted away. He heard his brother calling after him, but it didn't appear Thor was following. Good. He didn't need any distractions if Sigyn's fire was raging wild again. Since her magic was no longer restrained, Loki had no trouble locating her anymore. The serpent pendant led him straight to her. But when he found his wife, he recoiled. 

Sigyn was indeed once more the fiery fury from Frigga's garden. Flames danced all over her body. Her eyes were blood-red, the same colour as her hair when the sun shone upon it. The two fire snakes were wrapped tightly around an unconscious Lady Sunna.
Loki searched the cave for Aeric and gasped when he saw Sigyn's youngest brother lying dead on the ground in a pool of blood. His arm was stretched to her, and his eyes were wide open. The witch had actually murdered her own son. And she had made Sigyn witness it. 

"Sigyn." Loki carefully stepped toward his wife and reached for her arm. "Sigyn, let go, please."

"S-She killed him." She spoke in a broken voice. 

"I know. But you cannot kill her."

"I want to!"

The snakes hissed, spitting embers on the ground. 

"I understand you do," said Loki quickly. "But you are not that kind of person. You are better than that. Let her go."

Sigyn shook her head vehemently. 

"Sigyn, my heart, look at me." 

His wife raised her head to him. The fire wavered and the red in Sigyn's eyes turned to green. The absolute agony within those tear-glazed emeralds tore at Loki. He pulled her into his arms, not caring if the flames would hurt him. He would gladly endure any pain to hold her. But the fire died, and the snakes retreated, leaving naught but ashes on their victim.

"S-She made them kill it, Loki. S-She... made them... kill... o-our..."

The stress of the past hours, the torture her body endured, her fire so abruptly returning... it was too much. Sigyn fainted in Loki's arms. He picked her up and carried her out of the cave.
Away from the torn, bloodstained clothes on the ground. Away from the brother who had given his life in a foolish attempt to save her. Away from the mother who had caused her such grief and sorrow. And away from the unspeakable loss of the childhood she had never known and a future she would never meet.