Sweat was dripping from my forehead, almost feeling feverish after that message delivery. Without thinking too much, I started shaking Loki awake and he shot his eyes open, completely confused.

"We need to get the hell out of here," I said as convincingly as possible but Loki's expression still showed complete bewilderment. It was understandable but I had no time to explain, all I knew was that we needed to move.

"What are you talking about?" he mumbled, his voice still groggy from waking up. He started putting out the fire with a wave of his hand and focused intention. I quickly got up from the ground, completely dismissing his question while he was frowning looking at me. He slowly stood up as well, his eyes now giving a hint of concern. "You're really worrying me, what happened?" He insisted and the more I remembered the Devil's voice, the more I felt my heart sink into my stomach.

"He's here... I don't know where but he managed to get to me... I heard his voice in the vision. He's sending out a warning." The words were struggling to get out as I was also trying to piece together what I had heard and trying to come to terms with it. "He might know about you."

As soon as Loki heard that last part, there was a noticeable shift in energy and he started becoming as frightened as I was. "You're right, we need to get the hell away from this spot." Without saying anything more, we both started making our way through the forest.

The trees stretched out before us were almost touching the sky. There was an early morning smell reaching our nostrils. The sun rays were struggling to come down due to the density of the tree branches. The silence around us was almost deafening, it was like every creature ran and hid away from something dangerous looming nearby. We were going slowly so as not to scare more creatures or rather not to draw attention to ourselves. Based on what I knew the creatures lurking in these woods weren't as dangerous as they were treacherous. They wouldn't kill you but you'd wish you were dead.

The sound of a nearby stream reached our ears, signaling that we were finally close to a clearing. We instinctively followed the sound, making our way towards what seemed to be the west side of the forest. As we approached the water, the trees thinned out, creating a more open and inviting space.

It wasn't long before I caught sight of a turquoise-blue stream winding its way through the forest. Even from a distance, we could hear and see its burbling as it splashed over the limestone rocks in its path. The water was strikingly clear, just like the river that had brought us to this realm. Every detail of the stream bed was visible, from the smooth pebbles to the occasional darting fish.

The sight and sound of the stream brought a sense of tranquility, a stark contrast to the tension that had been building up inside me. Loki and I exchanged a glance, both of us momentarily caught in the serene beauty of the scene. It was a rare moment of peace amidst the chaos that had defined our journey so far.

I knelt down by the water's edge, dipping my hand into the cool, refreshing stream. The sensation was grounding, a small but significant reminder of the natural beauty that still existed in the world, despite all the darkness we had faced. I splashed some water on my face, feeling a bit more awake and alert.

Loki joined me, crouching down and letting the water run through his fingers. "It's almost too perfect, isn't it?" he mused, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"Yeah," I agreed, standing up and brushing off my hands. "It's like something out of a dream."

We lingered for a few more moments, taking in the scene before us. It was a small respite, but one that we both needed. Finally, Loki stood up and nodded towards the stream. "We should keep moving," he said. "We can't be at one place for too long."

I nodded in agreement, feeling a bit more hopeful as we set off alongside the stream. The path ahead was uncertain, but for the first time in a while, I felt like we might actually have a chance. As we walked, the sound of the burbling stream accompanied us, a soothing presence that made the journey a little less daunting.

We continued walking until suddenly, Loki grabbed me by the forearm and dragged me up a small hill. We crouched behind one of the trees, and he hushed me, whispering, "Look, it's a light elf."

My eyes followed the direction Loki was pointing, and I spotted the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. Her long, delicate blonde hair reached almost to the small of her back, gently blown by the breeze. She seemed like the personification of the sun, with a soft light radiating from her. She bent down near the stream, gathering water with a chalice in her hand. Although I couldn't see her face, I was mesmerized by her ethereal presence.

"I'm going over there," I mumbled, stepping out from behind the tree.

"What are you doing?!" He hissed out but I didn't pay him any mind as I started making my way down the hill. I heard Loki following close behind me, indicating that he wasn't ready to leave me alone to deal with the elf.

"Time for you to see that I'm very much capable of getting people to sleep with me." I could feel him glaring daggers at the back of my head the moment I said that.

"You're unbelievable..." He sighed, knowing there was no point in arguing with me now. Oddly, I couldn't even tell myself to stop in my tracks and to think twice about my actions. It felt like the elf herself was inviting me to come to her. Loki noticed my overt focus on her and grabbed me by the arm and pulled me back. I staggered which made me snap out of it for a few minutes.

"Stand back," Loki commanded, drawing the sword from around his waist. It now made more sense why he had brought it. He crept behind the blonde elf, but she suddenly turned around, her oceanic eyes locking onto us. Loki halted, raising the sword towards her. My mind began to blur again as I stared at her face, overwhelmed by her beauty.

"Hold, Loki. You're getting ahead of yourself," she said with a small smirk, her hands clasping the chalice. Her eyes shifted to me, and I felt an intense pressure, like I was about to black out. I shut my eyes, stumbling back as I struggled against whatever force she was using on me. Loki's muffled yells directed at the elf echoed in my ears. My own rage built up, transforming into a powerful pushback against the attack, allowing me to regain my composure.

Loki's blade pressed against the woman's throat, and then he slowly started pulling the sword away as he saw me regain my composure.

"What in the hell do you think you're doing?!" I yelled at her, taking a step closer to the elf.

"Wow, calm down, boys. You don't need to be so vile towards a lady," she laughed lightly, but there was a hint of malice in her voice.

"This elf is no elf," Loki remarked, glancing over at me. "It's a huldra."

"A what?"

"A nymph," he explained.

"Oh... Ew." As soon as that information sank in, my brain started putting up even more of a guard than before.

"You're bringing some odd company with you this time, Loki." This time? How many times had he visited this world?

"That's none of your business. Let's go, Asmo," Loki retorted, glaring at me as if to blame me for everything that had just happened. Normally, I would be offended, but this time I couldn't help but agree with him. This was one of those moments when I regretted my incessant need to hit on anyone and anything.

Suddenly, she started moving towards me, saying, "Well, hold on, I still haven't got to know this type of being yet." She mused, lifting the chalice she held in her hands to my lips. I felt my guard start to come down, the intense influence of her presence encircling my mind. Just when I was about to take a sip from the chalice, Loki snatched it from her hands and hurled it into the river. Then, all of a sudden, his hand reached out and grabbed her by the throat, lifting her off her feet.

"You're absolutely relentless!" he growled, releasing her from his grip and hurling her against the ground. I took a step back, once again taken aback by the immense rage Loki was emitting. My brain still felt like pudding after the huldra's influence, while Loki seemed completely fine. He yanked me by the arm, leading me past the huldra and along the river.

"Stay close and keep your wits about you," Loki commanded, his voice laced with frustration. "We don't need any more distractions."

I nodded, feeling a mixture of gratitude and guilt. Gratitude for Loki's intervention, and guilt for putting us in such a precarious situation. As we moved deeper into the forest, I couldn't shake the lingering feeling of the huldra's influence, but I forced myself to focus on the path ahead.

"Thanks for that," I mumbled after a while, breaking the tense silence between us.

"Just stay alert," Loki replied curtly, not breaking his stride.

I sighed inwardly, knowing that I had a lot to learn about this world and the dangers it held. And maybe, I'd start by listening to Loki's warnings more carefully.

Loki yanked me away from that area like a toddler, his grip so tight it felt like his fingers were about to pierce my skin. It was clear he was furious, and I wasn't looking forward to the moment we stopped walking. Unfortunately, as we put more distance between us and the woman—or whatever she was—he finally let go and turned around to face me.

"Let me ask you one question—do you have a death wish?" he snapped.

"I didn't even know it was a huldra... or whatever," I stammered.

"That's why you don't go wandering off in an unknown realm! Just like that time you went snooping around in that room!" Loki huffed, running his fingers through his hair. I was starting to believe he had a point. Maybe there was a part of me that wanted to die. "From now on, you don't stray off from me. If I have to, I'll tie you to myself!"

"You may be right..." I mumbled. I had completely pushed off the memory of the Devil contacting me earlier. I'd have to be even more careful because of it. I didn't know how close or far he was. "I'll try to be more careful. Especially now that the Devil may know where I am."

"Exactly," Loki replied, sighing in relief as he saw that I understood what he was trying to say. I wasn't used to being on the run or having to be so cautious. Maybe I wasn't ready to face the reality, and the part of me that was trying to face it was trying to die.

We continued walking in tense silence, the weight of our predicament pressing down on us. The forest around us seemed to close in, the trees casting long shadows as the sun began to set. The stream beside us burbled softly, its clear waters a stark contrast to the murky depths of our current situation.

As the evening light waned, Loki finally spoke, his voice calmer but still firm. "Look, I get it. This is all new to you. But if we're going to survive, you need to trust me and stay close. This isn't just about you anymore. We're in this together."

I nodded, feeling the gravity of his words. "I understand. I'll stick with you from now on."

"Good," he said, his expression softening just a fraction.

After that brief conversation, we began walking again, continuing going alongside the river. It was a good break after going through so many trees for so long. I was making sure I was relatively close to Loki so he didn't have a chance to say I was wandering off again.

We were pretty deep in the woods when the sun started coming down. The realm somehow turned out to be even quieter during the night. One would feel as if they were going deaf by the intensity of the silence. Despite the seemingly harmless front, the realm itself was confusing to any kind of traveler. Along the way, we came across many intertwining paths. Several times we even caught ourselves going back to the point where we started. It was even harder to figure out where we were going due to the immense darkness. Night in this realm was like nothing I'd seen before. In fact, the entire Norse world made me feel extremely vulnerable and it wasn't very fun.

Suddenly, during our walk, I heard Loki starting to laugh in front of me. "I find it funny now how you were so ready to show your flirting skills but huldra got you so bad!" He burst out laughing and I felt my face going warm. I had to admit that was pretty embarrassing given my status.

"Now it's funny to you, huh?" I huffed. He didn't respond to it, he just continued snickering quietly. What an annoying bastard. "Do you have a plan on where we are going?" I asked, trying to change the topic.

"Having no plan is the plan here." He replied with a hum.

"That sounds like a fun time." I said sarcastically. Sometimes talking to him felt like talking to the Cheshire Cat.

"Well, there's no point in planning here because the exit could be anywhere. So we are taking the time to explore the realm. It's also important to constantly be on the move so it's harder for the Devil to catch up." He finally explained except I didn't see how that was a better plan than having an actual plan.

"I think I should eventually face him though. It's pointless to be constantly on the run." Although, it was true I needed extra time to plan what I was going to do.

"Face him?" Loki suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned around. "You do realize that if he catches you, you'll be dead? And if you die then... I'll have to kill you for leaving me all alone to wait for the apocalypse."

"You can't possibly expect me to be here for eternity!?" I exclaimed, desperation creeping into my voice. "It's dangerous for both of us. If I turn myself in, then it's only dangerous for me. I don't want to drag you more into this than you have to." I tried to explain, hoping he'd see reason. But Loki just stared at me, frowning, clearly judging my choices. I thought he'd be grateful I was willing to leave him alone, but he remained silent, turning back around and pushing through branches with passive-aggressive force.

"When the Devil sent me the vision..." I began, my voice shaking slightly, "he told me if I turn myself in, nothing will happen. But the more I wait, the more likely he is to kill my friends... And I'm guessing one of those would be you." I finally revealed the full story, hoping he would now understand the sense in what I was saying. If Loki was willing to risk it, I didn't want to leave Beelzebub or Mammon to chance. They might not have wanted to possibly die for me. I wouldn't blame them either; I wasn't someone worth dying over.

I was sure Loki wasn't going to reply. He just kept walking, not even glancing back at me. The tension between us was almost palpable. I didn't expect him to forgive me for my choices. But then, unexpectedly, he spoke up.

"Then we face him together," he grumbled under his breath, as if he wasn't entirely confident in his decision.

"What?" I asked, unsure if I'd heard him correctly. He sighed in annoyance and stopped walking again. I almost collided with him when he abruptly turned to face me.

"You can't possibly expect me to let you walk into a death trap by yourself?" he insisted stubbornly, his eyes fixed on mine. I knew he wouldn't accept no for an answer.

"You're going to die. We both are," I tried to reason with him, though I didn't expect to succeed. Allowing him to come with me felt like signing a death warrant. But he thought letting me go alone was the same. Maybe I was damned no matter which path I took.

"You've got a better chance of surviving with an ancient god by your side," he said with a sheepish grin, placing his large hand on my shoulder.

"I keep forgetting you're that old."

"Hey, now!" He laughed. "I'm not that old. But I was definitely around before the Devil." Loki's words somehow made me feel a bit more hopeful. I often forgot that the Norse world existed long before demons and angels. There was a lot more power here than in most realms I had visited. The fact that it was much harder for me to defend myself against anything here was enough proof. Even the smallest entities here possessed more power than anything in Hell.

"So, you're planning to come with me to Hell?"

"Yeah! That's what I said." He declared, putting his hands on his hips.

"You're insane... But I'm no better because I'm considering this." I let out a long breath, attempting to process everything that I had just heard.

My brain immediately started making plans on how we were going to make it all work. One good thing was that Mammon seemed to be on my side so that did make the whole crossing over easier. The trouble was keeping him covered - especially now that all eyes would be on me. I wasn't a background character before and I sure as hell wasn't a background character now.

"Is it possible to get you that chain like the one you gave me?"

"Hmm..." He mused for a few seconds before continuing, "it might be difficult. Do you guys not have blacksmiths?"

"I'm afraid not. Anything that we need, the Devil makes it happen." I said awkwardly and Loki made a disgusted face.

"That sounds like a miserable existence," Loki said, making a silent disgruntled noise. "Relaying all power into one being. No wonder all that power went to his head. Not even Thor is that annoying." He stood there for a few seconds, his face thoughtful as he mulled over what I had just told him.

I watched him, wondering what was going through his mind. Loki was often unpredictable, and I couldn't tell if he was formulating a plan or simply reflecting on the absurdity of the situation. The silence stretched on, and I found myself shifting uncomfortably.

Finally, he looked at me, his expression serious. "You know, we might have a chance," he said quietly. "But only if we're smart about it. The Devil's arrogance could be his downfall. He's used to everyone fearing him, bowing to his will. But he won't expect us to fight back together."

I nodded, feeling a small spark of hope ignite within me. "You're right. He underestimates us. We can use that to our advantage."

Loki's lips curved into a small, determined smile. "Exactly. We need to be strategic, unpredictable. And most importantly, we need to stay together. As long as we do that, we have a fighting chance."

His words brought a sense of solidarity between us, a shared resolve to face whatever came our way. For the first time in a long while, I felt like maybe, just maybe, we could beat the odds.

Shortly after, we decided to continue walking and find some clearing where we could continue our planning. It was getting much darker, and I was surprised at how dark it could get here. Continuing our walk was becoming pointless. Loki could see in the dark, but I couldn't, which once again made the Norse world beat me by one.

Unfortunately, we didn't find a clearing but stumbled upon some ruins in the middle of nowhere. According to Loki, it should be safe, which meant it was only barely safe in reality. Nonetheless, I was oddly starting to feel safer in his presence, so I didn't mind stopping here.

The ruins barely had any roof, much of it caved in, and the walls were destroyed. It was as silent and murky as the rest of Alfheim. The structure, or what was left of it, was small, about the size of a modest cottage. There was a considerable amount of wildlife growing into the cracks through the walls. A small stone staircase led to three passageways, one next to the other. It didn't even have a roof, nor did it look like it ever had one. It resembled a small ritual site, which was odd for something in the middle of nowhere.

"This should do," Loki said, glancing around the ruins.

"Yeah, it's better than nothing," I replied, feeling a bit uneasy but trusting Loki's judgment.

We walked up the stairs and entered the ruins. Inside, it was mostly empty except for a small, round stone table in the corner. Upon closer inspection, we noticed different runes engraved into it, confirming it was indeed a ritual site. We decided to sit on the floor in another corner, far away from the table, just in case we activated something that shouldn't be activated.

"So... you were saying?" Loki asked almost instantly after setting up a fire in just a few seconds. It was just as fascinating as the first time I saw him do it.

"We need to get you something that will make you less noticeable," I reminded him.

"Oh, right." He breathed out and leaned against the wall behind him.

"I might need to go there before you. I need to do some research before we even consider bringing you over." As soon as I said that, Loki shot me a glare.

"And leave you to handle everything alone? That's not happening," he said sternly.

"You don't understand, Loki. The Devil is looking for me. If I go alone, I can sneak around and gather the information we need without drawing too much attention. If you come with me, we'll be spotted instantly. You stand out too much," I explained, trying to make him see reason.

Loki sighed, clearly not happy with the idea but understanding the logic behind it. "Fine, but promise me you'll be careful."

Maybe Loki realized there was no point in arguing with me anymore. After all, I had accepted his suggestion to come with me to Hell, a suggestion that scared me greatly. But the truth was, I needed as many allies as I could gather, and he was currently my best bet for surviving, as ironic as it may sound.

Suddenly, I spotted a light coming from outside the ruins before a shining blue orb floated inside. I was about to react and freak out when Loki interrupted my actions by informing me what it was.

"Will-o'-the-wisp," he said, as the light started approaching us and settled in the middle of the room. Hearing Loki, I realized that I had actually heard about these apparitions, so to speak. They have been sighted in many parts of the Astral realm under different names. Most of the time, they were malevolent.

"I think we might have angered some forest spirits," I noted, snickering at the thought. It was probably a slighted huldra.

"Well, as long as you don't go wandering after the will-o'-the-wisp, I think we'll be fine," he mocked me, and I just rolled my eyes, knowing he was right. It was quite tempting, I had to be honest. This time I knew better, as I was sure Loki wouldn't follow me and would let me die just to teach me a lesson.

"Is it just me, or is the light becoming brighter?" I asked, uncertain because demon eyes were good at absorbing light.

"You're right," he said, shielding his eyes with an arm bent over his head. He reached for his sword in his belt and pointed it towards the wisp. "Go away, you stupid creature."

The will-o'-the-wisp didn't budge at all; it just continued growing brighter. Loki attempted to swing his sword at it before he pushed the sword into my hands, covering his eyes completely now. I grabbed it, confused, as he exclaimed,

"Please do something before I go blind!"

I quickly assessed the situation, trying to remember everything I knew about will-o'-the-wisps. They were often attracted to lost travelers and could lead them astray or into danger. They thrived on confusion and fear. Having a sword in my hand was a bit weird. I hadn't wielded one since falling from Heaven. It made me feel a bit nostalgic.

I stood up from my spot and walked toward the blue light, swinging hard at it. The wisp quickly flew back, completely avoiding the hit. It felt a bit ridiculous trying to fight a light when suddenly the brightness started dimming. A striking pain shot through my head, and I dropped the sword to the ground, falling to my knees and clutching my head. Ringing filled my ears before a vision began to form in my mind's eye.

At once, nothing else reached my mind other than a sudden sensation of falling into a deep abyss that seemed endless. The part of me that still had a bit of reason struggled to wake up from the vision. However, the wisp seemed determined to prove a point by forcing me to see the end. Out of nowhere, I felt myself slam against a hard floor at the bottom of the void. A dreadful feeling of having spent an eternity there snuck up on me. Just as I was getting used to the horrible dread, my eyes shot open, and I found myself covered in sweat once again.

I was laying down on the floor as my hearing started recovering. Loki was yelling some obscenities at me in the distance but I still couldn't fully comprehend speech. I started sitting up only to see the will-o'-the-wisp's light completely subdued before it simply floated away outside the ruins.

"Is it finally gone?!" Loki exclaimed as I heard his footsteps from behind then he crouched beside me. "What in hell happened to you?" I slowly turned my head towards him while I was still trying to process whatever had just transpired.

"I don't know... I was just in this void." I mumbled, trying to recall and maybe make a sense of it.

"Some will-o'-the-wisps can cause visions of the future," he explained. "I just hope it wasn't the case with you." I swallowed a lump in my throat as I heard him.

"It did feel quite real." And I hated to admit that. "I was all there... Like all of me was in that vision." I had never before experienced such a vivid vision. It was so hard to separate myself from what I had just seen now. Like part of me stayed in that illusion.

"Damn, one really can't leave you alone." He joked but I couldn't even force myself to laugh. His expression quickly turned back to a serious one as he got up and then helped me up as well. We went back behind the lit fire and I just sat down, continuously staring at the flames. It felt like a very terrible high.

"I spent eternity there... And now that I'm awake I feel like I have just spent eons in some borderless dark space." I said and finally turned to look at Loki whose face was showing concern. It looked like he was trying to find the right words to make me feel better but he found none. Not even Loki could make this situation lighter.

"Hey, if you end up in a void, I'll find you just so you know." But he still somehow managed to make me have some faith. Somehow I had a feeling no matter where I ended up, he'd find me to bother me, even if I ended up in a void. It felt like he was my karma if such a thing existed for us supernatural beings.

I laughed lightly, "No doubt there." I wanted to say something more when suddenly an image of Abaddon popped in my head. I remembered he was a void being and that I recently did meet him. I frowned slightly at the thought, wondering if the vision were to come true, would he be the one behind it?

I was about to tell Loki what had just occurred to me only to remember I made a promise not to tell anyone about Lucifer. There was also a gut feeling telling me to keep this to myself for a while. I knew, however, I had to meet up with Abaddon again.

"I'm sure you'll be fine. Maybe that future's so far before us, you probably won't remember it until you experience it in maybe millions of years." His attempts to cheer me up worked as my mind began to clear. I was also starting to feel like my old self. This was quite a trip, not going to lie.

"You're probably right." I breathed out and felt the last bit of dread leaving me. So many things had tried to kill me since coming here. "I think maybe we should definitely start going back. I feel like if we stay any longer, I will actually end up dead."

"Totally agree." He nodded. "We'll wait until the sun starts rising and we'll immediately start heading back. Well, we'll try. I might have to call up Freyr if we get too lost." I assumed Freyr was the ruler of Alfheim which was why I didn't ask him to elaborate.

"Sounds like a plan. Better yet, summon him as soon as possible. I don't want to stay here longer than I have to." I grumbled. I expected this realm to be a fun time but it only wanted to kill me.

Loki started laughing before replying, "Remember it was your idea."

"Yeah, yeah," I waved in a dismissive gesture towards him. "What are we going to do until then?"

"Do?!" He snorted. "I am going to sleep. You make sure not to fall into a void in the meantime."

"How often do you sleep?!" I exclaimed in disbelief. It looked like he could sleep forever if you let him.

"Unlike you demons, we actually get tired." Loki shook his head, making a pillow out of his coat and laying his head down. I wasn't going to sleep; I couldn't. Too many thoughts were roaming through my mind. If I attempted to fall asleep, I'd probably end up receiving another message from the Devil, and I couldn't allow him to reach me.

I picked up Loki's sword that he had placed beside him on the floor and walked up to the passageway before sitting down next to it with the sword beside me. I decided to be a night guard until sunrise and think about my future. I'd rather be tormented by my own thoughts than someone else's in my sleep.

The ruins were eerily quiet, the only sounds being the distant rustle of leaves and the crackle of our small fire. As I sat there, my mind wandered back to the vision the will-o'-the-wisp had shown me. The endless abyss, the crushing feeling of eternity—it all felt too real. Was it a warning? A glimpse of what awaited me if I didn't find a way to escape this nightmare?

I looked over at Loki, who was now sound asleep, his breathing steady. Despite his often brash demeanor, there was a certain calmness about him now. He had been more helpful and protective than I had expected. Maybe, just maybe, we could face the Devil together and come out of it alive.