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"Do you hear that?" he said.

"What?" said Loki.

Thor stopped in his tracks, straining his ears to try to listen. He held his breath to clear his ears, searching for the sound that did not belong.

"Is it your imagination?" said Loki. "There's nothing else in here."

"Wait," said Thor.

But Loki seemed right. There was only the sound of Loki's soft breathing beside him, and the gentle rustle of leaves of the hedges. He shook his head and breathed again.

"I thought something was amiss," said Thor, continuing his pace. "It's probably the wind tampering with the hedges."

Thor was several paces ahead before he noticed that Loki was not following. He turned around and cocked his head curiously at Loki.

"What is wrong?" said Thor.

"There's no wind moving the leaves in here," said Loki. "There's nothing except us that would make sound."

Thor's heart skipped a beat. His eyes sought for the dark void behind them, and he swore that the hedges rippled even when no breeze came. It was too dark to feel safe, and too quiet to feel sane.

"We've lingered for too long," said Thor. "Let us move—quickly."

Loki cast a second glance behind them before moving forward with Thor. He carried a bright green flame in his hand to throw more light about them. Thor kept looking over his shoulders to make sure that nothing was following them.

"Something is following us," Loki said. "I can feel it. Whatever it is, it possesses great magic."

"Let us hope that is an exaggeration," Thor said under his breath.

The rippling of the leaves was pronounced now, as if a whirlwind was passing through and yet no feeling of wind brushed past Thor. He held Mjölner aloft, searching for the unwelcomed follower.

"Cast your light farther," said Thor. "I cannot see a thing."

Loki split his flames into many and let them float above their heads around them. Even with the newfound source of light Thor couldn't see any creature that could be following them, and yet the leaves of the hedges quaked as if they knew what was to come.

"It's nearby," Loki said.

"But I see nothing," said Thor.

Loki turned to watch behind them as well. His eyes darted toward the ruffling hedges that advanced toward them and he made a sharp intake of breath.

"It's in the hedges," he said. "Thor, look—"

Before Loki could finish, an enormous creature burst through the hedges, darting straight for them.

"Watch out!"

Immediately Thor and Loki threw themselves out of harm's way before the heavily fanged mouth could tear them apart. Thor rolled back onto his feet, Mjölner held at the ready as the creature pulled its entire self out of the hedges. His blood ran cold at the sight of its monstrous, scaled body slithering out of the hedges. Its scales were daunting, as if the entirety of the lindworm's body was covered in impenetrable shields. He could recognize the beast immediately; it made his blood run cold.

"It's a lindworm!" Thor said. "Loki, don't let it—"

The wingless dragon reared its venomous head before shooting itself toward Loki. Loki blocked the lindworm from touching him with a burst of powerful magic that sent the creature flying backwards, hissing in pain. But swiftly after it slammed against the ground from the attack, it was raging toward Loki once again with greater speed. Its tail whipped the flames until they evaporated, cloaking them in further dark.

Thor hurled Mjölner toward the lindworm before it could go to Loki; the stone hammer met its mark and crushed the long body against the wall. He recalled Mjölner and raced forward, slamming it on every inch of the lindworm he could reach. The lindworm writhed and coiled around Thor as if intending to choke him like a python.

"Aim for its head!" Loki said, pulling a knife from his belt and hurling it at the lindworm's eyes. "Else it could bite you!"

The lindworm let out a horrible screeching noise as it was blinded and retreated, releasing Thor from its bodily imprisonment. Thor had just enough time to regain his footing before rage powered the lindworm with all the more ferocity.

"We just spent-" Thor said in between flings of Mjölner. "How many hours-in this maze-learning that strength can't win-and one must walk away from fights-and now we have to fight?"

Loki only let out a laugh before aiming a knife toward the lindworm. It was a well-placed blow, sinking deep in the middle of the dragon's snout, sending it stumbling back and weakened with pain.

To Thor's horror, the lindworm seemed to pay no attention to him. All of its dangerous fury was directed to Loki with his spells and accurate daggers. Thor grabbed a hold of its great serpentine body and pulled to jerk it away from Loki. With Mjölner he pummeled its strong body.

"Fight me!" he said.

Out of the corner of his eyes he could see Loki conjuring up another blow, the electric blue light crackling within his fingertips. The lindworm turned its head toward Thor; he could practically see the venom drip from its daggers for fangs and he readied Mjölner to pitch it into the lindworm's face.

He loosened his grip by just a mite on the lindworm's body and it took the opportunity to whip him off of its tail, sending him crashing into the ceiling. Immediately it rushed toward Thor at breakneck speed, its deadly jaw agape—

He waited for the stab, the pain and the poison, but none of that came. Loki pushed Thor aside before Thor had any say in it, and a burst of energy pushed Thor back against the wall. The sound of thunderous explosion wracked the maze as the magic sent both Loki and the lindworm flying towards opposite direction, a splatter of blood plastering onto the leaves.

The lindworm shrieked in pain, half of its face and much of its body covered in a deep and repugnant burn. Thor wasted no time; he slammed Mjölner onto the earth. The force shattered the ground, sending it quaking and rippling until like creased cloth it piled high and strong between them and the lindworm.

"It will only buy us enough time," said Thor. He turned back to Loki. "Are you all right?"

Loki was breathing heavily, his face pale and dotted with sweat from the magical exertion. "Yes," Loki said immediately. "I'm fine."

"Then let us run. Come on!" Thor rushed forward, with Loki following in suit. Behind them he could still hear the howls of the lindworm as it slammed its scorched body against the earthy barrier to attack them. He had no idea where they were going, only that they had to get away, and fast.

"That was an amazing spell!" he shouted between breaths as they ran. "I would be dead if it were not for you. I am in your debt."

They cared not which path they took, so long as it brought them farther from the venomous dragon. Thor could hear Loki's tattered breathing behind him; he could only imagine how much energy the spell took from him.

"There!" Thor pointed. Just beyond their reach he could see the free air; the exit was down the path, a shining beacon of hope ahead. "We've made it, brother. We've finished. We—"

He turned around and felt all the blood drain from his face. Loki was clutching on the wall for support, his face several shades paler than usual. He was grasping at his chest with a trembling hand. He tried to take a step but fell onto his knees.

"Loki!" Thor was immediately at Loki's side, his arm supporting Loki's stiff shoulders. Loki's breathing was worryingly shallow, sucking for air but never getting enough. Thor pulled Loki's hand away from his chest and saw with horror a large puncture mark through Loki's armor, blood pooling out of it. He could almost see the tinge of venom in the sanguine that stained his brother.

"Turns out I can't keep all my lies," Loki said with a derisive chuckle. His voice was raspy and weak.

"It bit you," Thor whispered. His mind raced, knowing too well how fast lindworm venom worked. "Loki—we must find help. Fight it—fight the bane, I will help you from this."

"I will be all right," Loki said, swallowing hard. He closed his eyes and put a hand over his wound, and a dim blue light shone from between his fingers. Thor breathed a sigh of relief, confident in Loki's sorcery to draw out the venom, but the moment of peace immediately dissipated when he saw Loki grow paler and his hand shake, the light flickering before sapping away immediately. Loki slumped against the wall, pulling his hand away from his chest, his eyes taking in the sight of cursed blood.

"Damn," Loki muttered. "The venom's much more potent than anything before."

He pulled himself back onto his feet and tried to go on, but before he could go far he gave a sharp gasp before he collapsed in pain. Thor let out a cry and tried to carry Loki, but Loki resisted.

"Help me walk," said Loki. "If I must die, at least let it be on my feet."

"Don't say that," said Thor. He pulled Loki's arm over his shoulders and helped him to his feet, supporting him. Loki's feet were shaky and could barely hold his weight; he had to lean heavily on Thor. "Please...don't talk like that."

Loki gave a very soft laugh. "I have no plans on dying today, brother."

Thor gripped on Loki tightly, his mind both numb and screaming in fear. It was terrible enough when he saw the hallucination of Loki dying earlier in their venture; now to know that Loki was truly hurt was threatening to tear him apart.

Loki only made it five steps before crumpling to the ground. Thor caught him immediately and held Loki's wounded body with as much gentleness as his fear would let him.

"I'm sorry, Thor," Loki said in a strangled voice. His eyes were half-closed, eyelids heavy from the poison.

"No," said Thor. His words quivered when he realized that it was inevitable: the venom was killing Loki. He gathered Loki in his arms and rose to his feet. "No—I shan't lose you. Not now, not ever. Hold on, Loki. You must hold on."

Loki could not answer between his gasped breaths, his head resting against Thor's chest. His wound did not bleed oceans like it did in Thor's mirage, but it spread dangerously in a way that assured Thor that this was too real. He could feel the feverishness of the venom working through Loki's body (Too quickly, too soon!) and he hurried forward, the déjà vu as heavy as the truth inside of his heart.

"You must fight the poison, Loki!" Thor said as he ran. "Please! You must do everything to fight it—it is worth it, you are worth it. Do not give in!"

Loki was seized with the venom, his body stiffening from the burning pain. He gasped for breath, but air could not quench his choking lungs and his face grew too pale for life. His pulse was fluttering violently on his wrist draped around Thor's neck, and Thor could only think of how quickly the venom was spreading throughout Loki's fragile body.

The light opened up before him and for the first time in the long time Thor breathed the free and chilled air. The exit opened to a courtyard under the cloudy sky, lined with cypress and mulberry trees. At the very middle was a still pool lined with smooth, wide stones. A statue of a woman with closed fists guarded the waters; a lone form in the middle of the pool.

Thor searched wildly for some form of civilization, or an escape where Heimdall could see, but there was nothing but smooth grass and ash trees outside of the courtyard. He spun around, only to see that the maze he had just escaped from had been closed with a gate of hanging ivy. His heartbeat echoed in his ears—a sounding of confusion.

Loki gave a shattered breath before his breathing suddenly became something barely more than a tremble. His body that was once wracked with pain went limp in Thor's arms and Thor's heart nearly gave out with fear. He gently laid Loki down near the pool, cradling his head as his own eyes burned with terrified tears.

"Loki, please," Thor choked out. He pulled his cloak from his shoulders and pressed it against Loki's bleeding wound. "Hold on—do not leave me."

With much difficulty Loki lifted his eyes toward Thor's face. Loki's face was as white as the stone, as if he should be a statue like the very one frozen in the pool. His breathing grew weaker and weaker, and Thor could feel Loki become cold in his arms.

"Help!" Thor cried, searching for someone—anyone. "Help, someone, please! Heimdall, hear us! Anyone!"

Loki was whispering something, but his voice was so weak Thor could not hear. His eyelids were drooping, and the glaze of pain in his eyes was beginning to dull.

"No—Loki, please—"

Loki's eyes slid close and his head lifelessly lolled over Thor's hand. Thor screamed Loki's name, but words could not draw Loki back to him. Tears seared the corner of his eyes; he had finally healed the growing chasm between him and Loki before they broke entirely, and now his brother was dying. There were no healers around to take him, no healing stones to come to the rescue, no miracle in sight. There was nothing he could do. There was nothing he could do.

"Brother, I am so alone without you," Thor said, his voice so strangled he could barely breathe, as if his own grief sought to end him. "I am here, I am here. Do not go where I cannot be with you. Please…"

"Thor Odinson," said a voice. "My dear Thor Odinson."

Thor looked up to the source of the sound and gasped. The statue that had stood lifeless and still at the heart of the pool was now before him, her etched face smiling sadly down on him. There were crinkles at the corner of her deep eyes, and yet she appeared ageless, unbound by time. Thor held Loki tighter to him and tried to back away.

"Who are you?" he breathed.

"I am Vör, my prince," she whispered, and gave a low bow.

He thought he had heard the name before, but he couldn't bring himself to ponder. "Help me," he choked out. "Please."

She lowered herself onto her knees, her marble gown spreading like foam across the barely rippling water. She ran a smooth, alabaster hand across Loki's white forehead. Thor stiffened; Loki was now so delicate he feared the stranger's touch would hurt him.

"The venom does not fail to do its work. I can feel Valhalla calling his spirit," she said. Her face was somber. "I know how to heal him."

"Then tell me how, and I shall do it," said Thor.

"It is not so simple," said Vör. "My prince…your heart has been tried so much, but this will yet be another task you must face."

"I will do anything," said Thor. "I will give up my own life if I must."

She closed her colorless eyes before opening them again to scrutinize Thor, and he realized how grave she looked. Fear coursed through Thor and he could not understand why.

"Not all sacrifices demand your own blood, my child," she said. She gestured to the water at her knees "The water in this pool has the power to bring back life or to heal. It has only the power to restore once, and for one decision."

Thor did not understand what she meant by this. He nodded fervently.

"Then I shall use it," said Thor. "Please, I beg that you let me heal my brother."

She held up a hand to silence him. She unclenched her other hand and Thor let himself peek. Seven golden buttons gleamed in her hands, and Thor immediately recognized them to bear the Asgard coat of arms. The pins that adorned Asgard's soldiers.

Somehow he understood. "The soldiers that were lost on Spøkelseheim," he said.

"I am giving you the chance to choose," said Vör. "The waters have the power for only one choice. Will you choose the life of your brother, or the chance to regain your soldiers and return them home?"

Thor opened his mouth, but no answer readily came from his lips. He felt as if his own insides froze, and his grip on Loki's prone form stiffened. Here was the chance that he had came for all along—the chance to save those lost soldiers, to bring back those so loyal to Asgard they gave up two millenniums for it. The chance to prove himself to be the king that Asgard needed, the king that cared for his people and honored those that served it, because he did care—but he gazed down on Loki's face and a flood of emotions overwhelmed him, and his love for Loki was enough to crush him entirely.

Sentiment, he could hear Loki say. I always said it would be your downfall.

Loki, or his people.

To be a brother, or to be a king.

Thor couldn't breathe.