Loki studied the prisoners who had been recovered from the Jotuns. Early on, there had been hope that they would all make a full recovery and a handful of them had made great strides. However, after all of the difficulties, the Asgardians had come to the realization that healing the prisoners was going to cost them too much for too little gain at too great a risk. Several healers had been burned out entirely and a few had been infected themselves. The elves and dwarves were most susceptible to the spiritual and mental contamination but it had affected a few Asgardians. In time, the elves and dwarves would change into dark, shadowy versions of themselves. They would be their own dark twins, evil counterbalances to who they had once been. The ones who were undergoing the metamorphosis could not tolerate warmth or light and had to be housed in dark, dank underground caverns which were kept under a perpetual chilling spell. Their skin thickened and became leathery to the touch but their blood darkened, turning nearly black. They lost whatever body hair they had except for that under their arms and around their genitals. The hair on their head turned a tarry black color with silver at the tips and roots. And their eyes turned black as well, reflecting back whatever they saw. Their lips were pale and bloodless and none of them could grow beards — not even the dwarves. They rarely laughed or smiled and joy was unknown to them. Anger, rage, hatred, boredom, and a cold, icy manner of calm that spoke of murder held in abeyance were the only emotions the dark dwarves and elves seemed capable of feeling or expressing.
As he continued to watch them, careful to keep his expression neutral, he felt his ire mounting. How could the Jotuns do this to anyone? And how in the name of Creation were the Asgardians supposed to counter it? They could not spare the manpower to recapture the thousands of dark dwarves and elves now running free and acting under the Jotuns’ direction. Even if they could, there was little hope of undoing whatever it was the Jotuns had done. Better, more experienced healers had tried and failed. But then, that’s why he’d been brought in, wasn’t it? The healers realized that they needed more — they needed a wizard’s eye and training. Willing himself to calm, Loki took a deep breath and focused on the patients. Before he’d run back to the palace, he’d asked the others to separate them based on their transformation status. He ignored the best and the worst cases, going instead to those who were at a mid-point. Among those, there was a range as well. The magician gestured for one of his healer-assistants to follow him as he stepped into a cell.
“This one,” he said firmly. “What is her name and her history?”
“Salinisa, my prince,” the woman said softly, pitching her voice low so that only Loki could hear her. “She’s fairly young for an elf — one hundred and seventy-six years. She was one of their most skilled mages when she was captured during the Battle of the Iridescent Ridge. She was also one of the first prisoners the Jotuns captured and the last we recovered.”
“When did she begin to decline?”
“She’s been in the same state since we recovered her. No progress but no further degradation.”
“Can she speak?”
“She’s never replied to any of our questions but we’ve found no physical reason that would prevent her from speaking.”
“Very well, then. I’ll just have to try something completely different,” Loki muttered. “Are you cold?” he asked when he noticed that the healer was shivering. He himself rarely noticed the temperature. “Go on, then. I’ll be fine on my own.”
“Thank you, my prince.”
Loki took the key to the cell door from its hook on the wall next to the door and unlocked it. He pulled open the heavy, wooden door and tucked the key into one of the many hidden pockets in his sleeves as he stepped into the cell. He was glad to see that the cell was not the dank, chill hole that he had feared. The Asgardians had worked with their own magicians to extend and expand the naturally occurring caverns so that each of the patients could have their own space and privacy. Once those were done, they’d left the former captives to their own devices. Salinisa had chosen to arrange her cell somewhat neatly — her bed was tucked into a corner, a small table was pressed against the wall with dishes stacked neatly on it. Surprisingly, bookshelves dominated the entire cell. They had been carved into the walls and were packed full. Small softly glowing rocks sat in a jar that was normally kept covered with a thick cloth — a reading lamp for one who could barely tolerate even the smallest amounts of light. The elven woman herself was sitting in one of the two chairs in the shadows watching him with a dull, flat expression. It was obvious that she was expecting something and was not looking forward to it though she betrayed no hint of apprehension or dread. Sticking with his decision to take a different approach, Loki ignored her and instead began looking through her collection of books. He selected one that looked interesting, plucked it from the shelf, and then sat in the second chair and began reading. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that the elf was taken aback by his actions and seemed at a loss for what to do. Loki read through the first chapter and then turned abruptly to face Salinisa.
“Have you read this?” he asked, hefting the book so she could see the title. “It’s very interesting. Would you mind if I borrowed it?”
“I…no, you can’t borrow it,” she said, sounding scared. She was reaching out towards it and her face was tight with strain and fear.
“Oh. That’s fine. Gives me an excuse to come back and visit you then. If you don’t mind,” he added. “Do you mind?”
“No, I don’t mind,” she said slowly. “Why are you here? You’re not dressed like the others.”
“I’m not a healer. I’m a mage, like you. It’s been a long time with no progress in your case or the cases of many of the others here. There have been some changes in how the Jotuns are attacking us and we’re hoping that if the mages study you, we’ll learn something that will help us and help you. You were a mage — well, you still are — so you understand how this works, right? Does this sound good to you?”
“I suppose. You still can’t borrow that book,” she said, her lips started to quirk in a small smile.
“As I said, all the more reason to come visit you again,” he said with a smile of his own. “Let’s get started.”
~*~*~*~
Thor winced as he sat down in the chair at the table. He was moving gingerly and wondering how it was that so many years of war had left him completely unprepared for a few weeks of keeping track of young children. Right now, though, it was quiet and he didn’t have to move. That made him absurdly happy. The thought of not having to run gave him a rush that the warrior once thought he’d only feel during the ebb and flow of battle. His whole body ached and his head was pounding. Carefully, he leaned back in his seat, let his head rest against the back of the chair, and closed his eyes. Maybe he could take a quick nap before supper arrived? That would be wonderful.
“You look awful,” Loki muttered as he took a seat across the table from his brother. Thor cracked an eye open at his brother and immediately regretted it. “Did you go out drinking without me?”
“No,” Thor groaned softly.
“THOR! LOKI!” Baldur shouted gleefully as he ran into the dining room ahead of their mother. “Loki, you should come play with us like Thor. We had so much fun today. He took us to the plains of Ida and yesterday we went fishing in the Ganil. He’s been teaching us to ride horses and use swords and spears and track. You could teach us to use magic. That would be fun. We could go on all kinds of adventures, too. Then you wouldn’t have to be bored in the caves all day with those sick people.”
“I think someone looks like they’ve been trying to keep up with a pack of young children without the benefit of convincing them to take a nap,” Frigga said in a sing-song tone as she took her own seat at the table. Baldur was settling himself in next to Loki and Thor had closed his eyes again, letting the sound of their voices wash over him.
“Working with those people isn’t boring for me, little brother,” Loki said as he reached over and helped Baldur get situated in his chair. “I find it very interesting.”
“How can it be interesting? It’s all dark and those people are always so sad.”
“They are sad, some of them. But they’re interesting once you start talking to them. They have some fun stories to tell.” Baldur appeared to consider this carefully.
“Maybe I can come with you one day?” Baldur asked.
“Maybe,” Loki agreed.
“You have no idea what you have just signed yourself up for, brother,” Thor said warningly.
“Boys,” Frigga laughed. “Don’t fight. And Baldur, try to take it easy on your big brother from now on.”
“Yes, Mother,” Baldur whined. “How much longer until supper? I’m starving.”
“It’s coming now,” Frigga replied with a soft smile of genuine amusement. “Loki, have you learned anything since your initial success with that elven woman?”
“We’ve learned a great deal, actually,” he replied. “I’m cautiously optimistic that we may be on the path to both a cure and a defense against this attack.”
“That’s a relief to hear,” Frigga said with unfeigned interest. Baldur looked confused but interested. Thor was beginning to snore softly. “Have you lost any of them?”
“Two have transformed completely into dark versions. They’re being held in the frozen cells.”
Frigga shuddered. “I never know what to do with them. They’re not evil in and of themselves but they’re so twisted and malignant that they might as well be.”
“What does ‘malignant’ mean?” Baldur asked hesitantly.
“It means that they want to do bad things to us,” Loki explained. “But we put them where they can’t.”
“Oh. Okay. Why is Thor sleeping at the table?”
“Because you wore him out, little brother,” Loki chuckled, leaning back as their supper was placed in front of them. It was a testament to Thor’s exhaustion that the smell didn’t rouse him. Loki waved his hand, using it as a surrogate for his spell to give him a gentle smack to rouse him.
“I don’t see how,” Baldur mumbled as he dug into his supper. “All we did was play some games.” Thor woke up with an irritated growl that subsided when he realized that there was food set before him. “Thor, you should go to bed when you finish eating if you’re so tired.” Thor gave his younger brother a speculative look and shot Loki a glare that promised stern words later. He turned his attention to his food and began eating with gusto. “How’s Sif doing, Mother?”
“Sif is doing well,” Frigga said calmly. She knew that both of her adult sons would be paying keen attention to every word she said. “She’s still sleeping but she’ll recover completely in time.”
“Can what Loki is doing help Sif get better faster?” Baldur asked.
“Maybe?” Loki said uncertainly. He and Frigga shared a look. “I’d have to study Sif and speak with the healers who have been tending her to learn more. See if there are any similarities in the cases.”
“There is some overlap,” Frigga whispered. “Not much but there are some parallels.”
“If you can do anything to help her…” Thor managed to say with his mouth full of food.
“I will, brother,” Loki promised. “For now, let’s eat.”
“And then Thor can sleep because he’s tired,” Baldur chimed in. “And tomorrow I’ll help Loki so he can help Sif.” Loki smiled softly. It sounded like they had a plan.