“Loki.” Odin muttered.
The Dark Elves had fled and Odin had just finished praying his thanks to Sky and Gaea. He was thinking of attending to the Humans in the shelter when he felt Loki’s aural entity coming towards him. And the moment he did, he stopped at his tracks. Loki’s aura was of no peaceful state. He had no way of knowing of Nataku’s or Goku’s state so whether or not either of them was unconscious was insubstantial. Something told him Loki had something with him… And it wasn’t nice.
Later on, Loki came to his sight and then Goku. Loki was carring Nataku and Goku was striding swiftly beside Loki. They looked a bit troubled… a bit alarmed. And Odin had yet to know why.
“We should go. This isn’t a good time.” Loki said.
“What happened?”
“Nataku carried over in your name.” Loki began, caught breath and continued, “Right after that, Persephone shot her with Babylon Tower.”
“WHAT!” Odin’s eyes widened and Loki was not sure whether it was asking him why he didn’t do anything. Whatever it was trying to say remained of no account to Loki. He just wanted to heal Nataku as soon as possible.
“She’s coming.” Goku said flatly. His eyes seemed to shimmer brighter. He was holding Nyoi-bo and looking at the direction from where they came from. Then he turned to Nataku, placed his hands over her and he began emitting light that transferred itself to Nataku’s body. It wasn’t long before she began moaning again. Her eyelids fluttered until she opened her eyes and Goku stopped.
Tears were forming behind Loki’s eyes and he smiled and sighed in relief. Nataku coughed and began to sit up. The moment she laid eyes on the twins, she immediately gasped, “Master Odin, Master Loki, is any of you hurt?”
Odin smiled and shook his head as Loki cleared his eyes with his right arm. Nataku released a big sigh of relief and Odin was thinking that Nataku was pondering on giving an apology later on. But it didn’t matter now since Odin was sensing darkness. And Nataku did, too as she stood in fighting stance.
The fighting goddess looked afar and caught sight of a large figure slowly coming towards them. She clasped her hands together and said a defense reinforcement spell and put a protective halo around the Divine Brothers. She was sure Son Goku could take care of himself considering how he handled Persephone and Cerberus. Cerberus – the three-headed fiery monstrosity that was now at a good distance, standing just across the town square with his grinning mistress atop one of its heads.
“A numbing spell.” Persephone was speaking seriously to Loki, “Futile, Loki. It was a desperation move, I presume.”
“What do you want with this town, Persephone…?” Odin asked, ignoring what Persephone had been saying about his brother. He was looking sternly at her as he held Laevatin in defense.
“You have something I want.” The Queen of Hel replied forthwith.
“You…!” Loki glared, gritting his teeth as he glared at Persephone. He was gripping his two swords in defensive stance. The image of Nataku’s body crashing down and her open blank eyes came back to him and he was angered. And how he longed to get his hands and dismantle the Queen of Hel.
“No, Loki. I have not come for your precious fighting goddess!” she mocked and laughed, “I came for the golden-eyed creature there.” And she pointed a long finger towards Goku.
Son Goku? Odin looked at him. Yes, Persephone had been after him earlier today. And he had exhibited different abilities that are unique to the different clans and races walking the nine worlds supported by the Yggdrasil. Did Persephone want anything to do with him or did she already have anything to do with him? Or did he want his skills alone or him as a subordinate? Was there of any significance in his character…? With his existence that Persephone wants so much?
“What do you want with me?” Son Goku asked, seconding Loki’s glare. Persephone opened her mouth to answer but Goku cut her off, “No matter. I may not know what you want from me but what I know is, you filthy bitch tried to kill me not just once today and worse, you hit Nataku with your nasty black pillar earlier.” Goku walked to Nataku’s front and made a stance towards Persephone and said, “…And I’ll be just damned if I don’t protect her!”
Nataku gasped and blinked, losing herself a little and blushing. Loki rolled his eyes away and Odin permitted himself a small chuckle. Loki grunted but said nothing and Nataku was contemplating on whether she should say something. Persephone stopped for a while, in surprise of being cut off.
“This is adorable, Nataku.” Persephone grinned with her hands on her waist, “You found a golden-eyed monkey to fight for you… As if he’s anything compared to my darling pet, Cerberus.”
“Who’s the monkey!” Son Goku yelled more of a threat than a question as he gritted his teeth afterwards.
“If you wanted Son Goku, you didn’t have to help wreck the town.” Odin answered in his calm nature.
“Listen to you.” The Queen of Hel answered and was too busy combing her hair with her fingers to look at Odin, “You interfered even before you knew I was here.”
“Someone prayed to me.”
“Well, if you call that a reason then the Dark Elves prayed to me, too!”
“Look…” Odin began in his diplomatic self, slightly lowering his guard, “If it’s Goku you want then let us all talk this over outside and far from town where no innocent people will get hurt.”
Then there was a small creak from behind them. Odin’s heart skipped a beat and he whirled around quickly. And when he saw Esmeralda climbing out of the shelter, his heart thumped harder and harder and he trembled.
“Esmeralda!”
“Esmeralda, is it?” Persephone snickered.
“Persephone, no!” Odin shouted with a plea tracing itself a little apparently. But as soon as the words escaped Odin’s lips, Persephone’s eyes narrowed with delight and from the sky, Babylon Tower came and hit the shelter.
“ESMERALDAAAAAAAAA!” Odin was shouting in worry and he was struck with baffled alarm as he saw the shelter and everything close to it get destroyed in silhouette. The god of light opted to run towards it but Nataku pulled him back, worrying that Persephone was just waiting for him to panic so she could strike. Odin watched the shelter blown to smithereens in what seemed to be time dragging by so slowly. It was as if the scene played itself back. Nataku had placed a low level barrier just to protect them from the debris that flew around.
The explosion ceased but it was still echoing in Odin’ ears. The tears were slowly building up behind his eyes as he watched. His knees wobbled and Nataku gasped as he slightly fell, watching the thick dust clear out.
“Esmeralda…” Odin gasped in the brink of tears, “Esmeralda…”
As the dust and smoke thinned out, Odin thought something made out a figure. And there where the shelter and the houses and the alley used to be was a figure of a person sitting in shock… a person with beautiful black curls…
“ESMERALDA!”
The sash around Esmeralda floated for moments more before it disappeared and found itself back to Nataku. And the moment Odin saw Esmeralda’s face; it was as if his energy came back all at once.
“Esmeralda…!” He ran towards her and she opened her mouth to call out his name. How he had longed for her to call his name! But even before she could say anything, an invisible force grabbed her and lifted her by the neck as her feet hung motionless a few inches from the ground. Odin stopped, alarm seeping back in his heart as he watched Esmeralda’s eyes in fear.
“Protective sash, eh? You never fail to surprise me, Nataku.” Persephone said. A black sphere of dark energy was swirling in her right hand as she looked disappointedly at Esmeralda, “Lending that kind of protection to a human. If I had known then maybe I wouldn’t have used Babylon Tower in such a low level. I could’ve sworn I killed the girl but… That could be arranged.”
“Persephone, let her go! She means you no harm!” Odin shouted, fear tracing itself in his tone.
“Oh, dear, Odin… You’re turning pale!” Persephone mocked and Cerberus roared. And she said, “Maybe I made a mistake of not killing her but maybe not…!”
“Persephone, let her go…!” Nataku said lowly.
“What say you we make a trade?” Persephone was looking at the dark energy whirling in a sphere on her hand, “Currently, I am holding the life of your precious, precious Esmeralda… And you…” She looked at Son Goku, “You have the golden eyes I want… and more.”
“I give you back your precious, precious Esmeralda… If you give me those beautiful golden eyes…”
Why you filthy little…! Odin’s mind blasted. Nobody spoke. He looked at Esmeralda. She was gasping for breath helplessly and all he could do for now was look. He wanted to take her away from there. For some reason, he did not want to see her eyes looking at him that way. She was very pale and her lips opened as if trying to tell him something, which he could not understand because he was too busy making up his mind.
He could give Son Goku to Persephone and get Esmeralda back. At least that’s what Persephone said but she said nothing about what she would do after that. He could also refuse to give Son Goku and Persephone kills Esmeralda. He gasped a little upon the thought and shook his head. His heart was thumping so loud that he couldn’t think properly. What if something bad happens because they gave Goku to Persephone? What if he is the new Fenris Fenrir? Would it be worth sacrificing just to get Esmeralda back…? Just for him to be happy? But an Aesir can not let his feelings impede with his decision and he can not sacrifice the majority for his own happiness…
When on earth is he going to be happy?
“Clock is ticking, Odin…” Persephone said. Son Goku looked at Odin and when he did not show any sign of response, the golden-eyed stranger said, “If you take me, will you promise to spare the girl and let all of my companions go? No strings attached.”
“Why… Of course, dear!” the Queen of Hel grinned a half-victory smile.
“Then I’ll go with you. Now put her down.” Son Goku said flatly. Nataku and Loki gasped but Odin was too shocked to say anything. He knew he shouldn’t but part of him was happy…
“Excellent choice.” Persephone’s victory smile was now full.
“I’m sorry I got you into this mess.” Goku scratched his head as he looked at everyone else, “I don’t know how I got myself into this either but I know I shouldn’t get you involved. You’ve been nice and all… And that girl nursed me… So… It’s about time and just right that I return the favor.”
“Goku…” Nataku said lowly and looked at Loki for anything to say but found him staring baffled at Goku.
Son Goku began walking towards Persephone and she gestured for him to climb up. Nyoi-bo disappeared from his hand and he leapt up. Persephone looked at her prize contentedly. She poked two fingers onto his forehead and there a symbol wrote itself. Before Goku could ask, she said, “That’s to make sure you won’t try and run off.”
Esmeralda was released and she began coughing. Odin ran to her and embraced her. He held up her face and kept asking if she was all right as he began healing her. Esmeralda smiled and muttered a small “Thank you” and Odin smiled back. And right after those short words escaped her lips, Esmeralda released an ear-splitting scream. And in her eyes swirled the symbol of darkness.
“Babylon Tower…” Odin muttered lowly, in state of shock, “I feel it. It’s Babylon Tower…” And he clutched her closer towards him, unsure of what to do and his senses going dazed.
“What?” Nataku and Goku chorused. Persephone was half-smiling. Odin continued healing to no avail.
Loki ran to Esmeralda’s side, chanted and tried to fight the darkness that had seeped into Esmeralda’s soul. Her mortal body was not strong enough to withstand the aftershock of being hit by Babylon Tower. Loki knew he could not release Esmeralda’s soul from the curse of Babylon Tower…
“Esmeralda… I’m sorry…” Odin muttered as they glowed in a strange light.
… But he was willing to try even just to delay the effect of the curse…
“Master Odin…” Esmeralda’s eyes began to focus and the moment she saw Odin, she smiled, “It would be an honor to die in an Aesir’s arms…”
“Esmeralda…!”
… To buy even a small time of talk for this girl and his brother…
“… Thank you for hearing my prayer…”
And even before Odin could reply, Esmeralda’s eyes went shut and her soul went to sleep.