I've come to burn your kingdom down

Ch1: Prologue

Smith Motors was awfully quiet as Jane was writing down the equation to a new portal. She was currently alone in the old motor shop; Darcy and Erik were due back from New York at noon tomorrow. Of course, she enjoyed being able to work in silence, but she was also used to the constant stream of noises when there was other people around her. It was something she'd been used with ever since she was a child; her parents' house had always been filled with people at all times.

As the clock neared midnight, she began to yawn. "Christ..." Muttering to herself, she closed the book, and stiffened at the sound of soft footsteps. Were Darcy and Erik back already? "Hello? Darcy, is that you?" She grabbed Darcy's taser and walked over to the door. "Darcy, this isn't funny." No reply came.

Jane's heart was hammering against her ribcage, but she refused to go down without a fight (if it came to that, and not just Darcy tricking her.) "Darcy? Erik?" Cold fear rushed through her, but she wouldn't show it. "Thor?" Still, no one answered.

She clutched the taser in her hand as she locked the door, her heart feeling as if it had jumped up into her throat. The ringtone of her cellphone made her jump, and she fished it out from her pocket, seeing Darcy on the caller ID. "Darcy, are you outside?" She needed to know. "No Jane, Erik and I are still at Stark Tower. Did the sun down in New Mexico dry your brain or something?" Darcy sounded annoyed, and Jane could feel all colour drain from her face. "Fuck…" She muttered.

"Jane?" Now there was an edge of fear in Darcy's voice. "Jane, what's the matter? JANE?!" The woman in question didn't answer; she was too busy staring back at the figure that had appeared in the door. "Jane Foster," The man's voice was smooth, "How I have looked forward to this meeting."

Jane gasped as the intruder stepped into the light, revealing the two halves of his face. One smooth and white and one grey, looking as if it had been severely burned. "DARCY!" She screamed at the top of her voice as she was grabbed and flung back into the wall.

"I am Malekith." He bent down beside her, grabbing her cheek forcibly. "And you will know me as your ruler." When she refused to meet his eyes, he laughed. "The prince of Asgard was right about you, you are indeed a feisty spirit." Her eyes widened, how the hell did he know Thor?

"Let me go!" He laughed again and grabbed her by her hair, hoisting her to her feet. "JANE!" Darcy could be heard screaming through the phone for a moment, before Malekith crushed the small device with his heel.

The last thing Jane saw before passing out was her notebook on the desk. Then, she and her attacker were gone in a small flash of light.

Back at Stark Tower, Darcy was hysterical. Erik had heard her scream, and was currently busy trying to calm her down while she explained, while Natasha was on the phone with Fury, discussing the right measures to take.

"We'll find her." Bruce sat down beside Darcy, taking the young woman's hand in his own. "Tony is going to try and open a portal to help Thor get back down here." Darcy glanced up at him, hoping for once that he was right. "I swear to God…" She whispered, "If that guy hurts Jane, I'm going to tase his ass all the way to Asgard." Erik and Bruce chuckled, "I'm more than happy to assist you with that," Erik said, handing her a cup of coffee he'd been given by Clint.

"We'll find her." They looked up to see Natasha stand there with her phone in her hand. "Fury is on his way with the Helicarrier right now. S.H.I.E.L.D. bases all over the world have been told to keep an eye out for ."

Heimdall the Gatekeeper stood on the edge of the rebuilt observatory in Asgard, worried about what he had just seen happening in Puente Antiguo. He needed to alert the All-Father immediately. A little while later, Odin, along with Thor, appeared in the observatory. "Heimdall, you have seen something of great concern." Worry clouded the All-Father's eyes, along with Thor's.

"Prince Thor's mortal companion, Jane Foster, was taken from the small village in which she resided, by Malekith the Accursed. He watched as Thor's face lost all color, gripping the shaft of Mjolnir tight in his hand. "He took her?!"

"Indeed." The Gatekeeper nodded. "But wherever they are now, their presence is shrouded from my gaze. I fear not just Malekith, but stronger powers at work to make this happen." His gaze was impassive, but fury boiled in his veins.

"Loki must know something." They all looked up at Thor's words. "He has had dealings with Malekith before, surely he must know that something has been going on." Heimdall and Thor gazed at Odin, who seemed in deep thought. "You are right." He said, sounding tired. "Loki must have known of Malekith's plans in one way or another."

"Then I will go and talk to him." Thor looked down on Mjolnir. "He might still wish to talk to me." Odin nodded. "You have my permission to do so."

Thor stood before the doors to Loki's cell. He knew he had lied when he had said that Loki might still wish to talk to him, he knew very well that he would not. He steadied himself as he pushed the doors open, seeing Loki sit on the floor of the brightly lit cell. "You must be truly desperate to come for me to help." A smirk was painted on Loki's face.

"Jane has been taken by Malekith. Heimdall do not know where they are, and we need to find her fast. You have had dealings with Malekith, so you must know something." Thor's heart was heavy in his chest as he looked at the man he had once happily called 'brother'.

"Are you asking if I had something to do with her being taken?" Loki shrugged, still smirking. "I am afraid I must disappoint you there. Being the noble oaf you are, you are most definitely going to save your beloved mortal." Thor nodded. "I want you to come with me, but you should know that when you betray me, I will kill you." How he managed to keep his voice even, Thor had no idea. He just hoped it would not come to that.

"When do we start?"