By: Icewoman
For hours, Janine Melnitz had hit all the downtown shops in Manhattan. The secretary was on a desperate search for a birthday gift for her employer, Egon Spengler. Egon was a hard person to shop for. She had a definite idea of what Peter, Ray, and Winston liked. It was just Egon, who was the hardest to shop for.
As a last ditch effort, she decided to go to Coney Island. Secretly she knew that she wasn't going to find a gift here, but something had called her to the island and Janine was usually one to go on her instinct.
She wandered past the vintage arcades and the little dime stores that decorated the boardwalk. Something was driving her onward and it was killing her to find out what it was. She walked for a few more minutes before coming upon a small shop.
A large billboard was on the sidewalk. The words, "Mysterious Goods" glared at her in bright orange letters on a yellow background. Instead of a door, multicolored beads separated the outside from the shop. She pushed her way inward and was greeted to a nose full of a smell that was akin to warm baked bread.
"Hello, dear. Can I help you?" a small voice called out. From the second doorway near the rear of the store, a small figure ambled through the rainbow of beads. She instantly reminded Janine of someone's grandmother.
"I was just looking for a gift...for a friend." Janine picked up one of the small trinkets on the old, worn oak table.
"Something for him perhaps?" the woman winked one of her crinkled blue eyes.
How could she know? "This friend, well he's a bit hard to shop for."
The woman shook her head and made a clicking sound with her tongue. "Scientists. They're always hard to shop for." She wiped her hands on her small apron and walked behind the large table. She reached under and pulled out a small blue velvet box that was decorated with golden arcane symbols. She opened the lid and revealed a deep sapphire blue pendant in a cold casing. The pendant was lying on a soft pillow of blue satin.
"It's beautiful," Janine whispered, picking the pendant up and examining it closely.
The woman smiled in appreciation. "I'm glad you like it. For you, I'll let it go for fifteen dollars."
Janine couldn't resist such a beautiful item and at only fifteen dollars too. "I don't know. He doesn't really wear this kind of jewelry."
She clucked her tongue while shaking her head. "This is just a small token, a little trinket that can be easily hidden under a shirt." She placed the box on the table. "Maybe you'd like a different color?" She bent over and pulled something out of the drawer. In her hand was a small red box of the same description. Inside this, a blood red pendant with a golden chain rested on a red satin pillow.
"No, I'll take the blue one. It reminds me of his eyes." She paid the woman the required price and waited as she wrapped the box in a beautiful blue and gold wrapper. The woman even put a small tag on that read, "From: Janine. To: Egon. Happy Birthday."
"If you'll excuse me, I have to prepare to close. It is almost five o'clock," the woman said, hinting to her wristwatch.
Janine suddenly remembered, the guys would be back from their last job in a few hours. She still had to go home and change and make it back to Manhattan in time. "Oh, thanks...Where did she go?" Janine was so wrapped up in planning on how to make it back in time, she didn't notice the woman vanishing.
"How odd," Janine thought as she headed off for the subway.
* * * *
"Happy Birthday, big guy!" Peter yelled as he pushed Egon into the downstairs area where everyone else was waiting. He was greeted to smiles, hugs, and a small kiss from Janine that made him blush a bit. Wise to what happened before, there were two cakes and a table with gifts.
Egon felt a small lump form in his throat. "I'm surprised. Thank you, everyone!" He then surprised everyone by tearing into the first gift that Peter handed him.
"Here, Egon. This is my gift," Peter said, drawing his hand back in time. Egon nearly ripped it off as he tore into the gift.
Inside the box was a set of glass tubes ranging in different sizes. "Test tubes! Thank you, Peter, I was desperately in need of a new set."
"And you better make them last too!" Peter chided. "I don't want to have to break our budget for another set!"
Ray's gift was next. "I hope you like it, Egon. It's something I've been working on for a while." Egon suddenly remembered all the times Ray was hiding out in the lab, working on a secret project that he swore he's reveal when the time was right.
He opened the small box and was floored by what he saw. "The circuit board for my ectoplasmic mass spectral differential analyzer! You fixed it!?" Egon had used the machine once before, but once he tested it on Slimer, a great deal of circuits had fried and he never had time to fix it. "Thank you, Raymond. This means a lot to me!"
Winston's gift was compiled of two large tomes. The first one was a very rare book that Egon had been in search of for a while. It took a little help from Ray and his occult friends to locate it. "Who's Who of Ancient Ones and Their Powers" was a very detailed book that gave sorely needed information about the group of beings called, old ones. The second book made everyone laughed. "The Ectoplasmic Gourmet" had various recipes that enlisted the aid of one ingredient, slime.
Janine instantly wished she'd purchased another gift once she saw the others. Hers almost seemed trivial and trite compared to theirs. "Here's mine, Egon. I know its not as scientific, but when I saw it, I thought of you."
Egon placed a blank look on his face and prepared himself for her gift. He opened the blue wrapping and was curious at the shape of the box. It was too small to contain any equipment or tools. He opened the box and gasped at the beauty of the sapphire blue pendant. "Janine...the pendant is beautiful."
The other Ghostbusters whistled. "That is beautiful. I don't wear necklaces much, but that's something I would wear," Winston commented.
"You like it?" Janine asked, almost surprised.
Egon unhooked the clasp and placed it on his neck. "I love it, thank you." Janine felt ecstatic. The pendant was an exact match to his own eyes, which seemed to be shining with joy.
Ray almost did a double take. It seemed that the pendant glowed for a second and then nothing. He shook his head. "Well, let's eat everyone!"
* * * *
"Did you make sure that she purchased the pendant?" a gruff voice asked.
"Yes, master. To make sure she would, I brought out the blood ruby pendant as well," the woman replied, genuflecting down on one knee. "Once we have the blood and body of a man of Nordic descent, you will be able to walk the earth once again and seek revenge against those that has placed you there!"
"Gotterdammerung, the beginning of the end, the end of the beginning. All shall fall as I lead my legions of Jotuns onto the planes of Vigrid. All-father Odin shall die!"
She chuckled. "Revenge shall be yours, master!"
The dark ominous voice that seemed to come from every direction spoke again. "And it's thanks to you, my child."
"I only serve to please. Master, shall I initiate?"
"By all means, yes!"
* * * *
After Egon's small birthday party, Janine left for the night and headed home. Egon was interested in combing through the first of the tomes that Winston gave him. The Ghostbusters cleared away the dishes and wrapping paper, which was decorating the floor thanks to Egon, and went upstairs.
Egon thanked everyone again and prepared himself for bed. His curiosity drove him to the kitchen table, armed with the largest tome. Before he exited, Peter chastised him in a motherly tone. "Don't stay up late, Egon, or I'll dump you on the floor in the morning."
This prompted a response from Winston. "If he's able to get up in the morning."
Indignant, Peter responded, "Funny, Zeddemore. Remind me to wear dirty boots the next time Ecto's entered in a car show."
"You do that, and watch you wind up with no legs..."
Peter laughed. "Knowing you, you would attempt that."
This time Zeddemore chuckled. "Attempt? Don't you mean do?"
Egon left the room before a pillow fight could break out and he'd only get pulled in himself. He went downstairs to the kitchen and grabbed a glass of milk. Egon then went into the living room, sat down at the couch, and proceeded to skim through the book. The tome's pages were yellow with age and the writing seemed to be done delicately by hand in reddish ink. With determination, he threw himself into the book starting at A's. Unfortunately, Egon was tired from the day's activities and he was asleep by the time he reached the B's.
Around twelve, Peter ventured from the haven of his bed into the kitchen for a late snack. He spied Egon knocked out on the couch, tome on his chest, snoring deeply. Peter removed the book, covered Egon with a green afghan, and returned to the bedroom.
Minutes later, Egon's eyes opened, the blue eyes were totally unaware of their surroundings. He stood up sharply, the afghan falling to the floor and pooling around his ankles. The pendant around his neck started glowing softly in the dimness of the TV room. He shuffled to the stairway and slowly ambled down the steps. When he reached the lower level, he opened the door and stepped out into the New York night.
* * * *
For the first time in ages, Peter was up before anyone else. He tiptoed into the bathroom, showered and shave and was dressed before nine. Triumphantly, he yanked Egon's covers and dumped him from his bed onto the floor. "Wakey, wakey, Egon!" Peter called in a sing song voice.
The physicist let out a yelp as his body encountered the cold floor. "Good morning to you too, Peter." He mumbled something else under his breath as he slowly got to his feet.
Peter looked at Egon. "You look like hell, buddy. Did you have a nightmare or something?" Hell wasn't even the word that could be used to describe what Egon looked like. His eyes were a dull blue tint and underneath there was enough baggage to travel to Japan and back. The golden halo of hair that crowned his head looked limp and lifeless.
Winston whistled. "Were you up late, homeboy?" To him, Egon looked as if he got in a fight with a stick and the stick won.
"Maybe you should rest today." Ray ventured over to give Egon a close examination. "We can't have you passing out."
"I'm fine, honestly." He tried to stand up only to fall back down on his bed. Determined, he tried to stand again, this time he almost became a friend with the floor.
Peter grabbed Egon and steadied him. "Whoa there, big guy. Maybe you should rest, you're staggering!" Why was Egon staggering? He seemed to be fine last night.
"I just need a shower and I'll be fine." He pushed himself away from Peter's embrace and staggered into the bathroom.
"Pete, what do you think?" Winston asked, donning his dark blue robe.
Peter shook his head. "I have no idea." He ran a hand through the thick brown curls. "I've never seen him like this before."
"I think we should keep a close eye on Egon. Just in case," said Ray. The other Ghostbusters nodded. Winston coughed as he saw the bathroom door opening. Looking somewhat better, Egon entered the bedroom. The others were giving him glances filled with suspicion and worry.
"I'll go get started on breakfast." Winston put his slippers on and left the bedroom, heading for the kitchen.
* * * *
That night around midnight, Egon awoke and rose from his bed. He stuck his feet in the bunny slippers that Ray had given them at Christmas. He started to walk, heading for the door when he bumped into the trunk at the foot of his bed. The loud thump startled the occultist awake.
"Egon?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.
Egon didn't respond. He only maneuvered his way past the trunk and left the bedroom.
Ray shrugged and settled back into the warm spot in his bed. ' Probably had to go to the bathroom,' he thought before sliding back into the black fog of sleep.
The next morning, Egon looked even worse than the day before. It seemed that each day he was starting to look worse. Ever since his birthday, he was staying up late and reading only to find the next morning that he looked like holy hell. The bags under his eyes had grown larger and he had run into the trunk of evil each time he went to the bathroom. Peter tried to convince him that he needed to see a doctor, but being the stubborn man he was it took Winston and Peter hauling him downstairs and throwing him into Ecto. During the entire ride, Egon twisted and tried to free himself from Peter and Winston's iron tight grips.
"I insist that you release me immediately!" he grunted, straining against the tight grip that Winston had on his arms.
"No, Egon, this is for your own good. Something's wrong and you need to see a doctor!" Peter gritted through his teeth as he tried to force his weight to bore down on Egon's legs.
"I said, let me go!" He bucked again and Peter rode out the storm. He didn't know how long he could hold on. Each movement was growing stronger in its force. The pendant fell out from under his shirt and began shinning a vibrant blue. His entire form started glowing.
"What the hell?" Winston cried as he released Egon's arms. The shock he received seemed to burn straight to the bone. He knew Peter felt the same thing because he rolled away wincing. Ray almost lost control of Ecto as the blue light filled the entire inside of the car, blocking everyone's sight. When the blue light faded, Egon was no where to be seen.
* * * *
Egon moaned softly as he felt himself start to awaken. His muscles ached as if he ran all day with his pack on. His mind was a bit disoriented and he didn't know where he actually was. For a split second, he thought he was back at home. It didn't take too long for Egon's mind to fully rationalize that he wasn't at home.
He dared to not open his eyes and examine his surroundings, because he could feel a presence next to him, standing, watching, and even reaching out on occasion to tousle his hair or arrange his glasses.
"OK, Egon. Where are we?" he thought. He tried to think back to his past location, but with no avail. The last few weeks were almost a total blank. He gave himself a mental check over and noted that his arms and legs were pinned against his will. No mater how he tried, he couldn't move.
"I know you're awake." He felt a pair of hands grab his suspenders and give him a hard shake. "Open your eyes."
Doing as ordered, Egon opened his eyes. Things were fuzzy but soon everything came into focus. An elderly woman with a face that could only be described as someone's grandmother was standing over him with a small grin on her face.
"Where am I?" he asked, trying to turn his head and look at his surroundings.
"Shush, dear. No need to worry about that." She shuffled away
* * * *
The remaining Ghostbusters had spent hours combing the streets of Manhattan in search of their errant colleague. Their search was so extensive, they didn't return to the firehouse until nighttime. The first thing Ray did was to comb through most of his books and articles to see what he could find on the pendant. Egon's strange behavior started the moment he received the pendant.
Ray scanned through most of his articles he kept on disk. As a last resort, he started to comb OccuNet, hoping he could get a little bit information. He spent a few more hours, checking to see if maybe he overlooked or missed something important. It was still a dead end. He was ready to head for the library when he spotted Egon's newest books on the lab table. As a hunch he combed through the aged tome, determined to read from A to Z if necessary.
The occultist was certain that Egon's pendant had something to do with his activities. He could find nothing listed describing such a pendant and it's capabilities. Every piece of information they had available at the firehouse contained not one hint of the pendant. Ray was shocked that even Tobin's held no information whatsoever.
"Maybe I'm going about this wrong," he thought, nibbling on the erase of his pencil. The notepad on his lab had a few musings of what Ray perceived of the situation. In disgust he slapped the notepad to the floor and put his pencil down. Egon was missing and here he was acting like an idiot. What could he do? They had no information, no idea of where he was. Peter and Winston were busy combing the streets with P.K.E meters trained to Egon's biorhythms.
The phone rang sharply, snapping him out of his funk. "Ghostbusters. Dr. Ray Stantz speaking. How may we assist you?"
"Ray, Peter here. Still nothing," Peter stated. "Any new revelations as of late?"
Ray ran a hand over his face before speaking. "No, nothing. I even searched in Tobin's, but nothing. I'm not through yet, there maybe a few sources that I'm skipping."
Peter could hear the thread of steel laced in the tired voice. He knew Ray would stay up researching until he dropped from fatigue. "You check those out, Winston and I are heading towards the edge of Brooklyn. I'll call you back in one hour."
"OK, I'll talk to you then," Ray responded, preparing to hang up.
"Oh and Ray?" Peter asked, his voice softening slightly.
"Yeah, Pete?"
"Rest those eyes once in a while, okay?"
Ray chuckled slightly. "Sure thing." He replaced the receiver to the cradle. Peter was right on one thing, he did need to rest his eyes. He dragged his weary body from the couch and went to the kitchen. He threw together a sandwich and grabbed a glass of milk.
"What is it that I'm missing?" he mused out loud as he wandered back to the TV room. He grabbed the remote and turned the television on. The intro screen for Hercules, the Legendary Journeys were starting to roll.
"Oh, Hercules! I haven't watched this in a while." He tore into his turkey sandwich. It was the continuing episode featuring the Norse Gods and Goddesses. Loki had just murdered Balder and Thor blamed Hercules. Ray nearly choked on his sandwich when he saw the close up of Loki.
Around the actor's neck was a pendant of the exact same fashion as the one Egon wore. Ray's head shook as a sudden thought struck him. "Holy jump up and sit down! That's why I never found information about it!"
He tore from the couch and raced to the phone, quickly dialing Ecto's mobile number. "Peter? Ray. I'm going to the library. Meet me there in thirty minutes! Don't ask, just be there!" He slammed the phone down and grabbed his coat. He turned the answering machine on and hurried to the library. By his watch, he had only thirty minutes until closing. Thirty minutes was all he would need.
* * * *
Thirty minutes later, Peter and Winston pulled up to the front of the New York public library. Winston had said that they would be too late. He was right. Ray was sitting on the front steps with dozens of books surrounding him. The one he held, he was perusing with a small hand held light.
Winston was the first to reach Ray. He grabbed Ray's shoulder with his hand. "What did you find?"
Ray held up the dark blue book he was reading. "This!"
Peter scrutinized the cover. "Norse Mythology?"
Ray nodded. "Yes, that's why I couldn't find anything. Help me get these to the car, I'll explain when we get home." He pushed a load of books into Winston's arms.
After driving back home and getting the loads of books upstairs, Ray flipped the one he was reading to a picture.
"Who's the redhead?" Peter asked, looking closer at the picture.
Tapping the picture, Ray spoke. "That's Loki.'
"I heard of him. He was the God of mischief, right?" Winston asked, standing next to Peter.
Ray nodded. "And fire, trickery, and lies. Look at the amulet around his neck." He held the book up to their eye levels.
Both men glared hard at the picture. Both pair of dark eyebrows flew up at the recognition. "It can't be!" Winston grabbed the book from Ray so he could get a closer look.
"If I wasn't looking at this, I'd say you were crazy!" The pendant around Loki's neck was the exact same pendant that Janine gave Egon.
Winston gave Ray the book back. "OK, what does this pendant have to do with Egon?"
"Remember Ragnarock?"
Peter held his hands up. "Wait, you don't mean..."
Ray nodded again. "It's exactly what I mean."
"Hold it, slow down," Winston ordered. "Put the train in reverse and let me on. What exactly do you mean!"
Ray sighed and sat down. "I better explain it from the beginning. Loki was once a Jotun, a giant. After the all-father, Odin made him his blood brother; Loki went to Valhalla and became a Æsir, a true God. Loki was responsible for the death of Balder, Odin's son. As punishment, Loki was bound until Ragnarock, the final battle of the Gods."
"But Loki doesn't want to wait till Ragnarock. He wants out now, I bet." Peter commented.
"Yes and with his pendant and Egon, he'll be able to do so! We've have find him before Loki drains him completely and assimilates into his body!"
Winston's dark face paled considerably. "You mean...he's going to be drained of his blood?"
Ray's own ashen face paled again. "Yes, the blood is used to destroy the bonds that releases him. Once free, he can climb into the body and use it as his own."
"Oh shit," Peter said. "This is going to be hell, I just know it."
"That's not the end of it. If Loki succeeds, the proceedings for Ragnarock to happen will start occurring. The skies will grow dark, the heavens shall and the Earth shall tremble." Ray said, quoting from one of the library books.
"It sounds exactly like Revelations 6:12," Winston breathed, settling down on the arm of the couch. "Who's trying to revive Loki? And why?"
Ray shrugged. "I don't know. It could be descendants of the Jotuns. It could even be Priests of Loki. All I know is they want Ragnarock to happen so that the All-father, Odin will die and Ragnarock can happen."
"We better get a move on it. From what Ray's saying, Egon doesn't have much time. I don't give a damn about Jotuns and Druids of Loki, but I know one thing. We're going to find Egon and get him the hell out of there!"
"I'm with you, m'man," Winston agreed, clapping Peter on the arm. "We're a team and we're going to stay that way!"
* * * *
Egon knew he was beginning to run out of time. The elderly woman who had been keeping watch was starting to return within shorter periods. Each visit was a poke, a prod, or even a flashlight in his tired eye, and a soft sound of almost happiness in response to his debilitating condition. The coldness of the room he was held in bit into his skin, passing through the flimsy cotton of his shirt. His legs were a bit more warm thanks to the thick cords he always wore.
The metallic bonds on his arms were so tight, he swore he felt small trickles of blood on his forearms. Since his head was held in place, he couldn't move to get a look. Each moment that passed, he felt lighter and he couldn't think clearly. He ran through basic esoteric calculations to try to keep his mind at speed, but even that was starting to fade from him.
"Oh God, I'm slowly losing my mind," he thought. "I just hope they hurry, I don't know how long I can last."
The woman appeared again, this time she flashed the burning light into each eye and sighed. "Close, but he's still hanging on," she said.
Egon wondered to whom she was talking to. Was it the person responsible for the past events over the weeks?
The woman gave him another glance and then walked away. Egon sighed, he wondered how long this torture would continue. He had no idea of what was happening. If he asked a question, she'd just glare at him or ignore him.
"I am sorry for the torture Vetryabu put you through," a voice said, clearly female.
Egon tried to crane his neck to see, only to be held fast by the leather harness. "Who is it? I can't see you."
A hand reached from the darkness and attached itself to his shoulder. The touch was warm and gentle, something he'd missed being held in the darkness for so long. He finally got a glimpse of the woman. Her skin was pale as her hair. She was adorned in a silken white gown and on her head was a small tiara. Around her neck, emitting a low hiss was a white snake. Egon had never seen a snake of that kind before.
"I wish I had came to your side sooner, maybe then you wouldn't be in so much pain." She took a step closer, her hand still clamped on his shoulder. Egon finally realized that she was blind and the snake was acting as some kind of guide for her.
"I have questions," Egon declared. "Who are you? Where am I? Why am I here?"
She smiled softly. "I have many names, but I prefer to be addressed as Sigyn. You are being held in the basement of Vetryabu's home. We have come to release you. " She patted the white snaked that hissed in return. She started working at one of the leather restraints that fettered his ankles to the slab. Soon, both his legs were free and she was starting on the leather harness around his head. "We must hurry, Vetryabu will return soon to check on you."
The second she removed the metal bars that encased each forearm; a blaze of freezing pain rushed through his system. He glanced at each arm and saw the small clean openings. The rolled sleeves of his shirt were stained with spots with his own blood. He was amazed that he didn't pass out that moment.
"I will bandage your arms, and then we must leave." She wrapped each arm with a thick padding of gauze. Throwing one arm around his wide shoulders, she guided him towards the stairs that led to the outside.
She opened the cellar door, letting in the warm night air. Egon instantly felt better, but he knew that he was in sever danger of passing out due to lack of blood. His legs felt like pieces of spaghetti as he tried to take a step.
Sigyn held him in a tight grip. He couldn't do nothing but lean on her shoulder as she pulled him forward. "Do not worry," she said, noting the tensing of his muscles. "I may be cursed with sightlessness, but the snake shall guide me in the right direction."
"I have to find my friends. I know they've been worried about me," Egon said as he stumbled forward with the help of the Æsir, Sigyn.
* * * *
"Turn left, Winston," Ray ordered. He was hanging out of Ecto's passenger window with his P.K.E meter held in the air. Every few seconds or so, he was getting a louder blip stating Egon's whereabouts.
"Hey, I'm getting something!" Peter exclaimed, rolling down his own window and hanging out. Ray sat back in his seat and crawled over the back to reach Peter.
"I got it too! Winston, turn left!" Ray cried. With each passing second, the P.K.E meter beeped louder, showing how close they were to Egon.
"He's in the area!" Peter shouted. He had to grab Ray because the occultist almost bounded out of Ecto via the window.
"Uh, guys?" Winston asked, not believing the sight before his eyes. Near the stoplight, held by some strange woman was Egon. He looked pale and shaky under the streetlights. Winston had to blink a few times before realizing that it was actually Egon. When he finally realized that it was Egon, he felt his heart clutch and his breath catch in his throat. He pulled Ecto to a dead stop and unhooked his seat belt.
The psychologist was almost thrown forward from the sudden stop. "Why are you stopping!?" Peter asked. "He's somewhere near here!" The emerald eyes never left the screen of the P.K.E meter.
"He's right there!" Winston whooped, climbing out of Ecto and leaving the others in Ecto.
Peter looked up, ready to yell at Winston. "What the hell--EGON!" Peter followed Winston, leaving a confused Ray, who was still looking at his meter.
Ray scratched his head. "I don--Peter? Peter?" Ray asked, looking up from his meter. The doors of Ecto were wide open and his friends were crowded around a man and a woman.
"Egon!" Ray exclaimed, climbing from Ecto and running at a dead pace right into Spengler's chest.
"Ooof!" Egon wasn't prepared for the bullet that was Ray Stantz. Sigyn was the only thing holding him up as Stantz engulfed him in a tight embrace.
Peter was prepared to grab Egon in a tight embrace when he spotted the long, white creature that seemed to be lounging around her shoulders. "Is that a snake on your neck?"
Sigyn nodded, reaching up to stroke the snake's head. "Yes, the snake is my guide. If you haven't noticed, I am sightless."
Winston could see the convulsion go through Peter as he took a step backward, but managing to keep a hand on Spengler. "Man, when you disappeared, we didn't know where you went!" Winston gathered Spengler's tired form from Sigyn's grip. "I don't care where you were, but I'm glad as hell to see you!"
Egon smiled wearily. He patted Ray, who was still attached to his chest. "I am ecstatic to see you too, but I suggest that I should be ushered into Ecto before I lose consciousness."
Sigyn's sightless eyes seemed to stare past the four men. "I believe we should get moving, Vetryabu is coming this way."
He could see the glitter in Peter's emerald eyes as he grabbed the arm that was the farthest from Sigyn and her snake. "You heard the man, let's get out of here!"
* * * *
The first thing the Ghostbusters did was get Egon to the hospital immediately. Sigyn stated she would return later since the large white snake on her shoulders would freak some of the staff out. The remaining Ghostbusters waited in the Emergency room's waiting room. Peter had started to pace while Ray sat on the couch with an almost bleak expression on his face. Winston was leaned against the coffee machine, chin in his hand, deep in thought. He'd just return from the lobby where he placed a phone call to their secretary, Janine Melnitz. Before he could even finish, Janine had stated that she'd be there as soon as possible and hung up.
Ray sighed and rubbed his face. "I just hope Egon's going to be OK."
Peter had hoped the same, but he couldn't deny the niggling feeling of fear that was slowly eating away at him. He had to remain calm for Ray. "This is Egon, Ray. Remember that the man tried to drill a hole in his head! This certainly isn't going to stop him. "
The recollection of the incident brought a smile to the youngest Ghostbuster's face. "Only Egon..."
Winston had ignored the conversation, his own mind was working and sliding pieces of the puzzle into place. "I don't like this," he stated suddenly. His tenor voice reaching a flat octave.
This caught Peter's attention. "What is it that you don't like, Winston?" he asked, taking a step towards the black man, who sighed again.
Winston shrugged in confusion. "I'm missing something. I can't get the entire picture," he sighed. "But whatever it is, I don't like it. "
"You have good reason to not like it. We're talking the end of the world here!" Ray exclaimed, jumping to his feet. "This Loki priest wants to start Ragnarock. I think the idiot doesn't know what Ragnarock entails!"
"It sounds even nastier than Revelation," Winston stated.
"It is! Fimbulvetr, the winter of winters will appear. Three such winters will follow each other with no summers in between. Conflicts and feuds will break out, even between families, and all morals will disappear. This is the beginning of the end," Ray said, quoting loosely from the library book, "Ragnarock."
"The beginning?" Peter parroted. "You mean there's more that follows all that?!"
Ray nodded, looking down at the floor between his feet. "Ragnarock is the end of the Gods. It's also called the Twilight of the Gods. There's so much, I can barely remember most of it. All-father Odin will die, many of the Gods will perish at the hands of monsters and beasts. When it all ends, a giant shall throw flame to all nine worlds, burning the world to ashes."
"You were right, Winston. It does sound nastier than Revelation." He fished in his pocket for some loose change. "And I'm willing to bet that we're the only ones that can stop this and we're gonna need a LOT of coffee!"
Ray grinned. "I know what you mean. I feel like my eyes are going to fly out their sockets!"
The twin doors of the waiting room swung open and a woman wearing a white lab coat walked in. She was around Peter's height and had the same color hair. The tag over her left pocket had the name "Dr. Star" emblazoned across it.
"Dr. Venkman?" she asked, as if unsure who was who.
"I'm Dr. Venkman. How is our friend?" Peter responded, stepping forward and grabbing her extended hand.
She glanced at the clipboard, flipping a few pages back and forth. "You brought Dr. Spengler in just on time. He suffered minor blood loss, but not enough to cause him much damage. We've given him some food and fluids. After he rests for a while, he can leave tonight."
Ray smiled. "When can we see him!?"
"Now is fine. Follow me," Dr. Star ordered.
Ray could barely contain his excitement as they walked through the silent, but bustling hallways of the hospital. When they reached Egon's room, he almost mowed Winston over to be the first one in the room.
Dr. Star tapped Peter. "I'll be down the hall if you need me."
"Thank you, Dr. Star," Peter replied, following Winston into the private room.
Egon was lying back with his eyes close, glasses askew. His hair was messy and spread around his head like a bright halo. His lips were slightly parted in a soft snore. It relieved them to see his chest faintly falling and rising with each breath. Both forearms were encased in white gauze bandages and in his veins on the back of his left hand an IV was inserted, dripping the much needed liquids to refill his system.
"I don't have the heart to wake him," Ray whispered, standing near the top left of the bed. Egon stirred slightly, murmuring.
Peter placed an arm across Ray's shoulders. "I agree, Tex. At least he's okay."
Winston nodded. "Amen for that."
One blue, myopic eye popped open and stared at the blurred group of figures. "Egon's not okay, and if you don't stop, I'll make sure you all wind up here with me!"
A grin broke out on Peter's face. "I know you're lonely, Egon, but surely you can do without us for just a night."
Egon merely stuck his tongue out at the psychologist. He was too tired to counter with a statement of his own. He leaned over, grabbed his glasses from the nightstand, and placed them on his nose. Peter bent over and pushed them up, ignoring the blazing glare Egon gave him.
"Enough about me. I believe we have a very dangerous situation on our hands," Egon said, slowly folding his arms so that the IV wouldn't be disrupted.
"I know--Egon where's that pendant?" Ray asked, searching the nightstand next to him.
Egon pulled the necklace from inside the gown. "Here, I couldn't remove it. I was too busy being tended to."
Ray reached around Egon and unclasped the necklace. He placed it on the nightstand where it started to glow brightly.
"Look at that!" Peter exclaimed, pointing at the pendant. It started to vibrate, creating a small humming sound.
"That happened last time, remember?" Winston stated. "Right before you disappeared!"
"I believe that Vetryabu is trying to summon me again."
At that moment the door of Egon's room open and Janine Melnitz appeared. The purple coat she was wearing quickly became one with the chair as she rushed to Egon's side. "Egon, are you okay? Winston told me what happened!" She grabbed his hand and patted the back of it. "I feel like this is my fault."
"I'm fine, Janine and it is not your fault. I surmise that this probably was planned from the beginning," Egon replied in what he hoped was a soothing tone.
"Never mind that, Janine. We need to know where did you get the pendant." Ray walked around the bed, coming to Janine's side.
"Well, I bought the pendant from an elderly woman's store called Mysterious Goods at Coney Island. She reminded me of someone's grandmother."
Egon balked at the description. "That's the same woman who held me captive. It had to be Vetryabu!"
"Alpha and Omega," Winston whispered under his breath.
"Excuse me, Winston?" Egon asked.
"Oh just something I've been thinking about. Alpha is the beginning of the end. Omega is the end of the beginning. We're no where near either point, so Ragnarock can't happen."
Peter looked at Winston, both of his eyebrows were raised high. "OK, Winston. You can't hang with Egon any more. You're beginning to sound as cryptic as him!"
Ray sighed, he understood what Winston was saying. "With the Winter of winters, the beginning of the end."
"I understand. The winters are the Alpha, Odin's death the Omega," Janine stated, gripping Egon's hand a bit tighter.
"How come everyone understand but me?" Peter complained, exaggerating his complaint by throwing his hands in the air.
Winston grinned. "Give yourself a few more minutes, I'm sure it'll sink in past all that mousse in your hair."
Peter threw Winston a poisonous glance. "Very funny, Zed!"
Egon smirked slightly, enjoying the mock look of offense on Peter's face. "I believe it would behoove us to come up with a plan. This is far from over."
Janine nodded. "Whatever it is, I'm down for it!" Four pairs of eyes trained themselves on the secretary. "Don't give me those looks! Whatever it is you can be sure I'm coming along!"
Peter shrugged. "The more throwers available, the better!"
* * * *
Egon was released from the hospital the following morning with strict instructions to get rest and drink lots of fluids. Of course, the physicist didn't heed the advice one bit. Winton declared that if Egon wasn't willing to cooperate, he could get him to...within reasonable amounts of force. For Egon's safety, they removed the pendant from his room and kept it in a glass case in Ecto's portable lab.
The Æsir, Sigyn reappeared at the firehouse that same morning. Peter made sure he stayed well away from the hissing creature on her neck that regarded him with a frosty glare. He decided that snakes moved up a notch on his most hated creatures list.
"I am glad you are all right," Sigyn said to Egon.
"So am I. Thank you for the help, I wouldn't have made it out on my own," he replied "I don't know how I can repay you."
Sigyn's perfect features froze in an expression that could be only described as anger. "You can repay me by stopping Vetryabu."
"You can be sure of that, because once I'm through with her she's going to wish Ragnarock had occurred!" Janine stated. She was already dressed in her own modified jumpsuit with the shorted sleeves and kneepads.
"Down, girl!" Peter said. "Not until we see the whites of her eyes." Peter knew she wanted to wrap her hands around Vetryabu's throat just as much as he wanted to. He silently vowed to make sure Vetryabu caught the broad side of a proton beam before they handed her in.
Before the group packed up Ecto and took off, Winston caught Peter at his locker. "Peter?"
"Yeah, Winston?" Peter asked, zipping up the front of his dark brown jumpsuit. He paused to arrange his hair and kiss his reflection in the small locker mirror.
Winston folded his arms and leaned against Ray's locker. "Promise me you won't do something crazy once we find this woman."
Peter leveled his dark green gaze with Winston's brown one. "I can't promise you anything."
Winston fought the urge to rear back at the icy tone of the psychologist's voice. "Yes, you can." He tried to match the same level of iciness in his own voice. "I want to drop kick Vetryabu to Pluto myself, but that doesn't make it right. The best revenge is stopping this whacko before all hell breaks loose, literally!"
Peter smirked at Winston's comment. "I'd aim for the next galaxy myself, with a little help of a proton pack."
"Just don't let things get crazy...all right?"
"OK, Winston, since you've begged me." He flecked a piece of imaginary lint off his shoulder before closing the door.
"Right, one stop short of breaking your arm." Winston clapped Peter on the shoulder as they climbed into Ecto.
* * * *
"It is finally time, my father," Vetryabu crooned as she entered the dank room she called her basement. It had taken a long time, but Loki was finally ready to be borne into the world she regarded fit for the destruction of Odin. She vowed that once the All-father had fallen dead at Loki's feet, she would crow in glee, relishing the defeat of the bastard that damned her father for eternity.
She thought Sigyn would be a problem, but once she's pushed for the proceedings of Ragnarock, the blind bat didn't even make a peep. Vetryabu was sure she was still holding the bowl over Loki's head, preventing the painful poison from dripping onto his hair and face.
She knelt before a small altar, prostrating herself before the image of Loki. "Now what will you have me do, father?" she asked softly.
An ominous voice reached her ears, a voice so void of any reflections of emotion that she shuddered in hearing its baritone richness. "Prepare the body, the right fetter that binds my arm so tight has finally broken free thanks to the small blood you've given me."
A grin crossed Vetryabu's crinkled face. "I'm happy. I shall return with the physicist's body." She grabbed the cart that she planned to place the body on to wheel in front of the altar. She entered the room where she had kept the blond man bound to the marble slab. When she turned on the light, a scream escaped her throat. "He's GONE!"
The room shook when Loki roared. "What do you mean he's gone?"
Vetryabu moved as fast as she could to the altar. "The body is missing, and Sigyn is gone also!"
The dark face scowled. "No wonder I haven't felt any poison. Sigyn, why have you betrayed me? My own wife, who remained so faithful to me all this time!" The chains that bound his other extremities groaned under the force of his thrashing. "Why have you done so? Sigyn!"
Vetryabu cringed, she hated seeing her father so angry. "I believe there's enough blood to sever the rest of the binds." She grabbed the copper bowl that held the small, congealed blood splatters of Egon Spengler.
Loki hissed, salvia dripping from the corners of his mouth. "Idiot, there's no body for me to assimilate into!"
"I'm sorry!" she stammered, nearly dropping the bowl that contained the few precious amounts of blood that would be needed to sever the rest of the bonds. "This can't be happening. We were so close to exacting revenge!"
"Bring the rest of the blood and sever the bonds. I'll take my chances," Loki ordered.
Vetryabu stalked closer to the altar. The figure bound to the boulders shimmered into view. The freed hand reached down, grabbed the copper plated bowl, and poured the small droplet on the left fetter. With a heave and a stretch, the bond popped free, releasing the left arm.
Loki paused and stretched, releasing a great yawn that he held for almost an eternity. "I have waited so long to do that!" He poured the rest of the blood on each of the bonds on the legs, breaking each one with ease.
A grin broke out on Vetryabu's face. "Father, you are now free!" She helped him down the small marble steps in front of the altar. She then bowed again, touching his feet.
An insipid grin crossed the God's face. "Yes, I am free and I'll have your body to exact my revenge!"
Vetryabu looked up as fear skirted down her spine. "But, I am old. My body would be of little use!"
Loki stalked a few steps closer. "Who cares? I only need it for a few hours." He stalked even closer before crumpling to the ground in hissing pain. He needed to assimilate into the body quickly, or all his efforts would have been in total vain. "Come here, Vetryabu! Quickly!"
She huddled against the doorframe, trying to make her body as far away from Loki's reach as possible. "You can't! I am not the right type!"
Loki growled, he looked up and a lock of his fire red hair flopped in front of one eye. "Listen, I don't give a damn about Nordics and whatnot, I just need a body!"
The sudden realization struck the elderly woman like a bolt of lightning. Her pale eyes grew large as she pressed her body closer and closer to the frame. "You...you tricked me! Me, your faithful servant!"
She almost gasped when she heard the deep chuckle resonating from the fallen God. "Have you forgotten in your old age that I am the God of trickery?!"
"Damn you!" she yelled, striking her hand against her thigh. "I did anything for you, and now you tell me you tricked me!?"
Loki laughed, "Give the woman a cookie!" He winced again as more pain sliced through the core of his very being. "I don't have time to play, come and be a nice little sacrifice for your uncle, Loki." He started inching his way across the room, dragging his body over the cold stone.
"No, stay away!" Vetryabu yelled. She didn't even have time to scream from that flash of pain when her own body began to betray her.
* * * *
The old Victorian style house loomed over the five as they geared up and prepared to storm the place. Winston was doing all he could to prevent Venkman from blasting the front door and trampling over anything and everything to get to Vetryabu. He glanced at Janine, her lips were scrunched in a scowl, and a dark feral look was lurking in her blue eyes. She absently arranged her kneepads before donning her pack and powering up.
Egon winced slightly as he pulled elbow pads into place. "We have to be very careful, Vetryabu could have already released Loki.
Ray's hazel eyes widened. "Oh no," he started. "That means..."
Egon nodded, his glasses slipping down to the edge of his nose. "Exactly."
Peter looked at the conversation between his two friends. Sometimes Egon and Ray often agreed on a level that no one else could understand and it usually drove Peter nuts, this was one of those moments. "Exactly what, Egon? Explain exactly?"
"Loki needed a body to assimilate into. I theorize that since I'm out here, it would mean Vetryabu may have been possessed herself."
"Also it would mean that she was tricked herself," Winston stated.
Egon un-holstered his thrower and opened the panel that lead to the circuit. He plucked the small screwdriver that he kept in his left breast pocket. "I'm going to lower my beam's power. We may have to separate the two."
"Like when Peter was possessed?" Ray asked.
"Yes," Egon replied.
Peter continued staring at the house, as if he could see through the walls and find the woman. His eyes were narrowed into icy emerald slits and his left hand was balled into a fist. The chilly wind ruffled his dark hair as a snowflake touched his nose. What was a snowflake doing falling in July? "Far be it for me to be a party pooper, but why is there snow falling in the middle of July!?"
Winston looked up into the dark, star free sky. The only thing visible was a small slice of the moon. Reaching up with one hand, he touched his hair and felt a wetness, snow.
"Oh, no," Ray breathed as a snowflake touched his nose. "It's Fimbulvetr." His voice held a note of surprise, but also terror.
"Excuse me?" Egon asked.
"The Winter of winters. It's one of the first stages of Ragnarock!" Ray cried. "Loki must have broken his bindings!"
"Lady, Gentleman. I suggest we find Vetryabu and fast." Spengler drew his rifle and powered up. The low whine from his accelerator giving sign that it was ready for action. Leading, Egon was the first to enter the large house. Unseen, Sigyn followed.
The thick brown carpet quieted the booted footsteps of the Ghostbusters. Egon and Peter were in front with Winston and Ray hanging back and Janine in the middle. The group stopped before the large fireplace. Peter glanced at the pictures that decorated the stone mantle. The pictures were kind that decorated most family mantles, pictures of children, parents, and friends.
"Guys, look at this," Janine said, holding out a wallet that she almost tripped over.
"That's her," Egon stated, arranging his glasses and clearing his throat.
Peter looked at the picture. "You mean the person that kidnapped you was this elderly woman?!" He almost snorted in disgust. This job was going to be harder than he imagined.
"She's somebody's grandmother, I couldn't zap her!" Ray said.
"I agree, but we do have to separate Loki from her. Once we do, we can zap him instead," Winston stated.
"Don't you mean if you can?" an ominous voice said. The five whipped around and prepared to shoot. They could only stare at the figure standing before the door. Vetryabu's once white hair was now a flaming red that stood up from the roots. She seemed to emanate a deep maroon aura and her eyes were like coals of fire.
"What the hell?" Winston muttered as he jumped backwards a few steps.
Egon trained his riffle at the possessed woman. He spotted a pendant similar to the one he had around her neck. This pendant was a deep blood red. He whispered to Ray, who nodded in return. Ray nudged Peter and Janine while he pointed with the nose of his rifle. Winston kept his eyes trained on the floating Vetryabu, ready to shoot at the smallest movement.
One gnarled hand reached up and fingered the pendant. "I see you've finally found me. Too bad I couldn't have your body. It's probably much stronger than this shell."
Peter muttered, "That is such a disgusting thought." Egon nodded, a grimace passing along his face.
"Now I am free, Ragnarock and my revenge is imminent! I, Loki, God of fire and trickery will be the instrument in the destruction of All-father Odin."
Janine glanced sideways at Peter. She noticed the frozen visage melt and a grin stating mischief breaking out on his face.
"Sorry, Loki baby. You screwed up big this time," Peter declared, talking a casual stance and slinging his rifle over his shoulder.
Vetryabu paused in hovering for a second. "What did you say, mortal?"
Standing tall, defiance echoed from every line of Peter's body. "Did I stutter? I don't think I did." Behind him Ray smirked, he knew Peter was deliberately being as arrogant and as obnoxious as he could be. Heaven forbid Peter gotten into full swing, this was just the beginning.
That pushed Loki's button. The God released a loud roar and raised his arms above his head, fingers curving into long metal sickles. He took three sharp swipes at the small group. An explosion of frantic scrambling filled the small waiting room. Each Ghostbusters parted and went their separate way. Snarling and growling, Loki swung his expansive arms around the room, overturning a lamp and table. The pictures on the mantle were knocked from their perches, trampled underfoot of a Ghostbuster trying to avoid the destructive swipes of the sickles. Something kicked the back of his leg, making him fall to his face. As a last ditch effort, he swung again. This last swipe proved victorious. A loud cry echoed from one corner of the room. The action suddenly ceased as a chorus. "PETER!"
The one named, Peter, a rather obnoxious one at that, was lying against the wall, holding his arm. Blood was oozing from the shallow cut on his forearm. His green eyes were blazing like unearthed emeralds. "That bastard cut me," he stammered. Lucky for him he pulled back at the last second. The blades only scratched, leaving a long jagged trail in its wake.
Loki chuckled, enjoying the sudden change again. He went to swipe at the short, red-haired one that had instantly rushed to his side, but a sudden blast from the tall blond knocked the chandelier from its supportive base, dousing the room into total darkness.
He made a motion to lunge at the injured one, but a strong hand clamped on his shoulder, spun him in a circle, knocked him flat and brushed by his face. Now he had no idea of where he was facing and he could hear his victims scampering away. By the sounds of their fleeting footsteps, they were heading to the basement. "No, my altar!" Loki cried, trying to climb to his feet. The body he was using was too old to keep up. The knee joints popped and his arms were blazing with pain. He knew that it was the signs of old age and now that he was powerful enough, he didn't need the body any longer.
"Look out, Ghostbusters," he muttered as he evacuated the elderly woman's body. "Gotterdammerung has begun."
* * * *
Peter winced as Egon pulled back the torn fabric of his jumpsuit. Threads of the brown fiber were sticking to his wound, which was now slowing down to minimal weeping. The physicist's face had paled considerably when Peter was cut, now it was still an alabaster color.
Using his handkerchief, he made small dabs at the cut. "Damn, Egon! Do you have to wipe so hard?" Peter groused. He blew through his teeth when Egon made another dab, pulling some of the fibers away. "Are you still mad from the time I ate the last twinkie, Spengs? Because this is NOT a good time to try and get revenge!"
Egon's deep bass rumbled from his throat in a chuckle. "I see that you're not as damaged as I thought." He sat back on his legs and blew out a long held breath. "You still have the ability to be obnoxious."
Ray sighed also. "Boy, am I glad you're all right. I thought he really hurt you bad."
Peter looked up from where he was sitting. "Are you kidding, Tex? One little cut isn't going to stop Uncle Petey!"
"Yeah, neither a car or a bomb or even a roof falling on his head." Winston was ticking off the items on his fingers, a slow grin spreading across his face.
Peter stuck his tongue out. "Funny, Zed. You should do stand up." Winston only grinned in return.
Janine couldn't resist throwing a barb of her own. "You also forgot, being kidnapped by giant bugs." She grinned when she saw Peter give a fake shudder of repulse. Considering how he hated bugs so much, it might have not been entirely phony.
Spengler had tied Ray's handkerchief around Peter's arm. "That should hold, until we leave from here."
"Hopefully in one piece," Peter muttered as he stood on his feet. "Alright, boy geniuses. What do we do now?"
"While we were playing hide-n-seek upstairs, I theorized that it's the pendant Loki uses as a focus, not Vetryabu,"
"Thanks, Egon," Peter said sarcastically. "That was just crystal."
Ray, on the other hand, was nodding as if he understood. "Egon's right, Peter. The pendant that Loki had Vetryabu wearing was the same as the one Egon had. With that pendant, he used it to take over her body. Had Egon still worn his, the same would have happened to him."
"I get it! Vetryabu was just backup in case he couldn't get Egon's body!" Winston commented with a snap of his fingers. "I gotta hand it to Loki, he thought of everything."
"Correct, Winston," Egon had his PKE meter raised and pointed at the door. "Now that we know what he's using, how to remedy the situation is still the problem."
"Maybe if we removed the pendant and destroyed it, it will put him back in the binds," Janine suggested.
Ray shook his head. "Blood destroyed the binds and only blood will fix the binds."
"Wait a second," Peter interjected, putting his hand up to prevent further commenting. "If it was Egon's blood that broke the binds..." he trailed off and turning his gaze onto Egon.
The wail of the PKE meter broke the sudden silence. All five brought their throwers to arms, aiming for the door at the top of the stairs.
"Look out, Ghostbusters. Gotterdammerung has begun!"
"Heads up!" Winston commanded as the door collapsed onto the stairs and sliding to a rest at the Ghostbusters' feet.
Janine drew in a sharp breath as they all witnessed the true features of Loki. He had to be taller than anyone there. His hair was a bright fire red, redder than the secretary's hair. His icy blue eyes belied the intelligence that glittered from their depths. Around his neck, the pendant emitted a deep red aura that engulfed his entire being. He was handsome and the expression on his face would lead anyone to believe that he was friendly.
Ray switched his thrower on, the golden light from the handle lit up. He took a step forward and almost tripped over something on the floor. Looking down, Stantz noticed it was a small, copper-plated bowl. He bent over and picked it up. He almost dropped it when he saw the small ruby stains, but his quick mind stopped him. "Egon," he whispered, nudging the taller man in the side.
"Yes, Raymond?" Egon replied, looking downward.
"I think I know what to do, hold onto this." He shoved the bowl into Egon's outstretched hand. Stantz ran forward, yelling at the top of his lungs. "CHARGE!"
Peter screamed, "RAY, NO!"
Loki froze for a second, the sudden move by the Ghostbuster forced him to pause in surprise. "What the?" he cried as the occultist plowed into him, knocking him against the stairs. Ray wrapped his hand around the pendant and pulled with all his strength. The thin, serpentine chain quickly snapped under the force applied. Loki instantly roared and jumped to his feet.
"You little punk!" He grabbed Ray by the front of his suit and hauled him into the air. Ray's feet dangled in the air as they tried to find solid ground. He could feel his arm lifting against his will and his fingers slowly prying loose from the pendant. "No!" he cried. Ray flung his arm back, whipping the pendant over his shoulder. The moment he released the pendant, it hovered in mid-air, slowly returning to Loki's outstretched hand.
The God chuckled as he grabbed the pendant and released the occultist, leaving him hanging in the air as if he was on some unseen hook. "Sorry, that's not going to work." He turned it over in one hand and pushed Ray to the side with the other. Before he could get his bearings, another one rushed him. This time it was Winston. He executed a spinkick that was good enough to even make a martial artist jealous. Loki growled and shoved Winston to the side. He grabbed his arm as he flew across the room, chasing after the wayward item.
"Oh no you don't!" Janine yelled, she fell to her knees and scooted over to the corner. She was about to grab the pendant when Loki grabbed the straps of her pack and heaved her out of the way. Screaming, she flew backwards into Winston, who had his arms open to catch her. Both winced as they skidded backwards into Egon first and then the wall. Egon released a yelp of pain when a board came tumbling loose and falling onto his arm.
"My pendant!" The God almost had his hands on his precious gem when it suddenly vanished. A white luminous gown appeared before his eyes. The God looked up and gasped at what he saw.
"Loki..."
"Sigyn?! Why...I don't understand it!" Loki stammered, jumping to his feet.
The snake around the Æsir's shoulder hissed loudly, causing the God to jump back a few steps. "It's over, Loki." She held the pendant up towards the snake's mouth. The large fangs folded down from the gaping maw of the snake. Crimson venom gathered at the tips, forming large teardrops.
"NO!" One hand formed the shape of a sickle and he reared back to swing at Sigyn. Five golden proton beams flew from the darkness, connecting with his back. He roared and fell to his knees, spinning around on them to face his attackers.
"Give it up, Red!" Venkman yelled. "You know lost and you're one hell of a sore loser!" He opened fire again, searing the tips of Loki's hair. "Girl and Boys, let's show this God of fire how much we can burn!"
The Æsir's eyes grew large as five beams ripped through the air, connecting with his torso and flinging him backwards into the stones of the altar. When he opened his eyes and realized where he was, he screamed and tried to remove himself from his prison. Every time he took a step, five beams slammed into him, nearly making him almost part of the boulders themselves.
"Sigyn, please. Help me!" He pleaded, placing the most innocent expression on his face.
Sigyn held the pendant closer to the serpent's mouth. "No, this I cannot do." Two large drops of venom splashed on the surface. Tiny white cracks appeared over the gem and small rays of light appeared from the inside. The pendant hovered over her palm and exploded in a flash of multicolored light.
An unearthly roar erupted from Loki as the fetters attached themselves to his legs, binding them to the lower boulder. The fetter on his right arm reattached, binding that one to the other boulder. The left one however, remained free.
"Shit," Peter cursed, "Why didn't the other one attach too?!"
"Because," Egon started, grabbing Ray by the shoulder and pulling him with him. "It needs my blood to seal it." He handed Ray the small bowl and reached up to pin Loki's hand. The God snarled and tried to break loose.
Ray dabbed at the small bloodstains with the edge of his sleeve. "Rats! It's already dried up, Egon!"
Loki chuckled and Egon lifted the hand and slammed it against the rock. "I guess I'll have to produce a fresh sample!" He pulled a small knife from his jumpsuit breast pocket and ran it against the pad of his right thumb. A red drop blossomed from the small cut. He deposited the drop on the broken chain. A small flash of light blinded the pair for a second and as soon as it was over, Egon noticed the chain had been replaced.
Sigyn appeared before Loki. She removed the snake from her shoulders and placed it above his head. In her hands, a golden bowl appeared as a drop of venom fell from the snake's mouth. "Ghostbusters, I thank you. Now my husband and we must leave."
"Wait!" Janine called. "I just wanted to say, thank you for rescuing Egon."
Sigyn smiled and Janine smiled back. Egon didn't like the smile that was shared between the pair. "Watch it, Egon, you're blushing," Peter said, poking Egon in the ribs with his elbow.
Egon cleared his throat before adjusting his glasses. "I am not, it's the pain from my thumb."
Peter grinned. "Yeah, whatever you say, Egon."
Minutes later and very tired, the five Ghostbusters dragged their weary bodies up the stairs into the living room. Ray flicked on his flashlight, sweeping the room. His beam landed on a moaning lump that was moving in the center of the room.
"Oh no, Vetryabu," he said, racing forward and helping the elderly woman to her feet.
She ran a gnarled hand through her hair, pushing it away from her face. "What happened?" she asked, looking at the youngest Ghostbuster's face.
"It's a long story," Ray said with a large grin. "You have been witness to one of the greatest spiritual experiences since 1989..."
* * * *
"You're lucky, Dr. Venkman. It's only a shallow cut and won't need stitches," the paramedic, Anne said as she wrapped the gauze around Peter's arm before fastening it with a bit of white tape.
Not one to pass up a pretty face, Peter placed his most innocent expression on his face while batting his eyelashes. "Well, it doesn't hurt...too much."
Egon rolled his eyes. "If you're through acting, Peter." He wiggled his Band-Aid covered thumb.
Peter said a few more words to the paramedic before turning to Egon. "You get a kick out of that, don't you?" he asked, grabbing his pack with his good arm and lugging it behind him.
A small smirk crossed Spengler's face. "It does have its pleasure."
They walked back over to Ecto where Janine, Winston, and Ray were standing talking quietly. "What's this?" Peter asked as he loaded his pack in the back.
"I was just thinking of Vetryabu--Emily. She seemed so helpless." Ray balled one hand into a fist and jammed it in his pocket.
"Not to worry, Ray. I was talking with Anne, before Butinski here started rattling off." He jerked his thumb in Egon's direction. "She says Emily's going to be fine, her family is on the way and they'll take care of her."
"I'm glad she's going to be all right, but now I want a long nap," Janine commented, climbing into the back of Ecto.
"Amen to that!" Winston said, following Janine.
"Good, but there is still one thing to say--" Peter started
"Can we go home now?" Egon said, earning an array of shocked expressions from everyone.
"Great, first he costs me a date and now he stealing my lines," Peter groused, climbing in Ecto and slamming the door.
Oshimai. (The End)