Chapter 47

*Meanwhile. Loki's POV*

We made it back to the entrance and called for Peter and Tiny Tony to join us in the search. Alex was no where to be found and my anger towards Second Thor was building with each moment she was gone from my side.

"Here is the plan, Tony and I go left and continue forward. We had managed to get halfway through the base before losing connection." Thor explained.

"You two will go right and continue from where Alex was taken." He added as he looked over at Peter and I.

"How do you know that doing that will get us anywhere?" Tiny Tony asked as he crossed his arms.

"Because on our original path, we were taking enough turns to take us towards Alex's direction. And the hallways she was taking were doing the same. They meet in the middle somewhere." I replied.

"And that's where T will be." Thor nodded.

"Stupid plan." Tiny Tony mumbled as he looked away from us. Alex was right to question how he was an Iron Man, he was lazy, lacking intelligence, scared of basic fighting, and just a complainer. Nothing like our Tony.

"Try to meet in the next hour. We do not want to give him enough time to get away." Thor said as he gripped the handle of his hammer.

"Agreed." I nodded as I formed two daggers in my hands and gripped them tight.

"Alright, let's go." Peter nodded. We walked back into the base and split up inside. Peter and I made it back to where Alex was taken and turned down the next hall. We continued on without seeing any guards and the sensors were now off as well. He knew we were coming. After the next turn we stopped at an intersection. The hallway split into 4 other hallways, this base was a maze.

"I can feel something." Peter said as he stepped closer to the doorways to the left.

"This way." He nodded as he took the second hall. 

"Alex?" I thought.

"Alex, if you can hear me, I'm coming."

*Alex's POV*

The branch pulled me into another large cave room that was pitch black. It let me go and I quickly got to my feet as I frantically looked around. I couldn't even see my own hands. I could hear deep breathing to my left and slowly backed up to the right, careful of the rocks around me. A small bit of purple light lit up behind me and I turned to see Second Thor sitting on the ground, his back against the wall, his face bloody and his hammer missing.

"Thor?!" I shockingly whispered. I rushed over and knelt down by him as he held the lightening in his hand to light up the area. I examined his bloody injuries and he groaned in pain with each touch.

"I-If you're here...who the Hell is T??" I asked him. Hints and clues I've encountered over the past day slowly flooded into my mind and I clenched my jaw as I nodded.

"Tiny fucking Tony." I harshly whispered. A noise sounded from behind me and I turned just as a branch wrapped around Second Thor's leg. It pulled him away as he winced in pain and then grabbed me too. Second Thor kept his lightening lit in his hand and I was finally able to see what we were dealing with. It looked like Adult Groot jacked up on steroids and then mutated with Hulk radiation. It was terrifying. Second Thor's lightening went out in his hand as his injuries weakened him.

"Shit, shit, shit, shit." I panicked as I looked around the dark cave. 

"Thor??" I called out.

"We need that light." I begged him. It was terrifying not knowing what was happening around us. I could hear branches creaking as they moved behind and in front of us. 

"I can't hold it any longer. It's taking too much from me." He weakly replied. He suddenly began laughing as the branch drug him away from me.

"Great, you've lost it." I sighed.

"Clint used to tell me to keep a lighter on me at all times. I told him I'd never need one because I can make light with my lightening." He laughed, his voice further away from me now. His memory jolted my own and I reached down into my boot and grabbed one of the matches hidden inside.

"Thank you Nat." I whispered. I felt around the ground and found a small rock next to me. I grabbed it and used it to strike the match. The small flame lit up the area around me and I went wide in the eyes when I saw the Groot like monster slowly placing a sharp branch against Second Thor's chest.

"No!" I yelled as threw my free hand out. The branch suddenly stopped and I inhaled in surprise when I realized that I had stopped it. In the panic I wasn't paying attention, but now I feel them, the elements in the monster. It was from my universe. The monster looked over at me just as the flame died out.

"I am Groot?"

"How did you do that?"  It's deep voice echoed.

"You're from my universe. That's why you look like Groot, you're apart of his species." I half laughed to myself as I reached into my boot for another match. I struck it and the light showed me a curious looking Groot. My Groot taught me some of his language, it was probably the hardest thing I've ever had to do.

"I am Groot. I am Groot."

"You and I share a home. You were taken from there and I can take you back."

"Am I going crazy?" Second Thor asked.

"No, shh." I whispered.

"I am Groot?"

"How can I trust you?" He asked me. The light went out and I struck another match.

"I am Groot. I am Groot. I am Groot?"

"I work with a Groot. He's my friend. How else would I know how to speak your language?" I asked him. Silence fell between us as my last match died out.

"I am Groot?"

"What happened?" I asked him.

"I am Groot. I am Groot. I am Groot. I am Groot. I am Groot. I am Groot. I am Groot. I am Groot. I am Groot. I am Groot."

"We could sense it in the air. Something evil was approaching. To save our people, we, the Elders, killed and buried them. They were to regrow after the evil had passed, giving them a chance to live. I was the last one left. I had buried all of the other Elders and was preparing my own death when they arrived. They reeked of evil and I knew they were not of this world. I did not attempt to escape, for I knew I had no chance. I was captured and brought here, to this unfamiliar place. I have been chained to the wall and forced to kill the innocent people thrown down here." He explained.

"I am Groot."

"Let me help you." I begged.

"I am Groot?" 

"How can you?" He asked me.

"I am Groot."

"I'll get us free and we can work together to get out of this cave and up to the base." I replied as I wiggled my ankle from his grip. He pulled his branches away from Second Thor and I and I slowly got to my feet. I felt around and bumped into Second Thor, who was still on the ground. I helped him up and he leaned into me, using me as leverage to stand. I put my hand out in front of us and felt around for the walls around us. I helped Second Thor lean against it and gently moved away, feeling my way around the darkness and towards The Elder. I bumped into him and apologized as I took a step back.

"I am Groot?"

"Where are the chains?" I asked him.

"I am Groot."

"Around my arms, throat, legs and waist." He replied. I gently ran my blind hands up his branches and stopped when I felt cold metal. I tried to pry my fingers in between him and the metal but I couldn't. It was too tight.

"Shit." I whispered.

"I am Groot."

"I could easily break free if I were not so weak." He suddenly said.

"I am Groot. I am Groot."

"I can control elements, that includes you. I can help control you and break you free." I said as I looked up to where I thought his face was.

"I am Groot."

"Do it." He replied. I took a few clumsy steps back and put both hands out as I felt his outline. I grabbed both of his wrists and inhaled as I pulled them. He began grunting as he pushed himself away from the wall. I took a few more steps back and clenched my jaw as I harshly yanked my hands towards me, gripping them into fists. The sound of rocks pulling apart and tumbling to the ground filled the cave and I smiled, knowing I had freed his hands. We did his feet next, then throat and legs. He let out a deep joyful laugh and I exhaled as I put my hands on my hips.

"What's happening?" Second Thor weakly asked me.

"I helped The Elder get free. We're going to escape together." I informed him as I slowly walked towards his voice, my hands out feeling for things.

"Wasn't he just going to kill us?" He coughed a little.

"He's prisoner here too. Forced to do things." I replied as my foot lightly bumped him. I put his arm around my shoulder and he began to limp with me half holding him up.

"I am Groot. I am Groot. I am Groot."

"The exit is this way. I understand humans such as yourself and Asgardians such as the other one cannot see in darkness. I will be your guide."

The Elder informed me. A small branch slithered behind us and gently touched my back, nudging me forward. He navigated me through the darkness for a few minutes and then I finally spotted light coming from the entrance into here. I pulled Second Thor along and walked out of the entrance, the light blinked us. I dropped my hand from my eyes as they slowly adjusted and blinked a few times as I looked over at Second Thor. He was in pretty bad shape.

"Loki will heal you once we're out." I know hearing the name Loki wasn't very comforting, but maybe hearing that he'll live is.

"You are not dead." Beraoin remarked as we leaned on a rock to rest.

"Yeah, no thanks to you assholes." I snapped.

"The beast was hungry, it was only lo-"

"Logical, yeah yeah." I harshly interrupted him.

"We need to stay alive." Beraoin replied as he walked over towards us.

"So you sacrifice someone else to do it? Instead of helping them you just watch as they die??" I asked as I let Second Thor go and crossed my arms.

"It was the only logical decision." Lithitam nodded.

"Was it? Because if I was a vengeful person full of hate and anger and you just tried to sacrificed me you'd be in danger now. Was it logical to risk making an enemy?" I asked as I shook my head.

"I felt your feelings and saw your memories. I knew you would not have taken revenge had you lived." Lithitam replied.

"Unbelievable." I half laughed. The pair looked behind me and slowly backed up and into the shadows as The Elder slowly made his way out of the other cave room. He stopped next to me and I looked up at him, nodding.

"I am Groot." 

"We'll work together again and bust through the ceiling." I said.

"You can speak to it?" Lithitam asked as she and her grandfather left their hiding spot and walked over to us.

"Yeah." I replied as I looked over at them.

"He's going to help us escape." I added.

"Why would he do such a thing? Is he not happy being down here and eating prisoners?" Beraoin asked me.

"Wh-no? His species doesn't eat people, they don't eat meat. He's a fucking tree??" I replied as I furrowed my brows.

"Then why does he kill the prisoners?" He asked me.

"And how?" Lithitam added. I looked over at The Elder and translated their questions to him. He lowered his head and nodded as he looked back over at me.

"I am Groot. I am Groot. I am Groot. I am Groot." He replied.

"I killed because I had to. They tortured me when I refused. I did not consume those I killed and I made sure their deaths were quick. I would prick them with a poison that was painless and instant and then bury them beneath me." I translated for the group. I could tell by his tone that he regretted what he's done and I didn't hold him responsible for it. 

"He was also a prisoner." Beraoin nodded. Before I could reply, Second Thor began violently coughing up blood. I rushed to his side and put my hand on his back as his coughing calmed down.

"We need to go." I informed the others.

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