Chapter Text
Ragnorak-- different from the cataclysmic event that had destroyed the planet of Asgard but even more horrifying-- had taken its toll on all of them. Mobius didn’t remember when the fighting started, all he knew was that it wouldn’t stop. The line had been drawn across the Multiverse and there would be no end until they killed each other. No one would be left because no one would concede that there was any good in the opposing side. They were both evil incarnate, and therein lay the problem. He had taken to calling it Ragnorak from his studies from a simpler time. Ragnorak was said to have happened and that it would happen again, but this one felt final, and so the name had stuck.
Ravonna fired at the burst of enemy agents that had launched an offensive on their base.
“We need to get out of here, Mobius. There’s too many of them.” Mobius sighed, firing his own shots at the advancing enemy as he struggled to think.
“We have the four-wheelers in the back.” Mobius started to list their possible options out loud.
“They’ve probably been destroyed in the bombing run.” Mobius nodded, conceding that point to his superior. Their enemy did have a preference for bombing any escape options. The bombs that destroyed the escape pods would have probably damaged the four-wheelers too.
“The tunnels?” Mobius made a face at his own suggestion. Ravonna winced, ducking as several blasts flew over their heads. No one liked the tunnels. There were things that lived in the tunnels that were large enough to feast on them, things that they never had the time to classify while on this planet.
“If we can just wait them out and get to the supply cache…” Ravonna was considering it which meant things were so close to going all to shit. “Let’s go.” Mobius followed her silently, both of them holstering their weapons in hopes the enemy would think they were dead. They made their way to the kitchen where the large grate that their scraps were shoved down into was easily enough pushed to one side. The monsters beneath might be less forgiving than their coming enemies, but it was the risk they would have to take. Between the two of them, they pulled the grate back into place before ducking further into the tunnels. “Don’t think about what we’re walking on right now.” Ravonna counseled. “Don’t go too far into the tunnels. We will wait here until they leave.”
“We should find another exit.” Mobius pointed out. He didn’t want to stay here because he knew exactly what he was standing in: monster bait.
“Fine, you stay here. I’ll go look.” Mobius suppressed his sigh as Ravonna did just that. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him in the field, but Mobius had always been more of a scholar than a fighter. Ravonna was the warrior between the two of them.
“We think she went through there.” Shit. Mobius ducked down further, whipping his blaster out just in case.
“You think?” The grate scraped up and Mobius stopped breathing, a cold chill spreading throughout his body.
“Commander, there’s nowhere else she could have gone.” Mobius recognized the man who had his face down the grate, scanning the refuse pile. That was one of Kang’s most feared commanders and the man who had killed off almost their entire squad back on the last moon base. Mobius had lost most of his friends in the blast that this man had ordered. Anger clouded his vision and he pointed his blaster and fired a shot before he could think of what the consequences might be. War was war and Mobius had lost good people, people he loved, people he had lived with and fought alongside. There was a sharp cry of pain-- so the man still lived-- and Mobius sneaked closer, sending off another flurry of shots that had bodies dropping to the floor. His blaster clicked, jammed on something, and Mobius had the sense to retreat back into the darkness. It was quiet for a moment, too quiet, until he heard the shouts of the soldiers that discovered what he had done.
Soldiers dropped into the hole and Mobius turned and ran, nearly tripping over the trash and bones under his dirty boots. Someone grabbed him, dragging him back, when a monster appeared. Mobius had forgotten how terrifying they were, eyes glowing green, pale body mottled with dark stripes. It grabbed the man who had tripped him and ripped him in half before devouring him whole.
“Fuck.” Mobius didn’t dare move from the ground as the monster lumbered over him, heading towards the other enemy soldiers. The grate was still open. It was going to get out. And once it was out of the tunnels… it would be very hard to put it back in. Above ground, these things were even faster and deadlier than they were in the dark. Mobius waited until the screams started to crawl away. He had to find a safer spot and wait out the carnage. His pants were damp and he realized absent-mindedly that he must have pissed himself when the monster showed. He didn’t blame himself, but he still felt a little foolish, as he made his way to what he hoped was safety. At least he was still alive. He hoped Ravonna was still alive too. Their chances of getting off this planet were better when they were together.
“Was that you firing your blaster?” Ravonna was by his side. “You know that draws the beasts, Mobius. It’s too dangerous.”
“It doesn’t work now anyway.” Mobius rolled up from where he had been curled up in the dirt and debris. “It’s jammed.”
“Probably for the best with your sense of judgment.”
“Hey, I had a clear shot at their commander.” Ravonna stilled almost instantly. “I took the shot. I definitely hit him at least once.”
“Loki?” She asked in a low, hushed voice. Mobius nodded as fatigue started to take him over. Now that Ravonna was back, now that he knew she was safe, Mobius wanted nothing more than to curl up and sleep. It had been a long fucking day. “I hope you killed him.” Ravonna’s voice was full of fury and hate. There was no love between the two sides, but Loki and Ravonna had something
personal
between them. Commander Loki made it his personal mission to hunt her down and he savagely killed anyone who got in his way. Ravonna told him the stories of the people who she had lost to this man’s mission. Mobius hoped the commander never caught her. Ravonna was brilliant-- one of the TVA’s best soldiers-- one of the main reasons they were doing as well as they were. Mobius was just lucky enough to be her friend from simpler times before they all got pressed into service.
“Me too.” Mobius let out the breath he didn’t know he was holding. The air down here wasn’t good, but it was better than the lack of air they would be fighting in space. “Can we rest here and move out later?”
“Rest.” She nodded. “You did good, Mobius.” The praise warmed Mobius’ heart and he curled up back in his corner and promptly fell asleep, trusting his commander to have his back.
Mobius woke up hours later alone. There was a letter, one he hurried up to pull his light out to read.
“I hate to leave you like this, Mobius, but every second I stay trapped here, the more dangerous it is for me. If the enemy captures me, the TVA could very well lose the war, and that is why I know you’ll be okay with the decision I’ve made. It’s you or me in this situation, you’re deadweight, and I can’t risk capture for you. You’ve been a good friend, almost indispensable for that alone, Mobius, rest easy. We will always honor your memory and your sacrifice.
For all time,
Ravonna.”
Mobius read the letter once and then a second time before he crumpled it up in his gloved hand. Tears pricked his eyes and he shoved the letter into a pocket. She had left him to die. Ravonna had abandoned him. He should have known that when it came down to it, she would protect herself, she was more important to the fight than he was, but the news came as a betrayal, twisting and painful. She had probably taken the only way off the planet with her and it was starting to become more and more likely that he really would die here. The base was off limits with the rampaging monster and enemy soldiers. His only hope was to check and see if any of the escape pods or four-wheelers had survived. There was an outpost on the other side of the planet that had the means of communication. If he could get over there, he might be able to call for help. That was it. That would be what he would do. Mobius wasn’t going to stay in these tunnels and die, no, this agent wanted to live. If he was going to die, it was going to be while trying to survive.
He was the unlucky bastard who had killed Commander Loki-- that had to count for something.