Re: Boi-oi-oing.
"Your fears," he said grimly, only partially teasing. His footfalls were silent, and his breathing was all but stilled as they traveled along. His pale face was no doubt glowing in the shadowy, piss-colored light. There was a long corridor up ahead, stairless but winding, ever sloping downward to the domain where Hela (and Hel before her) tortured their most deserving victims. The crown jewels of their damned kingdom. The evilest. You know, like Baldr, apparently. The path grew more and more narrow as the walls began to literally close in as they continued down. The floor's slant grew steeper with each stride. It might have turned into a slide had they needed to march on. (Un)fortunately, they'd come to a complete halt at the base of the path that simply let out into a vast cavern. He had to hold his arm out to keep the lithe form of Thea from slipping into the abyss. No thanks to Minor.
Out in the center of the dark, malodorous chasm was a bit of land, which at first glance could have been mistaken as a floating island. In fact, it was not floating but suspended by a slender column of tableland which had no visible base. Upon the plateau was a tree, black of bark and gnarled, the source of the foul smell upon the air. "The tree of death," Loki said after several moments had passed and Thea had been given a chance to take in the marvelous scenery. "When our feet walk upon the bridge," he pointed in the near-darkness, "there won't be an easy way out. The Bifrost cannot reach us here." The treacherous dead would awaken for certain, and two gods and a spirit bear would seem like delicacies.
"Since we've no other way from the tree back to this point, you should cross the bridge and retrieve the basin while I stand guard," he offered. She could always take the bear... Now, there was the matter of getting down to the damned thing. "Wait here," he said to the girl, then took a leap down the several hundred foot drop-off. A copy of himself appeared next to Thea suddenly. "Jump. I'll catch you." Minor stayed by the goddess' side until she made her choice.