The sight of the gigantic ship was overwhelming, both he and Thor stood open mouth looking at it. But only one of the brothers had seen it before. Indeed, Loki had seen similar ships, the model was a Cordelian war cargo, heavy armored and able to carry an army of battleships inside. But this particular ship was not an ordinary cargo, this was much bigger, and he knew exactly to whom this ship belonged. The though made him wish he had perished with Asgard. Also, he knew there will not be such mercy as death for him, his nightmare was just becoming true. He feared Thanos even more than the goddess of death.
"Loki?"
Thor turned to his side to see Loki paralyzed. Not many things scared his brother, he was a treacherous liar, but not a coward.
"Loki!" He said again, but his brother didn't respond.
When he went to shake his shoulders, Loki vanished, and illusion. Yeah, not a coward, but never the first to volunteer for a difficult task.
"Heimdall, is this ship hostile?"
"My King, I see an army big enough to leave the nine realms barren. The Mad Titan commands it."
"The Mad Titan, Thanos?"
There was no time to answer, like a wasp nest, hundreds of small combat ships emerged from the huge one. They started to shoot at them right away.
"Kurg, activate whatever weapons this ship has."
The ship started to tremble with the laser impacts.
"Heimdall, where is Loki?"
Loki ran under the cloak of an invisibility spell, he reached a separated load area where there were two small ships, escape pods. It was no use, he will be reached and dragged back to the Titan. He was shaking and fell on his knees, crouching by his half, trying to get air into his lungs. Calm down, this is not it, think Loki, think, there should be a way out.
The ship shook hard, and Loki knew they were already under attack. He cannot create a portal in the middle of space, only if...of course, he had the Tesseract, maybe he could manage it to transport himself out of reach, to Knowhere or-
It had been all for nothing, he had been free to escape in Sakar. Why had he kicked his opportunity to follow his brother into madness? Because the oaf was going to his own dead and he couldn't allow it. He was the only family he had left, even if not his real family. And of course, he would not allow him to get all the credit, if some was to be earned. But Asgard was beyond saving. It was obvious that Hela won't leave anything left to rule over. Still both brothers committed, in their own times, knowing that they were going to fight and die. They had done the impossible, saved and destroyed Asgard at the same time.
To soon to face a second mortal menace. The survivors of Asgard were peasants mostly, not sorcerers, not Einherjars, and they didn't have armors nor weapons. Thanos will wipe them out, extinguishing the Aesir forever. His brother and his stupid friends will die protecting the people in vain. Wait, no, the warriors three were already dead. Thor was on his own. No time to think about that, I need to escape now.
It was not in his hands to save this people, they had never been his people. But he knew no other home but Asgard, lie or not. It would be a true lie to tell that his heart had not sunk in his chest when Odin left them. His last words for him had been a praise, for his magic nonetheless, 'Frigga would be proud'. He had expected a scowl for taking the throne in such a treacherous way, even he could admit that it had been a bit low to drop the old man with his memory bound in a elderly home in Midgard. His childish need for approval and redemption will be the death of him.
The Tesseract, he reached the cube and it felt smooth and cold into his hands. He never had yield it, properly saying. Thanos had forced his mind with the gem, and it was a matter of time he found a connection with the Tesseract. He had created an astral projection between both gems. But to open a full size portal, well maybe not big enough for a small ship, but for one person. It worth give it a try.
The sound of an alarm came from the ship, the computer alerting the collapsing of the shields. Time was running out. The combat ships had found their way into their refugee vessel and it was being boarded.
"What do we do, my King?" Heimdall asked Thor.
"We fight."
The Asgardians stayed piled in the back of the cargo area, while the aliens stood at the front with Thor, the Hulk, and the Valkyrie, weapons ready in their hands. The gate was blown by lasers, and the warriors set to fight. They will die fighting for the lack of better options.
Some of the Asgardians noticed the second prince walking among them, he sat on the floor with his legs crossed as in meditation. The blue cube floated between his hands. Those close enough could see that whatever he was doing was taxing, Loki looked tense. A small portal opened in the middle on the cargo area, barely enough for the Hulk to pass. The border of the portal spun in blue greenish sparkles and through the hole they could see a prairie, a field of green grass in the top of a hill, where the clouds and the sun made an enticing view to the sea.
The lasers started to fall near, prompting the Asgardians to move on. They started to cross the portal in a hurry.
"Thor, look" Heimdall called.
Thor saw the portal and the people rushing through it, it could only be...Loki.
His brother had proven himself in Asgard, as he was the one that brought the ship to them. If not for him, everyone would have died. Now Thor felt bad for losing faith in Loki a few minutes ago.
"We need to buy time, so the people can pass through." He yelled to his team.
The Hulk had run loose already, which was not very wise in such an enclosed space. He will break the ship apart before the Chitaru outnumbered them. On the other hand, the Chitaru were harder to kill, from what he remembered. They were everywhere, Valkyrie trying to defend the portal.
All the Asgardians finally went through, followed by the aliens.
"Time to go!" Thor called the Hulk.
"Big guy, let's go!" Valkyrie called too, trying to convince the Hulk who was immersed in the fight.
"Hulk smash!"
"No, enough!"
Hulk conceded but he got stuck in the portal's hole. Valkyrie took impulse and jumped over him, so both passed through, like a popping cork. Heimdall saw Loki who was not looking well, by then he was covered in sweat and blood leaked from his nose. He was having trouble to keep the portal open, exhausted of yielding the gem for so long already.
"My prince" the seer bowed to Loki before passing through the portal.
"Heimdall, do me a favor, don't look for me." Heimdall didn't respond, as Thor was hurrying him to pass through.
"Move on we are the last ones, brother!"
"Thor, I cannot"
"What?"
"I cannot follow you this time" A drop of sweat ran from his eyebrow like a tear.
"No, you are coming with us!"
The portal's edges where becoming unstable and the hole was shrinking.
"I really cannot"
"I'm not leaving you!"
"Of course you aren't. Heimdall get him out of here!" Thor was pulled to the other side just on time, the portal becoming too small for anyone to pass.
"Forgive me brother, but the next time we see each other I'll be your enemy. Kill me if you must." Loki yelled at Thor on the other side of the portal.
With that the portal faded, and the last Thor saw of Loki was the Chitaru soldier that approached him from behind, knocking him in the head with his weapon.
Thor looked at the people of Asgard, and the place that Loki had sent them. The same place he and Loki had sit with Odin before he left. 'Remember this place, is beautiful'. Loki had listened. His father words came to his mind too. 'Asgard can be any place, including here.'
"Where are we?" Banner asked him, now holding his oversized Hulk pants.
"Home"
A suddenly strident music started to sound closer and louder, it muffled the sound of the helicopters that were approaching to them. A small flying object descended in front of them.
A familiar red and gold metal armor, the helmet lifted showing Stark's face.
"Welcome back Bruce. Thor, what happened to you? you look like Fury"
"Good to see you too Stark."
/\/\/\/\/\
Loki woke up with a kick on his ribs, only to realize he was on the floor, just in front of Thanos.
Why again, if he could had escaped to elsewhere, had he saved the Asgardians, risking his own life? If he had thought that he can truly made it up for his stupid mistakes and win a warrior's afterlife, if only to see his mother again... He was not a hero and death was far away for him, not by Thanos hand at least, the Titan will make sure of that.
"Well, well, well, look what we have here." Thanos voice invaded the room, loud and full of contempt.
"Master?" Loki played the minion, maybe he had a chance.
"Silence vermin, you dared to betray me!"
"I bring you the Tesseract"
"Have you, really? I don't think so. Where is the scepter?"
"I was on my way to Earth, to recover it"
"Why again is it on Earth and not in your hand where I placed it!"
Loki said nothing, he was doomed.
"Yes, that I though. You lied to me, you weakling, defeated by cowardly humans. I'll end your futile life, but you are not a worthy sacrifice. Not until I made you pay for your betrayal and your ineptitude. You will plead me to kill you, I can assure you."
No, I won't, you monster. Something was wrong with him, Loki though. Very, very wrong, and it was not the pain in his back. He felt dizzy and was not able to cast his magic.
"Don't even think of it, I know more efficient ways to handle sorcerers, specially cheap ones like you."
A cold hand ran through his back. He realized it has been carved in his back, a rune. A binding dark rune. The clawed hand used a pointy nail to retrace over the pattern, digging in the indent already made in the injured flesh.
"Mayhem, take this from my sight, and give him a welcoming he won't forget." Thanos ordered to his thrall.
Another face he had preferred never seen again. Mayhem was the mercenary that delivered him to Thanos and the Other. And his stay in the man's ship had been...something to better forget.
"Oh, and be sure he doesn't die"
As a positive point, they were not in the Sanctuary anymore, which limited the nastier options.
They walked him to a cargo area with a huge cage. Hell damned, they brought the fucking beasts with them, too many of them. Mayhem kicked him in and the flesh hounds went wild.
He ran, jumped, climbed, kicked, did everything to avoid the beasts, until Mayhem shoot him in the leg and he fell. Fortunately, they took him out before the beasts tore his leg apart. Unfortunately, the beasts bit him and used their claws merciless for a long time, before they pulled him out.
He was yet very conscious after that, which meant rest was not in order. Surely the rune carved in his back was indistinguishable by then, but still his magic was unreachable. It would be healed in a couple days, if not because they used a conjured blade. Who had Thanos allied with that power, a sorcerer, but who, who in the other side of the universe?
Loki didn't remember falling asleep, but now he was waking up, in open space, floating. A rope tied to his ankle, a very blue ankle. Shit. He diverted his sight from his blue body, and the thin layer of ice that covered him. This was the back of the ship, and a perfect angle to visualize the flock of Leviathans riding after the ship. Twice shit. His actual condition was no torture, it was only done to force him to show his real skin. When the rope started to pull toward the scuttle, he knew what awaited him.
By lack of imagination, the Chitaru carved the Jotun lines in his body by following them with a blade. When the blue receded, the pattern remained. Last time they had used a laser, and the scar had eventually faded. By now they had learned the difference that a conjured blade can make on his skin. So yes, they used one for that, carving deep on the skin to be sure the scars will be a forever remainder.
An escape plan was not conceivable. The ship was genetically coded, he needed the proper living body to open doors, authorize access, even boarding a ship. Whatever trick he may do to reach the docks will fail if he cannot take control of a ship.
/\/\/\/\/\
The U.S. government through SHIELD was deliberating with Norway the situation of the Asgardian refugees. SHIELD was guarding the landing area to avoid the news to spread. One thing was having Thor, or deal with his maniac half brother who lead a full alien invasion over New York. But another entirely different was a bigger lot of Asgardians, who appeared from nowhere, all with superior abilities and strength, along with a bunch of even weird looking alien creatures that never could blend among humans. For now they were accepted as temporary refugees, but they were not looking for that to become a permanent arrangement.
Weren't other planets suitable for them to live? What about these other realms they mentioned, they may receive the Asgardians as well with less disruption of their regular lives. To allow the Asgardians to settle on Earth was a major problem, will they be granted a citizenship? This could create a whole international conflict, and yet the world council was not even informed. Could the Asgardians adapt to Earth laws and society? What if another crazy with world conqueror delirium was included in this lot? What if they wandered uncontrolled, or if they marry and mixed with humans? They had enough already with human mutations and inhumans, super humans, this without adding alien DNA. They couldn't control all of them, not enough to be sure Hydra or another government or crazy mad scientist won't experiment with the alien genetics for evil purposes. Everyone will want a piece of them or at least their technology, weapons, imagine the possibilities.
Things were never simple, and the actual priority was the alert Thor had set on their heads regarding this Mad Titan with a huge attack alien force in their way to strike Earth. Why they were of interest for that space madman, it was unknown. For now, they will probably need the help of these aliens.
/\/\/\/\/\
The Chitaru dragged Loki to the presence of the Titan again. His leg was really damaged, the bone had broken, and the pain was acute. But he can endure pain, he must. Each step it twisted outward, while the pressure of his weight forced the pieces to grind against each other. He couldn't walk all the way like this. After collapsing and being kicked to stand up, which he didn't do, they opted for dragging him along, dropping him like garbage in front of their master.
"It suits you well, the red, little broken prince"
Yes, his face and torso were covered on it, the carvings bleeding generously. The blood mixed with sweat had smeared all over him.
He tried to get on his feet, but couldn't even get on his knees first.
"Keep still and look at me, this is most impolite from your highness." The Titan cackled.
He waved his hand and the Chitaru next to him pressed one foot on his back, making his chest to lay over the floor. The creature pulled his hair backward, and Loki's head was inevitably looking at Thanos.
"I'll tell you what, how about a second chance to prove yourself? I'm feeling generous. No need to be stealth this time, as I guess the humans already know we are on our way, but I want you to locate the gems for me, show them to me."
"I'llll..." He was about to say I'll never do it, but then Thanos was inside his head, again.
He had already failed to protect his brother and the Asgardians, as he had not been strong enough to impede the Titan to see all that transpired in his mind. The destruction of Asgard. He, helping them.
"Playing the hero doesn't seem to fit you. You are a treacherous worm, and you will never be a hero."
Thanos intrusion placed commands in his mind, restraining his free of though.
His head hurt so much. He had fully conscious of the things placed on his head, he could restrained them with effort, but it was easier to comply, less painful.
"Prepare him, and take out that silver voice of him, we don't want him betraying his mind."
The guards prepared him, they threw buckets of water at him and a most irritant substance to stop the bleeding. It hurt and itched, but worked, each wound still open and red on his body. He dressed in his own clothes that had been given back. It felt most uncomfortable, the leather touching the wounds. They held him restrained and forced a scorching drink on his mouth. Like acid, it burned his throat and his stomach, he doubled in the pain trying to scream but the yell made no sound. They forced him a second drink, which soothed the effect of the first one, or at least made it stop. The pain remained nonetheless, it had damaged his vocal cords, muting him.
As he would not be of much use if walling and dragging his leg, they just attached two flat bars on his skin, and used several long nails to hold the bones in between the metal bars. Then, they brought surgical equipment to place a device inside him. A tracker, he had seen it before, they usually attached them to the skin, but instead they cut him on the chest and inserted it inside of him, sealing the cut with a laser. It hurt in a way he never had experienced before. The trackers had eight security pins as thick as needles, on activation they retracted from the device body and inserted on the skin, bending inward, to secure the device's attachment. It held like a tick, breaking the skin, if someone tried to remove it by force. It was commonly placed in the neck, where the little pin legs embraced the artery, discouraging its removal. Instead of the skin, Loki's one had been placed in an internal organ, his heart to be more precisely. It cannot be removed safely without the controller. Also, it was able to release a pulse of electricity in his heart, and being this a version enhanced by Thanos instructions, it could also explode. So, he was fucked up.
The voice of Thanos ringed in his head. Dare to disobey me now.
As last, they prepared a syringe with a blue substance. A drop leaked from the needle end, falling on the table, the drop frozen on contact. He had also seen this once, in possession of the Collector, the blood of the ice serpents of Vrinn. They injected it into his bloodstream, and it lowered his temperature. He felt like burning inside out, but only for seconds. The blue crept over his skin.
No. He wished he was able to scream.
He was shaken a bit after it, but tried to focus his magic, still bound by the rune. He could only manage a simple illusion, and then he looked again like his normal self, the pale skin clean and uninjured. He should have guess this was the whole purpose, to force him to conceal his marred skin. They wished him not to look like a tortured man, but a willing ally. Shit.
The ship was sent without the use of the Tesseract. He traveled along with three Chitaru soldiers who kept him restrained during the journey. They didn't make themselves visible until the city was on view. The objective was Stark Tower, this was to make a show. The ship crashed against it, and they got response in no time. The Chitaru took arms and prepared to disembark. The first one went out with a laser gun on his hands, Loki was pushed out after him, followed by two more with their guns pointed to him, these remained hidden on the ship entrance.
When the first Chitaru came down Loki ran to his side retrieving the gun, and turned back to attack the other two, but he saw his brother among the group in front of him and remained looking forward, the laser on his hands. Two shoots came from behind him, putting down two SHIELD soldiers, and all went lose. Loki ran back to get cover, and shot to disarm a couple of his attackers. The Chitaru had already fallen dead, and he was surrounded, no choice but dropping his gun.
Thor had approached him first, his eyes pleading, but his voice stern when he asked what had happened to him. When they separated, he thought his brother may had been hurt but instead Loki looked as fine as he can be. He held Loki's arm, and it pained Loki, the pressure over his wounds, so he jerked off the hold. An act that Thor understood like a rejection. Thor eyes flickered, assimilating the truth of what had been Loki's last words to him on the ship. Too much for the hero, too much of noble Loki that return to save his brother and his people. Truth was painful, but Loki was no hero, only the villain, the traitorous, the one that delivered the Tesseract to Thanos.
If only Thor could see the truth, Loki thought. But he couldn't, not unless Loki dropped the illusion and that won't happen. Thor had never seen him like that, he never will. The ice serpent's blood was usually used for cryogenics, as it mixed with the patient blood avoiding the breaking of the cells by the frozen water on the body composition, it would take long to purge on its own.
The whole ordeal was so wrong, Loki only wanted to rest, to close his eyes for a while, but the commands ingrained in his mind played in his head once and again. He needed to find the scepter.
/\/\/\/\
Familiar containment glass cage, different place. It was called the Raft, the prison under the sea. He was about to drop himself on the floor to sleep, but it risked his illusion to fail. Not that he was really allowed any time to rest. Immediately, he was restrained and walked to a room for interrogation. At least he was not forced to wear prisoner clothes, that would be humiliating. Think an escape plan you moron. They tried desperately to get information from him about the Mad Titan, they had sent the Black Widow woman, Barton, Nick Fury himself, Thor, each one of the Avengers, except for the Hulk, thanks Norns. He had not spoken, but they didn't know he couldn't. After two days he was given at last some minutes alone. He sat on the floor, his back itching against the wall, he wanted to take the clothes off. He can smell the infection starting to fester, the wounds unattended and wrapped in leather like that. They delivered a tray with food in paper containers, but he didn't even bother to check on it. The tray instead was something he could use. Still, he remained where he was, do not show them his interest, he needed to formulate a plan first. As much as he didn't want to, his only chance involved threatening few human lives. Another thing to consider, he was under the sea, but maybe that could turn in an advantage.
The third day brought his interrogators to a lack of patience. Fury had pointed the gun at his head as soon as he entered the room. If his hands weren't restrained, he would have inflicted pain on the man for that. Instead, Fury punched him with the gun, making his nose to bleed. He couldn't add a second illusion to cover it. No way Thor will miss that, bleeding for such a feeble hit.
Fury was menacing him with the Hulk, great. But it was a woman, who came after him, the one that capture his attention. A young girl he had never seen before, but he could sense her powers, a sorceress. Her energy aura glowed red around her, and he was sure she could see his as well, so diminished. She said nothing to him, only looked at him and put a hand on his temple. She felt what he felt. Very different like a mind reading, she could not see his doings, only felt his pain, his fear, his frustration, his anguish, his need... it was horrible, he tried to move his head away, but he couldn't. They both looked at each other's eyes, and then a drop was released in his right eye, mimicking the lonely tear trailing on her cheek. Her magic enclosed him, tainting his green with her red, he tried to oppose, feeling exposed. Loki used the connection to see on her mind. It was painful, and his illusion almost broke, the blood from his nose running again, and then his illusion changed, and he looked like her brother. This made her to break the connection, stepping back. As soon as she released him, he changed his illusion back. Wanda left the room without ever saying a word.
Two hours later Barton came, he backhanded him. Bloody man, he will kill him for this, dared to backhand him like a defenseless woman. At least he should had punched him, closed fist like a man, but this was unacceptable, he was not a woman to be manhandled. Stupid Barton.
When the slit on the floor open to deliver another tray of food, Loki moved quickly, using the metal tray to prevent the opening from closing. He pulled the man's hand inside, and reached his other hand out to deliver a punch. The man screamed, bleeding by his split eyebrow. In seconds the door opened allowing six SHIELD soldiers, armored and holding weapons. Loki ran toward them, stepping on them literally to pass through the door before it closed, getting a couple of bullets in the process. More men were outside, with heavier laser cannons, he yanked one from a soldier, and tried to make a way out between the corridors, shooting at the panels to keep the doors from closing. The facility was in lock down protocol, sealing all accesses. Barton and the Black Widow were waiting for him before the next door. He fought them, after shooting the illumination off. In the blackout, he allowed his illusion to slip, concealed by the dark. When the other agents found the spies, both had frostbite burns on their arms, they looked very painfully.
The rest of the Avengers were on their way. For once, Loki was glad that Thor didn't had his hammer. But more important issue was how to blow a whole out in that place.
The being that appeared before him went through the wall like if it was made of...pure energy.
He felt it, the bound of the gem still there, tugging the corners of his mind.
Now you are bonded to return to me, you will come back. "Target located" he said before the creature charged against him.
Something beeped inside him, and a baby blue light engulfed them both, teleporting them both out of Earth.
Loki felt on his knees on Thanos ship. The being with the mind gem was confronting Thanos, but the Titan held three infinity gems, and the power of these dislodged the one gem hidden on the being's forehead. The gems called themselves, and the being's body fell limp on the floor. A metal robot. A blast from the four gems combined destroyed it, the pieces left melting away while Thanos laughed demonically. A mad man indeed. Well not a man exactly, but a vicious crocked monster.
"Well done pet, but you still have another gem to fetch. Now go finish your job."
And Loki was again hit by the power of the Tesseract, transported back to the city of New York. Now he only needed to get the attention of the sorcerer.
/\/\/\/\
His re-entrance location was Central Park. He altered the illusion upon himself to change his appearance, to avoid being a SHIELD's target. Their forces were already searching the area. The trace of the Tesseract was too evident. Now he had no weapon, and his magic was only on the level of a child. If he did magic the sorcerer will come to him, but he won't have the upper hand. It was best if he was the one to find him and not otherwise. Meditation will help, but he needed a safe place, a quiet place.
On the commotion, no one saw and old man running with the rest of the people away from the military forces, neither they saw the man shoplifting in the empty store. He thought about going underground as he had done once, but hiding in plain sight was more recommendable. So, he sneaked into a restricted building, which interior served as home for few vagrants. Some laid on the floor, sleeping the stupor of alcohol and drugs. These humans, too short lives and wasted like that, disgusting.
He climbed to the third floor of the building using the partially broken stairs. At least it smelled better, no humans in that floor given the more difficult access. Carefully he removed his clothes, the leather had stuck in some parts to the wounds, making them to bleed again. Some were infected indeed, but he had only a bottle of water and a clean rag to try to wash them as best as he could. In lack of something for a proper dressing, he opted to put the soft cotton shirt. The clean white immediately started to taint red. He didn't has time to be picky with the clothes, so they fit baggy, and were definitely not his style. Blue jeans, plain shoes with no laces, a soft red jacket made of cotton fabric with a zipper and a hoodie. Why did he take that red garment again? Right, it was the first one on the rack. Hopefully it won't look bloody that fast. He cut his hair as even as it could be done with a pocket knife, then he finished dressing, pulling the zipper and the hoodie.
Nourishment was a different problem, the water hurt his sore throat, he would avoid trying to chew at all. In the lower floor, he had taken a half empty bottle next to a sleeping man, it smelled like alcohol, though mildly. He drank from the bottle, dismissing the fact the man had already drinking directly from it. The first gulp scorched his throat and stomach, but he forced himself a second gulp. The rest he used to pour it in his leg, the liquid made the injury to sting, the flesh was too swollen. Still he forced his legs in cross position.
Meditation resulted a bit difficult to achieve when one is submerged in aches. He dropped his illusion first, in order to felt his own energy, if faint, repressed in his own body. After a while, he was able to make an astral projection. In his new weightless floating state, he wandered the city looking for energy traces. He found several, but one particularly strong, the building had objects imbued in magic. An ancient rune on the roof, plain to see for a knowledgeably sorcerer.
Back in his body, on his temporary shelter, he took a pair of burnt logs which were piled in a corner, the rests of a bonfire. With these he drew the runes in the floor. If the sorcerer of Midgard was able to understand the symbols, half of the battle can be spared. In the middle of the circle he sat again, legs crossed, trying to focus on the incantation.
The orange circle of parks appeared in front of him, and the man stepped out, more like floated out. He recognized him immediately.
"I didn't expect you back so soon, or ever. Your brother and I had an agreement."
'Too many things have happened in short time.' The words appeared written in the air like a thin flame before burning out.
Well that was new, and Strange thought if it was really necessary or just for dramatic effect, so he decided to ignore the god eccentrics.
"Like hundreds of Asgardians arriving to earth through a portal?"
'Asgard was destroyed'
"I've got the news. And do I guess right if this was your deed?"
'Wrong, your world is about to be destroyed too.'
"Menacing I see"
'I'm here to offer you a chance...to survive.'
"As a benevolent god?"
'I don't crave for the destruction of another realm.'
"You came to rule Earth three years ago"
'Rule, not destroy'
"Can you prove it?"
'I'm here unarmed and hurt.'
"Why here, me, why not the Avengers, your brother is one of them"
'They won't understand'
"And?"
'You are a sorcerer. Known beyond this world'
"I am. Why if I sent you away then, let's say to another dimension where you would never return to cause chaos again?"
'That's your choice.'
"And what is yours?"
'To save the lives I can'
"Why?"
'I've seen what is coming'
"Very well, I'll listen to you, but dare you to intent anything, I'll take my first option"
As if you can contain me, human.
He didn't open a portal, instead, the reality in front of them bent like if they were in the other side of a mirror. The mirror dimension.
The place they were morphed into an ancient house. Loki was sure he had been there before if for seconds. The rune, it was a window on the ceiling, very clever. Loki didn't see the stairs in front of him, he tripped, falling and bending over to brace his leg that got the whole impact.
"Mind the step." The doctor said too late.
But Loki didn't stand up. His pain seemed real.
"Are you ok?"
Loki finally got on his feet, the next steps he took were accompanied by a limp and a hissing.
Doctor strange observed him.
"Is that true then, you are hurt."
He made a signal with his hand, and another. Strange stood defensively.
"Lower your hands."
Loki was getting frustrated, and his plan had been a waste of time. He walked looking around to find anything to...
"Don't move"
Loki opened the drawers in the desk.
"Get away from that," the sorcerer conjured a whip and laced Loki's hands. He felt on his knees revealing the object he had taken...a pen.
"What is this?"
For being the sorcerer supreme of the realm the guy was not very sharp.
"A pen, what for?"
Loki rolled it in his fingers, pretending to write
"Oh, so you cannot speak for real?"
Loki sighed, and nodded.
"Ok, I'll let your hands free and then you write whatever you need to tell."
Loki got a paper from the desk and wrote in a neat hand writing that looked like the one of an ancient book.
'There is few time, he will be here soon, you must protect the stone.'
"The stone?"
"The time gem, he needs the last two."
"How do you know this?"
'He sent me to find them, is waiting for my call to bring it back'
"Bring you back, where?"
'His ship, close to Earth, in space, an army as big as the population of your planet.'
"How will he take you back"
'The Tesseract'
"Did you give it to him? It supposed to be safe in Asgard"
'There is no Asgard!'
"Ok, ok, calm down. We need to contact the Avengers"
'He put something inside me, I needed it out first?'
"What?"
'It controls me, keep me under leash'
"Well I am a surgeon, if you cooperate I can help you"
'First! There is no time'
"Ok, tell me details, I need to know what I am doing"
'Find my brother, ask him for a healing stone'
"Well we can do that"
'Not me, I'll wait here'
"Certainly not here" Strange said.
A portal opened below Loki and he fell through it. Strange instead, walked through a different portal which led him to the Asgardians.
"Dr...?" Thor said once he saw the peculiar man.
"Strange, Doctor Stephen Strange. I'm here for your brother, again."
"He is not here, we lost Loki in space, and then he returned to kidnap one of the Avengers. We don't know where he is now"
"Actually, I may know where he is, as he is trying to make a bargain."
"Then take me to him right away." Thor commanded.
"I'm afraid that is not part of the truce. But he seems to be hurt and in dire need of a healing stone."
"A healing stone? Heimdall"
"I cannot see him, my King"
"Lead me to my brother sorcerer"
"Oh, I will. Don't you think I trust him for a moment, but-"
"But what?"
"He came to me as a sorcerer. There is a vow I must honor."
"Earth is in danger." Thor pressed, not in the mood to do word plays with this man, who have a way with his words that reminded him of Loki.
"Not only Earth, and your brother claims for the protection of his home world, as supreme sorcerer of the realm. As the danger is common, we are bound to cooperate."
"I am the King of Asgard!"
"He doesn't claim for Asgard. He claims for Jotunheim"
"What!? Treacherous silver tongue. He cannot claim for Jotunheim. Jotunheim is not involved on this."
"Actually he can, and for what I can see it involves the nine...realms."
"I claim for Asgard, then."
"Very well. A meeting is in order, assemble the Avengers. Will you provide the stone as a proof of faith?"
"Yes, but I will require a proof of faith too, from... Jotunheim"
"Which is why he sent you this" Strange materialized something between his hands and offered it to Thor.
A book, Frigga's spell's book. It conflicted Thor, for once, this was Loki's most priced possession, but also it could mean he severing to any link with Asgard. What were his intentions, playing the Jotunheim part, this was a trick for sure.
"I accept it. Heimdall, please provide the stone"
"Two days, in Stark Tower" The sorcerer stepped through the portal and disappeared.
"What do you think?" Thor asked Heimdall.
"He is up to something"
"That I'm afraid"
/\/\/\/\/\
Strange stepped out of the portal.
"Stephen" A woman hurried to hug him.
"Christine, thanks. I apologize for the short notice."
"And I won't never get use to this new job of yours. Second surgery room is empty and there is only emergency personal, quiet night fortunately. Where is the patient?"
"Here" A portal opened, and a man fell from it.
Loki signaled Strange a very unfriendly gesture and stood up, not without jumping when seeing on the girl.
'Where are we?' He again made the words appear like in an invisible blackboard. The woman looked impressed by such a cheap trick.
"I used to work here."
'She?'
"A friend. Are you ready for this?" He asked and Loki nodded.
"Here, write the directions."
Loki did and Strange read it, understanding now why they needed the stone.
"Are you sure this will repair that kind of damage?" Strange asked after reading the sheet.
Of course Loki wasn't, but that was his only chance. His lips pressed in a line as only gesture of response.
"That I believe. If you die on my hands Thor will never forgive me, you know that?" Strange sighed and patted the surgery bed, "Climb on, then."
Loki laid on the table after removing his jacket and shirt. The humans gasped for a minute after he removed his illusion. He was sure they were affected for his Jotun appearance, more than for the damage on his skin. Their mouths gaped like dead fish.
"Let me prepare the anesthetics." The woman said, but Loki held her hand, denying.
"Are you sure?" Strange asked and Loki nodded again.
"Ok, tell me where to cut"
Loki signaled his heart. As soon as Strange sink the bistury, Christine started to clean the blood that poured copiously.
The device was not much bigger than a coin, holding firmly to the heart.
"What do we do?" Christine asked.
"We hope that this works, crush the stone in your hand, and when I cut lose the device just pour it in the heart."
"Ok"
"Are you ready"
"Hmm"
"One, two, three." Strange cut at least a quarter of his heart to release the device.
The crushed stone was released in his open chest, and the muscle tissue started to regenerate. Not as fast as he hoped thought, it looked like collapsing, the beating alternating between accelerated and fainting, the bleeding excessive. Loki fainted, but the stone effect didn't last longer, the veins and arteries were reconstructed, but Strange still needed to add suture. He did his best, considering the alien anatomy. Two hours later they were sealing the thoracic cavity and Loki's chest.
The effect of the stone was impressive, but even that was not enough, not for a god-alien, whatever Loki was, with such an injure in his main organ.
"Let's move him to an observation room, but we can't allow anyone to see him."
"It's this supposing to tick?" Christine called his attention toward the tracking device that lied in a gauze, covered in blood and attached to the piece of removed tissue.
"What?" Strange realized it was the device, it was indeed ticking like a timer.
"Let me take it out of here" He open a portal and threw the device, closing it just in time to avoid the impact of the explosion.
/\/\/\/\/\
Six hours later, Strange and Loki stepped in Kamar-Taj.
"This is a safe place, I have no doubt SHIELD or the Avengers are in their way to my house by now."
Loki was taken to a bed to rest, needing help to walk straight. Strange visited him not long later, to follow his recovery.
"You look worse, I'm afraid. Would you like me to check on your wounds?"
Loki denied.
"Here take this" He offered a couple of pills. "Antibiotics, and this one is for the fever"
Loki took them. Damn his stomach. He threw them up, not intending it.
"Maybe you need to eat something first"
He denied again, just rolled on the cot, giving his back to Strange. His skin still blue. Later, when was alone he assessed his body. The chest hurt a bit, the healing stone had saved his life, but it didn't mend it for complete, his leg didn't look better, and his back hurt like hell. Fortunately, the bullets he took on the Raft were stopped by his leather armor, only bruising his skin, the purplish area as big as an open hand, tender on touch.
At midnight, Loki left the cot and walked out of the room, dressed only in the jeans. He crossed the yard and into a Zen garden, finding a sling ring, what a rudimentary device. But on his actual condition it may be the only way for him to open a portal. He could felt the place was safe, but the tracker device had been destroyed, so Thanos already knew it. Hence, time was even scarcer, and he needed his voice and his strength. First things first, a blade, he found his way into the kitchen and took a knife. Then he walked back to the room and opened a portal.
Wanda woke up to see the shadow standing next to her bed, the man holding the knife. She was about to struck him but he only offered her the knife, holding it by the blade.
"Loki?"
She took the knife, and he tried to make a gesture, she offered him something to write. After their previous exchange, she knew he cannot talk, but she had not disclosed this information. Torture, she knew of it, she had been raised by Hydra in a laboratory. She knew his shame, as well as she knew hers. Beyond the pain, she had seen lost, shame, sorrow, repentance, a need for redemption, for caring, for love. She could relate to the sensation of not belonging, being misunderstood, a dangerous treat- a monster. She didn't voiced her concerns, nor her opinions, just reached again into the god's soul. Always so perceptive about others except yourself. Too late, he had projected the memory on her mind without planning it, then he tried to seal her out, hating her for seen so much.
The moment the god stepped in her room, Jarvis had already alerted everyone. Stark was on the other side almost breaking the door.
Wand stood in her pajamas, picking up the clothes in her chair, and taking his hand, pulling him through he portal. It had vanished by the time the door opened, and Stark yelled to his A.I., asking for a video projection of what transpired in the room.
Back in Kamar-Taj, Loki passed the note he wrote to Wanda.
'The rune, erase it please.'
"The rune, which rune?"
He drew it, a symbol. Then he knelt in both knees showing her his back.
She understood what he wanted, so she held the knife with both trembling hands and traced lines as deep as the originals to alter the pattern of the rune carved on his back, making it in a doodle that cannot be recognized. He didn't scream, not showed pain, though he trembled a little, dropping himself forward to the floor when she finished, his back a bloody mess. She helped him into the bed and tried to clean the wounds, but he fell asleep before she had finished.
When Strange came to check him in the morning, he found Wanda sitting in a corner of the bed, changing the bloody rags on his back. He was shivering in fever. What the hell had happened?
"What happened?"
She explained and showed him the notes.
"You should had called for me, he should had told me. We are supposed to be back in New York and he is not even aware of the world around him."
Three hours later Loki was awake, the fever had passed after Strange had injected the medication directly on his vein. Upon further examination the doctor saw that the cuts on his back and chest were starting to heal. He also checked his leg, noticing the barbaric way in which the bones were held, the swollen had lessen, but it will require proper care to remove the metal and use proper medical aligners.
Three hours more, Loki asked for water to drink, his voice sound brittle but understandable. He drank holding a grimace, it still hurt.
"Thank you doctor, I think we need to prepare ourselves for a meeting."
"I will wait for you outside, but you will tell me everything I'm missing before we depart. I gave you my trust, as a sorcerer, you won't gain anything in betraying it. And I'm confiscating this" He took the sling ring with him.
The doctor left and Wanda took her clothes, being still in her pajamas. Loki sat on the bed, she helped him to put his shirt, hoodie, and shoes. He didn't need the help, but he didn't deny it either.
Then he held her arm, uttering a faint "Thanks", before leaving the room to allow her the privacy for dressing.
/\/\/\/\/\
The group stood out from the portal and into the Avengers Tower living room.
If they had not meet Loki before, they may had think this was but an ordinary young man, not at all dangerous. He even looked younger, his slender frame in jeans, hoodie and sneakers, the short hair, his expression even looked brighter. Of course, this last was an illusion.
Everyone of the already present assumed immediately defensive position pointing at Loki with whatever weapons they had. Fury - no doubt there were SHIELD agents in every floor and in the tower neighborhood-, and the Avengers - including a bunch of new faces. Loki noticed the space being purposely left between Stark and the Captain. Oh well, troubles in the merry band, he guessed. Not the best moment for it. The division was something Thanos could use in advance. Avengers vs. SHIELD, Avengers vs. Avengers, the Humans vs. the Sorcerer, Wanda, the Hulk, and last but not least, everyone vs. him. How to work something from this?
"Loki" Thor was the first to speak. He advanced two steps toward Loki, but stopped himself and retracted. As much as he wanted to embrace the brother he had thought lost, Loki's return had not been amiable. Attacking SHIELD agents, kidnapping Vision... Loki had said that they next time the would see each other he will stand as an enemy, had he not?
"Thor, sentimental fool Thor." Loki said, with an unreadable expression.
"Where is Vision?" Stark demanded.
"Dead" Wanda replied, and Loki regretted he had shown her.
After hearing these words, Barton released the arrow he was holding. It glided straight and stuck on Loki's shoulder. How on the nine these humans were able to feel that way for a made-up creature, a machine, not living really, not sentient, only imbued by the mind stone, a toy that pretended to have a mind of its own. A very convincing lie, he had to give credit to Stark because of that. But it was only because of the magic that it worked, and that was even beyond Stark comprehension or acceptance.
He pulled the arrow out, damaging more his shoulder. His other hand was in his pocket, holding the sling ring, which recovered at the doctor's back. He resisted the temptation to open a portal under Barton's feet.
"He didn't do it." Wanda spoke. "It was Thanos, he took the stone from him."
"And evil brother here helped him. Did he mess with your mind too Wanda?" Stark spoke.
"Let's calm down all, there are things we need to discuss." Doctor Strange intervened. Then, to Loki, "Do you-"
"No." He said to cut out the doctor, he was not in full strength yet, and there was too much to heal for his body, but he won't show weakness in front of Thor, not for a stupid arrow that didn't pierced any organ. "Let's sit down, after all this is a diplomatic meeting, isn't it?"
"I don't think so, you happen to be a criminal." Fury stated.
"Then arrest me if you must, if this is Earth position. Though, keeping me in the deepest cell under the sea will not bring the death back to life. Now, I can serve another kind of arrangement, one that satisfy your need of...justice, while helping the rest of your race to remain alive."
"You are offering your help to save us from a menace that YOU brought into our planet." Fury accused.
"I did none of the sort, you did it, tampering with a power you know nothing about it. The gems, they call each other you moron. If not me he had send another. The former attack was but a nuisance, believe me. Consider yourself lucky, because there are worse, much worse things to fear in the universe."
"Are you threatening us?" Fury yelled.
"Are you idiot?" Loki voice raised, matching Fury's.
"Enough, enough. No need of insults here. It doesn't matter that, this treat is about to hit us, and we need to be ready to face it. I guess we focus on what we need, and how our worlds can collaborate to achieve it." Stranger spoke.
"Loki, I need to know, what happened after they caught you?" Thor took chance of the brief silence Strange's intervention to drop the question.
Oh, no Thor. You don't need to know.
"Nothing...out of ordinary. I was captured, made my tongue useful to bargain an escape. I misled him to think I will get the gems for him."
"And you gave them Vision, so Thanos has now the mind stone. Maybe you're misleading us to fulfill your bargain." Thor said.
"He senses the gems, they call each other, is anybody paying attention here? I was taken, and it with me, it was not my choice." Loki objected.
"HE, not it, he was an Avenger, who is dead because of you!" Thor stood violently from his seat. "Right now, I'm having a hard time believing there is sincerity in your motives, Loki."
"Believe what you wish!" Loki too stood, confronting his brother.
"No, you tell me the truth!"
"I just did!"
The Captain stood in the middle of the brothers to prevent a fight.
"What are you not telling me then?" Thor asked more calmed.
"Mostly irrelevant things. The important is that he has now four infinity gems, and he is coming for the other two. He knows where they are here."
"Are they here? where? how he knows where they are?" Banner questioned.
"I told him were to find them, which is why I contacted Doctor Strange in first place. He guards the time stone."
"Do you? How we don't know about it?" Fury said.
"I'm in charge to protect the Sactum Sanctorum, thus the access to our world from another dimensions."
"I don't remember we chose you for that."
"Each realm has its own life energy, it's the realm that choose among their inhabitants. Though why you were chosen doctor, is beyond my comprehension." Loki clarified.
"I'm could say the same of you" Strange replied.
"What about the other stone?"
"Well I don't know its exact location, just an-" he needed an emergency diversion to change the topic. "May I use your bathroom?"
"Really, is this some kind of joke?" Stark inquire sounded pretty ironic.
Honestly, Loki thought, this was not his day for good ideas. Though he indeed needed to use the bathroom.
"No, I really need to go."
"I'll go with him," Thor offered.
"I don't need a babysitter" Loki appealed.
"I'm not letting you out of my sight."
Loki went to the bathroom, his oaf brother followed him inside. Loki pissed, a bloody red piss, that will take a while to heal, because it had been the fucking conjured blade the one that pierced his bladder. He pulled the chain before Thor noticed, he was not in mood for discussions about his health, or why he was not as healthy.
He washed his hands, and proclaimed. "Well let's go"
Humans were unpredictable, and by the faces everyone gave him, he knew the topic had already rolled over the table. Damn, his fault, he showed himself vulnerable in front of the sorcerers.
Fury spoke. "This Titan, how big is his force"
"Huge, three thousand at least."
"Men?!"
"Battleships, plus at least three hundred thousand Chitaru warriors, thirty Leviathans, a hundred flesh hounds-"
"We got the point, you said you will help, how do you plan to do that?"
"Actually, I do have an idea. Which involves every resource you have to fight... and magic."