Broken Circle
Chapter 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Thor, Loki, or any of the other Avengers, or Destiny. They belong to, respectively, Marvel/Disney and Bungie/Activision. I'm just taking them for a short spin.
He walks the wastelands in this new form, using the gifts he's been given. Familiar they are, different than before, but the result is the same—chaos and destruction. This he understands, it's been a part of him in every incarnation. One aspect unchanged, when so much else has.
He's broken, but he recognizes himself. Sometimes. The face is the same, but his skin is different, and so are his eyes. Not blue and red, but the skin is the blue-gray of the Awoken, his eyes the yellow of a wolf. Different, but not unfamiliar. Eyes this time of a father missed and always mourned.
"We must return to the Tower," his Ghost says, breaking into his thoughts.
Ignoring his companion, he takes a step forward.
"We've been gone too long," the Ghost says, turning its one baleful eye toward him.
"Did I ask for your opinion?"
It turns away, looking off into the distance, staring at the shattered remnants of the village below, the name lost in the Collapse.
He has a name, which he remembers. Something precious, when he's lost so much. They all have, being pulled from across time and space, reborn to fight a war that cannot be lost. Not just the Sol system hangs in the balance, but all of creation.
They think he's loyal the the Traveler, but his journeys changes his mind and his heart. Yes, he's given to sentiment, but without it, he's nothing more than another soldier in the unending war agaisnt the Darkness.
A shifting balance means making a choice he hopes he will not regret.
Mind made up, he reaches for his Ghost, poking it gently.
"You're right. We have been away from the city far too long."
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Gratefully, the Ghost says nothing on the journey back to the city. It helps him monitor the ship's systems, and the trip is uneventful, and after a few short hours, he's dropped at the Tower, while Ghost sees to docking the ship. It appears beside him as he checks his messages at the postmaster.
"Ikora wishes to see you before we disappear. Again," Ghost said.
Frowning, Loki sighed, tucking the sheaf of messages into a pocket, heading down the stairs and down the corridor leading to the chamber where the three leaders of the Vanguard were hard at work.
Ikora Rey, the head of the warlock order, smiled as she saw Loki.
"Anything interesting to report?" she asked, looking him over, and Loki didn't back down from the scrutiny.
"We found no new Hive seeders," Loki said. "Have you any new quests for us?"
"Not at the moment," Ikora replied. "Go. See your friends. They've been asking about you."
Loki rolled his eyes, and the other warlock shook her head in exasperation. "You do have friends, Loki, whether you like it or not. I hope one day you're wise enough to realize that."
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Loki's journey into the city itself is the part of the journey he dreads and wants most. Conflicting emtions give over to want as he turns down a narrow street and stops below a small wooden sign, saying "Apothecary."
Letting himself inside, his Ghost follows, and Loki is nearly knocked down by the force of the body invading his space, arms thrown around him, followed by a slap. Darcy, who helps run the shop.
"Where the hell have you been? I thought you were dead. You can't even send a message back through the Vanguard? How hard is it to get a hunter to pass along a message? Or through a freaking ghost? Steve and Bucky even went looking for you last month," she said.
Loki stared at his feet.
"We've been to the Moon, Mars, and back on Earth for the past six weeks," the Ghost answered.
"And you couldn't stop by?" Darcy asked, hands on hips.
"I was busy," Loki said. "Lots of Fallen to fight. . ."
"Or you were off skulking again. I'm right, aren't I?" she said, turning her attention to the Ghost.
"He was sulking some of the time," it replied.
Darcy opened her mouth ready to strike again, but she shut it, admonished by the look on the face of the woman who stepped into the room, sweeping Loki into her arms.
"Even Frigga was worried. Jackass," Darcy muttered.
Loki wriggled out of the woman's embrace as she brushed the hair out of his eyes.
"Darcy is right, you know," she said.
"Mother, I. . ."
"No excuses. You can tell us about your adventures over dinner," Frigga said. "Darcy, close up. We're going to celebrate my son's return."
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Loki sat by the open window, enjoying the cool night breeze, staring up at the Traveler. He heard the door to the room open, and soft steps as his mother joined him.
"It never ceases to amaze, does it?" she asked.
Loki shrugged. "Sometimes I don't know if it's amazing at all," he said.
"The Traveler is the only reason you're alive," Frigga said. "If it weren't for your Ghost. . ."
She trailed off, and Loki closed his eyes. He did not want to remember. The betrayal was still too fresh in his mind, and hers.
"We're safe here," Frigga said. "That's all that matters."
"You really believe that?" Loki said, turning to face her.
"I know so," Frigga said, reaching up to caress his cheek. "I also think you should know your brother contacted me. Things are not as they appear in the Reef."
Loki snorted. Of course not.
"Hopefully that misbegotten bitch will finally get what she deserves," Loki said.
Frigga crossed her arms, giving her son a look suggesting his current course of conversation was indeed misguided.
"Your sister. . ."
"She's not my sister," Loki snapped.
"Like it or not, the queen of the Reef is your blood," Frigga said. "Your father's blood. I can't hate her."
His mother, ever the compassionate, forgiving one. Unlike him.
"She is her mother's child," Loki said. "She's taken the Fallen as allies. How well will that end for the people of the Reef? She's as ruthless as her mother. Or have you forgotten so soon?"
"I haven't," Frigga said. "Enough. You should get some rest. I've already sent word to Stark you're returned. He wants to see you tomorrow."
Loki sighed.
"He's your friend, and hasn't seen you in months," Frigga said. "You owe him an appearance."
"Yes, mother," Loki said, bowing his head as his mother kissed his forehead. As always, she was right.
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