Am I a Crime that can be Forgiven?
A battle of epic proportions raged across Republic City. Bolts of green mystical energy, bursts of fiery red flames, boulder-sized chunks of earth, cyclonic/hurricane force winds and icy daggers of water ravaged the landscape. It would be difficult to believe that the conflict at hand was between two individuals who known each other since they were children, that they were once the best of friends.
Avatar Korra and Loki.
Both raised in the same village in the South Pole, the two became nearly inseparable friends over the course of the years. Unknown to Korra, and even Loki himself, he wasn't of their world. It was this revelation, this secret of who Loki truly was, that turned his entire world upside-down. Upon discovering the truth of his true origins and identity... it overwhelmed him.
He was the son of King Laufey, lord of the Frost Giants of Jotunheim. Adopted at a young age by All-Father Odin of Asgard, he became the stepbrother of Thor. Later in life, he became known as the god of lies, mischief and evil. But the fault was not fully that of his own. He was never truly accepted by Asgard or those who dwell there. They never gave him a chance, they never let him be anyone than the God of Evil, or the God of Lies.
Was this the reason why Freyja and Odin turned him into an infant, erased his past memories, found this world and gave/left him to a family that would love and care for him? Did they wish to give him a chance at redemption? Or was this some kind of a test, a test to see if Loki could change and be something other than what many believed him to be? Maybe it was so that he could determine his own destiny and fate.
One could only speculate.
The battle raged on, seemingly without end. Neither Loki nor Korra appeared tired or fatigued, their powerful assaults tearing apart the surrounding landscape of the city. But the question remained as to who would triumph: Korra or Loki?
If she could just focus, she could possibly defeat him. There was a chance. If she could wield all of her power, all of the elements, she might be able to subdue him. And if absolutely necessary, she might be able to kill him. But she couldn't do that. She couldn't live with herself if she were to take his life, to destroy one whom she loves so dearly.
Likewise, even without the aid of the magic that he wielded, he could handily dispatch her. If he could just get close to her, get his hands around her neck, he would be able to snap her spine like a twig off a low hanging branch. He could just as easily impale her with his mystic weapon, allowing the spear-like staff to eviscerate the Avatar. He could kill her... but why did he not?
Does he truly care about her? Does he simply wish to prolong her suffering? Only Loki himself could answer this riddle, one that is left to the interpretation of those few who managed to ponder such questions. But would he view them to be lies... or truths?
It mattered not. Not while he still waged battle with one who was once a beloved friend. But all of that was a lie, too, wasn't it? It was this thought that sent him into a rage all over again, lashing out at Avatar Korra with jade blasts of mystical energy from his hands and azure bolts of power from his spear.
"Loki, please, don't do this!", Korra pleaded, avoiding Loki's attacks while countering with those of her own.
Her pleas fell on deaf ears. Loki did not relent, instead continuing to assault the Avatar. She was forced to go on the offensive, shooting off bursts of flames and chunks of earth at her friend. He managed to avoid some of the fire blasts and chunks of earth, but not them all. Those that did manage to connect caused Loki to stagger backwards, at least until a powerful burst of lightning slammed into his chest and sent him flying. He landed with devastating impact, his body tearing into the strata and sending bits of earth, tar and concrete in the air.
Slowly, as if formulating a plan of attack, Loki rose to his feet. Much to his surprise, however, he found himself remaining where he stood. His green irises watched as Korra made her approach, but it was quite evident that her intentions were not to continue this battle. No, he could see that in her body language, and by extension the expression on her face, that she did not wish to fight.
"Don't let the truth of your past change who you are now. You're more than what they believed you to be... you're not a monster. Because the truth is... you're more than what even you believe yourself to be.", Korra said, coming to a stop several meters away from the Asgardian God of Mischief.
He glared at her menacingly, tightly gripping the spear in his hands. Who was she to speak to him of such things? She was a mortal, he was immortal. What could she possibly know about him, about everything that's happened to him?
"Then, what am I, Korra? Who am I?!", Loki demanded venomously.
He was met with silence. She tried to speak, but no words came out. It only seemed to enrage him further, to cause him to lash out at her. A bolt of emerald-green mystical energy struck the earth near Korra, yet she did not budge an inch.
"Go on, Avatar! Tell me. Who am I?", Loki hissed, slowly advancing toward her and firing another bolt of mystic energy, this time from his spear.
The azure bolt of energy struck the ground, the explosion ripping the surrounding earth asunder and sending it high into the air. This time, however, Korra summoned a thick, jagged wall of stone to withstand the tremendous force of the attack and protect herself from harm. Despite this, she still found herself launched backwards, her feet digging into the earth in order to prevent herself from soaring across the city street and most likely through a few buildings.
"Go on! Tell me! Who am I?!", Loki bellowed with rage, racing forward to attack his one-time best friend.
It happened so fast. Before she could comprehend it, Korra found herself lifted in the air, gasping for breath as Loki's hand seized her throat. He proceeded to slam her against the ground, splintering it and breaking one of her ribs in the process. She closed her eyes briefly and hissed in pain, unable to break free of Loki's grip. Opening her eyes, she found herself gazing up into the face of someone who was once her most beloved friend, his right arm which held the spear poised to deliver the killing blow.
"TELL ME!", Loki screamed at the top of his lungs.
'Twas then that Korra finally managed to find her voice. It was a bit shaky at first, but it came out nonetheless. She had to speak, to reach out to him. Only she could save him from becoming the monster that everyone else thought him to be.
"You... Your name is Loki.", Korra began, her sapphire-hued irises locking with the dark emerald-green eyes of Loki Laufeyson.
"But you're more than a name. You're more than what others claim or say that you are. And you mean more to me than you probably know or even realize.", Korra continued, swallowing the lump in her throat before resuming to speak.
"You're not evil, Loki. You're not a monster. I know because... you're my friend.", Korra stated, her words of the greatest sincerity.
Alas, it was unknown if she'd be able to reach out and appeal to the man she had come to love over the years. For what seemed like an eternity, Loki's expression was one of a lost soul: conflicted and filled with a deep, painful sorrow. Then it changed, transforming into an expression of savage aggression and primal fury. With a scream of anger, one more akin to the chilling roar of a blood-lusting Frost Giant, Loki raised his mystical weapon high in the air.
"And I love you.", Korra whispered, a few tears escaping her sapphire irises and slowly trekking down along her face.
She turned her head away, closing her eyes and awaited the killing blow. But it never came. Hesitantly, she opened her eyes and found herself staring up at a Loki. His expression was devoid of the rage that once resided there, now replaced with one of shock and bewilderment.
"Wha... What did you say?", Loki asked.
"I love you, Loki. I've always have... and I always will.", Korra confessed with all of her heart and soul.
Turning away, Loki marched away from Korra before finally coming to a stop. Throwing his head back, the God of Mischief unleashed a cry of pure rage and anguish before impaling the mystical spear-like weapon in the earth. The resulting impalement of the earth was followed by a tremendous release of powerful energies that annihilates over a dozen city blocks. The explosive force rips buildings and the earth itself asunder, causing it all to collapse in itself and form a massive, desolate crater.
It was then that Loki collapsed to his knees, releasing the spear from his grasp and leaving it impaled in the ground. Eyes closed, he hung his head low and remained there. He didn't move, he didn't even acknowledge Korra's presence as she got to her feet and made her approach. Leaving only a diminutive gap of space between them, Korra lowers herself down until her knees rest on the rocky terrain and silently gazes at the friend she loved so dearly.
"You're always there, aren't you?", Loki muttered, loud enough for her to hear.
"Ha... You just couldn't be like the others, could you? You couldn't treat me as if I were a monster, turn your back, and leave me alone with nothing but my misery, rage and hatred. You had to accept me, to care about me... to love me, didn't you? Damn you, Korra... Damn you...", Loki spoke bitterly, cursing her for everything that she's done... everything she's done for him.
In silence they remained, neither speaking a word to each other. She could sense his anguish, feel the anger and turmoil within him. Even with his eye lids closed tightly shut, tears managed to escape and slowly stream down his face. It was then that Korra reacted, encircling him in her arms and pulling him into an affectionate embrace. Despite himself, Loki eventually returned the gesture, holding her as if he was fearful of the possibility that she may somehow disappear forever.
He couldn't lose her... not now, not ever. For if he lost Korra, then everything that he loved would soon follow and disappear. And if that happened, he may become the God of Evil once more.
A Harbinger of Ragnarok. A World-Breaker. A Beginning of an End.
But as long as she was there, as long as those who loved him would be by his side, that temptation of evil would be kept at bay. He would decide his own fate, weave his own destiny, create his own story. He would become Loki: God of Stories.
Author's Notes
This little one-shot was inspired by a story idea I had in mind. I mostly based it on the Marvel Comics' version of Loki rather than that of the Marvel Cinematic Universe incarnation. But I guess it could work for either version of the character. Though, personally, I think it benefits the comic book version of the character far better in terms of story potential.
Basically, the idea of the story is this: Loki is reverted back into an infant by Odin and Freyja; he is left in the South Pole where he found by a woman who lost her own child and then, along with her husband, she affectionately raises Loki as if he were her own; through the years that pass, Loki forms a close bond of love & friendship with Avatar Korra; and then the truth of who Loki is/was is revealed to him from an outside source (Leah, Amora, Malekith are all possible suspects/choices... it'd depend on the writer) which brings us to what transpires in this little one-shot.
So, with that said, if anyone wishes to do a multiple chapter story based on this one-shot and story concept, they're free to do so. I would myself, but I can't find the time to do it. In other words... have at it!
One more thing...
MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!