At the end of this chapter, I have a challenge for ya'll.
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Harry Potter, Alex Rider, or the Marvel movies; they belong to their authors and creators.
I just own the characters I created and the character modifications
"Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal."
- Al Camus
Chapter 2: Tears and Heart-brokenness
Tuesday 10:15 am...
Loki was enjoying, blissfully, for the lack of a better word, devouring his Asgardian feast sized breakfast of countless fresh fruits, lightly spiced, and steamed vegetables, and every imaginable common and uncommon breakfast food; when his butler, Mortimer, just mystically appeared at his left elbow, extending out to his Prince a smallish, silver slaver with a little, white, calling card on it. Loki glanced at the card, and looking Mortimer in the eye, stated in that pleading pouting tone of voice, "But I'm still eating. Please, can't it wait until I'm done?" Sighing, his butler reluctantly replied, "Very well, Your Highness, I'll inform the Shield Director to wait until you arrive for ten minutes in the blue parlor."
With that, Mortimer left Loki to his morning meal.
Exactly ten minutes later, Loki entered the light blue, richly furnished parlor. After he had sat himself down in plush armchair, then narrowing his eyes at Fury and with a grim smile inquisitively questioned, "So, Director Fury, can you kindly tell me just what occurred Monday evening that caused my great migraine and soreness?"
Nick Fury knew then that "the proper time" had finally come: first he took in a deep breath, letting it out, he mentally grimaced and countered, "Before I even talk about that incident, there's something you really need to see first, please try to watch all of this recording. If you up to it, I'll be returning later at 7pm tonight to answer your question; but at this moment, I've some Shield business that has to be attended to, immediately." Having said that, Nick arose from the opposite chair and strode toward the parlor doors, briefly pausing in front of Loki's chair to hand the seated prince the TV remote and then he left, shutting the parlor French doors behind a bewildered and confused expression, Loki turned on the 72″ plasma TV screen to a …defining scene of a glaring cyclops Director Fury angrily pacing back and forth across in what seemed to be a dimly lit audience chamber. For five or six minutes, there was no sound: he could tell that the mood was very serious and tense (it reminded Loki of a certain time when Thor and he had gotten in trouble with Odin for putting biting ants in a visiting Dwarven dignitary's bed as a prank, once. They'd been caught by Heimdall and punished by Odin, Frigga, and Eir the Head Healer. The final punishment was cleaning out the Royal Dwarven Stables, all 551 stalls!). Suddenly a loud burst of sound came through the speakers with Fury yelling incredulously, "Where the Hell have you two been?! I've been waiting two hours for you both to show up and you said that 'Nicholas, come immediately to Darknall Hall, it's life or death important! Come Quick!' But yet, YOU'RE LATE! What's so damn urgent?"
Entwining, sotto, young male tones sounded forth, "Our apologies, if We caused distress to you, Nicholas. We were attempting ratify a disturbing family matter but it all came to nothing; however, Our weighty concerns are not the entire reason why We summoned you here. You asked Us many a time 'Who Our father is?' and due to some potentially disastrous, frustrating circumstances, We've been unwittingly forced to use the exclusive allowance clause in the Our Familial Decree on Our little brother, Bos'son; but now…We've determined that for your safety and Our family's, to grant you your long awaited answer at last by asking you a personal request. However, We've a guideline We would prefer for you to follow but if you so choose not to; please be aware that there'll be consequences that you will take full responsibility for as well as any damages resulting from your choice. Should you willingly accept Our request, We wish to inform you that it will cover two of the life-debts you owe Us, on the record. Do you accept?"
Fury had long stopped pacing and was facing the camera with a gob-smacked expression as though he couldn't believe what had just been said to him and then his eye narrowed in suspicion, "Why? What's the catch? I get a bad feeling whenever you two offer up deals like this to me. What type of Hell am I going to have to go through for this deal? Are you both playing 'that double entrée' game at my expense, again? Don't forget that I've seen just how you treat your siblings, if I wasn't someone you two had concern for 'as person to be aware of': I'd be tempted to say, that you secretly enjoy insulting your sister and younger brothers." The deeper young male answered Fury, "It's understandable that you're so wary of such a proposition from Us but kindly allow me to reassure you that We've no ulterior motive in this instance, Our request is utterly sincere and you will come to no physical harm so there is no need for such hostile notions." Fury swiftly replied to the so-called 'reassurance', "Julian told me 'that if I ever hear you say something in the way of a remote 'reassurance', to be on my guard and to infer the exact opposite of what leaves your mouth afterward. That's when Alec will lead me into a trap surrounded by countless snares. If he uses the word "sincere", it's his way of putting his intended prey at ease before he springs the baited trap so beware. ' So if I understand the opposite inference of what you just said correctly, you really mean, 'Nick, we do have an underlining motive here and you are going to get hurt somehow!' Alec, do you think I don't clearly see what you're doing here?!"
Alec sighed wearily and muttered a rueful something, and then he tiredly said, "I see, The Doom Twins have been spreading hatred tales to more than just family; they have an uncanny ability to find and throw the sharpest stones for prolonged agony on their victims. I fear that We taught them far too well in the art of dealing out subtle barbs, congratulations to The Elder Twain, We have succeeded in the goal of fraternal hatred. So not only does Our little sister detests Us but so does Bos'son and Julian. The only thing to have a complete set of familial hatred is to now earn Our father's abhorrence and eternal disappointment. Perfection at last." The one called Alec finished his statement with a touch of sarcasm in his now depressed voice. After a long, uncomfortable silence, Fury ventured a short question, "Your Father?"
A less-deep, young male voice gently said, "Yes, Our father. That's actually Our request to you, Nicholas, but will you hear Alec out first though? It truly grieves Us that there's a deeply rooted hate in Bos'son and Julian, if We had known that they would take Our public façade so to heart, We would've left them in the care of Lillel and not interfered at all. We, obviously let the usual emotional response to finding family and the euphoria of not being alone anymore, overthrow Our good sense... Alec." Fury's expression was now softened at these spoken words and he said, "Fine, Alec, I'll do it."
A sigh of sheer exhaustion escaped Alec's lips before he began speak once more, "Last year, Earth had an unexpected visitor arrive in New Mexico from a previously thought to be mythological place, did you not? That visitor was Thor and there was a mention of a name in the written 804 report from Agent Coulson, which is considered by Shield as possibly hostile, yes? That name is Loki. Loki is the 2nd Prince of Asgard and preemptive heir to the Throne of Jotanheim; he was adopted by Odin (the current King of Asgard) at the conclusion of the War with the Jotans. Apparently, Loki is actually a Jotan (a Frost Giant), not an Asgardian like Thor; anyway, Loki was newborn son of King Laufey (late King of Jotanheim) but he was abandoned in an ice shrine for being born too small and was meant to be left to die. Now what occurred in that town was a part of Loki's severe reaction to have been lied to for many centuries and of course, to the bad way of finding out that he was adopted. What does this have to do with Our request, you're wondering? We've been using Our cosmic equation, and have calculated that the highly likely event of Loki's Arrival on Earth is sometime in the beginning of next week. Due to a sensitive but weighty matter, We've come to a final resolution, Loki needs to be informed about Us as soon as he gets here...Hadrian!"
The less-deep, young male voice from before now identified as Hadrian, he picked up the conversation from Alec, "Why? This is the question running through your mind, Nicholas; the response is two-fold, one half you're just not going to receive from Us but what We can tell you is there's an extremely delicate matter at hand that could easily transform into a crisis. We're of the understanding that Loki might just have the ability and right amount of impact to bring closure to the situation and keep similar occurrences from gaining a certain level of velocity or becoming so perilous to the surrounding populous. This is hopefully the only time you hear Us say that We don't have the essential equipment and behavioral tools to personally put an end the issue. This has to do with Our little brother, Bos'son, it seems that he's...not been himself lately and We aren't just concerned anymore, more like terrified for his well-being. As to why We refuse to handle this matter Ourselves is case and point, Lillel: as elder siblings, Our familial role isn't to 'parent' but merely oversee the collective wellness of the underage family members. Back to Bos'son, the behavior that's being portrayed is eerily familiar to Alec on a certain July 22nd."
Alec jumped into the explanation after Hadrian and began fondly speaking, "Contrary to Our public façade, We do truly care what happens to Our little sister and brethren. In order that July 22nd does not reoccur for Us, We need Bos'son's wearing-his heart-on-his-sleeve mentality and sweet, cheerful, childish nature because it's reminder to Alec and myself not to lose Our way, again. According to Julian's telegram, the deadly process has already begun: discarding of emotions, severing of social ties, cutting off of familial bonds, and has completely ceased from eating and sleeping. The next to last step is the sealing away of the voice, hearing, sight, touch, and mind…" Hadrian quickly butted in. "What makes this matter so much worse? Do you know, Nicholas?"
Having that noticeable I-don't-know look, Fury answered in uncertainty, "No…What?"
Once again in vocal concert, Alec and Hadrian replied, "We have no iota of where this is coming from or why it's happening now?! To cause the 'loss of self' state, there has to be a catalyst in place; a massive emotional loss is always the hair-trigger in Our family. The final stage will be utter and absolute loss of control over All of his powers and abilities: so if you thought July 22nd was bad, when Alec's tight control fractionally slipped; then when Bos'son's goes, it's going to be an aberrant calamity."
Fury vehemently shook his head as though attempting to push away the 'thought of someone else losing control over all of his powers' and then he froze in mid-action remembering an important fact, he queried, "So what, you're gonna pawn a ticking bomb off on this Loki?! Somehow, I don't think that he's going to appreciate that, plus he really might decide to offense to me informing him instead of you two. And what about Lili? What's her take on this issue with Bos'son? Matter of fact, what exactly is it that you both want me to tell Loki?"
In a tone better suited to lecturing a mischievous child, Alec rather drily replied, "Lillel's concerns have no precedence on this matter and what we intend to do in reference to her is not of issue here. Also, Lillel hasn't verbally or otherwise spoken to Us in six years, nine months, five weeks, three days, eighteen hours, fifty-two minutes and seven seconds so it's considerably unlikely that she'll have anything significant to say in this particular circumstance. Before you say it, she has no intention of any kind of reconciliation at all; Lillel hates Us and the proof is in her last parting words to Us, 'The Elder Twain have a unique touch that whatsoever comes into contact with them instantly dies at the poisoned touch. They truly are our father's esteemed sons.' She has made it quite clear that she wants nothing to do with Us or Our father."
Then The Elder Twain both spoke in that joint flowing voice, "Nicholas, you are simply the courier by which Our message is delivered unto Loki; you won't be actually verbally informing him, We will be. You may leave Us now."
Loki saw Director Fury roll his eyes at the 'nicely put' dismissal and turned his back on the camera and strode toward the door and shut the door after him. Once again, the chamber was filled with a heavy silence soaked in tension, but barely two minutes after Fury had left; the room went black with total darkness. Then suddenly TV screen was filled with red sunlight, the scene was on top of an obsidian stone tower facing two dark figures slumped on the balustrade and Loki could tell that the tower was an otherworldly place because the air was filled with silver mist against a violet sky streaked about with dark turquoise and had a blood red sun.
The two figures were identically garbed in long, black trench coats, black suit pants, black vest with silver buttons, and dark green dress shirts; they had aristocratic features however, their eyes were blocked by elegantly crafted silver-rimmed, shaded glasses and also by the tilt of their heads. They both had waist-length, black hair tied back with emerald green ribbons and their skin looked like Loki's Asgardian spell-skin tone. Bowing his head, Loki drifted away into his thoughts.
~ Loki's Pov ~
'Who are you two? Why do I feel like I should know you? Better yet, what do I mean to you? How did you know about me? You feel like…family. Who…'
~ End Loki's Pov ~
A raised voice dragged Loki from his thoughts back to the present to hear Alec start a panicking rant, "This is ludicrous! He'll never believe Us in million years! I mean who in their right mind would, 'cause I wouldn't! I tell you if We hadn't died that particular day and saw what was in HER memory crystal, I still until this day wouldn't believe it! You what! He may just decide that We're completely bonkers and pay no heed at all! Perhaps, it would be kinder to not tell him….he'll be disappointed with Us anyway." The figure on the left, now identified as Alec, finished his rant with a dejected gesture and the figure on the right, Hadrian countered in a measured, calm tone, "Alec, do you want Bos'son to taste his 'darkness'? Because if you do…." Alec snapped sharply, "No! I definitely don't want him to ever taste darkness!" Audibly sighing, Hadrian sternly replied, "Since you do care, then you'll have no issue in doing what's necessary to protect him and the rest of Our family. I haven't forgotten what it was like for Us when it seemed that the darkness was the only way and I'll never forget that particular day when We saw everything that was done to Our family. How can I? He needs to know and he deserves to know…what has happened…to Us."
~ Loki's Pov ~
'They...died?! What is going on here?! Taste darkness? What do I need to know...'
~ End Loki's Pov ~
Contrite, Alec began to address Loki in a tearful stutter, "Ppprince Loki…ugh" sniff "your Coming of Age banquet…you know, the night you couldn't remember…..ugh, I can't! Hadrian, I can't do this! It hurts! Help me, please, HELP ME!" Alec collapsed to his knees with a dull thud onto the tower floor sobbing, his shaking, thin arms wrapped around himself as though trying to hold back the waves of pain wracking through his body. A loud, keening wail tore out from Hadrian's throat at the sight of his twin brother going through so much agony but instead of putting any comfort toward Alec, he turned his face away from Alec and the camera completely.
Hadrian raised his voice (to the best of his ability at the time) over the sound of Alec weeping and picked up speaking at a rambling pace, "A time spell was cast at your Coming of age banquet and it's due to your own craftiness, that you left a memorabilia on Earth as proof of what I'm about to tell you. Loki, for the past twenty-nine years, you've had six children (that we currently know of right now) living on Earth; three sets of twins, five boys and one girl. Yes, you're married and Our mother is alive and for the moment, safe and sound but she isn't aware of our existence because her memories are sealed away. The sets of twins have specific titles to tell us all apart: The Elder Twain, The Listener and The Watcher, and The Doom Twins. Our names are:
Alec Rider
Hadrian Rider
Lillel'la Lena de' Titania Rider
Darian Grith'lleugue Rider
Julian Keierraeatiquequaol'rath Rider and
Bos'son Zephyrus Rider
We have done Our best to protect Our siblings, Our mother, and you but We just can't anymore. We don't have the necessary strength to keep protecting everyone and there's an enemy out there more powerful than Odin, which wants to destroy you and us, so please help us, as your loving sons. Father, help us! Please! Don't let Bos'son fall into his darkness, save him, please!" Then Hadrian just crumpled at Alec's side, crying, wailing in pain and begging Loki, their father to help them. The TV screen went black as it ended.
The TV remote had long since fallen from Loki's fingertips when he'd tried to reach out to envelope his sons in a hug of comfort, he recognized immediately that they spoke the truth and his heart burned at the sight of his precious children falling under the pressure of their pain. His face had tears streaming down it and he fell onto the floor on his hands and knees; now full out sobbing, feeling horrible for the pain they suffered alone. He vowed right then and there, that he would take that responsibility and burden off of his sons' shoulders immediately so that they wouldn't suffer anymore.
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End Chapter 2
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I started to cry while I was typing this chapter. ^-^ =( Ok, there are some things you all need to know. I know, I made a reference to a 'family decree' and yes, I'll be referring to it off and on throughout this story. July 22nd is a specific date to remember because it's day that Alec nearly went insane and almost destroyed a whole city in Russia with just his powers. Someday, much further down the road, I'll write out the incident and the whole story of what happened in the memory crystal.
Here's a challenge for anyone who cares or dares to try: figure out how to pronounce Darien's and Julian's middle names and send me your attempts in your reviews. Hope you all enjoyed it and please review! Coming next Chapter 3: Bos'son
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Here's a sneak peek for chapter 3:
"Nicholas, are you truly so naïve to take The Elder Twain at the face value of their words? In my own dealings with them, even I know that when they say anything remotely 'sounding nice'; to infer the opposite meaning, they're emotionally cold. They are the perfect pair of manipulative, conniving, arrogant, snide, and ruthless bastards and as far as I'm concerned, they both could go to Hell. If there's anything they 'care' about is their plan to turn the Cosmic Equation upside down; as for family, we're mere pawns nothing else. Plus, there's The Decree, that we all swore to uphold and there hasn't been a summons to amend it so you see, I don't have to do a fucking thing with Loki and besides, he called himself a monster. Do you honestly believe that I'll have any type of interaction with a backwards fool like that? Surely, you don't think that I'm that blind? Please don't insult me by such a suggestion. If he thinks that in reference to himself, what do you suppose, he'll infer about his offspring?" Bos'son sneered in disgust.
Fury: "Your older brothers were emphatically sincere and they meant what they said."
Bos'son: "Then, I've mistaken you for even a greater fool than I first thought. Have you heard NOTHING I've said?! THEY. DO. NOT. HAVE. EMOTIONS. They call ME cold, the hypocritical bastards! Pitch black kettle meet black pot. Those bastards!? They wouldn't know cold if they swam the Arctic Ocean! They haven't been sincere a single day in their life and in fact I highly doubt, that they would even begin to know how to be sincere!"
Fury: "I would know if they weren't."
Bos'son: "Somehow, I highly doubt that you would know."
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Can't wait to read your reviews! Matte ne!
