Author Note 1: If you gave a comment worthy of answer check for an answer at the bottom!
Author Note 2: M'kay, so I was sitting there for, like, ages – no joke! – before I thought about how to present this chapter…So basically I wanted to explore what the heck was going on with Loki and since "The Mage" is the one actually figuring out is wrong with Loki I decided to write this portion of the story kinda, sorta from the Mage's POV… Kind of, m'kay? Warning: if you read this and go, "What the actual heck?" I feel the same way…
Disclaimer: I still don't own anything *sobs*
The Mage paced around the throne room ceaselessly – well, almost ceaselessly. During one revolution he had accidentally ran right into the heap of misery that was the guard, cursed him, and called the other guards to carry him away all the while assuring everyone that no medical assistance would be required.
What was going on in that confusing, brilliant, and broken mind of his old (and favorite) students'? He hadn't been his favorite just because he was the Prince. He was his favorite because unlike many others he actually really wanted to know. In fact, he more than just wanted to know: he wanted to do. And when he couldn't do he would work hours on end until he could do. During the end of Loki's years with the Mage he had even started making his own spells. He had started weaving spells without words, spells used without having to speak or move. All of this the Mage could do but what had finally pushed him to making the decision that he had taught all he knew was when Loki had taught himself to shapeshift.
This was also when the Mage had figured out why Loki was so spectacular with magic. Because magic was basically just knowing how to speak to the universe and how to sweet talk it into just being the way the magician wanted it. Anyone would theoretically be able to do it. Well, if they could open their minds enough to hear the universe, which, the Mage had to admit, was very difficult. To open your mind enough you had to forget your body – which was hard seeing as all magicians were taught that their bodies were their second best sanctuary. Your mind was always the first sanctuary. Magicians didn't go into other people's minds lightly because, whether they knew it or not, it was wrong to have others in your absolute last sanctuary. Loki, at such a young age, had easily slipped out of his body into other forms with his mind completely sharp and still intact. The reason he was so good at this was because Loki's real power was his voice. His magic. His mind. To him, his body was just a thing. Many a magician had never shape-shifted because they relied on their body too much. To be a truly great magician was to give up the body for the mind. A hard task indeed. The Mage himself had never shape-shifted.
So how had the sharp, precise mind gotten so tarnished? According to the memories the reports that he hadn't eaten a single thing hadn't been exaggerated in the least. The reports that he rarely slept and when he did he had screaming, convulsive nightmares had apparently not been exaggerated either. It had appeared that he had been talking to himself. Arguing about staying alive when it appeared that he was the only one keeping himself from being healthy.
That's how it would appear to the general populous.
To the Mage it appeared that Loki was being possessed. Almost. Not quite. The Mage shook his head angrily at the uncertainty of the situation. He had yet to respond to Odin when he had asked what he thought because… well, because…because he didn't know.
"Mage?" Odin All-Father asked.
The Mage shook his head, made another lap of pacing and looked up at the All-Father, "Loki… has been in the presence of other magic users. Am I correct?"
"It is not known to me if the Chitauri can use magic but they might have some higher being that is controlling them that can," Odin said as his thoughts, too, ran down the same thought path.
Both the Mage and Odin had completely forgotten Thor's presence and his general ignorance in matters such as magic and the like so when he asked, "What is it that is wrong?" They both jumped slightly and turned towards the boy. Really, how they had forgotten he was there was a mystery; the boy had such an imposing presence.
"It appears that your brother's mind is being violated," the Mage said.
"He's being controlled?" Prince Thor exclaimed.
"Not quite being controlled, Prince… More like, hmm, influenced. It is obvious that the connection to his mind is not complete but it is obviously having painful effects on him," the Mage said, half muttering.
Suddenly a second thought entered the Mages mind: Loki was as good as a mental copy of himself. What he meant was that Loki was like him. If he were in the situation Loki was in he would be looking for a way to escape. His magic was cut off to him and was being stored in a little box carved with incantations and he didn't have the physical strength to overwhelm the guards so how else would he get out? With his words and actions. If that was the case, and Loki was faking all of this to get a chance at escape, the Mage had to admit he admired the ingenuity of the plan.
But he couldn't risk it. He couldn't risk Loki really being influenced and consequently killed, or worse.
Well, maybe he could. Loki was a genius. A master of deceit, Prince of Lies, Silver-Tongue, Lies-smith – this could easily be a play on their sympathies. After all: Loki's body was just a thing to him. "Odin, how high do you suppose is the possibility that this is a play on our emotions?" the Mage asked as gently as he could. It would be hard to tell how Odin would react to this. He could be bloody mad or he could see that that was a huge possibility.
Odin seemed stuck halfway between a bloody explosion and understanding. A look of apprehension flitted across his features, "Could you examine him?"
The Mage shook his head, "I know Loki and how he thinks. If this is a trick he needs to be brought out of the prison before he can make his move. What's more, if this is some kind of horrible connection to Loki's mind I don't even know if I could break it. Lots of those kinds of things can only be broken once the person who forged the connection breaks it or dies. Sometimes even death doesn't work in the case of those entities which can just reincarnate themselves."
Odin nodded and resumed his seat on the throne as the Mage thought about what could be done. Suddenly Thor showed how bright he actually could be, "Couldn't you examine him just as easily in the prison as anywhere else?"
Ehehehehe, m'kay sorry about not actually to getting to any Loki action but this had to be done. I promise. It's good for you. Kind of like broccoli. But we all know that that's a lie. Those evil green baby trees can't actually be healthy. They just like to tell us it is and then laugh as we choke it down… Anyways, I digress. The point is that I do appreciate all the reviews and stuff!
Here's to Ilike2watchboyskiss : HAHAHAHAHA! That's awesome and I do appreciate it. As said before people sometimes like to spite me so, hence no comments…
Here's to Myrthniegh: Thank you for agreeing with me that that is an acceptable cliffhanger and all that jazz! Thanks for the comment!
Here's to ParanoidSchizo91: I am so evil and I know it. I still haven't really given a definitive answer to whether he's faking it or not and I feel like a ginormous bully! Mwahahahahaha!
O.o The Phantom o.O
