"Loki!"
Natalia. She was crying out to him, yet he couldn't see her. Loki couldn't see anything…
"Loki!"
Her voice sounded hoarse from screaming. Loki opened his eyes to see nothing but darkness. His lips began to move, but words failed him. The god's entire body was paralyzed and it terrified him. He tried to move, but his limbs wouldn't listen. 'Na…'
A sharp intake of air forced Loki to bolt upright. He flexed his shaking hands to see that he was finally able to move again. Looking around, the god had no clue where he was. The afterlife? But where was Natalia? Where was everyone?
Loki rose to his feet and walked straight ahead into the abyss. "Natalia?" he called out.
"There is no need to fight over a woman who is no more," Odin's voice warned.
Loki whipped his head around, but failed to find the All-Father. His voice was so clear. Loki was certain that he didn't imagine it.
"You lied to me…"
The raven-haired god turned his head and saw young Natalia standing in the snow, a gun in her hand and blood staining her already dirtied hospital gown. "Have I returned to the past?" he wondered.
"You lied!" she growled.
"No…" Loki knelt before the small girl and reached out to embrace her. She suddenly vanished from his touch, making the god grow frantic.
"You lied to me about finding happiness…"
"Natalia?" Loki's voice was shaky as he spoke. "Where did you go? Natalia, please don't leave me…"
"Like how you left me?" Her voice had changed from that of a girl to a young woman.
"I never wanted to leave you! I swear it!" Loki's head began to scream, making it feel like his skull was splitting in two. "Natalia…" He grabbed fistfuls of his short, dark hair and pulled as Natalia's screams echoed in his mind. "S…Stop it!" he begged. She continued to cry out for him and all the god could imagine was her sprawled out in the snow as death approached her. "S-" Loki fell back on his heels, but instead of smacking against the ground, he continued to fall…
When Loki finally hit solid ground, he found himself trapped behind a glass wall. Before him was a Midgardian graveyard covered with snow. Stone graves were spread throughout, but there was only one that stood out to Loki. Natalia Romanova… Was that woman going to haunt him forever? Finding her had to be the biggest mistake of his life. Had he known how fleeting her life was, he would have left her alone. Why did he have to suffer so much over her? His heart had already shattered with no time for it to heal. In such a short period of time, Loki had lost his family, the mysterious red-head, and his purpose…
Who was he? He was no King, simply an illegitimate heir. A monster… Perhaps throwing himself off the Bifrost was the best choice. Living in Thor's shadow would have driven him over the edge sooner or later. Had he been allowed to stay on Midgard, none of this would have happened. Gods forbid that he found any joy in life!
His head began to pound, forcing Loki to sit right back down. He squeezed his eyes shut, praying that Natalia's grave wasn't the only thing his eyes would be subjected to.
Loki was thankful when he opened his eyes to see Natalia dancing to the music of what he recalled to be Swan Lake. "Natalia!" Being alone in the auditorium, the god was sure that she could hear him. Only she didn't. She continued her graceful dance, all while ignoring Loki's presence. Loki descended the set of stairs in between aisles of empty seats to approach the stage. "Natalia!" he shouted when he drew nearer. Either it was his imagination, or the music had grown louder. "Natalia?" The center stage stood taller than Loki, so he easily hopped up onto the wooden platform that stood between he and the red-head.
Not once did the ballerina break focus as Loki approached her. She danced as if she was a machine acting on given orders.
"Natalia?" Loki grabbed her arm and casually pulled her body close to his chest as the music hit a crescendo. Her muscles tensed beneath his touch. "Have I frightened you?" he chuckled. A finger brushed a stray curl from her face as he allowed for their gaze to meet. Finally, he was reunited with the woman. "Nata…" Loki's breath caught in his throat as her glazed over eyes bore into his. Blood trickled from the corner of her bluish lips and Loki pushed her away out of fear. Her stiff body hit the ground with a heavy thud. In that moment, the music ceased to play…
"Who are you?" A deep voice called out.
Loki's eyes flickered open. He was grateful that the voice didn't belong to anyone he knew. The madness was already kicking in after all of his visions of Natalia. To hear a stranger's voice was a blessing to his ears. "Where am I?" he wondered aloud as he rose to his feet, brushing off bits of pebbles and dust from his garments.
"Have you come to die?"
The god glanced up to find a titan clad in blue and gold armor relaxing upon a raised throne. Even sitting, the creature towered over Loki. Despite the alien's purple and wrinkled face, Loki's eyes found themselves fixed on a massive gauntlet that protected the titan's left hand. It matched perfectly to the one he had seen hidden away in Odin's private collection. Loki was sure that this was the partner to Odin's glove.
The large alien noticed the way in which the lowly man gawked at his gloved hand. His eyes weren't giving off a lustful stare that men usually gave the gauntlet. No, this man looked upon it with an air of familiarity… "Does my treasure intrigue you?" he asked in a deep voice. He flexed his hand and Loki's eyes quickly met with his.
"I see it has lost a partner," Loki casually noted.
"I take it you know of the location?"
As much as Loki would have loved to rat out Odin, he feared that it would have been a wasted opportunity. "What would you say to a friendly wager?" he asked, a confident smirk across his lips. Loki couldn't recall the last time he had felt so in control. It was time, once again, to put his silver tongue to good use. "I have heard storied of the gauntlet you seek. The wearer is granted power beyond imagination…"
"I already possess the power of ten gods, maybe more," the titan grinned. "Which is why I desire more."
So this man had power. Or was he all talk? "Ten gods, you say?" Loki asked. "Prove to me your power, and I will grant you what you seek."
"So you do know its whereabouts?"
"Threaten me all you like, but I won't tell," Loki promised. "Kill me, and you will never find it…"
"What is it you seek?" He lifted himself up from his throne and made his way down a flight of granite steps before looming over the god.
Loki paused as he stared into the creature's beady red eyes. He could have asked for Natalia, for a way back home, maybe even a family who wouldn't betray him… Instead, Loki chose an answer that would let him have his cake and eat it too. "Power," he answered. "I have worlds to visit, yet the powers I possess are not enough. Even with a small fraction of your power, I will be free to travel where I please while still having the energy to bring you the gauntlet you seek."
"And if you betray me?" he warily asked.
"Then Asgard's royal family will be at your mercy. Make them your slaves, kill them… whatever will please you."
"'Royal family!'" he scoffed. "Who are you to speak for them?"
Loki shot him a cold glare. "As Loki Odinson, second in line to the throne of Asgard, I speak for the All-Father, King Odin."
"Second in line, you say?" he asked, arching his brow line.
"The throne could very well be yours if I betray you," Loki added. "Believe me, the throne of Asgard isn't something I wish to give up," he admitted, clenching his fists at his sides.
"Very well, then." He opened his gloved palm and an intense light emanated, forcing Loki to turn away. "I, Thanos of the Eternals, will hereby accept the son of Odin's bargain."
The blindingly white light faded and Loki saw a golden scepter being presented to him. His eyes lit up when he saw a shining blue gem affixed to the top. The blue stone's glow reflected against the scepter's silver-tipped daggers, giving off an eerie and strong aura. Loki reached for the scepter and straightened his back as he felt a surge of confidence rush through his body. This wasn't some hand-me down of Thor or an old dagger that his Mother had been keeping for centuries. This was something made especially for Loki under his command, and Loki knew just how he intended to use it.
"I will give you one day's time to marvel in your new power," Thanos warned. "When your time is up, I will find you and expect to be given what is truly mine…"
"Very well," Loki promised. "You have my word…" He turned on his heel and tightened his grip around the scepter. "Is there a way I can save you from your fate, Natalia?" he breathed. The azure gem brightened as if it understood exactly what Loki had requested.
"I've got a clear shot of her, Director."
Loki stared straight ahead to find a man with messy sandy hair posing with a bow and arrow. A quick scan of his surroundings told Loki that they were both atop a tall building. He approached the archer, curious as to why he was here. Where was the snow? The trees? Natalia? How was he to save her if he couldn't even recognise where he was?
"She's on the move again. I think she knows we've got our men tailing behind her," the blond commented aloud.
Loki quietly crept behind the stranger, holding his breath so he could know what was happening. Surely enough, at least sixty stories down, was a red head of hair. "Natalia?" Was this even further into her past? His skilled eyes were able to catch her defined facial features. Her narrow jaw and a cold emptiness in her eyes told Loki that this wasn't a younger Natalia. Had Odin lied about her death? Of course… Loki's knuckled turned white from the intensity in which he grasped his staff. Leave it to him to lie again…
"Who the hell are you?" The archer turned, now pointing an arrow at Loki.
The god snarled at the man and let the steel tip of his scepter press against the man's chest. "What business do you have involving Natalia?" he barked.
The familiar blue hue of Loki's gem washed away all traces of blue-green from the archer's eyes. "Natalia Romanova," he began in a daze. "I'm sent to kill her," he replied, unblinking.
Loki watched as the man's lifeless and bright blue eyes bore into his own. He glanced at his staff and admired how the gem was bursting with life. Was this all his doing? His power… He returned his attention back to the blond. "Kill her?" he repeated, pressing the sharp tip deeper against the blond's black vest.
"Director Fury's orders," the man droned. "She's a threat to S.H.I.E.L.D."
"Don't kill her!" Loki threatened. "Under my orders, she is to live! Do you understand?" Loki asked in a low growl.
The man dumbly nodded as he reached up to touch his ear. "I couldn't do it, sir."
Satisfied, Loki pulled the staff away and stepped back.
"She needs to live," the blond continued, suddenly more in control of his actions. Feeling as if he was being watched, he scanned his surroundings, only to find that he was alone. "I don't know why, but… she needs to live…"
Loki had scurried off, jumping into an abandoned alleyway before donning a casual suit ensemble. He stepped out from the alley just in time to see Natalia approaching. He took a step forward, only to be jerked backwards. Loki didn't have a chance to react before he found himself back in Thanos' realm. "You gave me one day!" he snapped.
"Time flows differently in my world. I would like what is mine now!" Thanos barked.
Loki scowled as the titan's hand released his arm. Because of his interruption, time on Midgard was ticking away. At least Loki knew that Natalia was alive.
"The gauntlet,' he stated.
Loki nodded. "You will find it on Asgard amongst the King's private collections. Don't fret-I've seen with my own eyes that the King has taken excellent care of it."
"Then bring it to me."
"I would, but I would much rather see you bring down the King!" Loki chuckled. "I also recommend bringing an army with you," he jokingly added seeing that Thanos seemed to work alone. "Asgard is heavily guarded by hundreds of gods…" Loki bowed his head before vanishing before Thanos' eyes.
"Your betrayal will be your demise!" Thanos cursed under his breath.