Chapter 11: Flashpoint
Trin and Ragna arrived at the great hall in time to watch the King and his brother enter. Thor and Loki walked proudly up towards the head table. As they passed the two women, Loki paused for a moment to stare at Trin briefly, then continued on. Once they were seated, everyone else moved to take their places.
Trin and Ragna had been seated at a table fairly close to the front. As the first course was being brought out, a servant approached their table. "My lady?" he addressed Trin.
"Yes?" Trin looked at him curiously.
"Heimdall has sent me. You have received a package from your father," the servant held out a small bag. "And he said to tell you the other one has arrived."
Trin smiled. "Thank you, and thank Heimdall for me."
The servant bowed and retreated.
Trin peered in the bag, then smiled. "Interesting."
"What did he send?" Ragna asked.
"Just this." Trin held the bag open for her friend to see.
Ragna's eyes widened at the item the bag contained. "That is interesting."
The meal progressed pleasantly until a shout rang out from the back of the room. All eyes turned to see as Katirya and Thanos walked slowly through the banquet hall, sneering at everyone they passed. They finally reached the head table. Loki and Thor had risen, moving to stand in front of the table. Everyone in the grand hall had silenced, straining to hear anything that was said.
"Well, well…" Katirya smirked. "Look what we have here, my dear," she purred up at Thanos.
Thanos laughed. "It has never been clear to me exactly what you saw in him."
"Nothing, darling," Katirya laughed. "Absolutely nothing."
"What do you want?" Loki spoke through gritted teeth.
"Your surrender. Did you not get my message?" Katirya replied, a slight whine in her voice. "Are you getting forgetful in your old age?"
Thor placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Do not get angered, brother. She is only baiting you."
Loki glared at Thor for a moment, then nodded. "Which message?"
"Why, the one we sent a week or so ago. We were very nice offering you surrender rather than complete annihilation," Thanos finally spoke.
Loki nodded imperceptibly. Two guards suddenly moved toward the table at which Trin and Ragna were seated.
Trin swallowed hard as she noticed this move. "I do believe our presence is being requested up at the head table," she whispered to Ragna.
Ragna held back a smile. "Indeed."
Both women rose gracefully before the guards could arrive. Ignoring their intended escort, they walked directly towards the head table. The guards, startled by their actions, simply followed them.
"And what of your other messages? Were they not also important?" Loki asked.
Katirya looked at him curiously. "What other messages?" she asked bluntly.
"Your two minions here were a bit heavy handed in their actions, and they were not successful, as you can see from the feast," Loki swept an arm to indicate Trin and Ragna, who were now standing off to one side.
Katirya and Thanos turned to focus on the two women. "Who are these people?" Katirya finally asked.
"I wouldn't be caught dead in that color," Trin whispered rather loudly to Ragna, knowing full well that everyone could hear her.
Katirya flushed at the comment. "What do you mean? Who are you?" she demanded.
"You mean you do not know these women? If women they are?" Thor asked.
Sif paled as she saw movement at a side door. Her friend, the real Trin, was being escorted into the room. She risked a look at the Warriors Three, mouthing the words, 'We've got a problem'. The three men darted a look towards the newcomer, noticing the startling resemblance to the real Trin that Katirya had created.
"Well, they certainly appear to be women," Thanos raked Trin and Ragna with a scathing look. "What else would they be?"
"They are not your minions? Come forth to cause discord within Asgard?" Loki accused him.
"I know not who these two are," Thanos replied.
Loki motioned for the real Trin to be brought forward. "State your name, woman!"
"I am the Lady Trin, a good friend of the Lady Sif. I did not ask to come to Asgard, but your guards were rather insistent. They claimed it was for the good of the city," the real Trin responded.
"Then, if you are the Lady Trin," Loki rounded on Trin, "who are you?"
Trin smiled sweetly. "Who do you want me to be?"
"Who are you? We have had at least two known incidents in Asgard, one of which injured people. What other anarchy have you caused that still has not to come to light?" Loki demanded of her.
Thor grabbed Loki's arm before he could move. "Brother, do not do anything rash."
"Rash?" Loki stared at Thor. "These people are threatening Asgard!"
"I realize that, but we need to remain calm," Thor's voice was soft.
Loki took a deep breath, "You are correct." Turning to face Thanos and Katirya once more, he asked. "So you do not claim these two, or their actions?"
Thanos shook his head. "No, although it sounds as if I would enjoy their company."
Katirya took that moment of distraction to approach Loki.
"Stop right there, woman. State your name and your intentions!" Loki demanded.
"Well," Trin suddenly morphed into Hela. "Does this seem more like what you are expecting?" She moved closer to Loki, linking one arm through his pressing up against him. "I was rather hoping to have a bit more privacy with you. We could have such fun. You know how I love your, um, company," she said suggestively as she ran her fingers up and down his arm.
Ragna clasped a hand to her mouth, stifling laughter.
"Hela?" Loki struggled to escape Hela's grasp, finally slithering out of it.
"That cannot be Hela. She cannot leave Hel," Thor pointed out, though he was clearly not convinced, as the illusion was so accurate.
"So who are you?" Loki's voice was cold.
Hela rolled her eyes and sighed. "Fine. We have determined I am not Trin, since that is the real one," she pointed to the woman standing along the sidelines. "And that I am not Hela. So… I wonder could I be?"
Katirya and Thanos exchanged a shocked glance, clearly surprised that their threat was being completely ignored in favor of figuring out who this shape-shifter was.
"What does it matter?" Katirya finally screamed. "We are going to destroy you whether you figure out who she is or not, unless you are willing to surrender."
"Oh, yes," Hela purred. "I forgot about you, and your perceived threat," Hela focused on Thanos and Katirya. "The, um, what is it you are styling yourselves as now? Oh, yes, the King and Queen of the Universe," she mocked them. "But… " she gasped, "oh, my… you are missing your crown jewels?"
Thor and Loki exchanged a glance, then looked at Thanos and Katirya. "Yes, where are the Infinity Stones?" Thor finally asked.
"You are going to need them if you intend to rule the Universe," Hela said with a smirk.
"We do not need them! You are all pitiful creatures that we shall destroy!" Thanos shouted.
"Yes, why would we need to bring them here?" Katirya asked.
"Really, sister. You have to ask that question? I wonder that you even have them." Kyrath now stood where Hela had been. "And I still say I would never be caught dead in that color."
Katirya stared incredulously at Kyrath. "What do you mean? And… and… you CANNOT be Kyrath!"
"Why ever not?" Kyrath asked innocently. "And pastels just do not do the complexion justice. Jewel tones, you would look much better in jewel tones." As Kyrath finished speaking, she placed her index finger to her chin, and stared up at the ceiling. "Speaking of jewels," Kyrath continued to press the issue of the Infinity Stones, "aren't you missing something? A few gems? You are going to need them if you intend to destroy Asgard."
"WHO ARE YOU?" Loki's voice roared, disrupting the exchange between the two women.
"It appears to be Kyrath, my lord." Ragna's voice was filled with mirth, clearly enjoying the antics of Kyrath.
"I already said it cannot be me," Katirya said, then clamped a hand over her mouth as she realized what she had just said.
"Oh," Kyrath said. "So I am not you, either. Interesting." She noticed that Sif and the Warriors Three had moved closer to the head table while she had been toying with Katirya and Thanos, along with the brothers.
Thor stepped up to Kyrath, and grabbed her by the arm. "You clearly must be the one responsible for the recent events in Asgard. Guards, take her to the prison."
As the guards stepped forward, Kyrath suddenly morphed into Katirya, escaping Thor's grasp. Now there were two Katirya's standing by the head table. Thor's eyes widened.
"I do not think so," Katirya replied quietly. "I do not know who is responsible for those two actions, but it was not me."
Katirya gaped at her real sister. "It cannot be! I saw you die back on Hel! I sat watch over your dead body for weeks!" Her shrieks went to every corner of the hall.
Everyone was staring intently at the events playing out by the head table.
Katirya grinned cheekily at her sister. "Guess what? You're wrong. I did not die on Hel, despite what you and Thanos tried to do." Her gaze raked Thanos. "Where is Thanos? For this is definitely not him."
"I am Thanos!" Thanos shouted.
Loki's eyes had turned a glittering red, as he saw not one, but two Katiryas in front of him. Before anyone was able to stop him, he shot a blast of energy out at both women. The two Katiryas flew backwards, slamming into the wall. Katirya morphed into her real form of Kyrath as she hit the wall. Katirya simply slumped to the floor, unmoving.
Kyrath moaned as she started to sit up. She looked over to see her sister lying still. Scrambling across the short distance between them, she pulled out a small dagger and buried it in Katirya's back. As Katirya screamed in pain, Loki sent another blast towards them. This time, Katirya saw it coming and was able to put up a small defense against it. The blast simply bounced off her. Kyrath was not so fortunate, for as the blast hit her, her head slammed into the wall, knocking her unconscious.
Loki stared at the two women, "I do not know which of you is the real one, but… I… HAVE… HAD… ENOUGH!"
"Loki, stop it!" Ragna shouted as she moved to grab his arm.
"Who do you think you are, old woman?" Loki snarled, lashing out towards Ragna. His arm dropped as his face changed to complete astonishment, for he now found himself staring at his mother, Frigga. "Mother?" he spoke softly. "Mother? How can this be? I was told you died."
"Mother?" Thor echoed.
A gasp went through the hall.
"Yes, I am your mother," Frigga acknowledged. "And I know I raised you better than this," her arm swept towards where Katirya lay.
Thor and Loki turned to look in the direction Frigga pointed.
Fandral had been the first to reach the fallen woman. He was kneeling beside her, looking down with concern. "Call Eir!" he shouted.
Loki stared down at his mother. "She betrayed me! She deserves to die."
"She did not betray you, did you not just hear what Kyrath said?" Frigga implored her son. "Thanos thought he had killed her."
"Lies! It has all been lies!" Loki shouted. "Why would he kill her? She was helping him."
"I was there, mother. I saw her do it," Thor added firmly. "She betrayed both of us, used us to collect the Infinity Stones."
Frigga rolled her eyes. "You are both being stubborn fools. Katirya did not betray you."
"It doesn't matter, she was responsible for Thanos obtaining the Stones," Thor responded.
"Thanos does not have the Stones. If he did, he would have been here, taking Asgard for himself," Katirya, with the support of Fandral, rose from the ground. Leaning heavily against him for support, she turned her attention on Thanos. "And you are not Thanos, for you have not the powers of Thanos," she raised one hand, directing it towards the man. A beam of bright light streamed from her fingertips, hitting the man. He screamed once, then changed to reveal Hadriath as his true form.
Hadriath looked furiously at Katirya, hissing as he finally spoke. "You WITCH!" Then his face paled as he noticed the tiara that had appeared on Katirya's brow. Five stones glowed brightly, with one empty setting. "But… but… you destroyed the Stones."
"Oh, you were all meant to believe I destroyed them. I sent them somewhere instead," Katirya began, then looked at Loki, her expression softening. "And yes, I did make it seem as if I had betrayed you. It was the only way I could ensure you got out of there alive."
"You could not tell me your plan? You did not trust me?" Loki shouted back at her.
"Oh, I trusted you, but it needed to be something Thanos would believe. I…I did not think, if you knew, that you would be convincing enough," Katirya admitted. "Maybe there was another way, but…"
"You lied to me!" Loki roared.
Katirya's eyes glittered, "Yes, I lied to you. But you cannot claim to have never lied before. No one is perfect. I did what I did to protect you…"
"I did not require protection!" Loki cut her off mid-sentence.
"Truly? Did you know what Thanos had planned for you? For Thor? What he did to Jane was just the beginning. Could you read his mind like I could? He was so overconfident that he was going to succeed; he did not hide his thoughts. They were not pleasant," Katirya could feel waves of pain, but hid them as she continued to lean against Fandral. "Perhaps I acted rashly, but you survived. All of you."
"No, not all of us," Thor spoke.
"Jane, at least, still lives. Perhaps her quality of life is not the best, but while she lives, there is hope," Frigga spoke quietly.
"Hope? Have you seen her, mother?" Thor cried. "And what of Ian? He died that day! And my powers… gone! She was an instrument in this entire affair, if not the person responsible for the entire thing."
Katirya felt another wave of pain emanate from her back where the dagger was embedded, blood was starting to stream down her back. Her breathing became more labored, and she knew Fandral was getting concerned. "Give me a few more moments, please," she whispered to him.
"If you insist, but you need to get to the healers," Fandral replied.
Katirya looked back towards Loki. "I had hoped, when you realized that I did not betray you, that there might be some hope of reconciliation. I see I was wrong." Tears had started to fall from Katirya's eyes.
"Your tears are useless against me. I remember what happened that day," Loki spat back at her.
"Do you? Do you truly remember? Why did you not come back? YOU did not trust me!" Katirya shouted back.
"Come back? For what purpose? To see where you had managed to hoodwink me? Leave me looking the fool?" Loki accused her.
"You were never the fool, Loki," Katirya replied quietly, her cheeks wet. "Although there were times during that month, during the past year in fact, that I have wondered. Why did you believe I would turn against you? Did you not believe in my love for you? And even if you did not believe in that, neither of you came back at all. You left Ian there, and Thor's hammer."
"Ian was dead!" Thor bellowed. "And my hammer was taken from me."
"But you never came back to look. I know, because I was there for a month, while she watched over what she thought was my dead body," Katirya pointed to Kyrath, who along with Hadriath had been restrained by a cadre of guards.
"What was there to come back for?" Loki demanded.
Katirya lowered her head, shaking it, but saying nothing. She finally beckoned towards a servant.
"IAN!" Darcy's shout echoed throughout the hall.
All eyes turned to the back as Ian entered, racing towards Darcy. He lifted Darcy up in an embrace when he reached her, kissing and hugging her.
"Katirya told me you were alive!" Darcy finally spoke.
"I know," Ian replied. "She sent for me today. Heimdall told me what happened."
Loki glared at Katirya.
"I will not fight you, Loki. But I will defend myself against you. You cannot kill me, so I suggest you allow me to leave."
"You will go nowhere!" Loki commanded.
"You cannot keep me here," Katirya replied quietly, then nodded at Fandral.
Fandral turned, supporting Katirya as they exited the hall. The minute they were out of sight, she collapsed completely against him, weeping from both the emotional and physical pain. He picked her up and carried her to the healers.
