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The moment he sees green Loki knows who it is that lands a few short yards away. The impact is hard under their feet, cracking the road like a spider's web. Loki does not flinch at this, instead he lowers his head, ready and waiting. He keeps his breathing under control. He is not surrounded by glass this time, he will not be contained like some experiment but even at this distance he can feel his own power running unnaturally through the mortals veins. He clenches his jaw as Doom stands slowly and stares at him through his blank mask.

"Brother?" Thor asks as he steps forward unsure.

"Stay back!"Loki spits out harshly without meaning to as he pushes him back, eyes flaring.

It is a careless error and soon Doom's hard eyes slip toward Thor.

"The one who commands the lightning..." Doom says coldly.

Loki sees the exact moment recognition sets in and he brings his hands up in one swift motion. A force explodes from his hands, pushing his feet hard into the ground as he fights to control his balance. Doom raises a hand protectively over his face as he cancels out the enchantment a few moments later.

"Doom was not finished." The mortal says and raises his arms.

Loki turns to face Thor, bringing his arms up. He grinds his teeth as Doom's attack hits him square in the back. His will does not waiver as he blocks the spell to protect Thor. He looks to his brother, seeing confusion... no doubt he cannot understand how the mortal has achieved such use of magic.

He too had once underestimated.

Not this time. He will protect his brother no matter the cost.

Sparks of green magic shatter against Loki's barrier, turning to fire as they fizzle out in the air. He feels his barrier cracking, slipping away like broken pieces of mirror. Doom's power seeps through, cutting his cheek like glass and he winces. Loki turns, using the momentum of Doom's force to back his own. With a swipe of his hand he pushes the spell's direction to his left and uses his right to enact his own counter.

He stands sideways as two streams of enchantments battle each other. Beads of sweat trickle down the side of his face as he begins to feel the exertion of maintaining such a defense. His strength will not last with his current state. His skin is beginning to feel the heat around him.

Out of the corner of his eye he sees Thor raise his arm to summon Mjolnir. He shouts his brother's name seeing pain paint itself across his face instantly. Thor clutches as his chest as he falls to his knees while he tries to stabilize himself on the road with one hand. It is this short moment of distraction his concentration breaks, dissolving his barrier. The full force hits him square in the chest. He lands on his shoulder and skids across his stomach, hard across the road.

A noise of pain escapes him as he lifts his chin. The air burns in his lungs as he struggles to breathe. when he finally looks up he realizes he was thrown back further than anticipated. He raises one of his bloodied hands, his skin torn from his slide across the tar.

He looks on with paralyzing horror as Doom walks to Thor.

He clenches his teeth as he pushes himself to his knees. Resting on one elbow he leans forward, using his free hand to hold himself across the stomach. There is a pain within him and he tilts forward, bringing his feet up to stand. Loki lifts his head. Thor is engaging, he sees, using only his strength to fend off the powerful mortal.

Thor barely dodges a blow and stumbles sideways and Loki can see he has not recovered from his pain. Doom steps forward and swipes once more. Loki stands slowly as Thor parries the attack with his arm. Together they stand locked in a battle of strength. His breath hitches as Doom brings his armoured right hand up from below, hitting his brother hard. Loki is momentarily blinded as light flashes. As he blinks away the white his heart drops, the air from his lungs leaving him in a soundless scream.

There is nothing, he feels, as he looks to Thor's prone from a few feet away from him. He blinks in confusion as the surroundings of Asgard merge with the scenery before him. There are pillars, he thinks where he knows the ocean is meant to be. Yet, as he sees, beyond the opened archways of the room, he can hear the sound of crashing water beyond the sheer curtains. It is like before he thinks as his eyes see without clarity. He looks to Doom, seeing him within the room, looking at him.

His body shudders forward, unable to accept the reality his mind has chosen for him.

His lips curl in chaotic madness as he fixates his gaze on Doom. His eyes burn with quiet rage. The mortal, he sees, does not look to him his own attention focused on his brother. Loki snarls and pushes his feet hard into the ground. He builds speed as he keeps his eyes on his target. It is only when he raises his hands does the mortal lift his head but then it is too late.

Loki slams his entire body against Doom's and tackles him to the ground. He holds firm onto the mortal's arms, crushing them under his own strength as they roll away violently. Loki feels a cold hand clutch at his throat, squeezing inch by inch. He grits his teeth and swings his legs around, wrapping one around Doom's neck and gasps for breath. Loki arches his back and gains distance between the grip around his neck. He raises his right arm, and brings it down hard.

Doom tilts his head at the last moment as his fist hits into the road. Loki lifts his hand out of the crater and tries again but tenses as he feel electricity course through him. He is frozen in the current, unable to command his muscles as Doom manoeuvres around his body, freeing himself. Loki watches him intently through clenched teeth.

"Doom needs no machine now, he will take what he needs."

He will not fall so easily again.

His eyes blink at the mortal quickly, forming a plan. Doom, he sees, is fidgeting quickly around his wrists, using his fingers strangely. Loki moves his eyes ahead of him and hunches as much as he can against the current. Whispers form under Loki's lips as he summons his energy. Green flames burst from his palms, encasing his hands.

With a primal scream he summons his energy, twisting his back as he breaks through the paralysing pain.

He is the brother of Thor.

No power but his brother's will stop him.

Doom is slow to react as Loki motions around, taking his neck into his right hand while he still turns. He uses his own weight and throws the mortal to the ground. Doom's own hand glows but Loki senses the action before it is enacted. His flamed hands twist as he stalks to Doom. He opens his palms building to strike once more as fire sparks. Green flames lick the surrounding area, dousing it in heat and smoke.

Loki's body shakes violently against his rage as Doom stumbles into a standing position. The light of the green fire lights up the mortal's eyes and Loki grins wildly.

There is fear there.

Fire burns away at the green cloak that covers Doom leaving nothing but the armoured sorcerer, breathing heavily through the heat.

"Doom does not fail!" Doom screams as Loki continues forward menacingly, lifting his lip in a sadistic curl.

He glances upwards, seeing another streak of fire but somewhere in the process the ability to recognize it as Stark is lost. He is too engrossed in his burning rage to care... there is nothing left but the desire to kill. In this state he ignores all else, even the strange sensation that prickles against his skin. As he reaches Doom he easily ducks a blow and kicks with precision. The mortal's feet screech across the road with golden sparks as he stands his ground.

Loki can see him beginning to tire, beginning to realize what is to come but he does not relent. He moves forward, concentrating his energy to his hands. The mortal's attempts to parry his blows become sluggish.

Loki turns sideways, dodging a spell with ease and steps forward quickly. He moves past the mortal's hands and meets his enemy face to face. He is too quick for the man, realization coming to his face too late. Loki brings his hands up to the openings of the mask and presses what grip he can deep into the metal.

He pulls, hearing it groan against his strength.

Moment by moment flesh reveals itself as Loki pulls away at the mask. He cares not for the way it looks, for he will look into his eyes when he kills this man. Doom screams as his exposed flesh meets the heat of the flames.

Good, Loki thinks, let him add more scars to the ones painted across his face.

There is a sound of something piercing, rising with sound and Loki turns quickly to the side.

His attention has been too diverted on Doom to pay attention to Stark. The Man of Iron has lifted his hands, his blue palm growing with power and shoots toward him.

Loki is hit on his side forcing him onto the road in a heap.

He looks up frantically at Doom who has seen his opportunity to escape. He roars in anger, and moves to stand, to have his hands soaking in Doom's blood but is not given the chance. Stark is on him, whisking him away like a dame and landing out of the fire.

"Stop!" He hears Stark scream, pushing him back as he stands.

Loki ignores the mortal's pleas and looks on as Doom retreats back into the sky.

"Filthy Mortal!" He screams in frustration, pushing himself away from Stark.

He stumbles back, and frowns when his body does not obey his commands. Something... something is wrong, he realizes.

It is then when he takes a deep breath does he feel the smallest of winds across his skin. There is pain, an abundance of pain all across him. Loki lifts his hands shakily and stares. He blinks like a fool, looking at his charred skin.

"JARVIS auto mode." He hears Stark say as he stumbles back and falls. The sting of such movement jolts across his skin like electricity. There is, he thinks, no way to quell such sensations and he is left with keeping his hands close to him, clawed near his chest...frozen in the white hot fire burning across him.

He did not realize he was sustaining such injuries he... he was protecting...

He can't move... it's too much, this pain.

The wind blows once more, intensifying the feeling as it trails across his ruined flesh. He grits his teeth, and lifts his head with small moan.

He did not realize...was too engrossed in his desire for revenge to understand how the fire would cause such damage. He had been a fool, such a fool.

Oh how he burned.

"Hold still, Thor... you okay?"

Brother? Loki tries to look but cannot move his neck.

"I am." He hears and it brings a blurry sensation to his eyes.

Thor enters his vision in a silhouette of black against the sun above. It takes a few blinks for him to adjust to the lack of light in his eyes.

"Stay still." Thor whispers and Loki can see the strain on his face. "You were a fool, brother." Thor says with a smile of worried reassurance.

Loki blinks and curls his hands more as the tears steak a hot sensation down his face.

"The others are tracking Doom, he won't get far." Loki vaguely hears Tony say.

He is drifting, his body burning.

"You should have warned us!" Thor yells angrily.

"He flew low, radar didn't pick him up."

"You rely too much on your machines and not your eyes."

Loki finds his eyes closing alarmingly. There is a strange smell in the air...

"Brother?"

He wants to respond as a gentle hand finds its way to the side of his face.

"We must go, Stark. These wounds he sustained are..." Thor says quickly.

Loki tries to frown but he cannot focus. Go? Go where?

"I know." Tony says softly that he barely hears it. "I'll, uh... keep everything cool on this end yea? Shit, poor word choice... just, just go."

Loki slowly closes his eyes, giving in to the heat.

He does not hear what Stark says after that, nor his brother's reply. He does not feel Thor gently grip his shoulders firm and yell at the sky above.

He has drifted too far to see how the sky splits open in an array of colours.

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