Chapter 17 - Preparing for the Decimation, Part 1

Jane felt Loki's magic ripple one morning, and she turned her head to look at him. He usually sat on the far side of her lab at a desk he had created, making notes about her theories. He would also record the books that he had memorized from the Great Library of Asgard, knowing that in the future, he would have the only copies of the rare volumes of knowledge. Very rarely would he actually travel to the Asgard of this timeline to magically replicate the information to later be written out back on Midgard.

This morning though, he was leafing through an insanely massive book bound in metal. The pages inside were still parchment, but the bindings were magical in nature. It was a book unlike any of the others Jane had seen him pull from Asgard. Curious, she moved to stand at his shoulder, reading the inscriptions inside.

"Why is this book written in English?" Jane was thoroughly surprised. Loki had taught her how to read the major languages of the Universe, and English wasn't one of them. The closest language was Old Gaelic.

"Because this book is from your world." Loki answered, long fingers flipping pages. "I borrowed it from the Ancient One of the Kamar-Taj in Kathmandu. We've met before and she knows I'm here."

"I thought you said no one knew you were here." Jane was confused.

"The Ancient One is a being more powerful than I. The current incarnation is that of a Gaelic female, but soon the mantle will pass. I must make sure I have a meeting with the new holder of Agamoto's Eye before the Decimation occurs."

"Will you let me know when you leave?" Jane knew that this was something Loki needed to do, and that she would only be in the way of she went along.

"Always." Loki smiled up at her. Jane, returning his smile bent down and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. "You are always first in my life, my aurora."

"You are always my heart, starlight." Jane responded in kind, loving their personal endearments for each other.

Three weeks later Loki announced that he would be meeting with Stephen Strange in New York. He would also be checking in on the remaining Avengers, to make sure that the timeline was in tact. Jane wished him well and kissed him goodbye. She didn't know how long he would be gone, but she knew that she didn't need to worry for his safety.

Loki, after a sweet kiss from his Jane, materialized at 177A Bleeker Street in front of the American Sanctum Sanctorum. Wearing his guise of a mortal man, Loki ascended the steps of the brownstone, only to see the door swing open magically. Without pause he entered, knowing that there was no harm to be had. Magic filled the air, rich and full of history. Hundreds of years worth of spells had been produced inside the walls of the Sanctum. It felt warm and comforting to Loki, missing the magical aura of Asgard.

"Welcome to my Sanctum, Loki Odinson." A tall man in a red cape floated down over the banister of the balcony above, the cloak of levitation putting on a show.

"Laufeyson actually." Loki shrugged, finally healed of that old wound thanks to Jane. "Odin adopted me."

"Well, it seems that there are some things that even I don't know." Dr. Strange landed before him and nodded. "You can remove your glamor now; no one outside can see you."

Loki did as he was bade, impressed when the magician before him didn't even raise an impressive brow at Loki being dressed in his traditional leathers and armor. The man had an amazing self assurance, bordering on cockiness. He also held immense power, but not quite the level of power that the last Sorcerer Supreme had wielded. Motioning for him to follow, Strange turned and made his way to one of the smaller anterooms off the main foyer.

"So, how is it that the adoptive son of Asgard comes to grace my doorstep?"

"How did you know who I am?" Loki inquired.

"Other than the extensive news coverage of you trashing New York with your alien army a few years ago?"

Strange replied dryly as they settled down into chairs facing each other over a low table. As much as the man was annoying in his demeanour, Loki couldn't help but admit the man had flair.

"I make it my business to know who and what is a threat to this world. You, Loki Odinson, are on that list." Strange leaned forward and stared at him intently. Loki felt a slight creep of apprehension crawl up his spine, but his poker face had been honed over many millennia of playing high stakes with Thor.

"What's to keep me from contacting Thor and telling him exactly where you are?"

"Good bluff." Loki murmured with a slight smirk. Strange lifted an eyebrow and settled back into his chair, curiosity peaked.

"How do you know it's a bluff?"

"I have yet to meet a mortal with the power to tap the dark magic that would be needed to reach across space and time." Loki replied without hesitation. "That isn't the point though."

"So what is the point?"

"I am here to give you a warning of what is to come. Have you heard of Thanos?"

"The Mad Titan?" Strange looked startled as he sat at attention, Cloak of Levitation fluttering in anxiety.

"Precisely." Loki nodded, taking a deep breath. "In this timeline he is currently seeking the Infinity Stones in an effort to reassemble the Infinity Gauntlet. As we speak his adoptive daughter, Gamora, is in possession of the Power Stone. We are lucky that she will have a change of heart and keep the stone away from Thanos, for now."

"How do you know this?" Strange tilted his head, eyes sharp and dark.

"I am from the future." Loki said baldly. "I am the one the Norns picked to ensure that the Universe survives until the Decimation can be brought to pass. After that, it is up to you to make sure that the Universe survives."

"Impossible."

"Even you know that nothing is impossible." Loki shook his head. "Or did you not listen to the lessons the Ancient One tried to teach you?"

"How do you know her?" Strange snapped defensively.

"We met on the Astral Plane the last time I was in New York. She knew what was coming, and she did her best to prepare you for the war that is coming."

For several long moments Strange stared at Loki, rubbing the beard on his chin in a contemplative manner. Loki remained patient. He already knew the answer, but he also knew that he could not interfere with the outcome more than he already had. This was his last time to step into the timeline. After this, everything would rest on the shoulders of Stephen Strange, Tony Stark and the rest of the Avengers.

"Very well. Say you are right. What are your stipulations?" Strange wasn't one to beat about the bush apparently.

"No one is to know that I am here." Loki replied easily. "My brother will come to you for information, and bring me from the current timeline with him. He is is no way to know that I am here as well. If he does, then the future is doomed. The me from this timeline has a critical part to play, and it must come to pass."

"You talk as if you are a Seer as well as a magician, but you don't have the aura of a Blessed One."

"No, I'm not. However, I was raised by one, and she gave me the keys needed for the future. I am doing this with the blessings of her and the Norns." Loki replied standing, making the other man stand as well.

"So this visit was to warn me of the impending doom of Earth?"

"Not just Earth, but every planet in the Universe." Loki shook his head, waving his hand at the stone mounted in the necklace he wore. "Use the Time Stone to see for yourself."

Strange's eyes went blank, and Loki knew that he was time traveling via Astral Projection. What would have seemed like an eternity to the sorcerer was in reality less than a minute. When he came back to himself he cast a startled glance at Loki. Nodding Loki turned to walk away, but Strange's voice stopped him.

"All those futures, and there is only one in which we survive?" His voice shook. Loki didn't look back as he continued to walk away, tossing over his shoulder,

"That is why I am giving you a head start, Stephen Strange. Without you, the Light will fall to the Dark."