(Translations of what Loki says are at the very bottom! Go there if you wanna know what he's saying) I FUCKED UP! I THOUGHT SHURI WAS ALIVE! She. Is. Not. Well… there goes to accuracy of this fanfic… well. If Loki's alive, it's not very accurate huh? Oh well! I hope you guys can forgive me for being late with this chapter… This whole pandemic has me on edge. My mother is an essential worker so she still goes out and it's just distracting having to keep extra clean to not get sick. I will try to come out with chapter 15 much sooner! On with the story!
-Cluelessreader
Chapter 14
"For my people, it had started when one of my brother's friends had come here. My brother already knew what was coming and had a plan to help. You see… there was a being that was after something called the infinity stones," Loki's eyes widened at that. The infinity stones? There were six of them, if he remembered his father's lessons correctly.
"That being was Thanos. Apparently he was collecting all the stones. So he could 'balance the universe'. My brother needed my help to get an infinity stone out of someone,"
"Out of someone!?" Loki yelled. There was an infinity stone inside someone? Now that was something he'd never heard of.
The pair were no longer in the Wakandan labs. Princess Shuri wanted to tell her story away from others ears. Seeing as how it involved the tragedy to her people, Loki understood not wanting other people to overhear. Why make them relive what happened?
He didn't know where they were… it looked like a jungle, but the path they walked seemed to have been there for years. Princess Shuri seemed calm enough walking on it, then so would he. If she didn't fear anything here then neither would he.
"Yes. It seems those in America have tech as well. The being that had a stone within him wasn't a real person. But a technology built body. Built by the Iron Man. Tony Stark."
Loki rolled his eyes. One thing he was really trying to avoid seemed to keep coming back.
"The android, Vision, needed the stone out. And while his tech was older then what I am used to, I said I would help. While I was getting the stone out, all of Wakanda would help the Avengers fight. But it seemed the villain we all were fighting was stronger then he seemed. Even with the help of the Avengers and eventually even your own brother, we could not win.
Thanos sent his strongest followers and… beasts… large and ravenous. They killed themselves just to get into our borders, but there were so many of them… they just kept coming. The tide seemed to change when your brother came. The fighting seemed more uniform. The beasts were falling and the followers were losing…"
"But…" Loki asked. Knowing there was more.
"But Thanos himself showed up. His followers had interrupted my work of Vision, but one who is gone had gotten the stone out and destroyed it."
"If one one stone is gone then that means that Thanos lost. He didn't get all six. How could the world have still lost?" Loki asked, trying to connect the dots but still not understanding.
"The stone that broke… wasn't the right one. Thanos had five of them. The one he needed left was mind. But he had-"
"Time." Loki interrupted, dread filling him. "He had time. He- he just… he just reversed the broken stone… didn't he?"
"So you are as smart I thought you were… He did. Using time he just brought back mind and ripped it from Vision. He had all six. And yet we all still had hope. Your brother got him. Hit him with the large axe he wielded. We thought we got him and won… but we didn't." Shuri spoke, her voice quivering. Loki looked at her but she only kept her eyes on the ground.
"The mad man didn't lose. He got what he wanted in the end, he snapped his fingers and won. There was a large burst of energy and it seemed to injure Thanos."
Loki nodded. With the stories he's heard about the power of one, let alone six stones, the stories spoke of people not being strong enough to use them and dying. "It makes sense that Thanos would be harmed. Using one has been said to kill, I can't imagine using six."
She hummed. Loki could see her science mind thinking about that but it quickly went back to the story at hand. "The second the blast happened, there was silence. Then… everyone- they just… they started fading away. Almost everyone just… gone. Their bodies, gone… into dust."
The image in Loki's mind was… disturbing to say the least. To see the people he loved most just disappearing. Not even leaving their bodies.
"My brother was among those who disappeared. He died right in front of one of my closest friends." Princess Shuri said quietly.
Her brother… She lost her brother to the mad titan. He didn't want to think about it, what would he do if he lost Thor? He wouldn't be able to last long without his big brother…
Loki stopped walking, a realization hitting him hard.
"Loki?" Shuri asked looking back, seeing the boy had stopped walking next to her. "What is wrong?"
Loki wasn't the one who lost his brother… Thor was. Sure, Loki didn't die by turning into dust, but still… Thor had seen him die! Strangled by Thanos himself, and wasn't that just was bad as his body fading away? Oh Norns… peoples bodies… if these people died and dusted away… then no one even got a proper burial! People were just gone! What if families didn't know their loved ones were gone? How many in the realms were just looking for their lost family or friends?
"Loki… bast… maybe I shouldn't have told you." Princess Shuri voiced, looking nothing but nervous.
"No! I mean, yes. I thank you for telling me. Truly I do Princess…" Loki said. "It just- it put some things into perspective I suppose."
Shuri only looked at him oddly.
He huffed a toneless laugh. "I had seen people, the avengers mostly, missing people. I thought it was only those fighting who lost people they cared about. I saw my people as refugees but that was from Hela's attack. And even then… Thanos still killed Asgardians, but I only saw those dead from escaping Hela! I never realized the scale of Thanos's mad mind. Nor how much was truly affected," He looked up, Shuri only watching him. "I really do thank you, Princess Shuri, for telling me what has happened. Not only to my and your own people but too many all over."
Loki felt himself start shaking, he tried to maintain his smile to Shuri but he could feel the tears welling up. Realizing everything, how much is truly gone, he couldn't stop the tears. His vision blurred and he grew ashamed. Crying. Again. And in front of another nation's princess no less.
Thor's friends were always going to be right. He's nothing more than a cry baby. Even Stark was right…
"Child."
Loki's head snapped up. He quickly scanned the area but didn't see anything. The voice was of a woman. It spoke in the Wakandan language, only translated by all-speak.
"Loki… I know it's upsetting. I think we should retur-"
"Did you hear that?" Loki interrupted. Tears still falling down his face but the danger of someone watching, or even following them, more important at the moment to him.
Shuri looked at Loki then seemed to listen out. Her eyes scanned the area but nothing jumped out to her. Slowly, she shook her head. "I hear nothing. What is it?"
Loki turned around, looking at the surrounding jungle, even up, but even he saw nothing. "I- I could have sworn I-"
"What is it Loki?" Shuri asked but kept looking around, just in case.
A feeling of power rushed to Loki. He could feel somewhere very very powerful. With both spiritual energy and mystical power. It was further into the jungle for sure, but the place seemed damaged.
And whatever the place was… it was calling to him.
"Go."
He flinched, but an image formed. It was a large place. Flashes of Panther statues, large ceilings, a dark walkway, filled his mind. And it was straight ahead of him! It was close-ish, he could make it easy!
"Princess Shuri! We must go, we have to go that way." Loki said, pointing ahead of them.
A sudden intake of breath, her eyes widened. She shook out of her thoughts, but still looked somewhat amazed and… concerned? "H-how do you know… how do you know there is a building that way at all? You've never been here…" She asked.
"I… uh… I didn't. I just… felt? It?" It sounded like a lie, even to his ears. Only because he could sense lies did he know he wasn't. "I can't explain it. I heard someone, it sounded like a woman, then I just saw some building. I know it's that way because it really is calling to me."
She won't believe, if anything Loki does sound crazy. Now it seems like he's been here before, planning to do Norns knows what. To the Wakandan Princess no less!
"Okay, I know how this sounds! But-"
"You said woman. You heard a woman's voice?" She asked, interrupting Loki, her eyes returning to the boy.
"Um, yes?" What. Was she checking if Loki was nuts?
Princess Shrui sucked in a breath, her brown eyes widened. "I know who it was… it's the only logical answer. Being this far from the kingdom, and so close to the hall." She muttered to herself.
Hall? He supposes that's what that building was.
"Prince Loki, what did you see?" She asked, much more focused than before.
"Oh. um, It was a large building, with some panther statue and one long walk way-"
"It is the hall! The Hall of Kings!" She exclaimed happily. She was practically vibrating with excitement. "We must go! If it really is her, then we can not wait any longer!" She grabbed Loki's wrist and dragged him behind her. Wherever Princess Shuri was taking him, it seemed like it was very important.
The two ran and ran, Loki knew he could have ran faster but chose to let the princess lead him. It would seem rude if he just up and left her, and somehow knew where to go. Better to just let Shrui lead him to the large building he had seen before.
It seemed wherever it was they were going was far. The sun was setting pretty low, the light fading away. The large jungle around them turning to black shadows. If Loki couldn't then he knew Princess Shuri couldn't see either. She still pulled him though, clearly knowing which way to go even without having sight. He looked to her, her attention steadfast on the path in front of her. Closing his own green eyes, he focused his magic.
Nothing would be able to see his magic since the spell only affected his eyes. While nothing could see his magic, he could feel it. His magic built up, ready for a spell to be cast.
He spoke quietly. So Princess Shuri wouldn't hear him. "sólarljós. tunglskin. Skært ljós. Ekkert ljós. augu mín munu sjá í gegnum allt." His voice was soft, but once the spell was cast the magic building at his eyes dissipated.
He opened them, and everything looked clear again. A dark jungle no longer surrounded him. The sky was still dark but everything seemed lit up by a sun that wasn't there. It is a little disoriented at first but you get used to it.
The pair eventually made their way to an enormous stone structure. It was the one he had flashes of, but seeing in person… it was much more intimidating than it seemed before. Small snit-bits of vision definitely didn't do the building justice.
"From the look on your face, I would say this is the building you saw." Shuri said with a slight smile.
Still in awe of the building, Loki only nodded.
A rush of cold ran up his spine. Snapping his attention on not the outside of the building but what ever lurked within. It called to him again. He heard no voice but didn't need to. He knew he needed to go inside. For what reason, that was what he didn't know.
He stepped forward but was quickly pulled back. A hand holding firm on his shoulder. Princess Shuri looked at the hall, but Loki could tell she had some apprehension about entering at all.
"This is the hall of kings… only those who tended to it and kings can enter…" She spoke quietly.
Loki raised an eyebrow. "Are you not royalty? Shouldn't you be able to enter?" He asked cautiously.
A slight shake of the princess head. "Only, and I repeat, only those meant in here can enter… It's just how- Loki!"
The boy easily overpowered the Princess strength and broke free from her grasp. He looked straight into the dark entryway, confidently walking closer to it's opening.
"For those who are meant to, well… I mean no disrespect but having visions and some woman calling me here, I think that is an okay to go in. Come on Shuri." He turned back and looked at the Wakandan, he knew they would be fine in there. He was curious and Loki could read her easily. She wanted to go in just was much as him. Loki held out his hand, an easy smile on his face, the magic in his eyes seeming to make his eyes more luminescent than normal. "We'll be fine. Let us go."
She rolled her eyes but did suck in a deep breath. An excited smile reached her face as she walked next to the boy. "I am going to blame you if something goes wrong."
"I figured as much."
The inside of the hall was dark. It seemed not to well taken care of in Loki's opinion. If the only people able to enter where kings and those meant to care for the place, where were those people?
They walked on, following the straight path leading to some sort of altar. Large vertical stones held a perfect circle above the altar. Some sort of pit in the middle of the ground. Beside the walk way were the Panthers Loki had seen before. The statues looked aged… it really didn't sit well with Loki.
The panthers themselves sat in water, it reached above the paws, almost reaching the height of the walkway, as if the place was flooding. There were two… gardens? On each side of the odd altar. But there were no plants. Only some sort of black substance.
"You must help."
"I heard it- her! I heard her again!" Loki yelled, jumping quite a bit at the sudden voice.
"What did she say?" Princess Shuri asked, she seemed much more calm than Loki, still walking the path. Just looking around at the decrepit surroundings.
"That I must help? But help what?" Loki answered, a bad feeling crawling it's way up Loki's back. Something important was lost here, he could tell that much.
The princess stopped walking. Carefully, she turned around. Tears were filling her brown eyes, she met his gaze. Just from that look alone… he knew his feelings were right.
"Something terrible happened here… right?" He asked carefully.
She only nodded. Her eyes wandered around again, but she did take in a breath to speak. "This is called the Hall of Kings. It is where people made kings come to get to the ancestral plan. A place for us to see our past kings and family. It is also a place for them to be gifted with the power of the black panther. A gift given to us by Bast. She is the one who gave us this land and ability for us to protect this land so well." She told the story. Loki knew better than to expect a happy ending in it though.
"There was a man that came a few years ago. He was a cousin I didn't know existed. He was of royal blood so could challenge for the throne. It didn't break any rules or costumes and my brother accepted his challenge anyway.
To make a hard story easier, my brother lost the challenge and was no longer king. The man, Erik, was now king. And with him having earned the crown and throne appropriately, he was taken here. Where he would gain the strength of the black panther and speak with the old kings.
Once he was done though… h-he… he ordered for the hall to be burned. So no other could gain strength to beat him or take his place as king. The keepers of this place, being treated, had to listen. And so… we lost the heart-shaped herb that gifted those with black panthers strength. All the plants but one herb burned away. That saved herb was given to my brother where he won the throne back. But…" She stopped, turning back to face to alter, eyes going to the burned gardens.
"But now there are no more plants at all. No way to connect with the… ah… ancestral plane?" He spoke measuredly, hoping not to mess up the terms from the story.
"You are correct. No one has ventured back here since the hall was burned…" Princess Shuri answered. She kept walking up the path, making her way to the center circle.
"Child."
Loki jumped again, but seeing as Princess Shrui was looking at the mess left of the gardens, he chose to answer the voice cautiously on his own.
"Y...yes?" He whispered. The princess couldn't hear him.
"You have a gift. That I am in need of." The woman's voice spoke.
"Gift? What… um… what do you mean?" He asked, part of his magic reaching out, trying to find the location of the voice, but coming up empty.
"You possess something no other does. A magic different from this world. I have need of it." She spoke on.
"What do you need me to do?" Loki asked, his magic already failing in finding the person speaking, but he still tried with his own eyes. Looking from one side of the hall to the other. Yet still finding no one.
"Heal this place. Heal the plants that grew here. Heal back something for my people."
His green eyes widened. Life magic! She wanted life magic! "Do you have any idea how hard life magic is? I- I'm just a child!" He whispered harshly. He couldn't perform miracles.
"You are talented. A talent from birth it seems. Life magic may seem hard. But I sense strong power from you."
No number of complements could make him perform magic he knew he couldn't do. "I'm sorry, but you have the wrong person for th-"
"I do not. I know what you can do. Surely there is something I can give in return for such a favor?" The voice purred.
"There is nothing you could offer to make me perform such humiliating magi-" His mind went back to the whole reason he was here at all. His people… he was here for them. His magic sent him here for help. What if… what if Princess Shuri wasn't that help. What if it was this voice!
"Loki. You require something dear to your heart. Something brought you here for a noble deed. Complete this what I ask of you, and I will deliver on what you ask for."
He could do it. He could bring help to his people. Complete his task and go back home. If he could just… bring back this garden…
"I- I don't know if… if I can do it. But- but i will try. You have my word." Loki spoke, closing his fist over his heart.
"Then you have my thanks. And my own promise of help for your people. Wakanda and Asgard will thrive together. For this, you have my word. Just speak to the Queen of Wakanda, tell her Bast sent you. For you have healed the burn on Wakanda. Bring with you a herb from the garden. For she will question you at first. Her heart is hard and closed off from the loss of her people and her own son." The voice explained. Loki nodded, making sure to keep the list in his head for once he tired his magic.
The voice didn't speak again, he knew he had a deal to complete now. Loki walked up the rest of the path, help certain for his people if he could just… work his magic. He giggled a bit at that, but quickly returned to the task at hand.
"Princess, you must stay back please." He spoke frankly, Princess Shuri's head snapping to him. He could see fresh tears making their way down her face.
"Wh-why? Loki?" She questioned, confusion clear in her sad eyes.
"Please. I know you have no reason to… but you must trust me."
His eyes blazed with determination, and Shrui read that loud and clear. She looked him over then back to the burned area, eventually nodding and slowly raised up. Taking a step back, she left the center circle, leaving only Loki.
"Just remember what mother taught you…" Loki muttered to himself. He sat down on his knees, keeping his hands in front of him, he closed his eyes.
What if he failed? What would he do then? He knows his magic isn't trained, that he isn't his mother with her skill. He can't mess this up… but he fears he will. In a tremendous way…
"Don't think that way my child, only think you can. See it bloomed and focus on that."
A smile made its way onto his face, the memory of his mother filling him with pride and courage. His mother taught him life magic before. Granted, it had been about making a flower bloom, so how hard could it be to make a flower grow?
He can do this. His mother was his teacher and she taught him well.
"Líf og dauði." He spoke. A small light of green magic formed in his hands.
"Vaxa og deyja." The magic grew brighter.
"Ég kalla eftir fortíðinni." Another ring of light formed around the mystical green.
"Ég kalla eftir nútíðinni." He moved his hands further forward.
"Ég kalla eftir framtíðinni." Opening his eyes, only a glowing white was left.
"Gerðu þessar jarðir að nýju." He spoke louder, a ring of magic formed around him. The inside of the circle had two squares within it, rotated so both are viable. A smaller circle that Loki knelt in glew to life. Either smaller circles with planet looking designs formed around him. Each perfect distance from the other.
"Komdu aftur til lífsins!" Loki yelled, green magic leaving the circle to the surrounding area.
Princess Shuri watches on in fascination and a little bit of fear. She was one of science, this wasn't up her alley to be sure.
The magic flowed around, the water level lowered back down to its original place. Magic wrapped around the two panther statues in a blinding bright green light, when it faded the statues were back in pristine condition. Gleaming vibranium reflecting some of the light from the magic elsewhere in the hall.
Cracked walls sealed up, broken or missing pieces from the path way and ground filled back in. The most magic filled the two burnt gardens. The green light melted into the singed ground, the magic visible from the cracks in the ground and ash. The black ash soon turned to luscious green grass.
Vines sprouted from the ground, at first only one to two but soon enough the whole garden ground was covered by the dark green vines. Small closed purple flowers sprouted from the vines. The light from inside the flowers gleamed a bright green but quickly faded to white and just as quickly returned to it's natural purple-ish pink glow. The native color of the special flowers.
"Komdu aftur til lífsins…" Loki whimpered out. The once bright green and white magic that flowed through the hall, faded away. The circle Loki knelt in also gone, no more magic flowing out of him sustaining the ring.
"Komdu… aftur til...lífsins…" Loki huffed out, his returning to their natural color but they quickly rolled to the back of his head as his body crashed down.
"Loki!" Princess Shuri exclaimed in surprise, part of her still in awe of how the hall looked. She shook herself from her stunned motionless and quickly ran to the passed out boy.
"Loki!? Loki! You've got to wake up!" She shook his shoulders, trying to get any reaction out of him.
None came.
"Oh Bast! What do I do!? I have a passed out prince in my kingdom! What- oh… what will mother do? What will Okoye do…" She muttered out loud looking over the child. He was breathing hard, a coat of sweat over him, his face in clear discomfort. What was she supposed to do!?
"Princess."
Maybe she could… take him to her lab again? Wait for him to wake… would he wake though? This was something she had never seen before. How in the world does she treat magic of all things!?
"Shuri."
She stopped thinking. She heard that… right? She wasn't losing her mind?
"You are not, Princess Shuri." The voice came again.
Shuri looked around, frantically looking for wherever the woman's voice was coming from. Wait… woman's voice… A woman's voice! The voice Loki was hearing!
"You are correct, your highness. You know very well who I am. Do you not."
She nodded quickly. "Bast! Your Bast! The goddess panther, I knew he was hearing you!" She exclaimed excitedly and very proudly. She knew she was right. In her arms, Loki groaned a bit from her movement. The previous giddy excitement quickly vanished.
"What did you make him do? Was it willing? Is he going to be okay? I do not need another broken white boy to deal with! Mother will be furious with me!" She exclaimed, while her voice definitely showed her panic, she was extra careful not to move the boy in her arms.
"He is fine, Princess. He is simply tired from his use of magic. I promised him help if he healed this place. You must bring him to the Queen, your mother, to finish our deal."
"The queen. My mother! I don't think so! She made it clear to not let any other outsiders into Wakanda, let alone the Hall of Kings! She will have me murdered! And then bring me back to life just to ground me for life!"
"Bring with you a herb from the garden. Once your mother sees this, she will know the boy helped and that he is to be trusted. He should be awake by then. Now go. His people wait for his return. His brother most eagerly."
She looked down, seeing Loki seemed to have regained some color in his face. Bast wouldn't lie, so he would be just fine.
Nodding to… well… wherever Bast was she carefully picked up the small boy and picked a herb. The glow of the herb will easily shine, so she won't trip while in the dark jungle. Hosting Loki on her back she started making her way back to the palace. It would be a decent walk back but if Loki had just healed a sacred place and used all his energy for it, a walk back was nothing compared to that.
She could do it. Besides, Loki is more than trustworthy now, getting him to her mother was the least she could do.
"Your highness! The Hall keepers sense a change!" A woman exclaimed entering the throne chambers. Her armor having gold instead of silver like the other warriors. The gold showing her important status to the army of Wakanda.
The general quickly formed an X on her chest in respect. Keeping her head down till her Queen acknowledged her.
The regal woman sat, wearing all black in mourning of her kingdom and son. She was called back to Queen when she found out her son died, not wanting her daughter to have to take the throne so young, she lets her only child left grow a bit more before she has her ceremony.
"Speak Okoye, what do the Hall keepers sense?" Queen Ramonda asked.
"The hall. They say it is back to pristine condition. As though Killmonger never destroyed it." The warrior answered.
"How… how can this be?" The queen asked, rising from her throne. Surprise clear in her eyes, as much as the sadness is too.
"They do not know. But a surge of power was seen. There was some bright light then once they got there, the Hall of Kings was back. Everything from the ceiling to the plants themselves my queen."
"Where is Shuri? We must go and see the hall." The queen spoke as she went toward the door.
"The guards say she… was with a child my queen. Showing this boy around."
"Child… why would she be with a child? Unless…" dread filled the queen. Her heart could not handle something else happening, especially to her only child left. She knows not who this child is, but if what she was feeling was correct… then he is not of Wakandan nature. It was another outsider. She was done with the outside claiming her family from her, she will not lose her daughter.
"Okoye! Find her, quickly. You know her best, bring her to me-"
Knock knock!
The two women's heads looked toward the door. The general quickly moved in front of the queen with spear in hand. Ready in position to kill. Seeming very much like a poised panther ready to strike.
Queen Ramonda nodded to Okoye, singling her to open the door. The warrior silently reached the handle and pulled the door. Her breath released at the sight of the princess but her suppression quickly returned at the thing the princess was holding.
"Shuri!" her mother sighed in relief. Quickly making her way toward her daughter, her eyes caught the person on her back. The sight of the child stopping her in her tracks. This was the boy the guards said she was showing around?
"Who- who is that?" Ramonda asked, her eyes not leaving the passed out boy.
Shrui huffed a tired laugh.
"This is Prince Loki, and he needs our help."
Translations:
sólarljós.
tunglskin.
Skært ljós.
Ekkert ljós.
augu mín munu sjá í gegnum allt.
Menas
Sunlight.
Moonlight.
Bright light.
No light.
My eyes will see through everything
Líf og dauði.
Vaxa og deyja.
Ég kalla eftir fortíðinni.
Ég kalla eftir nútíðinni.
Ég kalla eftir framtíðinni.
Gerðu þessar jarðir að nýju.
Komdu aftur til lífsins.
Means
Life and death.
Grow and die.
I call for the past.
I call for the present.
I call for the future.
Redesign these lands.
Come back to life.