Chapter Nine
Disclaimer: The plot is mine. Everything else is Marvel's.
Tony was idly adjusting one of his repulsor gauntlets while reading through the last of the displays that Jarvis had found for him. He scoffed.
"So these 'Elder Gods' have been appearing in myth for centuries, all over the world?" He shook his head. "This stuff's insane! There's no way any of it's possible..."
"The myths have to originated from somewhere, sir. And they do all seem to share common themes, despite being narrated by ancient peoples who could never have crossed paths."
"Thanks, Jarvis, but I didn't ask for a commentary!" Tony rubbed his arms, ignoring the goosebumps that had risen. Jarvis did have a point...all these stories had at least the basic ideas in common. He shivered as he looked at a grotesque drawing of a monstrous red-skinned winged creature devouring the head of a serpent-like creature.
'It can't be real...'
Waving a hand to make the disturbing image disappear, he decided to go and see what the others were up to. He preferred to do his hero-work in the real world, not in some supernatural horror story...
Clint was sparring with Steve while Natasha was practicing at the shooting range. They had been at this for some time, and the air was heavy with words that were studiously not being said aloud. Steve managed to toss Clint over his shoulder yet again, and the archer laid there, winded for a few minutes. When he eventually sat up, he spoke, addressing both of them.
"What do you guys really think about Loki's story earlier? Ancient gods and demons? I don't believe a word that guy says but... I guess I'm not the most impartial judge."
Steve looked at the floor for a minute. What did he think? He had obviously been raised attending church, and learning the Bible, but, that said, the existence of Thor and Loki alone disproved a lot of it...and even in the Bible, there were several accounts of demonic possession. Who knew whether or not any of it had been based on fact? He couldn't come to a satisfactory conclusion, so elected not to speak.
Natasha made a point of putting her guns away, buying herself time to think before speaking.
"Clint, you know I haven't had a lot of time to be religious, given my past. I don't believe in any one religion, so I can't not believe anything that is suggested. One thing I do know though: the Asgardians know a lot more about the universe than us. If their entire race believes in these god-like beings... I don't think it can be entirely fictitious. Besides, didn't Loki say Thor's descended from one of them?"
There was silence as the two men digested her words. Natasha herself frowned. She meant every word she had said, but if it was in fact true...where did that leave humanity, and their views on evolution and the world's history? So many theories would be called into question if this came to light...
"What does that make us then? Humans, I mean?" Steve queried softly. "Loki, in the Chitauri incident, referred to us as insects from the point of view of Asgardians. If these Elder Gods are powerful enough to frighten beings like them... " The thought was too disturbing to complete. Even Natasha almost-permanent stoic expression faltered, though only for a second. Natasha Romanoff never showed fear.
The silence was broken by Tony striding into the gym. He glanced around, perturbed.
"Why does everyone look so serious?" He blinked when nobody responded. "Okaaay... I'll leave you three to it then. Thor or Bruce will be back soon, maybe I can have a cheerful conversation with one of them." He shrugged, and began to walk away.
"Tony?" Pepper's worried voice came transmitted through Jarvis. "All of you had better come upstairs. We have a problem."
The announcement quickly broke the tension, and the gathered Avengers quickly made their way to Tony and Pepper's living quarters.
"Pepper? What's going on?" Tony looked around anxiously when he realised she wasn't in sight. She walked round the corner quickly, looking flustered, and accompanied by Thor.
Tony blinked. "When did Goldilocks get back?"
Thor looked somewhat confused at being referred to like that, but responded anyway.
"I returned just a few minutes ago. I have learned some worrying things. I need to speak privately with Wanda Maximoff, immediately."
"That's the problem I was about to explain." Pepper interjected quickly. "According to Jarvis, Wanda's not in the tower, but he doesn't remember her leaving."
Clint, Steve and Natasha exchanged alarmed looks. Tony blinked. "Could be a glitch in his system..." He pulled a Phillips screwdriver from his back pocket and walked over to the nearest console to take a look.
Clint's expression darkened suddenly. Natasha guessed what he was thinking, and spoke first.
"Jarvis?"
"Yes, Agent Romanoff?"
"Is Loki still within Stark Tower?"
There was a brief pause.
"No," the AI reported. "My recordings show his last movements several hours ago. He entered Miss Maximoff's room, and then, somehow, they both vanished from the cameras. I did detect a flux of unknown energy at that time however."
"Magic." Thor stated throught gritted teeth. "One of them cast some kind of concealment spell before they left." He couldn't believe Loki had done something this foolish, he had thought his brother learned his lesson about meddling with Elder Gods long ago. Unless... Thor shivered at the implication, unless Chthon had been the one to do this. But why would he kidnap Loki? What purpose could that possibly serve?
He forced his attention back to his mortal team-mates, once he realised they were discussing this situation. Barton seemed to firmly believe that Loki was responsible for the whole thing, and that Wanda was in danger. The majority of the Avengers unfortunately seemed to agree. Thor sighed. Now he would have to tell them the story that he had wanted to tell Wanda herself first. He only hoped this delay was not a mistake- the young woman had to be found, and soon.
"My friends... I understand that it is easiest for you to accuse Loki of all wrongdoing in this, but there is something else you should know."
He waited until all the debating had ceased, and all eyes were on him, before continuing.
"I told you earlier that I was going to make enquiries of someone else I knew," he decided not to mention that he had asked his birth mother for help, it was hardly a mature thing to do, "to see if she had any knowledge of what could be wrong with Wanda Maximoff. It appears that there is a high possibility of Loki's accusation of possession being true, though the woman herself is not to blame."
"I don't buy it." Clint said stubbornly, folding his arms. Tony nodded his agreement with that statement. Possession? Ridiculous.
"Honestly, Thor, I'm having a hard time accepting that too." Steve sighed. "And even if it is true, I don't see what that has to do with Wanda's- or Loki's- disappearance."
Natasha narrowed her eyes. "I don't see a connection either, unless you're saying that this demon, for lack of a better word, that possessed Wanda, has kidnapped Loki?"
Thor nodded gravely. "I fear that is exactly what has happened, though I do not know for certain, and will not, until we find them."
Clint snorted. "And what will we do if it turns out I'm right and Loki is responsible for all this?"
Thor opened his mouth to retort sharply, but Steve stepped between them almost immediately. He raised his hands palm first, in a peaceful gesture.
"Calm down, both of you. The least we can do is go and look for them. I'll admit Thor's story still seems far-fetched, but we won't learn anything by standing around fighting. Let's suit up, find Wanda and Loki, and then-"
An incredibly loud crash downstairs cut Steve off. Once the building stopped shaking, Tony rushed down to the foyer to find out what the heck had happened, Pepper and the other Avengers two seconds behind him.
The Hulk lay in the wreckage of what had been the tower doors and three-quarters of the wall. A crowd of Stark Industries employees and curious bystanders had gathered around him, gawking.
Pepper began clearing the crowds away, while the Avengers approached the Hulk cautiously.
"What could knock him unconscious?" Steve's voice was uneasy.
"I don't know, I never thought anything could." Tony took a couple of steps closer, warily. "Bruce?"
The green behomoth groaned in a guttural voice, and stirred. Everyone took two steps back automatically. Gradually, the Hulk reverted to Bruce, and he opened his eyes slowly.
He looked blearily around at his team.
"Well, at least I'm not dead..." His voice was weak, and pained.
"Yet."
The unknown, menacing voice made the whole team look up. A seven foot tall, armour-clad purple skinned being walked casually over the debris and faced the Avengers.
"So this is the team that defeated a legion of my Chitauri." He looked around disdainfully. "I had expected more."
Steve wasn't too keen on facing a being that had seemingly defeated the Hulk, but he stood up bravely, Thor and Tony right behind him.
"I don't know who you think you are," he began, "but-"
The alien flung out an arm without warning, sending Steve flying twenty feet in the opposite direction. He landed on his own arm, and there was a sickening crack. Steve groaned in pain.
"I have no time to waste conversing with pathetic humans." the alien being sneered, then addressed Thor.
"I am the Titan Thanos, as I am sure you are aware, and I have come to this pathetic planet for one reason only. Your brother made a pact with us, a pact he has failed to keep. He must pay the price for his failures."
Thanos produced a strange pale grey stone. "This will darken a little each day that you fail to deliver the Jotun to me. If it turns utterly black...your chance to acquiesce peacefully will have passed, and the full might of my Chitauri will raze Earth to the ground. I suggest you choose quickly. This will be your only warning."
Thor lunged at the Titan with a roar of defiance, and was instantly surrounded by vivid blue energy. He hung suspended in mid-air, unable to move or breathe.
Clint had fired an arrow at Thanos before anyone could stop him. The Titan caught it in mid-flight, and snapped it in half, laughing mockingly at Clint.
"Attacking me will change nothing." Thanos sounded almost bored. He returned his gaze to Thor. "You must choose, Asgardian. the Jotun... or the world." He released Thor, who dropped to the ground, gasping for air. Thanos walked away calmly, as though he had been delivering a newspaper, not a death threat, and vanished in a brilliant glare of the same blue light.
Thor climbed to his feet awkwardly. He glowered after the Titan- how dare this alien threaten his brother in this way? Tony had helped Bruce to his feet, then let him lean on him as they limped over to Steve.
"Broken arm." Bruce announced after a quick examination. Steve managed to get to his feet, though he was unsteady. He looked at Bruce.
"What happened, anyway? Did he just appear out of nowhere and attack you?"
"Pretty much. He addressed me as 'Hulk' before I transformed, so evidently he knew who I was, then hit me with a blast of that energy. I Hulked, and he just kept blasting me until I collapsed. I guess he threw me through the doors..."
The idea of Thanos being that strong didn't sit well with any of them. Tony picked up the grey stone from the floor. He examined it, then glanced around at his team.
"What're we going to do now? We've got an incredibly powerful alien right here in New York, a deadline to hand over Loki, or we face another Chitauri army, Loki's AWOL and we still have no idea where our newest Avenger is, or whether or not she can be trusted! Unless I've missed something, this cannot possibly get worse."
Loki appeared in a flash of light, directly in front of them, accompanied by an attractive blonde woman in a dark green dress. She looked around with a slightly confused expression, but relief crossed her face when she saw Thor.
Tony groaned. "Does this make things easier, or a helluva lot worse?"
"What are you blathering about now, Stark?" Loki sounded annoyed. He surveyed the damage to Stark Tower, then glanced at Bruce. "Did the monster come out to play again?"
Thor grabbed his brother by the front of his shirt. He was getting increasingly worried. This was a dangerous place for Loki to be now, after Thanos' threats, moreover, Loki had said Sigyn was held captive by Chthon's avatar, yet if she was here, with Loki...
"What have you done, Brother? Where is Wanda Maximoff?"
Loki grit his teeth, pushing Thor away. He had done what was right, but Thor would never understand that, so he would have to lie.
"I have no idea. I left the tower to retrieve Sigyn safely," he put his arm around his childhood friend, "and I meant to take her back to Asgard, but for some reason, all the portals that lead away from Midgard are not working." He had no idea why that was, and it worried him. It was as if something didn't want anyone leaving- or reaching- earth...
"Then how do you explain the fact that Jarvis' feeds show you entering her room, both of you disappearing, and that being the last time anybody saw her?" Clint demanded.
"How am I supposed to know what runs in the tiny minds of you mortals? I went to her because I thought she could help me find Sigyn. What happened to her after that is of no concern to me. But if she has fled, that is perhaps the only saving grace of the situation, seeing as she was Chthon's vessel-"
"Chthon?" Sigyn interrupted. She pulled away from Loki, her eyes widening. "What did you do?"
Loki was startled at the question. Even Sigyn? It shouldn't have surprised him, but it hurt. "I didn't- Sigyn, I swear, I did nothing-"
"Why did you return to the tower?" Thor said, grabbing Loki again. Loki pushed him off.
"As I said, the portals to and from Midgard are blocked, and that bodes ill. This was the only place I thought Sigyn would be safe-"
Tony spoke up again. "Look, I'm glad you brought a friend to the party, Loki, but this probably isn't the best time for you to be here." He held up the grey stone.
Loki's face paled. "Where did you get that, Stark?"
Natasha watched Loki closely. "An old acquaintance of yours dropped by. Gave the Hulk a good beating, and threatened war on earth if you weren't handed over to him by the time that stone turns black.
Loki looked utterly panicked. He glanced desperately at Thor, his breathing become ragged as his heart beat frantically. Surely his 'brother' would not let Thanos take him? He had barely survived last time! Thor met Loki's eyes, and, reading the fear in them, shook his head reassuringly.
"Never, Brother, fear not." Thor's voice was low enough that only Loki heard it. He sighed in relief.
Sigyn had been looking around in utter confusion- she had only understood about one third of the conversation. Loki was involved with Chthon once again? And who was the 'acquaintance' the red-headed woman had referred to? Her gaze returned to Thor.
"Will you please explain what is going on here? Who are all these people?" She gestured at the gathered Avengers.
Thor gave her a swift version of events- naming each Avenger and explaining the situation with Thanos.
"And, assuming what Loki says is true," he concluded solemnly, "there is no way for you two to simply leave Midgard, nor can we expect aid from Asgard." Thoughts of the possibly-possessed Wanda Maximoff were not far from his mind, but he kept them to himself. Their luck could not possibly be that terrible.
Steve shook his head in disbelief- so much had happened that day! The fact that he was in pain did not help. "Can I suggest we all take a breather, and regroup when everyone's calmer?"
Natasha scowled. "Do we really have time to waste?"
Clint was inclined to agree with her, but, glancing around, he realised that Steve and Banner still needed medical help, and their problems would still be there in an hour or so.
"Tasha, we should alert Shield about everything anyway. Maybe they can provide backup in case Thanos does make a move."
"Alright." Natasha conceded that her partner had a good point, and also remembered that Steve, at least, needed a doctor.
"And I don't know about everyone else, but I need a drink!" Tony announced. "Meet everyone in the conference room in about two hours?"
Steve glared at him. "Don't show up for a meeting drunk, Stark, or so help me..."
"Listen, Cap, it'd take about seven hours for me to drink enough alcohol to be considered 'drunk'. See you all later!" he sauntered off, no doubt heading for his mini-bar. Pepper followed him with a long-suffering sigh.
"I'll keep an eye on him. Thor, if you want to take Loki back to his room? And," she smiled warmly at Sigyn, "your friend can stay in the one down the hall from it."
Thor and Sigyn murmured their thanks, Loki glowered, and Pepper hastily followed Tony before he did anything reckless. The three Asgardians made their way to their rooms, becoming lost in conversation as they walked.
Natasha and Clint helped Steve and Bruce to the infirmary, and while Clint helped tend their wounds, Natasha called Coulson, and gave as full a version of recent events as she was able. Coulson sounded shell-shocked by all the revelations, but promised aid if and only if Thanos made a hostile mood towards Earth. Natasha hung up with a stifled sigh, knowing that was the best she could hope for. She certainly would not be telling Thor that Fury wanted them to surrender Loki!
Thor, Loki and Sigyn were exchanging stories of recent events. Thor was more inclined to believe that Loki knew nothing of Wanda's whereabouts, as Sigyn denied seeing anyone but the Other and Loki himself in Wundagore's caves. It did not make him feel any more at ease though, knowing that a mortal who had been marked by Chthon at birth had disappeared without a trace, so close to Chthon's place of power... still, for now, Thanos was the bigger threat, and Wanda could be tracked down once the Titan was dealt with.
~Transia, Wundagore Mountain ~
The mountain was glowing. Rational-minded people would claim it was an effect of the sunset, making the stone appear to glow. They would be wrong. A red-clad figure levitated several feet above the highest peak of the mountain, surrounded by the same red light.
Chthon glanced around. From this vantage point, he could see for miles, even with the limited eyesight of his human host. By concentrating, he could send his consciousness anywhere upon the earth, and see clearly what was happening there.
In the human city of New York, the 'Avengers' were discussing Thanos. Chthon laughed to himself. 'So my pawn plays his role after all, even without the Other's prompting!' It was deliciously ironic: he would face little to no opposition as he reclaimed Earth, because even the Asgardians, who should know better, assumed Thanos was the larger threat! They would soon learn the price for their presumption. The portals leading to Earth from the higher realms had been sealed, Chthon himself had seen to that. He smiled smugly. Now was the time... He concentrated, summoning more of his power into his female host body, and sending it out in a glorious wave, letting Chaos begin to engulf the Earth.
Blood fell as rain from the skies of America.
Inland lakes began to boil in England, Wales and Scotland.
Wild animals that had been kept in 'zoos' began transforming into scaled and armoured demons.
N'Garai portals emerged throughout Canada- Chthon's children were returning!
The whole landmass known as British Columbia became unstable, as the entire continient was swept up in a violent earthquake.
Every river in Asia dried up.
Huge masses of ice began to shift at both the world's poles, causing enormous floods.
Chthon watched all this happen in his mind's eye. And laughed.
To be continued...