Since Doctor Strange had been released into theaters less than a couple months ago, I thought I'd work that idea in some way.
I don't own The Avengers. Marvel Does. I only own my OCs.
The Asgardian royal family may have spent a few days trying to fix the broken bonds they had, but today, they had bigger issues to tackle.
Loki stood at the entrance to the Bifrost while holding the book in his hand. He couldn't find any clues relating to the Time Stone inside, so he figured that he might find such clues somewhere else. Still, he would have to return the book to the library in Nyr first before he could continue his quest. Would Thor and Odin be willing to accompany him on such a trip? He got his answer when the AllFather and the thunder god strolled down the bridge towards the observatory.
"Hello, brother," called Loki.
"Sorry I took so long, Loki," Thor blurted.
Loki couldn't help but let out a playful scoff. He was standing at the bridge for only half an hour and was considering heading to Nyr by himself.
"Oh, I'm sure you took plenty of time to get here," Loki joked.
"Perhaps," Odin remarked, "but I don't believe all the stones will have appeared by the end of this year. If it does, we might have victory in our hands."
Loki shook his head in disbelief while Odin and Thor entered the observatory.
"Are you sure there's no other way to defeat Thanos besides the Infinity Stones?" asked Loki.
"It's impossible to know," Odin answered, "considering none of the books in the library cover details of him."
"All the more reason to seek the library for answers," added Thor.
Odin ignored Thor's response and approached Heimdall, catching the guardian's attention.
"Are you accompanying Loki to Nyr today?" Heimdall asked.
"The sooner we obtain the clues before the enemy does, the better," Odin nodded.
Nodding in agreement, Heimdall lowered his sword into the pedestal, and the Bifrost Bridge activated, locking onto the distant planet. At the same time, Loki started developing a headache. Yet, he didn't think it was a big deal, so he brushed it off while Odin turned in Thor and Loki's direction.
"Come," Odin gestured, "and let us not hand our victory to the mad titan."
Upon cue, Odin, Thor and Loki stepped into the Bifrost, its light carrying them light years across the cosmos. The Bifrost's light struck down on the ground outside the town in Nyr. Once they felt the Bifrost's grip dissipate, they ambled towards the gate to the town. As expected, the townsfolk took notice of the Asgardian royal family and some greeted them by bowing in reverence. Ahead, they could see the library, still in good shape. However, by the time they arrived at the library, they noticed something unusual. A large crowd gathered around the entrance to the library, but they wouldn't dare approach the steps. Add angry shouts into the mix and one would most certainly suspect that something was wrong.
"Are we too late?" Thor asked.
"It does not look like it," Loki shrugged.
Odin didn't respond, but he made a hand gesture. Some of the folks who noticed it stepped aside, allowing the Asgardians through. Lo and behold, Nebula and Kluto were brawling at the steps to the library.
"Well," Thor reached for Mjolnir, "I would say you're right, brother. Shall we?"
Loki held up one hand to stop Thor from interfering.
"As much as I appreciate your enthusiasm brother, I think we should approach this in a way that won't end with half of the library in ruins," he advised, "there is always a more…efficient approach to these situations."
"Oh?" Thor glanced at Loki, hanging Mjolnir back on his belt, "well then, don't let me stop you."
"Too late anyways," Loki winked before his figure dissolved into many green motes of light which faded from view.
Thor sighed as he realized he'd been taken in by another of his brother's illusion spells.
"I hate it when he does that."
Odin cracked a smile.
"Will you ever not fall for that trick?" he asked, receiving a withering look from his eldest son.
Meanwhile, Nebula and Kluto were still in the midst of their fight when Loki, under cover of his magic, casually walked past them both and waved one hand. Both fighters paused as a green glow filled their eyes, but they quickly shook it off and then began to resume their quarrel…only they appeared to be punching at thin air.
To each fighter, it looked and felt like they were still locked in combat, but in reality they were fighting hallucinations of their respective opponent. Loki slowly manipulated the fight, bringing the two closer together.
Once they were almost back to back and taking what looked and felt like impossibly fast blows from their nonexistent foes, Loki dropped the illusion and left them both gasping for breath before he let out a whistle. Both combatants looked towards the Prince of Asgard as his skin took on a blue tint and he held out one hand towards them.
"Are you two quite finished," Loki asked, his eyes turning red as his Jotun heritage showed through, "or will I have to leave you to cool off for a few hours?"
Thor winced at what he hoped had not been an intentional pun from Loki. Still, Kluto and Nebula glared at Loki.
"What makes you think you can intervene?" demanded Nebula, "I have business to deal with Kluto here."
"Why?" sneered Kluto, "because you planned to use the Aether against your father?"
Loki raised one brow.
"Did I just hear that correctly?" he tilted his head a bit, "you were planning…on using an Infinity Stone that converts matter into dark matter on a universal scale…for some kind of…kamikaze attack on your father?"
He looked at Thor.
"That's what humans call it, right?" upon receiving an old affirmation, Loki resumed speaking to Nebula, "and who, might I add, gave you the Aether to recklessly make use of like it's some toy?"
Kluto lunged at Loki, but Nebula pulled her into a chokehold.
"Tell your brother that if you wanted to prevent that," Nebula mentioned, "then he should've warned his friends not to entrust the Aether to Taneleer Tivan!"
Loki shook his head in disbelief before he slipped past Nebula and Kluto, making his way into the library. While he wandered through the halls, he retraced his steps to the area he last saw the Forgotten. He scanned the area, pointing a finger to pinpoint the shelf he obtained the book from. When he pulled the book out of his pocket, he glanced around for a ladder, only to notice the book began floating out of his hands.
"We assume you secured the Soul Stone?"
Loki turned his head towards the dust-like particles that morphed into a figurine that he recognized from his first visit.
"There were a few obstacles I had to face along the way," Loki nodded, "nonetheless, I hope to ensure it was out of Thanos's reach."
"Only time will tell," the Forgotten simulated a shrug of its nonexistent shoulders as it returned the book to its proper place.
"That reminds me…the Time Stone still has yet to reveal itself," Loki mentioned, "I don't suppose you have any knowledge here that might assist in that pursuit."
"The stone of Time shall reveal itself when the time is right," the Forgotten replied.
Loki sighed.
"As far as guidance goes, that was blatantly enigmatic, cliche, not at all helpful and the sort of thing I should have expected," he rubbed the bridge of his nose, feeling a sudden sensation of…light headedness fall over him.
"Indeed," the Forgotten nodded as Loki looked up to face it and found the aisle beginning to slowly tilt from his perspective.
"The Infinity Stones are drawn to one another, however; you may expect them to reach out towards one another's as you and your brother did in spite of…"
Thud!
The Forgotten looked down at the floor where Loki had collapsed at its feet, his skin taking on the blue tint that betrayed his true lineage. The Prince of Asgard was breathing heavily as black veins spread across his skin, reaching up from his throat and towards his face.
The Forgotten turned its head towards the library entrance. Outside, Thor was still observing the fight between Kluto and Nebula when he heard whispers at the back of his mind, voices talking over one another to repeat one message.
Loki…Loki…Loki…Loki…help him!
"Loki," Thor whispered.
Thor stormed towards the library entrance, ripping the two fighters away from one another as easily as separating two squabbling infants and tossing them aside before he ran into the building, his father calling after him as Thor ran to where Loki had collapsed.
"Loki!" Thor panicked, "are you all right?"
Loki barely lifted his head until his eyes met Thor's.
"It-it hurts," Loki moaned.
Thor leaned down to tend to his brother only to immediately withdraw his hands, his teeth clenched in pain as he stared at the nearly frostbitten palms of his hands. He'd barely touched Loki before the sorcerous subzero nature of Loki's Jotun blood took his hands off at the wrists.
"Stand aside."
Thor turned and quickly moved out of Odin's way as the AllFather moved to Loki's side, unclamping the thick cloak he wore. Odin reached down and gathered Loki up, bundling him into the cloak and picking him up with little difficulty in withstanding the unnatural chill emanating from Loki.
"We must go," Odin said quickly, "go outside, call down Heimdall! Now!"
Nodding in agreement, Thor sprinted out of the library while Odin followed suit, carrying Loki in his arms. Once they were outside, Kluto smirked at a distance.
"Don't bother trying to save him!" Kluto sneered, "he's going to die soon, so you might as well give up!"
Nebula turned her head at Kluto, eyes flickering with flames while she stomped towards Kluto and grabbed a fistful of her hair, yanking her forward and eliciting a yelp of surprise out of her.
"What have you done to Loki?!" Nebula demanded.
"Does it matter?" Kluto growled, "that pathetic Loki betrayed Thanos, so he deserves to die in something as sweet as pain!"
The instant Loki overheard Kluto, he recalled the moment he first met her.
"I should've known," Loki muttered, "her cake was a lie."
Within and instant, Odin and Thor turned their attention to Kluto and Nebula. Not a second later, Kluto swung her tail at Nebula's legs, causing the cyborg assassin to trip to the ground and release her grip. Before Thor could settle Loki in preparation to pursue the spy, Kluto sprinted off into the crowd. Nebula staggered back to her feet and stepped towards Thor.
"I'm sorry it had to come to this," Nebula said, "but I will do what I can to find Kluto and make her tell us what happened to Loki. Maybe that should give us clues to save him."
"Or perhaps we could find out ourselves," Odin suggested.
Nebula hesitated for a few seconds, but she nodded in agreement. Without saying a word, Nebula sprinted off in pursuit of Kluto, leaving Thor, Odin and Loki behind. They escorted Loki away from the library and through the streets of the village. By then, the crowd had dispersed halfway and began meandering their way through the streets, so some of them had to step aside to allow the Asgardians through. Once they made it outside the village, they waited for a few moments before they heard a roar from the sky as the light of the Bifrost shot down to the ground. Without hesitating for even a second, Odin and Thor stepped into the portal and allowed the light to whisk them across the cosmos. Within less than a minute, they arrived at the Bifrost and stepped out of the portal. When Heimdall deactivated it, his eyes widened at the sight of Loki shivering in Odin's arms.
"Loki," Heimdall paused, "is he…?"
Odin nodded before Heimdall could finish.
"This is urgent, Heimdall," he warned, gesturing to Loki, "we do not know how much longer he would last."
Heimdall removed his sword and scurried over to Odin's side before he inspected Loki without even touching the Jotun.
"Shall I escort you to the palace?" asked Heimdall.
"Just have a boat ready," instructed Odin, "it will be much faster."
Heimdall nodded in agreement while he escorted Odin out of the Bifrost. However, they stopped for a moment and glanced over their shoulders, noticing that Thor was still standing near the pedestal.
"Do you not value your brother's life?" Odin asked.
"I still care for Loki," Thor requested, "but I know someone who might help him. Can you send me to Midgard to find him?"
Odin and Heimdall exchanged glances in a moment of silence before returning their attention to Thor.
"Heimdall will prepare the bridge once I'm on my way to the palace," Odin offered.
Once Thor nodded in agreement, Heimdall and Odin left the observatory with Loki in tow, so Thor had to wait for a while. Once he heard the sound of an aerial boat flying away, Heimdall returned to the observatory and placed his sword into the pedestal, causing the Bifrost to lock onto Midgard. This was enough for Thor to step closer to the portal, anticipating for another ride across the cosmos.
"Hang in there, Loki," Thor muttered to himself.
The instant Thor stepped into the portal, he glided across the cosmos while thinking of a possible ally that could give the clue that would help Loki.
Ultron.
I'm still open to suggestions on how to continue the fanfic.
Please leave a review, so Ultron and Loki would be happy.