SHADOW OF DEATH
Chapter 24: Revelations
Late that afternoon, Loki received a summons to speak with King T'Chaka in his office. He followed the King's Guard through the corridors of the palace to the small office near the throne room, ready to hear his fate. Loki had already mapped out three other possible refuges he could move to after-though it would be difficult to continue to work with Jane if he were barred from Wakanda indefinitely. Then again, he doubted Jane would agree to continue, now she knew the truth about him. The crumbs of politeness that the princess and the astrophysicist had bestowed on him during the last few days of his recovery were temporary measures and now that his strength had returned, he would be sent away.
T'Chaka's white head could be seen from the doorway. He turned around and motioned for Loki to sit down at a seat across from him. T'Chaka's wrinkled cheeks rested upon his brown hands and he stared at Loki with that same expression he so often saw Shuri give him. It was one of the many resemblances the pair shared.
"Prince Loki, have you quite recovered from your injuries?" he asked.
"I have, your Excellence," Loki responded with a shallow nod of his head.
"I am glad to hear it. I wanted to extend my thanks to you for saving the life of my daughter. She was foolish to pursue you without your consent or knowledge and I apologize on her behalf. She has been punished for her actions, which needlessly placed her life and the life of her companion in danger. Please know, I do not hold you responsible for the danger they were placed in." T'Chaka clasped and unclasped his hands and waited for Loki's response.
Loki nodded his acceptance of the proffered apology.
"Are your aims progressing as you desired?" T'Chaka continued. "I hear positive news from my daughter and Dr. Okapi, but I have heard little from you."
"Indeed. All progresses adequately, though circumstances this week have been an unfortunate setback."
"I am glad of it. If there is nothing else you require, you are free to follow your pursuits," T'Chaka said dismissively.
Loki did not move to rise but instead remained seated. T'Chaka's gaze turned from the papers on his desk back to Loki.
"Is there something else, bwana?"
"Yes. What of what was revealed of me?"
"Nini? What was revealed of you?"
"Surely, Shuri must have spoken of all she heard," Loki said between gritted teeth.
"Shuri said you saved their lives, that the enhanced soldiers wished to bring them harm in order to force you to comply with their wishes, and that you were more than capable of dealing with the soldiers, along with the help of the paka."
"But what of my origins? The scepter? Thanos?" Loki asked, leaning forward in earnest and clinging to the seat of the chair beneath him with tense fingers.
"Is there more to this story that I need to know, bwana?" T'Chaka asked, his gaze more earnest than concerned and that unsettled Loki even further. The king should be repulsed by him and should not hesitate to cast him outside of his borders. The only explanation he could grasp was that Shuri and Jane had not told all.
Loki roughly swallowed and moved to rise. "I believe I will seek out Princess Shuri to ask her some questions. I am grateful for your time."
T'Chaka raised his head slightly to acknowledge his thanks and turned back to his paperwork.
Ooooooo
Shuri and Jane startled in their seats and their heads swung to the door when Loki stormed into the room. He did not come quietly and his shout of "Why did you not tell him?" entered the lab before he did.
"Nini?" Shuri asked. "What were we supposed to tell who?"
"Why did you not tell him? Your father. Your brother."
"Tell them what?"
"That I am a Jotun, a Frost Giant runt, a monster worthy of death…not a true son of Odin or Aesir." He began to pace the length of the lab, his hands pulling at his hair and his eyes falling anywhere rather than the confused women. "You told a fine tale to the king that bards could compose praises to for my worthy deeds. Why did you not tell him the truth?
"I am twice rejected as a son, the shame of two mothers, the curse of two realms. I play the prince while I am trapped here within Wakanda at the mercy of mortals and if you were to reject me, my capture by the Titan and his children would be imminent. I am their pawn, their wretched tool-easily controlled by a magic relic, broken by damage upon my person and my mind, willing to acquiesce to their demands rather than face my continued refusal with honor and failing even at death. You know of my weakness. I almost killed you both and I would have if not for the interference of the Flerkin. The king should call for my head on a platter and refuse me from your borders. Why did you not inform your father of my treachery and shame? You heard it all. You heard everything."
Loki ceased his pacing and instead directed the end of his tirade to the wall of the lab. His hands were clasped behind his back and he dared not face the expressions of revulsion he knew he would find. He heard Shuri's intake of breath and her quiet footsteps behind him. He flinched when her small hand made contact with his shoulder.
"Bwana, I told Baba what I saw. We were not meant to hear your secrets and we will not betray them. That man, or whatever spoke through him, wished to strip you of your honor and wound your heart. It is no matter whether he spoke truths or falsehoods - his intent was harm. You wished to preserve our lives then and so I will trust you to do so in the future. If you think there are matters Wakanda should know in order to protect our people and the people of Earth, you speak them to the king."
He turned to her then, anguish written plainly on his face.
"I do not understand," he said. He turned to where Jane remained frozen at the table, screwdriver still in her hand. He took two steps in her direction with his arms outstretched imploringly towards her. "Dr. Foster, you have spoken to me enough of my misdeeds. Surely you will speak sense to the king and to the princess. Take your desired revenge for your lost comrade, your lost love, your destroyed town, and your coercion into playing a part for a villain you despise. You have spoken nothing but truth to me since we first met. There is no means to defend the honor of one who was born without any."
Jane and Shuri looked at each other, both at a loss of how to proceed. Shuri cocked her head to one side and whispered something that Jane could not interpret. Jane summoned her courage and stood to take two hesitant steps towards him.
"I don't want to take revenge or anything like that anymore," she said. "And I'm really, really glad that you saved our lives. And I'm really, really glad that you didn't die. For what it's worth, I think I already forgave you for, well, all that already. Shuri's right. If you think we need to know something, tell us. If you don't think we need to know it, I'm going to try really, really hard to trust you that it's for a good reason."
"You, Dr. Foster, are willing to trust the one who led an invasion of your world... without asking me to explain down to the very minutiae all that occurred and the logic behind it?" he asked with an arched eyebrow. "I do not believe it."
Jane gave a self-deprecating smile and nodded. "Yeah, I guess I am."
"Hmmm. You know I can see the questions burning beneath your skin even if you fail to voice them."
She shrugged. "I won't complain if you answer a few of them...and trying to figure it all out might drive me to distraction, but I guess what I'm saying is I am willing to let you explain in your own time."
Loki's shoulders visibly relaxed and he gave a solemn nod of his head towards each woman. Then, he pulled out a chair and collapsed into it.
"The Aesir tell a story. I have heard it told to me since I was a small boy. It is the tale of two brothers, womb-mates, born of an ancient king," Loki said. "Baldur the Beautiful, they called the first, for he was all golden light, sunshine, and all that is good in the world. His twin, Hoder the Blind, they called the second, for he was all darkness, frost, and ice. The God of Light and the God of Darkness, the God of Summer and the God of Winter, both forever intertwined as the serpent that chases its own tail and sinks its teeth in to form an unbreakable circle.
"The first, he could not help but be loved by all the Aesir. The second son was viewed as a necessary evil and as scorned as the first was beloved. The first, he thought himself invincible, and boasted that none could pierce his flesh. The second proved him wrong. Blinded by anger, jealousy, and hurt, the second pierced him through the heart. Some versions say his death was an accident and a twining of fate. Other versions tell a different story. Regardless, vengeance surely followed thereafter, ending Hoder's life for the life of Baldur's. Legends say that after the sun sets on the Aesir, after Ragnarok-the Twilight of the Gods- Baldur and Hoder will be reborn to rule together, intertwined, and in a true unity that was not possible before.
"The Aesir and the Jotnar, we have always been sworn enemies, for as long as I can remember. I never knew - not until the time of Thor's first banishment- that my true parentage was of Jotunheim and I the son of the Jotun king. Is it not fitting that Asgard's Golden Prince should be felled by the Frost Giant Prince? Pierced through the heart with what was never meant to be a weapon, compelled by dark magic that ensured the Invincible One was felled by a mortal twig. Whether I wish it or no, I was fated to be the destruction of all that is good and the death of my brother. Can one ever fail to fulfill their fate? My biological father sought to conquer Midgard and now I have followed in his footsteps."
Jane and Shuri remained on stools around the lab table, all attention focused entirely on the Asgardian prince, making the most of his momentary burst of openness to learn all they could. Goose slept happily on the table in front of him and from time-to-time, Loki recalled his hands from illustrating his points to stroke the Flerkin's fur. He fell silent then, disinclined to speak further.
"If you follow that logic, then you must believe your brother and you reunited again. That is what the legend says, isn't it?" Shuri asked.
"You are missing the point."
"Maybe." Shuri squeezed his shoulder once before vanishing from the room. When she returned, she carried a thermos of chai, three cups, and a bowl of sugar. She placed these on the table in front of them and poured mugs for each. Jane obviously fought with herself over the best way to respond. She finally settled on remaining silent and staring into the swirling steam of her tea.
"Has Goose ever eaten your scepter?" Shuri asked when she sat down again and saw the Flerkin roll over.
Loki shook his head. "I rather wish the creature would. Then we'd be rid of it."
"Can you tell us about it? What exactly does the scepter do?" Jane asked.
"Have you ever heard of the Infinity Stones?" Loki asked. When both women shook their heads, he leaned forward on the table with his head on his hands. "Well, then, allow me to enlighten you. You are familiar with how the Tesseract was utilized?" When Jane and Shuri both nodded, he continued. "Both the Tesseract and this scepter contained what are known as Infinity Stones. There are six in total and each controls an essential aspect of the universe. The Stones by themselves cannot be wielded except by beings of immense power. Not even the All-Father could wield one without an intermediary harness.
"The harness used for the Space Stone was the Tesseract. This relic was capable of opening doorways through geographic space that could transport fathoms of beings across galaxies in the blink of an eye. The Mind Stone, encased in the scepter created by the Mad Titan, is capable of opening doorways through neural consciousness. Think of it as a doorway to the minds of all cognizant creatures. It forms a permeable barrier between the one who wields the scepter and the one, or ones, upon whom it is used. This allows unrestricted access into the mind of the recipient and also enables the bearer to influence and insert what they wish within. Their personality, skills, and desires remain but are simply overwritten by their master and directed to the master's purpose."
"I would like to know why you have not destroyed it, the Mind Stone, I mean?" Shuri asked.
"It's rather useful," Loki answered with a deliberate slowness. "Besides, Infinity Gems are not easily destroyed. Unless I had seen it myself in the fate of the Tesseract, I would not have believed it were even possible. They are very powerful. The Stones themselves have a will and desire of their own."
"That's kinda creepy. What do they want?" Jane asked.
"I know not. I have not been in a place where I have been willing to ask. The Tesseract was rather fond of Erik Selvig. It spoke many secrets to him while still under SHIELD custody, even before our paths crossed. The Mind Stone, when I received it, had already been shaped and channeled by another. It has not been fully released from the power of this other and so I have been unable to sense its will apart from that of Thanos. While for a time, I thought I was able to counteract his will and bend the Mind Stone towards my own instead, even then my influence was limited. And, as we had the misfortune of discovering this week, Thanos can still override my efforts and sink his claws into minds on Midgard."
"So I assume that direct contact is not required then?" Shuri asked while Jane furiously scribbled notes beside her.
"Not necessarily. Close proximity to the Stone will stir up minds and emotions and influence people in the vicinity towards a particular direction, according to the purposes of the wielder. For example, I once utilized it on a SHIELD hellicarrier to stir up dissension, anger, and distrust among your so-called 'Avengers'. While I lay separated from the scepter and 'safe' in a prison cell, the scepter still obeyed my will and exerted its influence on all who were aboard the vessel without their knowledge."
"Why?" Jane asked, obviously disturbed by this revelation.
"Entertainment and mischief of course. Why else stir up a hornet's nest?" Loki said with a bitter grin.
"I do not believe you," Shuri said. "You were not chasing the Avengers for your own entertainment."
Loki released a long-suffering sigh. "Fine. How can I explain it? Your Avengers quarreled and bickered worse than arrogant cocks in a farmyard. Each sought to fight the others to prove themselves the largest rooster in the pecking order. They were so busy needling each other that they paid little heed to the danger Midgard was in. To unite the Avengers, they required a common enemy-one they could hate and despise enough to put their petty grievances, posturing, and jealousies aside long enough to fight for a common cause. For them to perform as I wished, they needed motivation and 'conviction'. They needed something greater and more inspiring than the ethereal 'good of humanity' and 'peace on earth' and other such drivel to compel them into motion. They needed enough rage, adrenaline, and pure fear to ally themselves into the formidable force they were capable of. Vengeance, hate, and anger provide much more useful motivation than goodwill and compassion ever could."
"You wanted them to hate you," Jane said in a low voice.
"Of course. They could not comprehend the threat Thanos is to your realm and, tethered as I was, I could not sufficiently explain the threat. Thus, I graciously volunteered myself to stand in the stead of the Mad Titan. I am well adept at playing a despicable cur. I am well-equipped to stir up hatred towards myself-even when I do not intend it. When I do intend it, I always achieve the desired effect. I succeeded in stirring up the wrath and rancor of every Avenger and, predictably, they came to the defense of New York, a unified team willing to do whatever necessary to keep the city from falling into my hands."
Jane having long since forgotten about taking notes, jumped slightly when Goose batted her pen from her hands. She jerked her head towards the Flerkin, took her pen back, and reluctantly scribbled onto her notepad again.
"Your plan worked until….," Shuri started to say, more to herself than to Loki. She trailed off and turned her eyes to where the Asgardian prince stared vacantly at the wall of the lab.
"Yes. Until that. The Avengers performed marvelously. Truly a delicious piece of irony, I think. Despite being outnumbered and overrun by the Chitauri army, they managed to organize the city's warriors in defense of the populace, closed the portal, reclaimed both the Tesseract and the scepter, and destroyed the entire Chitauri army. It would have only been a matter of time before both relics would be safe in the weapons vault on Asgard and your realm would be free the greedy gaze of the Mad Titan."
Jane gasped. "You mean it wasn't the bomb that stopped your army?"
Loki gave a mirthless laugh. He rubbed Goose on the neck again and gave a light smile at the responding purr emanating from the Flerkin.
"Your own leaders killed exponentially more than I ever could…or ever would," he said. "They value your citizens so highly that they would gladly exchange three million of their own for my head. I assure you, that is not a statistic I boast of. I am a warrior, but I am also a Prince. Asgard rules all the Nine Realms and Midgard happens to be one of them. I swore an oath to protect all the Nine. At the end of my personal effort, a few thousand may have given their lives. I call that a mercy in comparison with the millions your Midgardian leaders claimed or the billions that Thanos would have sought if he came in my stead."
A silent tear trickled down Jane's face. "So, they didn't have to die?" she whispered.
"Nay, Lady Jane. My brother, the Golden Prince, the heir of the throne of Asgard died a needless death in his vain efforts to protect the very Midgardians who were then killed by their own leaders. Your Avengers, your Erik Selvig, they should have been celebrated for their heroic efforts in the glorious battle, gone on to face future foes, and lived long after the Battle of New York."
Jane exhaled and leaned her head on her hand, her elbow on the lab table. She stared at the lines of her notepad as if they could solve all the questions of the universe as she fought to maintain her composure.
"How did you survive it?" Shuri whispered. "You were there, yes? In the center?"
"Indeed. I felt the oncoming energy of the explosion and used my magic to transport myself to safety. Thus, the one being your realm sought to destroy managed to survive."
Jane abruptly stood. "I need to get some air," she said. She failed to meet either of their eyes and slipped quietly from the room. Shuri and Loki sat in a somber silence and watched her disappear. Shuri dropped her eyes to Jane's notepad, took up the discarded pen, and doodled a series of flowers along the margin.
"I'm sorry," Shuri said. She lifted her eyes from the notepad to meet Loki's. "About your brother, I mean. More as well, but especially for that. I do not know what I would do if such a thing were to happen to my brother but I think some explosions and property destruction would be involved."
"There may have been some collateral damage to still-standing Midgardian architecture when I uncovered his remains."
Shuri swallowed back her tears. "It is much to chew over. Jane will be ok." At Loki's expression Shuri gave him a wan smile. "You still expect that we will turn our backs on you. I can see it."
He didn't answer, which was answer enough.
"Is this why you pretend to be your brother?"
"My brother was naturally gifted at gaining the loyalty and admiration of others. He was always the favorite of my father and our realm. When I became king, my rule was not accepted... and that was when my subjects believed I was the blood offspring of their monarchs."
Shuri refilled her cup of chai and added another spoon of sugar to it. Then she sat back in her chair, lost in her thoughts.
"Baba- he only took one wife and she bore only two children," Shuri explained. "For big men, that is most unusual. The more children a man has, the higher the respect due to him, and the more assistance he has in maintaining his assets and protecting his homestead. Baba was the third born of twenty. His father took six wives. Baba was the only born to his father's fourth wife. His mother died in childbirth. His stepmothers fought like feral cats over access to resources and power and to enhance the chances of their own children. It got so bad, Baba was sent to stay with his nyanya in the village for a time. Without a mother, he had no one to protect him or stand in for him. His father feared he would be poisoned or have a spell placed upon him to make him sick.
"Some of Baba's brothers were sent out as ambassadors around the world-simply to keep them from fighting at home. But still, the jealousy ripped them apart and they would rather see their brothers harmed than grown. Baba found himself king after his elder two brothers killed each other in their ritual combat over the next King's coronation. The second born determined he was more worthy than the first and so both went to join their ancestors. Baba did not want to be the next in line to meet his ancestors so instead of seeking to consolidate his rule using his fists, he met with all the other brothers and sisters and sought their loyalty. Through promises of high positions throughout Wakanda, he bought their promises that they would support his rule and not fight against him.
"The elders worried that Baba would never take a wife- he was too, too slow. When he finally married, he took only one wife and refused any other. When his wife produced only two heirs, he still refused to succumb to their pressure. 'What need have I of more heirs when I have enough nieces and nephews to fill all Birnin Zana?' he said.
"In private, he told us he did not want us to experience what he had, 'jealousy is a more powerful poison than the venom of a black mamba,' he said. It goes to the brain and kills. He did not want us to be competing but to be working together-like the ant and the acacia tree, as I told you before. A house divided against itself cannot stand and leads to many full graves and broken families. I tell you this simply because I do not believe there is a monarchy in history which does not have its dark secrets and its conflicts. I also do not believe there is only one possible ending to each story.
"You speak much of 'fate' and I must ask if your fate is only negative? If there is danger coming from the one you call 'Mad Titan,' then can it also be argued that the roads you have travelled can help us be better prepared for this space invader?"
"Your optimism rivals that of my brother."
Her dimpled grin spread across her face and she rocked back and forth in her chair as her enthusiasm grew. "You can tell us what we must do to be prepared. So far, you have been too too busy worrying about maintaining order on Earth and finding a way to leave Earth. What can be done to destroy these other, nini? What did you call them?"
"Infinity Stones."
"Ah! Those!"
"You are seeking to focus on solutions. Princess, not every problem can be solved in your lab."
She scrunched up her nose and frowned. "No, however, not every problem can be solved by moping about like a hungry lion, either. Come, prince. Speak to my father and brother. Talk to Okoye. In the meantime, Jane and I will devise a way to destroy your scepter."
He sighed then trailed his hands across his brow. "I will. I will tell them what I know... and I will set affairs in order to prepare for the destruction of the scepter."
Oooooooooooo
Translations:
nyanya: grandmother
ni kweli: It's true.