Aug 17, 2012

Estranged, Epilogue

The gateway closed behind Loki, and he surveyed his surroundings. The darkness did not bother him anymore—he could easily discern the shapes of rocky outcrops and cliff faces in the midnight gloom. He was thankful for the restoration of his Asgardian abilities even though the price paid was not worth the trade. He had nothing left but to work with the resources available to him now.

The location he had traveled to was far removed from Asgard, a dark and craggy realm located deep below even Midgard—Svartalfheim, the realm of the dark elves.

He approached a large fissure that split the expanse of land before him. When he peered over its edge he saw dim lights shining through windows of dwellings built into the rocky wall of the canyon itself. An uneven staircase spiraled its way around the fissure’s jagged wall on down to end at its floor. Wishing to avoid notice, he swiftly descended the stairs toward the bottom, keeping to the shadows as much as possible.

He had heard of a neutral observer who dwelt here among the dark elves. A scryer and collector of quite a valuable commodity: information. It was said he would offer his services for the right price, and information from anywhere other than Midgard was something Loki was sorely lacking due to his year-long exile. And what he needed to know resided in no book, but in the distant outer realms that were not a part of this dimension.

Certainly he could leverage the right price.

Upon reaching the canyon’s rocky floor he spotted a small freestanding dwelling. It was built with rough bricks and mortar, worn with age, and in need of several repairs. It had one poorly hung door and no windows. He approached it and entered, confident that it was his desired destination.

The small main room was cluttered and lived-in. Clothing and blankets had been tossed carelessly and dishes were piled onto a small counter next to a mildewed sink. A writing desk was stationed in the corner, parchments and books strewn about its surface.

The interior of the hovel was poorly lit by a single red candle on the mantelpiece. A mound of cooled wax from previous burnings piled beneath it and cascaded over the shelf’s edge. The fireplace beneath it lay cold and bare.

The ornate centerpiece of the room was quite out of place in such a tiny unkempt house. A large shallow bowl of the thinnest blue porcelain stood mounted on a delicately carved wooden vanity. An even larger oval mirror was mounted behind the basin. The mirror’s frame matched the embellishments present throughout the rest of the vanity. Around the perimeter of the mirror’s surface were etched symbols that Loki did not recognize. While he might not have understood the meaning, he definitely knew the apparatus was used for scrying.

From the adjoining room he heard movement followed by a gruff voice.

“Ah, I have a visitor it seems. What day is today...? Oh! Oh yes!”

A shriveled greyish figure emerged from the room at what Loki assumed was a quick pace for the elderly being. His exterior was as gruff and grizzled as his voice. The mystic might have once been a dark elf, but time, darkness, and seclusion seemed to have taken its toll upon his stature and eyesight. In Loki’s experience many scryers forsook their physical eyesight in favor of their scrying visions—what they called “true sight.”

“Let me put my failing eyes upon you. Yes...yes... The neglected son of Odin,” he continued with pleasant surprise. “I knew you would come to me soon,” the old scryer cackled with a crooked grin.

“Mystic humor...charming, to be sure. Then you know why I seek your assistance?”


“Hm...not exactly. Scrying is a tricky art. Visions of your next meal may come across clear as rain water while epic battles may be fuzzier than a cloud. It’s never precise, but usually what you need to see.”

Usually? This had better be worth my time.

The mystic motioned Loki to sit in one of the rickety chairs beside a messy table and joined him at its other seat.

“So, tell me Loki...is it Odinson or is it Laufeyson again? I cannot recall which I last saw. You’ve questioned your identity many times these past few years.”

Loki did not appreciate being known so well by a stranger, but granted the mystic a smile anyway. He was here for assistance, after all.

“Simply Loki will suffice. I seek to know the motivations behind the death of my betrothed, a human called—”

“Ah, so it’s Rowan you seek to avenge. I wondered why she was so important. She showed up in several of my visions about Midgard. Along with you, of course.” The old scryer momentarily lost himself in a fond memory and smiled.

He watches our lives like they are books to him, just stories to be told.

As an afterthought he added, “She saw her world in a beautiful way, you know.”

Loki’s heart heaved, but he quickly quelled the simultaneous urges to cry and to kill. His plan would fail if he gave in to his extremes.

“Yes, Rowan Fields.”

“Well... as you may have heard, there is a price for my services.”

“Name your price, and I shall pay it,” Loki declared without hesitation.

“Now, I usually ask for a trifle, but of you I wish a steeper amount, yet it should have some return value to you as well: Talk with me for the evening.”

Perplexed, Loki pressed for clarification, “Is that all? Why should talking be so costly? Does any particular subject interest you or will Thor’s sleeping habits suffice? He snores loudly enough to rouse souls from their eternal slumber.”

The mystic’s chuckle turned into a cough and cleared his throat with a rasp. “Sounds riveting, but I do have a request. Talk to me of your lady love. I would know what magic between you two made the god of lies seek revenge. I may have watched you both, but it is different to hear it from the source in person.”

Loki cleared his own throat, pondering his answer.

I must have the information I seek.

“Very well. Where shall I start?”

The mystic scoffed, “Oh, start wherever you want. I’m used to seeing events out of order.”

Loki expected such disclosure of his memories of Rowan to be painful, but after a time he found himself smiling and even laughing rather than crying. Soon he was sharing his fondest memories.

“...and all of us around the table wore different shades of disgust because the cake tasted incredibly bitter. But no one had the heart to tell her it tasted so awful until she finally sat down to eat a piece herself. The look on her face was the most amusing!”

“All because she added the wrong amount of rising agent? Oh my, how funny indeed!”

The two unlikely conversationalists laughed for a time.

Winded from his hearty laugh, the scryer caught sight of his mirror and remembered his promise. He rose from his chair stiffly and hobbled toward it.

“Oh, but we have talked for hours. And I do believe I can see the spark you saw in your beloved. She is worthy of remembrance. Worthy, indeed, yes.”

Loki felt the buoyancy from his happy memories fade as he remembered his current goal.

“Now then, what exactly do you wish to know?”

“Who is responsible for Rowan’s death? Who orchestrated it?” Loki did not want to play his hand by mentioning Thanos. Not just yet. There was always a chance it was someone—something else...

“Now, let us have a look at what is out there.”

The mystic prepared his scrying apparatus by filling the shallow bowl with water then retrieving a small vial from a cupboard below the vanity. He unstoppered the vial then allowed three drops to fall into the basin, causing ripples to form along its previously undisturbed surface. The ripples did not fade over time, instead they slowed instantly, but maintained their intensity, as if the liquid had become thicker. Nodding in satisfaction, the mystic replaced the vial in the cupboard then proceeded to trace his hand along the mirror’s inscription, reciting the ancient incantation that drove his craft.

As he chanted a blue mist arose from the water that became more opaque when he finished. He placed his hands upon the vanity countertop adjacent to the bowl, assuming a stance that showed his concentration and long years as a master diviner.

Loki could see movement happening within the mist, but the action was too quick and blurry for even his sharp eyes to perceive. He watched for several minutes as the mystic stared blankly through the mist into the mirror, absorbing the visions he observed.

Without warning, the mystic spoke flatly, entranced by his deep concentration, “Step closer if you wish to view the face of your accused.”

Loki crossed the room quickly to stand beside the mystic. He peered into the mist, but could only make out blobs of color.

“I see nothing. It is unclear.”

“Relax...let your mind reach out to the mist, and it will show you...”

Loki complied, focusing his own concentration upon the blue misty cloud hovering before them both.

What he saw came at first as a jumble of colors, then settled into a surreal scene:

A huge, muscled grey-skinned figure stood against a backdrop of space and stars—Thanos, the fallen titan, the mad titan. He loomed above a massive throne, gesturing toward a Chitauri warrior that knelt silently before him, waiting to attend his master’s needs.

Thanos then placed a large, golden gauntlet upon one of his hands. He grinned widely as he flexed his hand in it, relishing its heavy weight and admiring the back of the glove piece. Capping each knuckle and the back of his hand were six large gem settings. Most were empty except the settings on his index finger and the back of his hand which held a yellow gem and blue gem respectively.

“So, Little Lord Loki thought he could run away and hide after his failures. He should prove an adequate test of the gems’ capabilities. But how to punish a man who desires recognition above all?” The fallen titan mused, lost in thought.

The gauntlet’s blue gem glowed as a chuckle escaped his thin lips. The blue gem—the mind gem—would allow him to know another’s thoughts and dreams.

“Ah, so a little human has won his heart. And her roots have grown deep within it. Time to rip them out.” Thanos jerked his gauntleted fist. “Chop him down, and watch him fall. He will yet understand the price of his failure and cowardice.”

Thanos clenched his fist and chuckled darkly as the yellow gem in his golden gauntlet glowed.

Loki’s vision blurred until all he could clearly see was the yellow gem—the reality gem. Promptly he brought his focus away from the mist’s vision. Thanos had, without a doubt, wished for Rowan’s death. Loki felt ill and furious and—

This was the reason for my visit. I must remain in control of myself.

He did not know how Thanos had obtained the Infinity Gauntlet and two of its gems, but he did know that Rowan’s death had been a sick and twisted message: When you refuse to take sides, someone will choose your side for you.

Infuriated by the information he received, he bowed his head wordlessly to the mystic and departed the hut.

It is quite difficult to wield a gauntlet if you have no hands to wear it upon. He will yet understand the price of opposing ME!

The mystic watched after him quietly with a wise look only a seer of his magnitude could give. He was well aware of Loki’s mission and its results.

*************

Loki’s eyes adjusted swiftly to the inky blackness outside the mystic’s home, and he formed a gateway to Earth. He stepped through to a dank alleyway in the middle of busy downtown Atlanta, Georgia.

First to leave a message, then on to business.

He approached the mouth of the alleyway cautiously. The crowd of passers-by paid him no notice. In fact, many of the pedestrians were dressed in odd costumes, apparently on their way to some function.

He searched for someone with a phone in their hands, quickly targeting a young woman in a curly wig and short colorful skirt. When she passed he snatched her from the crowd and pulled her into the alley with him.

“What are you—!”

Wordlessly Loki plucked the fake rhinestone-infested phone free from her hands, ended the current call, and dialed a number from memory. Given the long hours he had read Fury’s file over and over, it was only natural that he recall it easily.

“Hey, man, if you wanted to borrow my phone, I would have let you. But that was really jerky to just take it. That was my mom you hung up on! And you’d better not be making some international call!” The young woman kept her distance, content to berate him rather than oppose a man at least two feet taller than her.

He ignored her protests and stepped a few paces away to maintain his privacy. If you had told him three months ago that he would be making this kind of call, he would have laughed hysterically. But so many things had changed since then.

“I’m gonna be late for my photoshoot if you don’t—”

Without turning to face the woman he waved his free hand over his shoulder as if he were tossing something toward her. Her head flew backward, landing hard against the wall. She slid to the alley’s floor, settling in an unconscious heap of bright pink and blue. He finished leaving his message and ended the call.

Fury may prove a useful...ally.

He cringed at the thought of trusting Director Nick Fury in any way.

Until I am finished with my task, of course.

He dropped the phone to the ground next to the woman, a disheveled mound of gaudy fashion.

“Thank you for your assistance.”

He walked further back into the alleyway to leave for his next destination. This time his gateway revealed the same surreal landscape that he saw in the scryer’s vision. There was no land at all, but a star-filled scene of black space dotted with what appeared to be an organized asteroid field. It was the Chitauri home base.

He stepped through and approached the lone Chitauri present.

“I seek audience with your master. Take me to him.”

Recognizing Loki, the Chitauri sneered. “You failed. He does not wish to see y—”

Loki rushed the warrior, hands at his throat in an instant. He choked the alien’s words to a gurgle, raising him to eye level so that his feet dangled in the space below him.

Loki growled at him in disgust, “Take me to him, and I may yet allow you to live. Refuse and I will throw you to the true darkness that hungers in the wicked depths of reality where your soul will be devoured mercilessly. Every ounce of your being will be ripped away painfully—exquisitely—until nothing remains but a useless husk of madness and filth.”

The Chitauri grunted a moment in consideration—his master would not be happy if he disobeyed orders—but consented with a quick nod of his head. Loki released the ugly whelp, and he fell to the ground panting.

“This way,” the Chitauri sputtered, coughing as he stood and led the way. “What is the nature of your request?”

“Tell him I have returned to seek his favor and forgiveness. I am here to propose a different plan of attack. This time there is no room for failure.” Submitting to his love’s murderer was agonizing, but he buried the feeling deeply. This was a necessary deception, business to be done.

As he approached Thanos atop his rocky throne suspended in nothingness, he held the burning hatred and darkness tightly in his heart, held it steady and controlled it. He would not fail her.

Not again.

Loki knelt before Thanos, the fallen titan, and guarded his thoughts well, carefully planning the words that would set his plans in motion. Thanos sat up at Loki’s entrance, and a smile slowly crossed his face. The gauntlet lay feet away upon a pedestal. He could not see how many gems it held.

Slowly or swiftly, I will exact my revenge. You will fall by my hands and pay for the pain you have caused me!

It had indeed been a serious mistake to remain neutral.

*********

“Boo!”

Dr. Bruce Banner chuckled and shook his head at Agent Clint Barton’s prank. “That’s not going to work on me, man. I have to be angry and out of control, not startled.”

“Right. I’ll use an arrow next time, then,” Barton concluded with a wink.

“Oh, here she comes,” Tony Stark eagerly commented to Barton as Agent Natasha Romanov entered the room briskly with files in her hand for their meeting. She walked straight to the large oval table in the middle of the board room without acknowledging anyone else. “You see that? No response. She walked right past me and didn’t even blink!“ Stark gestured to Romanov as he vented his irritation.

Dr. Banner wandered away a few paces, wishing to remove himself from any possible action.

Barton lowered his voice to a whisper. “That just means you haven’t seen her countermove yet.”

“Countermove?” Stark raised his eyebrows in interest and casually placed his hands in his pockets. “I’m ready for anything she can throw at me.” He did not, of course, lower his own voice.

Romanov ceased her paper collating and shuffling to shoot a menacing glance toward Stark and Barton.

Barton took a half step backward under her glare. “Hey, don’t look at me, Natasha. It was Stark’s idea to install a remote sonic device in your boots.”

“Yeah, but the squishing noise was your idea, Clint. It was also your idea to activate it during breakfast in the cafeteria.” Stark smiled as he incriminated his comrade. “Very nice,” Stark mouthed quietly in approval.

Resuming her paper distribution around the table Romanov lightly commented, “Don’t forget I know where you sleep, Barton.”

Intimately understanding her threat, Barton’s eyebrows creased with worry.

“But— Stark was—!” Barton pointed at Stark in defense, but Tony only grinned at Clint knowing he was in deep trouble with his old partner.

Across the room Thor and Captain Steve Rogers were in their own conversation near a large green potted plant.

“And my brother was so distraught over the loss of his beloved and their unborn child that he took his own life to end his pain,” Thor was saying to Rogers with a sorrowful expression as he recounted Loki’s dilemma.

A mixture of surprise and sadness crossed Rogers’s face as he listened to the Asgardian. “That’s tragic, Thor. A guy like that manages to turn his life around only to have it ruined in an instant. His crimes were inexcusable, but I wouldn’t wish a situation like that on anyone. I’m sorry for you loss, buddy.” He clapped Thor on the shoulder as Director Nick Fury entered through a doorway at the side of the room. Above the door hung the large round S.H.I.E.L.D. logo featuring a stylized eagle.

“But there is happy news as well—”

Before Thor could continue, Director Fury approached the table and cleared his throat loudly. Everyone around the room wrapped up their conversations as they made their way to the large oval table in the center of the room to begin their scheduled meeting.

Director Fury remained standing momentarily as everyone got seated, “Let’s get down to business. Agent Romanov, if you would please bring us all up to speed.”

Agent Romanov placed the report she held on the table and stood to address the group.

“Approximately 12 days 22 hours ago the artifact known as the Infinity Gauntlet went missing from the vault in Asgard. You all have a brief in front of you detailing what we know so far. The vault was locked and undisturbed as reported by the sentries on guard. The gauntlet’s whereabouts are currently unknown.”

“And the gems? I’m not sure that everyone here understands their significance.” Director Fury prompted her to continue.

“There are six Infinity Gems that can either be used alone or in conjunction with the gauntlet. They have the power to manipulate space, time, power, mind, reality, and soul respectively. According to Thor the Infinity Gems were detached from the gauntlet some time ago and distributed amongst different realms by Odin in the hopes they would be kept safe from being used together.”

“Thank you, Romanov. Thor,” Director Fury asked, “Do you have any more information from Asgard?”

“Yes, Director Fury. I bring news of Loki.”

Murmurs and seat-shifting erupted from everyone around the table.

“Hush. Let’s hear it, Thor.” Fury folded his hands, listening intentely.

“Some of you know that Loki was exiled here in Midgard one year ago to live as a mortal—the Allfather wished him to understand and demonstrate compassion for others. In time Loki befriended a mortal called Rowan. They were soon to be wed and bear a child, but she was killed in an unfortunate accident. Loki took his own life to end his grief.”

Thor waited for any reactions. When none came, he continued, his brow creased in thought.

“Odin resurrected Loki following his mortal death with the hope that he would reclaim his place in Asgard and show the maturity he learned while in exile. While he did reclaim his powers as an Asgardian, he has again left Asgard.”

“Just what we needed, a rogue god.” Fury huffed. “Any idea where he’s gone?”

“We know not where. He was very upset over Rowan’s death. Odin did not understand the depth of his despair.”

“We’ll deal with Loki if he becomes an issue. We have bigger fish to fry in the meantime. Let’s focus on what we do know. Any leads on the gauntlet?”

Thor continued, “Asgard’s contacts have heard whispers that Thanos possesses a magical glove of power. We have sent contact to the realms which hold the gems. From the messages we have received, Odin was able to determine Thanos possesses at least one gem, but possibly more. We are still awaiting contact from several sources.”

Fury spoke to the rest of those in attendance, “He could make a move any moment. We need to get one of ours close enough to retrieve more information.”

“Director Fury,” Thor interjected quietly, which was still a boom in his deep voice. “I have another message, but it is for you alone.”

“Understood. Come with me into my office.” Thor and Fury rose to exit the room. “Everyone else put on your thinking caps. I want to hear ideas worth implementing when I come back.”

The two of them walked through the door the Director had entered the meeting room from. Fury closed the door behind them and motioned for Thor to take a seat, but he shook his head, opting to stand.

“So, what is this private message?” Fury stepped around behind his desk and leaned forward on both arms.

“Prior to his departure Loki requested I relay a message to you alone,” Thor paused with a concentrated look, attempting to recall the message exactly. ”An eye for an eye.

“So, it’s revenge he wants.” That could be good or bad for us, depending.

Nodding, Thor agreed with the Director. “Revenge is not out of his character.”

“Did he say anything about Thanos?”

“He gave no further explanation to me and left Asgard shortly thereafter.”

A knock came at the door. Fury eyed the door before concluding their brief discussion.

“Was that all, Thor?”

“That is all, Director.”

“Enter!” Fury called.

The door opened to admit Agent Maria Hill. Behind her Fury could see Stark gesturing wildly while Dr. Banner nodded his head slowly in thought. Captain Rogers shook his head vehemently in opposition of whatever Stark was proposing. Barton and Romanov listened quietly, but seemed to be trading glares at one another from across the table.

Hill closed the door before speaking.

“Sir, there’s a voicemail for you on my phone,” She looked to Thor briefly. “—from Loki.”

Fury’s eyebrows rose in pleasant surprise, but his tone remained serious as always. “We may have an answer straight from the horse’s mouth. Play it on speaker.”

Loki’s icy smooth voice emanated from the phone’s speaker, and indistinct yelling could be heard in the background:

Greetings, Director Fury. The mission you offered me coincides with my desires therefore I have decided to keep you informed of my discoveries. Direct discussions may prove impossible, so watch closely for my messages. [pause] Oh, you may wish to update my current status.

Fury weighed his options quickly as he scrutinized Loki’s message: This could be very beneficial for us. But how far can we trust his information? How long will his vengeance keep him loyal to our shared goal?

Hill was still confused. “Update it to what? We don’t even know where he is.”

“Not deceased, for starters.” Fury pulled Loki’s file from a drawer in his desk and handed it to Hill. “He’ll contact us when he has more information. For now update his current status to ‘Asgardian, God of Deception, S.H.I.E.L.D. Informant.’”

*********
Author’s Note:
I sincerely apologize if my interpretation of Thanos is off in any way. I haven’t read his arcs in the comics, so I did my best given the information I had available.

Physical descriptions of the Chitauri and Avengers were assumed for brevity. If this seems confusing, and you think I should include descriptions, let me know.

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