Chapter Text
It has been exactly 2 days after the great attempted theft of the Norn stone in Stuttgard. As of now the young fighters who prevented it are all sitting down in Fury's office, getting briefed about their next mission. At 6 in the morning.
And everybody is trying their best to keep their eyes open. Especially mister Barton and Wilson.
"As we all know before that there are four Norn stones here. Two was in New York. One was in Stuttgard, Germany. And the fourth and final stone is in," Furry swiped up an image on the giant flatscreen in front of them, "Sweden. Stockholm."
Clint raised his eyebrows. "Stockholm," he piped up, "Our next mission now? Sir?"
Fury turned at him. "Yes, agent Barton. You guessed it." Clint's mouth in a round O and all nodded.
"We believe the escaped convict will strike here at Stockholm's Memorial Exhibit and Museum." Furry swiped up more images of the place as shot from the security cameras. All filling up the screen. "We closed down the museum starting from last night. Now heavily guarded." Fury opened up three images and zoomed them in, "This here is the main entrance, from outside and within." Like he said all heavily guarded. S.H.I.E.L.D's agents and polices. And the third image was where the stone was placed. A little item sitting on a pillow with a glass case on top. Surrounded by four of their best agents.
Then Tony spoke up, "But why not just take it in after all knowing the criminal would come after it? Why let it sit out in the open?" All heads turned to him. Then back at Furry when he replied, "Out in the open. Exactly," he pointed it out. Tony frowned.
"To lure him out. To catch him in our territory." Natasha cuts in. "A trap."
Fury smiled.
"So. A trap then. When do we start on it, sir?" Rogers asked.
Fury continued, "Well, as of right now we could-" but he didn't get to finish his sentence when Coulson banged into the office, panting like he just did a 3 mile marathon.
"SIR! Director Fury!" He stepped in.
"What is it, agent?" All the kids stood up, clearly something's up. Bad.
"Sir. We have a breach. He's here…" Phil panted.
Fury stilled. "Here?" Phil nodded frantically. "Yes, sir. The convict. He's shown up." Now all stilled. And mouths hung open. Too soon. "WHAT?" Fury got caught offguard. "Sir, he's attacking the museum at Stockholm as we speak!" All stood and moved to the doorway. Fury let Phil lead the way out. He then turned and ordered, "Kids, suit up. We'll be heading there by the jet. 10 mins, sharp!"
"YES, SIR!" All replied.
A mad scramble of haste. Fury with a handful of other agents including Coulson head for the quinnjets. They climbed into one and told the pilot their destination. And just as they were discussing their situation the Alpha Team showed up. All in full gear. "Alright. Take off." Fury commended and they lifted off.
But when they got to the museum, things are not looking good.
*
Loki, as soon as he stepped out onto the busy street of such dismal place naming Stockholm, he squinted when a ray of the morning sun hit his eyes. He shielded it with one hand and saw it was coming from in between two close building. Beaming down right where he stood.
He growled. And stepped out of its way.
Then we head for the museum. Just a few blocks down from here, as Laufey showed him in his mind again. He walked down the small street, right in the middle of it, not a single care if a car should drive up and hit him. At least not that he knew about it.
He walked, and every step he took he felt something change inside him. His eyes look far and away. The irises and pupils are all in a haze mix, making his eyes look dull green. Entirely. His natural alabaster skin looked even paler. Like a white marble statue. Dark ebony hair slicked back making his cheekbones more noticeable. And his breath in steady, long sighs.
Then something caught his attention.
On the sidewalk to his left there was a small group young kids playing hopscotch. One after the other taking turns, skipping along the lines. Laughing whole heartedly. Loki seeing this felt an emotion he never felt before. And didn't know consciously either. Slightly lifting his left hand he worked his fingers he conjured up his energy tendrils that glow of lime green invincible to all around him except to himself. Just when a kid was about to take his turn and skip he grabbed at his one leg. Making the kid tumble down on the hard pavement with a pained cry. His friends rushed to his aid, trying to sooth him. But Loki simply grinned.
"Heh. Silly thing. Playing little silly games," He whispered under breath. "Serves him right."
And walked on like nothing had happened.
Soon after a few strides he came upon yet another scene that caught his attentions again.
A small little girl was pleading to her mother to buy her something. Her mother, obviously, obliged to her small child and went into a nearby store. Soon they came out together with the little girl now holding onto a small milk carton. They stood for moment to help her open it. When it was ready she gladly sucked on it through a small thin straw. Her mother, with a smile, stood beside her and lovingly brushed away strands of her hair.
Loki, spotting this, couldn't hold back his actions. With the same invincible tendrils he snake his way through the air towards her. The mother was now fondling with her mobile device, not fully concentrating on her daughter who was beside her. The tendril, now forming a boney hand like shape at the tip slithered up to her and abruptly squeezed the small milk carton the little girl was drinking, ,making the content splash in her face.
Loki couldn't hold back the smile when the little girl all but whimpered and cried to her mother, telling her her milk carton burst all by itself, now all over her face. Her mother appalled as she knelt down and took away the empty carton and threw it away in one of the waste bins behind them. Loki, narrowing his eyes and frowning when the mother took out a tissue and wipe away the sticky content on her child's face.
It appears as that the mother soothed her daughter and coaxed her into buying a new one right away. True to her words she took her daughter by her hand walked back inside the store. The little girl now smiling and giggling skipped into the store together with her mother.
Loki scoffed and rolled his eyes at that scene and walked on. 'Mortals. Them and their petty, boring, insignificant lives.' Loki seethed in his mind. The glowing green tendrils snaked and slithered all around him, still invincible to the civilians. His hands swing slightly on his sides. His steps a bit uneven from before.
'How. . . . dull.' His eyes stare on into the horizon. 'Of course. You can't expect less from a realm of greedy mortals and their vain ambitions.' The tendril hands weaved up into the air and griped at the lampposts on his sides and crushed them. Shattering them all over the pavement and the nearby people.
'Always chaos and war. Ridden with sickness and famine.' The memories of his younger days when Laufey showed him the history of Midgard. They were imprinted into his mind. And he believed it with his heart. His now rotting, fading heart.
The tendril hands reached out and raked their claws on the nearby parked cars. Leaving behind long, ugly marks and skin crawling screeching noises. His mouth now slightly hanging open as he's breathe through it in long rasping sighs. His eyelids not blinking.
"Poisoned and corrupted worlds don't deserve existence." He hissed.
Then. He heard it. He stopped dead at his tracks. And listened carefully. It is there. In the wind. Very faint. But it's there. The longer he waited the louder it got. And soon it was hearable.
A tune. Musical tune. His head tilted slightly. "Mussssssssicc?. . . " He croaked.
True. It was a musical tune. A very soothing, gentle tune. A lullaby. Loki listened for a moment more. Only then he noticed it was a soft humming of a lullaby. And he could hear it in his head. Just in his head. He could feel it.
"How ssssstrange….." Intrigued he was. And took a small liking to it. So he decided to hum along. And continue his mission towards the museum. Which was now in sight, just a few more walks and he is there. He hummed along with the tune as he came near and nearer to his destination. Then he decided to have a bit of fun along the way.
In his steps there form thin layer of frost, creeping over the street. The nearer he got to the museum the thicker the frost got. And wider. The tendril hands now visible as daytime. The surrounding people now stared him with awe and shock. A young boy casually walking down in the middle of the street surrounded by green illuminating hands. And wherever he step there form frosts. His boots tapped to a halt. He pushed pass the yellow tapes stretched across the sidewalk and stepped onto the base of the entrance stairs. There he stood with a defiance stance in front of the museum he finally reached.
"Sir. I'm sorry but you're going to have to move away from this area. It is temporarily closed off for now." One of the security guards stepped up and ordered at him. Not seeing any movement he ordered again. This time louder, "Sir, I'm ordering you to step away from this area and move back to the sidewalk." And still movement.
The guard just had enough with this creep and stepped closer to escort him away. But he stopped when he saw the green tendril hands all around the boy. 'Now that's Not natural.' The guard thought and decided to call for backup.
He backed away for a few steps and reached for his walky talky fixed on his shoulder. "Breaker 1, come in. Do you read me, over." Statics. Slowly he reached for his baton. Now the two other guards on the stairs spot them. Both going for their batons. "Breaker 1, come in. This is Sentry 12 at the entrance. Do You Read Me, over." He's getting jumpy.
"Copy, Sentry 12. What's your status?" The other side replied. The boy's head turned to his direction. Eyes dig deep into him. The guard's breath hitched as he didn't even have the time to report back when a blast of ice engulfed him entirely.
The guard was frozen in place. Loki moved past him and climb the staircase. The two other guards came to a run towards him. Guns pointing. "STAND DOWN!" One ordered. The boy didn't stop. "I said STAND DOWN, NOW! Or we Will Shoot!!" And still the boy ascended. "In the leg," one said. And other nodded. The guard opened fire on him, straight for his legs. But the bullet didn't reach him. It only hit an invincible shield that protected him and right on impact it glowed green with a ripple. The guard couldn't believe his eyes. But fired again. Two shots. Both hit the shield.
Ascending up the stairs not a single twitch as bullets hit his invincible shield. One guard's bullets ran out so as he reach for more ammunition Loki took that moment and froze him in place. The same move on the other guard but he made it just in time to yell Code Red on his walky talky. Loki moved past the frozen statues and made his way up the stairs and into the museum.
His boots tapped on the clean marble floor. His humming is resumed now. Still humming the same tune he heard before. It echoed through the empty hall. But it didn't remain empty long as S.H.I.EL.D agents and SWAT teams poured in. All guns pointed to him. They yell orders to stand down but all were simply ignored. They opened fire on him. But bullets were reflected by his shield. The tendril hands rose and snatched away the agents' guns throwing them far away across the hall. Now unarmed Loki raised his hand and with a swiping gesture his ice power blasted and froze every single agent and SWAT member.
His ice power rose with no signs of stopping and frosts crept all over the walls as he made his way to the room where the stone is kept. One agent after another that descended on him were easily disarmed and frozen. 'All too easy.' He thought. Soon after more than a dozen of agents and SWAT members are all but defeated then he reached the room.
He looked down on the glass case that protected the stone. A pathetic attempt Loki thought. He blew on the glass case and it was soon covered in fogging frosts. Then Loki tapped on it. Breaking the case in million tiny shards. And there placed the Norn stone. He reached out and took it. And his humming did not stop for a moment all this time.
Loki's eyes fix on the Norn stone as it gleamed back at him in a thrumming jade glow. "And now. . . To return with you,'' he whispered. But just as he was about to tuck it away in his pocket he heard hurried footsteps from behind. They came nearer and stopped right behind him. He turned around slowly and saw a familiar set of blue eyes. Atop his head golden spun hair.
*
Captain America and his team climbed the stairs and down the hall they ran. Then into the room where the stone was kept. And the sight that greeted them was the worst scenario like they prepared. Thor ahead of Cap'n skipped to a halt at the doorway. And there right ahead of them stood a familiar enemy. The green eyed trickster. Loki .
He turned to their way when he heard them.
"YOU!" Thor bellowed across the room. Loki, standing sideways, head tilted back gazed on them with heavily lidded eyes. And there Thor noticed. His eyes. They've changed. And the aura he felt before has altered too. It felt dense. Clouded. Thor felt a shiver ran up his spine. Something has definitely changed about this boy. And it ain't good.
But pushing aside his feelings Thor took the attack first, without even waiting for Captain's orders. With a growl his hammer flew across the room and head straight for him. But Loki didn't even blink. The hammer rammed into the force field that protects him and ricocheted to the other way.
"Well that's new," said Clint.
"Force field," the captain breathed. "Don't let him escape with the stone!" And charged head on. And the others followed.
Seeing them charge for him Loki finally use his 'ticket out' of there. In a waving motion Loki send a shock wave across the whole room, knocking the fighters away from him. All flew away in many directions and land with pained groans. There Loki took his chance and shrouded himself in a cloud of green smoke. Captain saw his attempt of escape and threw his shield at him. But it was too late by the time the shield reached him. The shield went through the smokes and hit the opposite wall behind.
By the time the smoke cleared the boy was long gone. Leaving them with nothing.
"Ugggggh…." Barton groaned. "Nice job btw.'
"SHUT UP!" came the unison reply of his team. Fury is not going to like this.
Gathering themselves the team exited the building. Walking back down the corridor they saw the backup team from S.H.I.E.L.D helping out their frozen agents and SWAT teams. Then they saw Director Fury waiting by the entrance hall. Hands on his hip.
He raised his eyebrows. And Steve shook his head. "Sorry, sir. We were too late. He got away." Receiving a sigh from the director. He massage his temple. "It was too soon. Sooner than we expected." Heads down the team could only listen. "We got caught off guard. For now,' the director added.
"So what now, sir?"
"Now we get back to the HQ and get going on our main plan. The worst case scenario." Fury started to walk out of the building. Quickly his team followed him.
"What's our next mission, sir?" Steve walked up side by side.
"You and your team better get some rest because by this time tomorrow you all gonna be fighting with your lives." Fury stepped into his chopper and took off, leaving behind the 7 teenagers on the ground.
"Kids!" They head a shout from behind and turned. It was Coulson. "Come on. We're taking off too." He gathered them together and head for the quinnjet. Inside they strapped in again and head off. Heads cast down, none spoke. So Steve broke silence. "Come on, team. It's not the end of the world." That made some look up at him. "Today was more a test run. Tomorrow is our main concern. We've gotta work on that. Alright?" And came scattered replies.
But amongst them Steve noticed Thor. "Hey, man." He got his attention. "Something bugging you?"
Thor felt a lump in his throat. He thinks it's time that he confesses about his feelings of dread. "Aye. There Is something I need to say. Back in our room, yes?" Steve nodded. "Alright, Thor." And their trip back to their room was in silent.
~ Meanwhile back in Jotunheim.
Loki, after casting his smoking effect to ease his escape with the usage of a temporary portal jumping spell Laufey gave him earlier he came stumbling back into the main hall. Where awaits Laufey and his frostiant lackeys.
Panting, Loki stepped forward and presented his father with his achievement. His tucked out the stone and handed it over. Laufey, casting a quick glance over at Loki then went on to inspect the stone. Not a scratch on it. Laufey hummed. "Good. Now that we have all the remaining stones we can finally move on to our next and final level." He took the stone and stepped out of the hall, leaving Loki behind. But he followed nonetheless, for further orders or such.
"Helbindi, you and Bylestir will gather the troops you picked out for the assault. Get them ready by sundown tomorrow." Laufey commended.
"Yes, sir." Helbindi took off with his companion. Walking off Helbindi give a one last glance over at Loki. A twisted smirk forming on his rugged face. Thinking Loki who would be cowering behind Laufey as his lapdog, but instead he walked with a straight back and head held high. He frowned but then Loki gave him back a look too. From the corner of his half lidded dull eyes. Not a blink.
And Helbindi's smirk disappeared. He turned away and walked on.
Loki turned his attention back to Laufey and resume following. "As for you Loki," he turned around to face the smaller little boy. Looking down, "You wait in your quarters until someone come for you. Understand?"
Loki nodded. "Yes, sir." His voice barely a whisper. Flat. No fear. No defiance.
Laufey, eyes narrowing. He growled. "Get out of my sight." He left him and walked away.
Loki, now standing alone in the hallway watched on as his father and king left him there. Finally when Laufey turned a corner and went out of sight he moved from his current position and head for his room.
His perfectly polished boots tapped in his footsteps on the frozen ice floor. He walked over to his reading desk. Lithe, boney fingers ghost over the hard cover books. His index finger tipped at the ink bottle, now all frozen from neglect. He took the quill and twirled it in between his fingers. A long and elegant quill. Then we spotted his high mirror over by his bedside. And walk over to it.
His icicle mirror. He stood in front of it and stared at his reflection. The quill still in his fingers, twirling. He tilt his head, the reflection did the same. He blow on it, and it blew back. He took the quill and softly dance it over his reflection. He played with it, dragging, twirling curvy lines on it. Then he dragged it across his reflection's neck and stopped.
He stayed that way for a moment. Staring. Then his reflection started to blur and distort. It's changing. And soon where his reflection was now stand the young muscular boy he fought before. The boy with golden spun hair and azure blue eyes. Loki winced at him. Then the boy step back with a wide smile and his companions come rushing to his side. He threw an arm over the other blond boy's shoulder and hugged another boy's shoulder, shorter than him in dark brown hair. All were smiling and laughing.
He can hear them. Laughing. Giggling.
He can see them. Smiling. Showing affections.
He can feel them. But he can't have them.
Slowly he lowered his quill by his side. The blond boy noticed his movement, and turned to him.
"Hey!" He sounded off a greeting. He stared at Loki for a moment. "What big eyes you have!" He stated.
Loki replied. "All the better to see you with." His dull, clouded emerald eyes pierce into the bright blue one.
The blond, Thor his name, continued. "Wow! Such impressive skills you have!" He flattered. Still smiling.
"All the better to fight you with." Loki replied. Now with a smile. A twisted smile. Then the quill in his fingers shifted into a throwing dagger.
Thor suppose saw that. "Hey!" he pointed to it, "Cool dagger you have there!"
Loki took a step forward. "All the better," he placed his other hand on the mirror, "to gut you with." And with a sudden jerk he rammed the dagger into the mirror, shattering it into millions of tiny shards.
The tiny shards crumbled and pool at his feet. Shining like little stars in the night sky, reflecting the light in room. Loki looked down at his hand. The dagger still in it. With a sharp turn Loki threw that dagger at his desk. The sharp end found his mark with small thud. One of his books. Then Loki snapped his fingers and the dagger turned into a blazing ball of fire. Lime green fire. It caught on the books. The desk. Then the chair, engulfing it. And Loki only looked on.
And soon the fire took to the floor and spread all across the floor. It caught onto his bed finally. Blazing it high up in the room. The green fire all but spread more and soon his entire room was on fire. Loki slowly move from his place and stepped onto the middle of his room. The fire caught him too at his boots. And climbed up his legs. It crawled and crawled and soon it was all over him. His long legs, his arms. Shoulders.
But blaze all it want he didn't feel a single burn. Same with his room. The items the fire were touching were'nt effected by it. No damage. They all stay the same before. There was no such heat.
Loki, elbows tucked in, he brought his fingers up to his face. His fingers softly touch his boney cheeks and the fire latch on to them. Then it soon spread across his pale face. But Loki couldn't feel a thing.
The green fire in his room crackle and roar all around him. Loki took to his knees and crumbled on the floor. Facing up he can still see his room set ablaze. Arms and hands spread out. His knees in a tucked in position. He just lay there like that for the moment. Then he heard it again. Or so he thought he did.
The lullaby from before. In his head. Or maybe it's just a memory of it because he liked it. Either way he found himself humming to it again.
Not a care in the world as he hummed away loud and clear in his chambers. All alone.
And in that moment he felt in his mind and heart that in a few days he'll be gone from this world. Erased. Because he's known for a while now that his existence was only for Laufey's benefit. And even that is about to come to end. His service. Either by Laufey's hands or the enemy's. It is only a matter of time.
But for today and the next day, until the end, his body, mind and soul will be fueled by something he has never felt before. It's hot and tearing at him from the inside. Like it has just awakened after a long period of slumber. It's eating at him from inside out. But he was alright with it. He let it tear him out.
This pain he has felt for all his life was now pouring out with no stopping. The pain he has bottled up for all his life. What more was this new emotion that gave him energy. The energy to fight with no fear. No more reluctance. No holding back. He will see this world burn before him leaving it. The world that he witnessed today, filled with greedy beings and annoying life forms. Annoying because of their naïve minds and shallow hearts. Vain sights.
This world he despise that has everything he doesn't.
Shelter of affection. Home. Love. Friends. Family. Things he never had. Things he will never understand. And don't care. Not anymore. Because they will be wiped out in short time. This vulnerable world.
Now the only thing he feels and thought about doing is to annihilate that blond haired boy and his friends when they come for him. And they will. Because he feels untouchable right now.
Fueled only by one emotion that drives him forward. And it's an emotion he never felt before. A deadly sin of the mortal realm. And it'll cost him his life ultimately. His demise.
That emotion was envy.
~