Chapter 12
ASGARD
Loki had decided before leaving Asgard, he needed to have a talk with his eldest. Asgard wasn’t that big, after all. He wanted to do the right thing for a fellow magic user, but he refused to upset his daughter if there was an alternative. He found her in her room with a devious little expression on her young face. Rapping lightly on the doorframe with his knuckles. “El?”
Her brown eyes widened in surprise and flicked guiltily to the left before she cobbled together an innocent expression. “I didn’t do it.”
Abyss, who was sitting in the doorway to El’s room, started laughing in his cat-like way.
Raising a doubting eyebrow. “Didn’t you?”
She shook her head rapidly. “Nope. Not guilty.”
Leaning casually. “Uh huh. You do know saying things like that without waiting for the accusation is more suspicious than saying nothing?”
Blinking and fumbling, “Err…”
Loki waved a dismissive hand as he pulled her over to her bed to sit down. “Anyway, that is not why I am pulling you aside.”
Her brown eyes reflected curiosity. “Oh? Then what?”
He pulled in a slow breath before broaching the topic. “Travis.”
Her brow started to furrow. “Who—oh. Him.” She glanced away with a frown. On Earth she hadn’t wanted anything bad to happen to Travis or Shock…but it’s not like he’d ever apologized to her. Once the dust had settled, the hurt had returned when she realized that. “What about him?”
Watching her face carefully. “Unless matters are better than I expect, I planned to offer him passage to Asgard to learn his craft.”
Her frown deepened a bit, her fingers inching up to play with the amulet around her neck. “He’ll live here?”
Loki corrected her quietly, “In Asgard, not in the palace. Tyr has agreed to host him.”
“Oh. And you’ll teach him?”
He shook his head slowly, even if she had yet to glance up. “That is what the school is for.”
She pulled in a slow breath. “Why here, then?” As opposed to him remaining on Earth.
“There needs to be someone of an equal or higher magical caste around just in case.” Things happened. Spells went awry. Most adult casters of any rank could handle a miscast spell. But there were exceptions. There were accidents where it wasn’t a matter of experience, it was a matter of power that solved a mess.
Now she looked up, looking confused. “Why tell me?”
Loki’s expression was full of too much understanding. “I wanted your feelings on the matter.”
She shrugged wordlessly.
He tilted his head. “Not interested in being friends with him anymore?”
El snorted softly. “That’s up to him, I guess. Not the forgive and forget kinda girl.” She might give him another chance. But she sure as hell wasn’t going to just ignore the past like it never happened. Especially if he intended to just ignore it.
“If he apologized?”
A shrug. “Maybe.” But they would never be friends again if he didn’t. “If you leave him, he could blow up, right?”
Loki hummed softly in thought. “Perhaps not implode at this stage. But I could see a negative future in store for him if left to his own fate.” Either the Brotherhood of Mutants would entice him, or one of the anti-mutant factions could find him.
She sighed softly. “Dunno if we could ever be friends again. But if he says he’s sorry I won’t throw it in his face.” She squinted at him. “You really would just leave him if I didn’t want him here?”
“I would send him to Vanaheim instead.” She blinked owlishly. He grinned and lightly tapped under her chin with a single finger. “I will always have your back.”
She grinned brightly in return. “Lokis stick together.”
Loki nodded firmly. “Damn right we do.”
With a giggle she threw her arms around his neck to hug him. “Fine. He can come.”
He returned the gesture and squeezed gently. As he did, looking over her shoulder, he blinked at hearing something strange. El’s room was next to Talia and Melody’s shared room. The walls weren’t thin, but he could hear the repeated sound of jumping with Melody complaining…and Talia swearing colorfully. He sighed and pulled back to give El a look. “Unstick your sisters’ dolls from the ceiling.”
El opened her mouth to argue, but knew if she did he would just drag her next door to confirm what he’d already figured out. Pouting. “You’re no fun.”
Lifting an eyebrow, his green eyes flicking in the direction of the bookshelf lined with the various magical and non-magical books she’d accumulated so far. “Mmm…would you say such if I hex your books so they won’t open?”
Her eyes widened before she jumped to her feet. “Nope.” She quickly left to reverse her prank.
Abyss and Loki both shared a laugh.
***
MIDGARD
Charles Xavier paused and put the book in his hand on his lap after marking his place. He turned his head to see Loki stretched out on a stone bench a few feet from him, grinning. A black cat was with him, sitting next to his hip and purring softly. A beat and Charles turned his head to see Willow leaning against a nearby tree with her arms crossed. She was an obvious presence, but she wasn’t there to be intimidating.
Charles had thought to spend at least a little bit of his sparsely granted free time reading on the school grounds under the shade of a nearby tree. Apparently that was not meant to be.
In lieu of greeting Loki said, “I thought visiting you unexpectedly was appropriate.”
Charles nodded and played along. “Just for the sake of doing so?” He didn’t need to read Loki’s thoughts to know that the trickster was here because he wanted something.
A loose shrug from Loki. “You are the mind reader in this situation.”
Corrected the misconception. “I will typically refrain from doing so in most circumstances unless necessary.”
Loki tipped his head to the side as he studied him. “Ah. With your gift I would not be nearly that polite.” He’d proven that over the years with his own telepathic abilities, minor as they are in comparison to Charles. Sitting up, swinging his legs over the bench. “I am here to provide an altruistic solution to your problem.” He said this a little too sarcastically.
Charles deadpanned, “Really?”
The corner of Loki’s mouth twitched. “That might be part of it.”
A nod. “And your friend?”
Loki sent a wink in Willow’s direction who didn’t really react. “As a prince I have a warrior companion. In most cases, where I go so does she…loathe as she desires to accompany me to some of my destinations.”
Willow rolled her eyes.
Charles nodded. “I see.” He didn’t flinch or veer his gaze, the pair observing one another for a while.
Eventually a slow smirk formed on Loki’s face. “I have my own reasons but what I propose benefits you much more than me.”
Settling back. “What solution would that be?”
The humor faded from Loki’s face. “I am afraid ones like Travis are just the beginning.”
Charles knew every child in this school, so he needed no clarification about who Travis was. “When you say ones like Travis? Mutants?”
Correcting him quietly, “Spellcasters. Those with magic that are much more like me than you.”
“I was unaware a solution was needed.” Though a thread of worry, carefully hidden, did take hold inside of Charles. Usually when words like solution were used, it was a proposal to do away with the problem in some way. It never ended well for the mutant involved.
Loki, either unaware or unconcerned about what Charles was feeling, asked, “You consider the current state of your world as satisfactory?”
Immediately Charles’ mind moved to the protestors. The hate. The imprisonment. The military solutions. The fighting and the deaths. “Of course not. But there has to be a way that we can all peacefully coexist.”
Mentally Loki winced. He’d encountered men like this before. Their optimism was exhausting. “And in the meantime what do you propose to do to educate these casters?”
Xavier made a sweeping motion to the grounds and the building beyond them. “This is a school.”
Nodding and standing. “Ah. So you have it all well in hand.”
“Precisely.”
“You--…” Loki cut himself off. He could feel her. He didn’t know who she was, but it was an incredible amount of power that surrounded her. Then he cocked his head to one side. There was agitation in the magic. A hum in the air with sharp teeth. That wasn’t good. Willow noticed his reaction and tensed. “Excuse me.”
He vanished in a flash of green and reappeared in a courtyard of the school with Willow and Abyss on either side of him. The tension was high. The air crackled with temper and magic.
There seemed to be two sides. Piotr Rasputin, also known as Collosas, was standing next to his little sister Illyana Rasputin. On the opposite side was Shock as well as Travis Miller. It was obvious the standoff was between Travis and Illyana. Other children were there, watching what was going on but not daring to interfere.
He had no idea what had started the fight and he really didn’t care. “Children?” He’d known just from meeting him that Travis had a dangerous level of anger running through him. Taking in the sheer size of Collosas and the coils of power wrapped around Illyana, he had no idea that anger had reached what he had mentally labelled stupidity-anger. Advising Travis quietly, “Perhaps, you should not pick on someone who could kick your ass?”
Travis boldly eyed Collosas. “I can take him.”
Shock didn’t look half as confident.
A pair of adults had rushed up, but they both stopped short to see Loki. Then their heads both cocked as if hearing something.
With a snort Loki ignored them, who were obviously taking their cues from Xavier, and pointed to the small girl. “Not him. Her.”
Travis had a funny look on his face. “What? That?”
Loki raised an eyebrow in return. Apparently Travis was just as prone to judge with his eyes as Aesir were. Which annoyed him. Hands behind his back, he wandered over to the siblings before he leaned down and whispered in Illyana’s ear. She blinked at him in confusion. On a hunch he switched to Allspeak and tried again. He’d gotten too used to speaking English.
The young girl grinned and pointed. A portal appeared under Travis’ feet and he fell through it…into the fountain a good 20 feet away.
Shrugging, “Yes. That.”
The jaws of the other two adults dropped. Willow just chuckled softly.
He sent Shock a warning look, who held up his hands slightly in surrender before jogging over to check on Travis. Loki turned his attention to her. A witch shouldn’t have this well of power. It wasn’t impossible, it was just complicated.
In her case he could sense her link to Limbo. Limbo was notorious for having issues with the rules of time and space not working as they should. No wonder she leaked power. A child in body, but her magical spirit was decades older. It wasn’t just an issue of her caste. No mortal was built for this. The times that he’d seen this link to Limbo happen hadn’t resulted in happy endings. One way or another, it would shorten her already limited lifespan if he did nothing.
He smiled gently and held out his hands. She glanced at her brother who shifted a bit but didn’t object. She extended her hands into his, and slowly closed her eyes as a wave of peace swept over her. She could hear an echo of his voice.
Do you miss how it used to be?
She frowned slightly in confusion. “What do you mean?”
To be a witch once more. The little spells. Making your dolls dance. Making flowers bloom.
She sighed softly. “Yes.”
Would you rather go back to that?
“Could I?”
Oh, yes. You could. It will be like you never found the Otherplace.
“But I can still be here with Piotr?” It was safe here. She didn’t need the Otherplace if she got to stay.
She heard a soft hum of amusement. You will always be a mutant. No doubt one day you will learn to harness your ability to teleport. I will even gift to you a spell book for your eyes only.
“Please.”
Because she was so young it was painless, like dusting off a book’s cover. A few careful swipes with light fingers, a little attention around the book’s spine, and when he let her hands go her power was again where it was meant to be with no link to Limbo to be found.
“Illyana?” She looked up and smiled brightly at her big brother who relaxed.
From the ether Loki pulled out a magical primer, tapping it with two fingers before holding it out to her. As soon as she took it the spell took hold. A spell to ensure this was a book for her eyes only. A language spell wrapped around it so she could read it. Illyana transferred that smile to Loki and hugged the book.
Soaking wet, Travis stomped over. “You little—”
Loki was suddenly there, hand firmly grasping the back on his neck to hold him still. Hissing in his ear. “You will go to retrieve your belongings. Then, you will report to the Headmaster’s office.”
Shock, who had been rapidly following his friend, skidded to a stop.
Travis struggled. “Or what?”
The reply was silky and full of warning. “I do not believe in turning children into creatures to make them heel. That does not mean I cannot make you believe you are a dog.” Not that he would. But he needed to say something to cut through that anger.
Loki let him go, expression serious. Travis paled and took a half step back. Eyes flicking around, seeing no one to turn to for sympathy, with slouched adolescent angst he turned to obey. Shock followed.
Waiting just long enough, “Gooood, puppy.”
Travis paused and his shoulders tightened. Then he kept going without looking up.
Piotr observed quietly, “He will run.”
Loki nodded. He knew what he was doing. Travis needed to run and work through some of these emotions to even be capable of listening. He snorted at Piotr. “I would be most disappointed if he went passively along.”
Willow huffed. “You do have a way with people.”
He flashed her a look of mock-hurt. She rolled her eyes again.
When Loki reappeared with Abyss and Willow, Xavier was looking less than impressed. “That was your solution?”
Loki was equally as unimpressed. “You said matters were well in hand?”
A hint of exasperation crossed Charles’ face. “Children do not always get along.”
Squinting. “You feel that young Illyana’s situation tied to Limbo was acceptable? That Travis as an enchanter should be permitted to continue with that level of rage burning through him?” His eyes flashed emerald. “Are you incompetent in addition to being a hopeless idealist?”
Xavier folded his hands in his lap. “I do believe you brought young Travis to me—”
“My mistake if this is your attitude!”
Shrugging almost helplessly. “What would you have me do, Loki? Force the boy to go to therapy sessions he is unwilling to attend?”
Retorting sharply. “Yes, actually.”
“Or shall I just have an empath remove his emotions entirely?”
Xavier was clearly being sarcastic, but the question still made Loki flinch. Because the reality was, it wasn’t beyond the capability of an empath that was powerful enough.
Abyss’ ears flattened back as he hissed with a warning growl.
Charles’ eyes moved to the cat, slightly startled to feel the intelligence he found there.
But then the mage collected himself and countered, “Obtain a competent master of spellcraft.”
“We have none.”
Loki had been hoping the man would bring that up. “Would you make use of them if you did?”
Asking curiously, “You are offering?”
Wagging a finger. “I have four children, one of them being my apprentice. I am also soon to be Viceroy of my realm. I do not have the time to spare.” A tilt of his head. “However, I might be able to make some arrangements with my aunt who is the Headmistress of Vanaheim’s University.”
Xavier made a welcoming gesture with his arms. “This is a school so we could always use another teacher.”
Loki nodded, not allowing himself to smirk in victory. That was the proverbial foot in the door he needed. From that concession, there was a lot he could do with it. “Travis is no longer your problem.”
Correcting the mage, “The boy belongs here.”
A slow, considering nod. “Mmm, so you can guarantee you can control his magical caste and that he won’t either be dead or part of your counterpart’s group in five years?” He noted the man’s minute wince. “You cannot. How could you? You have an entire school of children to look after.” Wrapping just a hint of persuasion in his voice. “I know a gruff old general on Asgard. He will be able to get through to Travis.”
Charles looked almost amused as he shrugged off the effects. “You think that is what he needs?”
Loki fought not to sulk about it. “I think…I recognize his type of anger more than you ever will.” The reasons were vastly different, but that is not what matters. As a child he may not have been as angry as Travis, but Tyr still stepped in. He treated him like a nephew when he needed such a role model in his life. “On Asgard, he will also get the magical education he needs. Once he is of age, he can decide from there where he desires to be.”
Asking curiously, “Was this your entire reason for being here?”
As if he ever acted without more than one reason. Such a waste of resources. “In the tunnels under the thumb of a madman it occurred to me that you may have control over matters now but by the next generation your species will spiral.”
Charles frowned mildly. “What do you mean?” He was aware that there was only so much that could be taken at face value from Loki.
Loki could lie. But this was yet another example where the truth was worse than any lie he could concoct. “Yours is a species saturated with so much seidr potential that within a generation, perhaps two at most, you will have more seiđmađr and seidkona within your people than you can handle.” Unless humans started destroying all budding casters. And based on what he knew, he wasn’t dismissing it was a possibility. “Which will mean you will not see the last of sorcerers like Wilson.”
“Thank you for the warning.”
Loki made a scoffing sound. “I do not offer just as a warning. I say this because there are those beyond your realm that are watching the situation.”
Sighing in exasperation. “I am not going to just hand over our children to you.”
Rolling his eyes in frustration. “I am not—” A pause before Loki sighed through his nose. “Read my thoughts.” He wasn’t fond of the thought. If Charles was affected by his persuasive talents he wouldn’t need to. But that wasn’t to be and he wasn’t interested in being here all day trying to talk this man around.
Charles considered for a moment, but Loki didn’t retract the offer. After that hesitation he did. But Xavier remained a polite guest and only saw what Loki offered for him to see. Once done, he leaned back in his chair and swallowed.
Loki gave the man a little time to absorb all of that before he asked, “Now do you see?”
Xavier did. More than he wanted to. Loki had shown him 3 things. The first, his memory of the scorched remains of a once thriving city after a Vanir sorceress who had repressed her gift had imploded. The second, the story of the mage who had moved her people’s entire planet so they could survive. And three, what Wilson had done in his ignorance, threading his own spells through the threads that kept Earth in one piece.
The ones like Loki and Travis and Illyana weren’t like himself and other mutants. Most mutants were a danger to themselves until in control. An untrained caster using magic could be devastating to those around them. And they didn’t have to be like Wilson. It could be completely unintended harm. But for a caster to not use their gift was just as dangerous if not more so, either with physical destruction or murderess insanity.
Loki held up his hand. “Five levels of a caster. Dabbler. Witch, that is what Illyana was born to be. Sorcerer, that would be the insane killer Wilson. Enchanter, Travis. Mage. Me. It is never recommended that a student of magic have a higher caste than their teacher.”
“And each subsequent generation creates stronger castes?”
A wobble of his hand. That was true only to a certain extent. “Not necessarily. It would be fairer to say that each generation breeds the increased possibility of a caster. It is the soul of the person within our shells that determines the caste.” And for the children who had strong souls like their powerful parents led to they being powerful. But there were many children who were nothing like their parents. “My dam had magic while my sire had none, yet I am a mage. Conversely I know of sorcerers and witches that had magical partners and produced dabblers.”
“They will not all be here.” Charles’ warning wasn’t just about mutants being found beyond the school. The state. It was a warning that they were all over the world.
Loki nodded, having already assumed that. “No, they will not. We are working on that. Nor am I proposing to snatch your children. Just this one.”
Giving the trickster a look. “Until another enchanter or mage comes along.”
He wasn’t going to confirm that, even if it was probably true. “We will cross that bridge as we approach. Thankfully, or not depending on your point of view, the higher the caste, the rarer their numbers. But because of that, it is difficult to find a sufficiently powerful mentor for them. Asgard is a good place for Travis because I may not be teaching him directly but I am not far if needed.”
Slowly Charles nodded. He didn’t consider it ideal, since the boy should be able to grow up on his own planet. But needs must and what Loki was proposing sounded like the best alternative. “You should know that certain parties within the government have been looking for an excuse to shut this school down.”
That intrigued Loki. He wasn’t surprised. He’d learned a while back that if the governing powers feared a group, they would fear that group being organized even more. Even if it was just a school. Though, based on the sneaking around he’d been doing, this place housed more than just students. “Hmm… how coincidental I have been speaking with a Senator recently. Perhaps if we are willing to work together we can both achieve our goals.”
Asking warily, “What is your goal?”
Ignoring the reaction. He was rather used to it at this stage of his life. Besides, only fools were unwary of him. “I prefer to plan contingencies never needed than to scramble under a triage mindset.”
“Why?”
Loki blinked and said at least part of his reason for even wanting to get involved. “A mage, one of my own, died on this planet. I choose to take that personally.” Xavier frowned slightly at him. A frown that indicated he knew there was much more to it. The corner of Loki’s mouth twitched in amusement before he supplied the strongest reason without getting too deep into the explanation. “Two of my daughters are human mutants. To prevent losing them, if that means your species benefits then so be it.”
***
While Loki and Charles were talking, up in the dorms Travis was stuffing the last of his stuff into a duffle before slinging it across the opposite shoulder.
Shock was watching him. “You can’t go.”
Muttering an excuse. “I’m not waiting around for him to turn me into a lizard or something.” It’s not that he was scared of Loki, perse. Maybe nervous. Maybe. But he was tired of just doing what he was told. And the anger was an itching, clawing thing within him. “You could come.”
“Travis…” Shock trailed off. He really liked Travis. For a while it had just been the two of them. A random meeting at the same shelter. They’d relied on one another. But here? He liked it here. He’d made a few tentative friends and they were surrounded with people like them.
Travis nodded slowly. He didn’t blame Shock for wanting to stay. He was a bit disappointed but he wasn’t surprised. “I get it. It’s okay. I’m just…this isn’t for me.” They were all kids here. Yes, they’d been kicked out of their families but they just seemed so young to him. And no one understood him which just pissed him off more.
Adult understanding felt too much like pity.
A beat before Shock slugged him loosely at the shoulder. “Don’t be an idiot, okay. If you get stuck, call me.”
Travis nodded and clapped Shock on his shoulder. Shock returned the gesture. With a shadow of a smile Travis took off through a side exit.
Neither noticed the invisible figure following. Loki made certain of that.
***
ASGARD
Fury was frowning heavily. He’d debated saying anything but eventually he couldn’t keep the question quiet any longer. “Okay. I’m gonna regret asking this but…am I crazy or did I see the same damn cat in the last three gardens?”
From a distance the palace looked like a solid structure of stone and gold. Which, even up close, it was. What he hadn’t expected where the quantity of gardens and nature dominated courtyards that made up the palace.
Reed seemed to take a moment to smother his amusement. “You are not…crazy.”
Nick shook his head. “That’s impossible.”
Ordinarily Reed would agree with him. If it were just a normal cat. “Are mortals aware of what a familiar is?”
Nodding, remembering the black cat in Stark’s tower. “Loki’s got one of them.”
A slight nod in return. “The prince does. Are you aware of what they are?”
Shrugging casually even if his dark eye was curious. “Cats. Other than that, not really.” A talking cat that was sometimes snarkier than his owner.
The elf’s face shifted ever so slightly. A tiny indication of amusement that most Aesir would be oblivious to. “It is not that your observation is wrong, but it is limited.”
“Limited.”
Reed nodded. He wasn’t a caster, but he was elven. His people were well educated when it came to magic users and their familiars. “Familiars are…companions to the caster they choose, but they are not pets. Most speak. They are a guide along the path, and a reflection of the one chosen. They carry their own magic and their own will. Particularly those that have either not found their caster yet, or that outlive them.”
Jerking his thumb over his shoulder. “The silver cat?”
Repeating what he’d heard. “She is the mother of the clan of Vanir-cats that now occupy the palace grounds. She also outlived the caster she chose.”
All this still didn’t mean much to Fury. “Which means what?”
“She has the magic of a fully trained seidkona, but with a cat’s moral compass.” Fury’s dark eye widened at that horrifying thought. He may never understand how Loki did the things that he did, but he’d learned to respect it. To think that an animal could do those same things, and nobody to stop them from doing something they shouldn’t. “Do not worry. She had decided to be here to protect the Prince’s children.”
Nick looked around. There were Aesir all over the place, guards as well as those that obviously weren’t. “And…why do the kids need guards?” Was Asgard under constant threat of attack?
Not even Fury was able to detect the subtle shifting of Reed’s expression. He had to rely on the words to tell him how the elf felt about the matter. “On Alfheim, no one would dare put hands on the Et’ana. On Vanaheim both physical and verbal respect is maintained towards elected rulers. The same respect also applies to the kin of these leaders. Some type of corruption has embedded within the culture of the palace inhabitants.”
The Director blinked. “Surprised Loki puts up with that shit.”
“Why are you surprised?” Reed was mildly curious more than anything.
Gesturing as if the trickster was in front of them. “He was pretty quick to correct me when I crossed a line.”
Reed wasn’t one to gossip. But he knew enough of what had happened to convey enough for Fury to draw the right conclusion. “Perhaps because you do not answer to his father, therefore, he has the freedom to do so by any means necessary.”
That sobered Fury, because he also got what Reed wasn’t saying. That this had been going on for centuries, an environment that Loki had grown up in. No wonder the trickster was a bit screwed up. “Fair point. Why cats?”
Why not? “A compact body, agile, and silent. Also it is very difficult to distinguish an ordinary cat from a familiar.” Until it was far too late. “What you saw was a duplication spell. An illusion. I believe her previous caster was an enchantress on Vanaheim who died in a shuttle accident. This means the cat will be similarly powerful. No one except perhaps Prince Loki will have the ability to stop her.”
“Ah, and since she’s protecting the kids, he won’t.” He nodded to himself in agreement. “Can’t fault it.”