Green Tinted Glass

Loki was fucked. Severely fucked. 

His mind was scattered and frantic, a cacophony of screaming voices fighting for dominance. One urged him to stop thinking at all, that The Other might still be able to hear his thoughts. Loki nodded to himself, if The Other was still in his head he was already dead, simply living on borrowed time. 

Stupid Odin listening to that idiotic Midgardian vouching for him. This all would have been so much easier if Odin had killed him. 

Still… another, more optimistic voice said, If the Hulk dislodged The Other’s grip on you, you may yet have a chance of surviving…

Loki squashed the thought. Optimism was at fault for the disgrace his life had come to be. 

If only he had accepted that Odin would never see him as equal to Thor. He could have lived out the rest of his life in luxury as a forgotten second-born prince. 

Optimism had seen him falling through a void to the feet of that prune-headed beast. 

Loki was an idiot. A stupid, prideful idiot. A murderer. A Jotun. A Monster. 

Perhaps if the Agent succeeded in convincing Odin to let Loki face Midgardian punishment, then they would find him worthy of the ax. He deserved to rot in Hel for the things he had done. 

Loki huffed to himself and slammed his book on the table. He had read it a thousand times anyway, and his eyes had begun skimming over the last few paragraphs. He sighed and laid back on his bed, staring up at the bright white ceiling. Perhaps the Goddess Nott would grant him an hour of blissful unconsciousness. 

As Loki’s vision faded to black and his dreams began, he knew he would not be granted such a luxury. 

—

Whispers in the dark.

Overlapping voices, calling for him. 

One emerges from the fray:

“Loki.” Hissed a voice. One Loki knew all too well.

“I’m not afraid of you.” Loki said through gritted teeth. He fiddled with his shaking hands. Not real. Just a dream. 

“You have disappointed him.” The Other hissed. 

“Get out of my head!” Loki snarled.

“Oh, I am. That hulk creature did quite a number on the magic binding us together. It seems for now, we are severed.”

A small relief, at least. Loki twisted in the dream. He was in an inky black void. The ground beneath his feet seemed unstable.

Loki ran. Surely there was a way out of this unconscious prison, into regular dreamland, or better yet, consciousness. The void in which he stood seemed to become a thick slurry, gripping onto his limbs and impeding his movement. Loki attempted to swim through it, but it was no use. 

“Do not think just because we are no longer connected that I cannot make you suffer!” The Other snarled. 

Suddenly the weight of the void lifted, giving way to the lightness of air. Loki looked up and saw Odin's face. No, impossible- he was dangling from the bifrost once again. 

“Father!” Loki pleaded, “Please!” He held out his hand for Odin to help him up. 

“You were a mistake!” Odin spat, and let go of Loki’s arm. He fell into the abyss, stars elongating into slivers of light as the wormhole swallowed him whole. Loki screamed, and The Other cackled joyously. 

Loki hit the ground in an impact that shattered bones. He groaned, laying on his back. 

“Loki.” said the voice that had haunted Loki’s mind since he first heard it. 

No.

Loki’s breath caught in his throat. He struggled to choke down air. No, no, no, no, no!

It was him. 

Bones screaming in protest, Loki scrambled backwards, putting as much distance as possible between him and-

A rough hand grabbed him by the throat, raised him into the air. 

“You betrayed me.” Thanos growled. “Even with all my encouragement, you thwarted me from the start.”

Loki met the beast's eyes. “Leave me alone!” He screamed. 

“Here and now, I will be merciful.” Thanos said, his grip around Loki’s throat growing tighter. “Trust that when we meet again, you will not be so fortunate. Traitor.”

Loki screamed, and Thanos snapped his neck. 

—

Loki woke with a start, grabbing at his throat, at the pain he could still feel there. 

He couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t- 

Loki vomited over the side of his bed.

He slumped over, panting, the adrenaline from the dream slowly wearing off. He coughed, trying to suck enough oxygen into his lungs. His hair was dripping with sweat. With a wave of his hand, he magicked the mess away and groaned as he sat up. His limbs shook with the after pangs of fear. 

Perhaps he was stupid to have disregarded the mortal’s help: She could prove to be of use, and seemed to understand that there was more to Loki’s story than the version he had crafted. That made her a threat, and a resource. A gamble. 

Would she even be willing to re-extend her offer after Loki so callously put her down? He would have to prove himself trustworthy. 

A difficult endeavor, considering he had tried to take over her planet. And kill her brother. And kill her friends. 

Loki sighed, rubbing his temples. He had already made up his mind. 

After all, it isn’t gambling if you have nothing to lose. 

—

Loki lay on his bed in his cell, throwing and catching a paperweight over and over. Plans were forming and being discarded in his mind. He had yet to come across one that he liked enough to carry through. 

If only he had not wasted the Angel’s meeting with him. He could have manipulated her into freeing him. She seemed eager to believe anything other than the lies he had presented her with. 

Loki chuckled to himself. 

Foolish mortal. He thought, but smart, too. 

Just then, a ruckus erupted a few cells down. Probably some angered prisoners brawling over a petty disagreement. Loki continued to plot. 

A shudder of energy went through the dungeon, and Loki sat up. That was shield magic… a breakout?

Sure enough, the two guards on watch duty hurried past his cell, shouting a battle cry as they charged at something out of Loki’s sight. Their cries soon turned to screams as the hidden enemy dealt with them. Loki was intrigued now. An infiltration, perhaps? This would suit him nicely. 

Freed criminals rushed past his cell, running for the exit. Loki watched as their rescuer came into view- some cursed being, power emanating off of him. His skin was black as coal, cracked with glowing streams of magma. He let out a roar as he punched the force-field of the cell opposite Loki’s, and it shattered apart. The prisoners cheered, and ran for the door. 

Loki smiled devilishly as the creature approached his cell. 

That's it, you beast. Free me like you did them. 

The creature studied him for a moment. Then it turned, heading for the exit. 

“You might want to take the stairs to the left.” Loki called out after it. That would lead him to the shield generator. With Asgard’s defences down, Loki was sure he could weasel himself out of this prison. And the satisfaction of seeing Odin fret… yes, this would do nicely.

The creature turned, acknowledging Loki’s suggestion, and then continued on its way. 

Now all Loki had to do was wait. 

—

A black, starless sky. Dull gray earth. 

An army of destruction, stretching into the distance, the rhythmic thump of their boots echoing throughout the plains. 

In the sky, giant portals leading to a plethora of different worlds begin to align. 

A red force of pure power and kinetic energy controlled by a man whose eyes are black on black, no whites to be found.

His army gives a war cry, and the universe crumbles into darkness. 

Lucia woke with a gasp, covered in sweat. The impending doom of the dream still clinging to her. Her room was awash with a green glow that was coming from-

Lucia sucked in a breath. The necklace Frigga had given her was glowing. 

Her door slammed open, and the glow was gone. Aliex rushed into the room. 

“You must ready yourself, Miss!” She rushed over to the bathroom, collecting a damp, cool towel. 

“Wha- why?” Lucia asked as Aliex handed her the towel. Her head was throbbing. Lucia gratefully wiped her face with the towel, and clamored out of bed as Aliex prepared her a tunic. 

“There’s been an invasion, and someone broke into the dungeons, and Thor has brought a sick mortal woman to Asgard, and there’s talk of Dark elves, and Malekith, and the convergence-” 

“Woah, slow down!” Lucia urged as she fumbled her way into the tunic. She searched her drawers and strapped on her belt and daggers. Couldn’t she get just a few hours of peaceful sleep?

“You must find Frigga immediately. I must go and attend to my other duties.” Aliex rushed for the door. 

“What other duties could you have during an invasion?” Lucia called after her.

“None of your business!” 

Lucia chuckled and dug her guns out of the bottom of the drawers. On second thought, perhaps she should put her suit on. She quickly undressed and put her S.H.I.E.L.D suit on underneath her tunic. Much better. 

Armed to the nines and ready to fight, Lucia strode out of her bedroom. The palace was in chaos, alarm horns were sounding throughout the halls and beyond in the city. 

Could this be Loki’s doing? Lucia thought. But no, this was too chaotic, too uncontrolled. Loki had a talent for mischief and chaos, but he was a strategist, and his plans always suited him in some way. Someone else was attacking.

Without even thinking about it, Lucia’s legs carried her towards the dungeons. 

The chaos of the halls was nothing compared to the utter insanity of the dungeons. Prisoners were running free everywhere, and countless guards and warriors were battling them. Lucia spotted a mop of blond hair in the fray. 

“Fandral!” She shouted, dropping the prisoner who was about to slice his head off. 

“Lady Stark! How nice of you to finally join us!” he shouted back, shoving a prisoner into a wall. Lucia sliced her way towards him. 

“It’s as if they resent being imprisoned!” Fandral quipped, kicking one poor sucker in the chest and sending him right into one of Lucia’s knives. She moved with practiced grace, slicing down opponent after opponent. 

“There's no pleasing some creatures.” Bellowed Volstagg as he came charging in with his ax, cutting down countless prisoners in one fell swoop. He sent one flying, the creature slamming into the force-field on the other side of the room. With a laugh, Lucia realized Loki was calmly reading on the other side. 

At least he’s still contained. She thought. 

A barrage of blue electricity blew through the room, dropping a dozen enemies. 

“Return to your cells, no further harm will come to you. You have my word.” Thor’s voice boomed throughout the dungeon. A horde of prisoners charged him. “Very well, you do not have my word!” He bellowed, and launched himself into the middle of the fight. 

One by one, the four of them took the prisoners out, fighting back to back. 

“Where’s Sif?” Lucia asked as she punched a horned creature in the head and sent three more crumpling to the ground with a wave of her fist. Her training in Asgard had raised her endurance with her powers. “She would enjoy this.”

“Probably helping secure the palace.” Shouted Volstagg. 

“Ah, well. More for us!” laughed Fandral as he sliced a prisoner across the chest. 

The ground beneath them gave a great jolt, and a cold sense of dread crept over Lucia as rocks tumbled from the ceiling. Lucia dropped the last of the prisoners to the ground. 

“Somethings happening in the palace!”

“Mother.” Thor said, a worried look on his face. “Jane…” without another word, he turned and raced up the stairs to the palace. 

—

The funeral procession for the All-mother was long and beautiful. Her body, artistically laid on a mourning boat and surrounded with flowers, was solemnly paraded through the city that night. The lanterns were lit, the arrows were fired, and the All-mother was laid to rest in the sea of stars beyond Asgard’s edge. 

Thor hadn’t said a word. Jane (and what a shock that was, to see the Jane Foster, renowned astrophysicist and foremost astronomer, on Asgard!) had explained what had happened. Had explained the whole situation: That the Dark Elf Malekith and his army had come to restore the universe to its ‘former glory’ by using the Aether, a dark power that was trapped inside Jane’s body. That Frigga had died protecting her. Lucia cursed herself. She should have heeded Aliex’s advice and gone to find Frigga when the alarms first sounded. If she had, Frigga might still be alive. 

Yet more blood on Lucia’s hands. 

“We are still unable to restore the palace shields.” Fandral said, and Lucia zoned back in on the conversation. She ignored the phantom sensation of slick, warm blood covering her hands. “Our artillery cannot detect them. Even Heimdal cannot see them.” Fandral continued with his report. “My king… we are all but defenseless.”

Odin seemed lost in thought. 

“She’s your prisoner now?” Thor said loudly, barging  into the meeting. 

“Leave us.” Odin commanded. Everyone did. Lucia walked down the halls side by side with Fandral, Sif and Volstagg. 

“So,” She began after they had left the company of the guards, “We’re all thinking the same thing, aren’t we?” Go after Malekith, destroy the Aether. 

Sif nodded grimly. “It’s likely the plan of action Thor is trying to push as we speak. If he fails to gain the All-Father’s consent…” 

“Doing anything that goes against his verdict would be considered the highest form of treason.” Fandral finished. 

Lucia smirked, “Sounds fun.” 

—

Late that night, a letter was slipped under Lucia’s door as she was preparing for bed. 

Ambrosia square, alley to the left. 15 paces. 10 o'clock. 

Time to have some fun. Lucia slipped on a cloak over her suit and crept out of her room. There was no sign of the messenger. She exited the palace and made for the gardens, where she knew there was only a high fence separating the royal gardens from the city terraces. She swiftly climbed it, making sure to be light on her feet as she landed on the other side. Carefully, she crept through the streets of Asgard, sticking to the shadows. At last, she reached the place mentioned in the letter, And followed three cloaked figures into a small house. 

“My friends,” Began Thor as Lucia, Sif, Fandral and Volstagg took off their hoods. “Thank you for coming.” The group of them gathered around a small wooden table. Lucia spotted Heimdal lurking in the shadows.

“What I’m about to ask you is treason of the highest order. Success will bring us exile, and failure shall mean our death.” Thor looked into each of their faces. He saw nothing but determination. 

“Malekith knew the Aether was here. He can sense its power.” Thor continued, “if we do nothing, he will come for it again but this time lay waste to all of Asgard. We must move Jane off-world.”

“The bi-frost has been shut down,” Sif questioned, “and the tesseract locked away in the vault.”

“There are other paths off Asgard.” Heimdal answered. “Ways known only to a few.” 

“One, actually.” Thor corrected. 

Lucia sighed. “Loki.”

Thor nodded. 

“No…” Volstagg protested. Fandral rolled his eyes. 

“He will betray you.” 

“He will try.” Thor agreed.

“Well, what then?” Fandral questioned, “Your lovely mortal is being guarded by a legion of Einherjar who will see you coming from miles away.”

“I won’t be the one coming for her.” Thor explained. “Sif will.”

Sif gave Thor an annoyed look but nodded her agreement. “And what of the All-father?”

“It is my sworn duty to notify him of crimes against the throne.” Said Heimdal, “I will summon Odin to the Bifrost gate. It will buy you some time.”

“Assuming you can get Loki’s help and you can free this mortal, what good would it do? We’d all be dead the minute we step one foot outside the palace!” Volstagg argued. 

“That, my friend, is why we won’t be leaving by foot.” 

—

The plan was announced. Lucia nodded, and one by one, the others gave their agreement too. 

They were going to free the god of mischief.