3 Interlude Loki
Loki was asleep. Moments later he felt someone somehow meddling in his mind and suddenly became lucid in his own dream. He had a strong mind. Only the Mind Stone could break his defenses, and now it was not possible. He had a nightmare about his mother again. Ever since he saw her die on TVA, it haunted him. His wonderful mother, dead on the ground. Her eyes was closed. Her honey curls scattered across the floor. He didn't want this to ever happen. He will kill any Dark Elf left in the universe. He has never liked to kill, but he will do whatever it takes to keep his mother alive. He denied her that she was his mother. How could he do that? He could be contradicting Thor and his father. He was so angry with them then. But why would he be against her? Did he still have a grudge against her support for his father's lies? Why did he say that? He should have asked Owen, but he was afraid to. He was afraid to hear the truth. After all, he was a God of Lies, ironically. Owen kept saying it was just manipulation. He didn't kill her. Yet Loki had his doubts. He shouldn't have them. He should be able to distinguish between truth and lies. Only he wasn't as good as he should be. If he had been, he would have heard a lie when it was claimed that he was born the Second Prince of Asgard. He was good at manipulating, recognizing lies and truth. And yet it was still possible to lie to him. Was there Variant of Loki who found out the truth earlier because he was a better God of Lies? Loki's powers were acting weird. He never asked what it was like with Sylvie. Sometimes the lie seemed so obvious and sometimes it didn't. He envied Thor, who was able to cause a storm and change the weather from an early age. Even in that, his older brother was better. He controlled his power on cue.
You are our son, Loki and we are your family
It wasn't a lie. It was the most honest truth his mother believed. Yet he was not convinced. Take the Jotunheim monster and raise it with your own son? He was angry at his mother's excuses about his father's motives. However, she was his mother! So why would he deny her in a cell? Was he really that petty?
He still remembered two days in the Asgard crypt. The first time their father told them about the war. The second time, he standing in front of the coffin. On the first day, he tried to be polite at all costs, because his father was unhappy with his words that his mother would leave Asgard. He suggested it then because he was afraid to be alone. He wanted mother to go on this trip too. But he couldn't say it outright. What a shame! The Prince of Asgard wants a mother while traveling! It would be laughed at him. Father would be upset.
He was 400 years old. He was sitting in the garden with a book. Winters in Asgard were usually very mild. This winter was different. There was so much snow! Loki has never seen so much snow in Asgard. He watched it with delight. Snowflakes covered everything. Suddenly he saw his mother in a coat coming towards him. Her coat was white with silver fur. White hood protected her head.
"Aren't you cold, Loki?" she asked, sitting down next to him.
"No, mother. I'm just reading the dragon chapter in Alfheim," he said, showing her the moving beasts in the book. Mom was smiling, but Loki clearly felt sad from her inside.
"Mom, why are you sad?" he asked.
"It's nothing, honey. I remembered something sad. But let me show you something" Mom moved her hand and suddenly one of the roses in her bush blossomed, despite the snow and frost. Loki put the book down and gently examined its red petals.Loki wanted to create a second rose for mom.He concentrated and moved his fingers, but his rose was ice. And suddenly it shattered into pieces that fell on his shoes.
"I'm so sorry, mom," Loki sighed, using magic to remove shards from the failed rose.
"Nothing happened. You'll learn. I also had problems when I studied magic," his mother replied, hugging him.
"Mom, tell me about how you learned magic," Loki asked. Before my mother could reply, however, Hugin appeared and started croaking. He flew around Loki and suddenly landed on a branch. Terrified, Loki jumped out of his mother's embrace. Father was calling for him! Did Loki do something wrong? Hugin was still staring at him.
"Go, darling, to your father. But eat this first. It will cheer you up and make you stronger" in mother's hands appeared a golden apple that she gave to Loki. He took them in his hands and began to crunch the apple nervously. It made him feel a little better. He felt a little stronger.
Loki followed Hugin, fearing why his father had summoned him. Father was angry with Loki for wasting his time in the garden instead of learning to fight
Loki heard a familiar scream. It was Sylvie. She seemed devastated. Loki was amazed at her presence. He mastered his dream landscape and turned Asgard into the forest where he first saw Thor after a year in Thanos' captivity. It was also there that he had recently met the Titan again. Everything went according to plan. Though Loki still trembled because of it.
"Sylvie, what are you doing in my dreams?" Sylvie had her back to him and turned to his voice.
Loki might be worried about how Sylvie got here. His mother's warning was still burning in his mind. It was very dangerous for magic users to walk in this way. It was possible to get tangled up in someone else's soul. It was possible to die. However, did this apply to Sylvie? She was Loki's Variant after all. She should not be in danger in a mind that also belonged in a way to hers. Yet his mother's theory of magic could not have foreseen such circumstances at all. Still, Loki was glad she was here. Even if he wanted to run away for a while earlier, he used Agent Barton, who had lovely children and a wonderful wife. They were very generous in allowing him to stay at home. Especially looking at who he was. The criminal who let the Chitauri into their world.
"You are real?" she asked as she walked over to him. There was distrust on her face until she touched his hand. Only then did her eyes glow with happiness. There was a strange relief in Loki's heart. Previously, he was afraid that no one would be happy about him. He hid it well. He was a master at it.
"Of course it is. You are in my mind. In my dreams. Normally you couldn't come in here. However, it seems like we connect somehow. Our minds. Probably because you and I are variants of the same being," Loki said. If only he could now pull out parchment and quill. He would immediately start sketching theories of magic to understand this!
"Why now? Not earlier?" Sylvie asked. It was a very good question. Loki didn't know the answer to that.
"I don't know, Sylvie. I didn't know that myself before. Only now. It seems like you and I are both sleeping at the same time. So we can connect. But it's still a secret. Maybe Owen will know. something about it. I never heard that someone could do something like that. Talking through dreams. In a way, that's great, "Loki said. His scholar's mind could find thousands of uses for this connection in no time.
"Or dangerous. And anyway, I want to shout at you because you left us without a word! We were worried about you! And Peter was crying," Sylvie snapped. She was right it could be dangerous. It had to be carefully investigated. How did this connection come about and how much did it affect them?
Yes, he left Sylvie, Peter, Owen and Stella. He needed to leave for a while, but he never wanted them to worry about him! Maybe he should know that will it happen. In Asgard, no one cared when he disappeared. Thor complained a little that he wasn't on the expedition with him again. Mother said he was grown up and could travel wherever he wanted, and father didn't even pay attention. It was normal for it to disappear.
They never worried about him.
It made a strange feeling in Loki's heart.
Finally, someone noticed he was gone.
He had to make it up to them, especially Peter.
He didn't want to hurt him. He's done enough already.
"Sylvie. I had to run away for a while. I'm safe, and Peter ..." Loki tried to explain it to her, but then he stopped.
"What's going on?" Sylvie asked, grabbing his arm.
Loki laughed. He should have seen it happen. Of course the Ancient One had questions after meeting them in the forest. However, such breaking into Loki's bedroom, what's more, violating his hosts' house was unacceptable. He guess he'll have to teach his old teacher some good manners. Mom taught him well.
"Ancient One. I can feel her magic," Loki replied.
"Who is the Ancient One?" Sylvie asked with amazement in her eyes.
"I'll tell you later. I have to go," Loki replied. He didn't want to leave Sylvie like that, but he had to take care of the Old One quickly. He would prefer not to have her life on his conscience if Barton were to take advantage of his gift.
Loki quickly created a duplicate who standing of his back to the golden portal that was forming. Loki himself hid his presence. The Ancient One came out of the portal. And Stella was here? What was she doing here? Why wasn't she with Sylvie, Owen, and Peter? What was happening?
"Loki, we have a problem," Stella said irritated. His duplicate eyes turned to Stella.
"You will deal with this in a moment. First, I'd like to chat with an old student for a moment," the Ancient One turned to Stell.
"But it's urgent," Stella argued.
"What is going on?" Loki asked.
"I challenge you to a duel of magic, Trickster," said Ancient One. Stella huffed and looked indignant.
A duel of magic.
It would be interesting.