Resurrection

Chapter -7

Peter woke up to the sunlight penetrating through the window. Someone had drawn up the curtains for the sunlight to enter the room. Peter stretched his body feeling a contentment that he had never felt for the past year. In these awakening moments, he could almost believe that he was a normal teenager, one who loved to play with Legos and spend time by talking with his best friend.

“I see you are awake. Would you like some tea?” he heard the voice of Loki carrying a tray in his hand. Suddenly he remembered the events that happened yesterday. The long ceremony, Tony and Tony’s wrath.

 He suddenly was aware of the hand coaxing him out of the foetal position. The wrecked sobs that he heard were coming from himself and he couldn’t stop from shivering.

“It’s okay. Yes we brought Tony and yes it wasn’t how we expected but your Tony is here” Loki said in tiny whispers not to startle him further. Peter wanted to go back to his Tony but the rejections and Tony’s regrets were still fresh in his mind. He wasn’t sure whether he had the courage to face it again.

“I like to see Tony” Peter said in a hushed whisper holding Loki’s torso.

“We will meet him but not right now. Right now you need food, and maybe some air. Tony is still asleep but I am afraid he will be awake within an hour or so. So it would be better if you are prepared for it”, he knew that Loki was not trying to hurt him but be blunt about the facts. Yet the boy couldn’t stop from wincing.

Peter washed his face and came out to see Loki looking out the window. Like this he could see how much Loki had experienced in the past years even though he looked barely above twenty five.

“Loki…. Why did you change to a woman yesterday?”

“What do you mean?” Loki asked folding his arms and turned around to meet the frightened eyes of the boy.

“Yesterday, after the ritual you turned into a woman. Is it because you were weakened?”

“No, I am a gifted shape shifter. That being said it is easy for me to transition from man to woman. Jotunn by nature are both man and woman. The reason I changed into a woman was not because I was weakened. Seeing my Vali and Narvi, though I know that it was just the souls trying to coerce themselves out, yet when I saw them… I suppose my motherly instincts were awakened.” Loki trailed his voice clearly in discomfort.

“You gave birth to your children?” Peter asked bemused.

“Vali and narvi were my children from Sigyn. My beloved wife all though these days she spites me. Hardly anyone gives me the benefit of doubt. But as for the children I gave birth, there is my slepnir, Hela, Fenrir and Jormugunnd.”

“Do you meet them often?” Peter asked realising how all the stories he read as a child were no longer myths.

“I would like if you would discontinue this conversation” Loki said not at all looking at his direction.

“I am sorry”.

“Don’t be child. Further yesterday you looked so vulnerable. One more reason why my natural instinct turned me to a woman” Loki continued guiding Peter to the sorcerer’s library.

Whatever peace they felt was interrupted, when Doctor strange crashed into Loki with an angry growl “what did you do to the man, you vile creature? What kind of lies did you tell to us?”

Thor was standing beside his brother in an instinct, his hand crackling –“it would benefit you if you let my brother go. My brother had told no lies, made no foolish promises to you. He said the man of Iron will not be the same as before!” outside they could hear the thunder rumbling as a testimony to Thunder God’s agitation.

“Did you see how Tony was when he woke up? He was unrecognisable like he was awakened from a grave. Like a mindless beast! If I hadn’t use my power then Peter would have been turned to ashes” Strange said loosening the grip in Loki’s collar.

“And how would I know about this you imbecile! I don’t know what happened but Anthony is clearly more powerful than we made out to be. Further I did warn you that he was in Valhalla, he was in favour of Gods. When you intervene with decisions of God they will make the punishment more unbearable. But I know this much, this was not my predicament. There is going to be some part of sacrifice he has to make. What you saw was his powers.”

“I thought you were bringing him back as a mortal” Strange said his voice still quivering.

“I told you it was impossible. Mortals can’t be brought back. He is immortal and he is like one of us. He was in Valhalla that means he can choose either to be good or evil. But he is like one of us. Give or take five thousand years”.

“What if he chooses to be evil?”

It was Thor who answered. “If he chooses to be evil, then he will be more powerful than Thanos”.