First Impressions
“Kneel before me.” A tall raven haired man stood in front of a large group of people. He was clad in other worldly clothes which were all different shades of black, green and gold. A pair of golden horns sat on top of his head. A glowing blue staff sat in one hand.
Of course everyone was panicked, this man has just materialized in front of them. They scattered, attempting to get away from the unknown maniac.
But no matter where they ran, the man would reappear directly in their path. Screams filled the plaza as panic spread.
He materialized in front of the crowd once more before slamming his staff on the ground. Four identical men now surrounded the group of panicked civilians.
“I said, KNEEL!” The man shouted. His voice seemed to be amplified as it rose over the rows of terrified whimpers.
Within seconds every man, woman and child was kneeling before the godly figure. A cruel smirk pulled at his lips.
“Is not this simpler.” The man began. He raised his arms above the crowd as he moved between the rows of kneeling people. “Is this not your natural state? It’s the unspoken truth of humanity that you crave subjugation. The bright lure of freedom diminishes your life’s joy in a mad scramble for power.”
The copies of the man that were surrounding the crowd bore a similar evil grin. A few flickered as though they were made of mist.
“For identity.” The man continued, he was dominating over the kneeling people as they trembled as he passed them. “You were made to be ruled. In the end, you will always kneel.”
The large crowd shuddered as he spoke. Soon there was an ominous silence as a single woman rose from the crowd. She was wearing a simple pair of navy jeans, brown lumberjack style boots and a flannel shirt layered with a cargo jacket. Her brown eyes glinted with defiance as her strands of dirty blond hair swayed in the breeze.
“Not to men like you.” The woman began. The powerful man standing in front of her wanted to laugh at her weak insolence.
“There are no men like me.” The tall figure responded, a wicked grin spreading across his face.
“There are always men like you.” The woman didn’t waver from her position. The scared faced below her didn’t dare to look up.
“Look to this woman people.” The man began. He rose his glowing staff, pointing it directly at her chest. She didn’t back down. “Let her be an example.”
The staff began to burn bright with some sort of otherworldly energy. A single bright bolt escaped from the sharp tip, flying towards the woman. Instinctively she threw her hands over her face as some sort of useless protection. Preparing for the worst she held her ground, but nothing happened.
She pulled her hands down from her eyes and looked up. Towering above her was a blonde haired man, his locks blowing in the wind. He was covered in clothes a similar style to the maniac that had tried to attack her but his were red and silver. That green and gold man was now laying on the ground. He rose his head to the figure in front of her.
The blonde man didn’t move. The girl tried to see the best she could what was happening from her standing position behind him. The raven haired man got to his feet.
“Stop what you are going Loki.” The blonde one said. Loki. Weird name. The girl thought to herself.
“Trying to protect these cowering mortals again are we brother.” Loki responded. Brother? These two are related?
Loki was clutching his staff tightly. The girl soon noticed that in the blonde man’s hand sat a large silver hammer. There were some inscriptions on it in a foreign language like none other she had seen before.
“They have done nothing wrong.” The blonde haired man seemed to be moving into some sort of battle stance. He had still taken no notice of the woman he had just saved.
“Thor, you will never understand.” Loki shook his head in disappointment. Before the man she now knew as Thor could respond, Loki raised his glowing staff and shot another bolt of blue light at him before disappearing into thin air along with the three other copies of him.
Thor was obviously not expecting the attack and quickly threw up his hand which contained the hammer. The bolt ricocheted of the surface of the hammer but its force threw Thor back into the girl that was standing behind him. The bolt disappeared into the sky as Thor fell backwards on top of the woman. The crowd had rose into an all out panic and were running from the plaza.
The girl felt her back being pressed against the cold cobblestone floor as the pressure of the large man pushed her down. Her lungs struggled to get in oxygen as she gasped under his weight. The pressure was soon lifted as he got to his feet and the girl rolled over coughing.
“My lady, are you alright?” Thor asked reaching out a hand to the fallen girl who had flipped back onto her back.
“Yeah, I guess.” She wasn’t quite sure what else to do other than grab his massive hand and let him pull her up. After she was back on her feet he let go of her hand.
“What is your name, my lady?” Thor asked. The plaza was mostly empty and there was no Loki in sight.
“Hazel, and please stop calling me lady.” Thor chuckled at her remark as she crossed her arms over her chest.
“Yes, Ms. Hazel.” Thor looked down at Hazel. “You should probably get out of here, Loki will be back any second.”
Hazel rolled her eyes before pulling a long chain from under her shirt. A pair of military issue dog tags hung from the end.
“I’ve fought for freedom long and hard and I’m sure as hell not stopping now.” Thor smiled at her confindence but knew she needed to get out if she was going to live.
Before Thor could restate his warning, Loki suddenly materialized behind Hazel.
“Look out!” Thor yelled as Loki raised his scepter. Thor pushed Hazel away, catching the blue bolt on the hammer.
Hazel stumbled but caught herself before she fell. Loki and Thor were deeply engaged in battle. Hazel knew she needed to back away but something in her gut told her to fight. Damn this soldier instinct. Hazel thought to herself.
She stood to the side lines as bolts of blue energy surged from Loki’s staff. He spun around the plaza materializing in random places before disappearing a second later. Thor was swinging his hammer at Loki every chance he got as they moved around the square in some sort of brutal dance. Loki grinned while Thor’s face was full of concentration.
Hazel followed their battle from a distance, not wanting to get too close. Soon they were behind one of the buildings that surrounded the square. Thor wasn’t winning. His back was soon up against the wall as Loki materialized in front of him. He rose his hammer but Loki just laughed.
“You’d never kill your own brother, would you Thor.” Loki grinned, taking another step towards the blonde man. Hazel snuck in the shadows, staying out of sight. “I guess that is what makes us different.”
Loki raised his staff and began shooting a fierce line of energy at Thor’s chest. Thor crumpled to the ground, groaning. The scent of burning flesh filled the air. Loki laughed manically.
Before Hazel knew what she was doing, she lunged at Loki, tackling him by the waist. He stumbled to the ground, Hazel on top of him. Hazel raised her fist to punch his face but Loki waved his hand causing her to fly into the wall near Thor. She felt her ribs groan under the sudden pressure and a few even snap.
She slumped to the ground. Thor watched hopelessly from the far end of the wall, unable to move as Loki walked towards her limp body.
“Stupid mortal.” Loki spat, grabbing her neck and dragging her up the wall. Her boot clad feet dangled inches from the ground as she desperately tried to pull his hands off her neck. She clawed at his arms but to no avail.
“Loki, stop this.” Thor rumbled but some sort of unseen magic was holding him down. Hazel sputtered as Loki’s grip tightened. She felt the life drain out of her.
Just as her vision was about to go dark the cold hand was ripped from her throat. She crumpled to the floor and within seconds Thor was by her side. Hazel coughed up blood as she turned to her side. Her chest ached not only from the lack of oxygen but also what she suspected to be broken ribs. She watched as a man in a red and yellow metal suit clashed with Loki. Their fight random and powerful.
“I’ve got a civilian with broken ribs and a possibly punctured lung.” Thor announced to no one in particular. Hazel then noticed a small Bluetooth chip in his ear before she began her coughing fit again. More blood poured from her mouth.
“No, it’s definitely a punctured lung. Requesting air support.” Thor roared into the com unit. The metal man and Loki were still brawling but it looked as though Loki was fading. Or maybe it was just her vision.
Her eyes began to flutter shut as blood began to pool by her mouth.
“Stay with me Hazel.” Thor whispered. “Help is on the way.”
The last thing she remembered was a blue beam shooting from the metal man’s hand ramming into Loki’s chest. Loki fell to the floor as Hazel’s vision disappeared.