Accidental Avenger

Chapter 6

Loki.

He stood next to the throne with his hands clasped behind his back. I noticed the way his eyes darted all over the room, never really settling on one single thing. Almost like he was waiting for something to jump out at him.

Loki. I only knew his name because of Thor: The Dark World, which, contrary to popular belief, wasn't as bad as everyone said it was. I liked it, at least.

My heart sunk in my chest and I took a step back as I realized exactly who I was standing in front of.

Loki didn't say anything for a long time. He only looked at me with hard blue eyes. It felt like he was looking deep into my soul and trying to find something. I wasn't sure what he was looking for. And I wasn't sure what he was going to do if he found it—or didn't find it.

"You were going to tell me who you are," He said.

"Was I?" I asked.

"You should," Loki said. "If I'm going to help you. And you clearly know who I am."

"I didn't say I knew who you were," I said defensively.

Loki smiled. "I can read people as easily as a book. You know who I am. Surely you know what I've done. And what I'm capable of."

"You practically blew up half of New York," I said flatly.

Loki laughed and started walking in a wide circle around me. "I did, didn't I?" I was trying to take the planet, a throne, if you will, as is my birthright as the eldest. Had I fulfilled my purpose, it would have been—"

"Glorious," I interrupted. "I know."

Loki's smile faded. He stopped walking. "Yes. Glorious." Taking a deep breath, he said. "Who are you then?"

"My name's Mavis," I said.

"And where are you from?"

"Earth," I said.

"Midgard." Loki rolled the world over his tongue. I could hear the faintest hint of distaste in his voice. "I wasn't aware Midgard had such sophisticated modes of inter-universal travel. How did you get here?"

"I'm still not sure," I said. "It just... happens."

"'It'?" Loki pressed. "What just happens?"

"I don't know," I said. "That's the problem. I don't know what it is or how to do it. Just that I've only done it twice now and I don't know how to control it."

Loki cocked his head to the side. "Perhaps I could help with that?"

I looked at him suspiciously. "How?"

"I do have mastery over magic," Loki said.

"I don't have magic."

"Perhaps not magic of my kind," Loki said, nodding. "But magic of some kind, I'm sure. Wasn't it a Midgardian writer who once stated 'any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic'?"

"I don't have technology," I said. "I just have... me."

Loki shrugged. "It's all the same, really." He came to stand in front of me. "The only thing you must remember is that you control your power. Your power does not control you."

I control my power, I repeated to myself. My power doesn't control me.

"How do I do that?" I asked.

"That, I'm afraid, is up to you," Loki sighed. "But, I find it easiest to focus on what I want to do and the outcome. Then I simply... do it." He held out his hand. One second passed, then two, then a bright ball of flame burst to life on his palm. As quick as it had appeared, it was gone.