The Sweetest Rose-LokixOC

Chapter 26

Loki's and Wong's blades locked at the hilt. With a twist, he dislodged the monk's weapon, sending it skittering across the stones. Smirking, he twirled his knife lazily. "Your fighting skills need some work, mortal."

Wong twisted his fingers in the air and a fiery whip spiraled into his palm. "Let's see how you fare against a magical weapon."

Loki's smile slipped as the edge of the whip sliced through his knife like butter. "Alright."

It would be an enormous pleasure to put this human in his place. Green fire formed a three-pronged spear, a close replica of the Asgardian weapon he lost in his plummet to earth from space.

The walls of the Mirror Dimension followed as they tumbled into the dirt street outside Kamar Taj. Loki leaped to his feet in a fluid motion, blocking Wong's whip with the shaft of his spear.

The pedestrians went about their business completely unaware of the pair leaping through the obstacle strewn market in a fierce sparring match. Loki jumped over a crate overflowing with fruit, kicking back with his heel to send a shower of colorful fruit into Wong's path.

The monk dodged the obstacles with nimble ease. "Remember, in this realm we cannot effect the main reality." He tossed a grapefruit into the air and it landed in his palm with a smack. "However, the objects in this realm are just as real as in the main reality."

Loki ducked. The fruit splattered against the wall of a clay building across the street. "I am well aware of the charming qualities of this realm after weeks of living in it."

He knew what the monk was doing by bringing him out into the city. Loki had watched Cassandra thrown into a portal by her sadistic master. She barely survived coming back from whatever hellish landscape she'd been hurled into.

Wong feared Loki would attack Li for his brutal treatment of Cassandra. He was not wrong. Loki had cheerfully contemplated the drill instructor's death on numerous occasions.

What Wong did not know is that Loki had figured out the trick of escaping the Mirror Dimension awhile ago. He only remained in this ridiculous realm for Cassandra. Day by day she was getting stronger, more capable under that maniac's tutelage.

Cassandra's progress inspired Loki to expand on his own bag of tricks. Which is why when Loki and Wong finished sparring (Loki was the victor of course), he sought out the coveted grimoires that once belonged to the Sorcerer Supreme. During Strange's own novice days, the Ancient One had been slain by one of her former students.

Loki sat at a table and began reading under Wong's watchful gaze. The monk did not trust him. Knowledge was not forbidden to anyone on Kamar Taj. Even to a villain like Loki.

Wong respected the rules set down by the Ancient One, even after she was gone. In spite of his misgivings, the monk never said anything when Loki read from the powerful spell books.

Nothing ever impressed Loki. But the level of power contained in these books took his breath away. It had been centuries since anything had filled him with wonder and awe. To think, he would find relief from his perpetual ennui here on Midgard among human wizards.

Loki turned to the next page after committing the spell to memory.

The Mirror Dimension shifted and ejected Wong into the main reality all without the monk moving from his desk. The library doors burst open and Cassandra limped inside soaking wet.

The left pant leg of her robes was shredded as if an animal tore it apart and blood trickled down her exposed skin. Pressing his palm to the grimoire, Loki waited.

Cassandra's boot slipped on the floorboard with a squeak and her injured leg buckled. She caught herself on the edge of Wong's desk. "Master Li is impossible."

"Which is why he is an excellent instructor. To learn the impossible will make you stronger, Merlin."

Cassandra grimaced at the title. "Does dumping me in the Indian Ocean into a swarm of sharks seem like a sane strategy to you, Master Wong?"

"You're alive, aren't you?" The monk replied indifferently.

She threw up her hands. "Oh, forget it. I'm here for my lesson."

Wong motioned for her to come around the desk. The wizard pushed aside the ruined fabric to inspect her injured leg. A small nick on her calf, like the scrape of an animal tooth bled steadily. "Just a graze."

Loki shook his head as the monk cleaned and bandaged the wound. Forget this Morgan le Fey. At this rate, the wizards of Kamar Taj would kill Cassandra long before she had to face the sorceress.

Wong and Cassandra began working on illusions. She seemed to have a knack for it, Loki was pleased to see. Illusions were some of his favorite spells. Ever since she summoned that portal, things were developing quickly.

Wong motioned to the table close to Loki. "We will try something bigger this time. Try casting an illusion of a group of people sitting around this table."

Closing her eyes, her dark brows furrowed in concentration. A soft golden glow washed over the table and the shapes of people began to take form. A young man in his mid-twenties with a tablet device winked at Cassandra. An elderly woman with long hair in a floral dress sat at the head of the table a soft smile on her gently lined face.

Loki suspected the elder was Cassandra's adoptive mother. Tony Stark appeared right down to his cocky smirk. The illusion even propped his sneakers on the tabletop and leaned back in his chair with his arms behind his head.

In the final chair Loki watched with conflicting emotions as his own form took shape. He wore a mischievous grin, his black hair falling in soft waves to his shoulders. The Asgardian leathers hugged his lean muscled form perfectly.

The illusion took Cassandra's hand and kissed it.

Loki chuckled as she jerked out of her trance and the illusion unraveled. Okay, so maybe he shouldn't have slipped into the main reality to toy with the spell but it was too fun not to.

Wong glared daggers at him through the mirror wall as the god resumed his seat.

Loki blew him a kiss.

Wong turned his scowl on Cassandra. "Try again."

Cheeks burning, she nodded. "Yes, master."

Still laughing, Loki returned to his books letting Cassandra create her illusions undisturbed.

A/N: Yay! I didn't expect to get this done today or anytime soon but things just fell into place and I managed an update! As always, comment, vote, and have a great day!