Brother Avengers

Brother Avengers Chapter 18

"There is no difficulty that enough love will not conquer;
No disease that enough love will not heal;
No door that enough love will not open;
No gulf that enough love will not bridge;
No wall that enough love will not throw down;
No sin that enough love will not redeem...
It makes no difference how deeply seated may be the trouble;
How hopeless the outlook; how muddled the tangle;

How great the mistake.
A sufficient realization of love will dissolve it all.
If only you could love enough

You would be the happiest and most powerful being in the world."

Emmet Fox

Loki watched as countless emotions flickered across the other men's faces. Logan's eyes flashed, his forehead scowled, and he drew in deep, tight breaths like a puma testing the air. Steve stood still, but his gaze roved with the penetration of a trained soldier. Tony blinked, startled, and closed his metal hands. Finally, Loki's attention settled on Thor, whose vivid blue eyes focused on him, his brow furrowed earnestly. Snow fell silently down on them, dotting Logan's dark jacket, Thor's cape and Steve's uniform, and melting on the surface of Tony's armor.

Logan let out a long breath.

"Nice place," he decided.

"What just happened?" Tony asked.

"We traveled through Doom's bifrost," Thor explained. "To another realm."

"Realm?" Steve repeated. "What does that mean?"

"Another planet," Loki clarified, trying to think like a Midgardian. "In another galaxy."

Logan, Steve and Tony stared at him. Chill wind whipped through their hair and clothes. Snowflakes spiraled around their legs.

"Okay..." Tony said, eyebrows going up. "While my brain processes that—can I ask what we're doing here?"

Loki looked back at Tony, sensing Thor's silent questions like a physical pressure. Loki's body had gone cold—his heartbeat slowed and his blood felt like liquid ice. It took all his effort to speak—and it hurt.

"We're going to ask a favor."

Thor's eyes blazed. The next moment, he stepped right up to Loki and leaned his face so close that Loki felt his beard scratch against his left ear.

"What are you thinking of, brother?" he whispered. His tight voice shook Loki to the core. "We have no way of escaping this place if Heimdall is in battle!"

Loki's vision unfocused as he stared out over Thor's scarlet shoulder at the gray wasteland beyond.

"We must persuade the Jotuns to help us into Asgard using their manner of travel," Loki murmured. "They can set us down anywhere, without a bifrost."

"But they don't have the ice casket," Thor reminded him. Loki said nothing. Thor backed up and stared straight into Loki's eyes, searching.

"Um, guys?" Tony tried. Neither brother addressed him or broke their united gaze. Loki tightened his jaw.

Thor's eyes went wide.

"You have it!" he breathed. Loki still said nothing. He couldn't. Thor's gaze sharpened.

"But what about—"

"Guys," Tony said again—his voice flooded with warning. Loki took hold of Thor's armor-bound wrist and turned...

To see the before-empty crags and boulders now filled with silent Frost Giants.

"Oohh boy..." Steve murmured.