Krystal

53

We head to a back room in The Sanctum that I'm not normally allowed to go inside. I'm not even mad about that because it's super dark and creepy in there.

Once the lights are turned on though, I can see that it's packed full of really old spell books and a lot of potions. It's literally a witches wet dream in here.

"I'm going to need a strand of your hair" he tells me at the same time he yanks one straight out of my head.

"Ouch!"

I've got to hold back from using every swear word I know towards him.

"Sorry, but it is the only way for us to find out".

"A little warning next time would be nice" I tell him while I'm rubbing my scalp where it hurts.

He places the strand of my hair in a pestle and mortar and then pouring a weird yellow liquid in that he's grabbed from a nearby shelf. He then adds a white powder to it before finishing off by grinding it all together.

"And the verdict is?" I ask, eager to know.

"Just a second" he tells me moments before the substance begins emitting a blue smoke.

"What does that mean? Am I a Smurf?"

"If my reading is correct, then you are two hundred and twelve years old today".

"Today, as in...?"

"Happy Birthday" he smiles gleefully.

"Wow! I wonder who got me an assassination attempt as a birthday present?" I laugh like an idiot.

"Just what you always wanted. I hope they kept the receipt" he laughs along.

Just when we turn around to leave the room we spot Stephen standing in the doorway, looking less than happy with us.

"Happy Birthday" he says sternly.

"Stephen, this was my idea" Wong confesses.

"It's okay. I'm not mad".

"You're not?" I ask in confusion.

"I figured out where these weapons came from and you're in worse trouble than we originally thought" he tells me and throws the sword onto the table.

"Does that mean there will be more coming?" Wong asks.

"A lot more. If they really want Star dead then they'll keep sending their assassins until they succeed".

"Stephen, who were those men?"

I'm honestly scared at this point, knowing that someone out there is actively trying to kill me.

"These weapons are Asgardian. Someone on Asgard wants your head and they won't rest until they get it".

"Asgard? As in the realm that Thor comes from?" Wong points out.

"Yes. Star, did you speak with Thor at all during his visit here?"

"I did a little? It was just after you spoke with The Avengers in the study and he came to find me. Then he..."

"Then he what?" Wong places his hand on my shoulder.

"He was telling me about his home and his family, then I told him something kind of personal. I've been dreaming of a woman's voice and I thought it might be someone's that I knew before I came here. He went all weird and left, but you don't honestly think that he's the one behind all of this do you?"

"No, he wouldn't do that. Although he may have confided that information in someone he thought he could trust with it".

Stephen begins pacing back and forth in deep thought.

"Stephen, it's time to tell me the truth. Did I know Thor before I came here? Is he the one that sent me to you?"

"Yes" he sighs.

"Did you know too?" I look at Wong

"Yes" he keeps his head down.

"Why didn't either of you tell me?"

"We didn't know at first, but then I got a phone call from Stark informing us of the fact that Thor had sent you here".

"But why was I sent here?"

"You took another witches magic, dark magic that changed you" Wong explains.

"Wong said dark magic can corrupt a witch. Was I evil?"

"You were changing quickly and you'd harmed the current King of Asgard in some way, but Thor was vague on the details".

"Why didn't they just kill me then?"

"You agreed to undo whatever you'd done to the King in exchange for them taking your memories away from you. It would seem that you didn't have the best life before or after you arrived on Asgard. Making you forget all of the pain you went through was the only way to rid you of the dark magic".

"So now they want me dead because they're worried I'm going to remember something?"

"It seems that way".

"What do I do? Steve invited me to a party this weekend and Thor's going to be there".

"Then we'll go instead and find out who else Thor has told about your whereabouts".

"So you're going out and leaving me here alone when there's someone out there sending assassins to murder me?"

"She makes a good point, Stephen" Wong points out.

"Fine. In that case, all three of us are going together".

"Why would you teach me how to use my magic in the first place if you knew that I was bad before this?"

"You were and still are an incredibly gifted witch. The influences you had in your youth were from a witch that wasn't a good person, so you were more susceptible to the darkness. Thor just wanted you to have a fresh start with people that you could learn from".

"So do all The Avengers know about this too?"

"You kind of used your magic on them once".

"No wonder they were all so weird around me".