A Tale of Mischief and Mutants part 2

A Sorcerer's Help

—-Sam—-

Two days. It's been two days with absolutely no leads on where Loki is. Peter is staying with us in New Asgard now just as distraught by the news. He's a huge help in helping me cope right now. We're all currently waiting in the sanctum Strange said he was supposed to be back today and though he'll probably be tired from whatever business he had off world we absolutely can't wait another second to get his help.

I've been having nightmares these past two days they mostly consist of Loki being tortured or of me loosing him. Thor's coping a bit better than I am at least on the outside, he seems like he's collected. I think he feels like he has to be strong because of his position as New Asgard's king.

While that's somewhat true I can't help but believe that Odin's distain for his sons showing weakness or vulnerability didn't only negatively impact Loki but Thor as well. He may have been the favorite but from what Loki told me he was also shamed for showing 'hysterical feminine emotions' like fear or anxiety and berated for crying just as badly as Loki was.

The only difference is even as a child Thor was far less sensitive and was able to hide those kinds of emotions and their effects better than his younger sibling. Thor learned to let things bounce off of him with numbness and adopted a happy go lucky attitude towards anything life threw at him which seems to be the standard for most Asgardians.

In contrast throughout Loki's entire childhood and sometimes even into his early teen years Loki could never help but put those 'hysterical feminine emotions' on display when he felt them. Eventually Loki did figure out how to hide them with his illusions both magical and non but it's still obvious he's way more sensitive than most Asgardians.

I have a hunch that his sensitive nature is probably tied to his biology in some way. Both brothers have learned unhealthy ways of dealing with their emotions in an effort to appease their father. Thor thinks he has to be strong all the time and ends up neglecting his own mental health in order to maintain that image.

And Loki either puts up a completely false front or isolates himself to avoid confronting any emotion at all. My thoughts are interrupted by orange sparks appearing in the room. A portal quickly forms and Strange and Wong step out looking a little worse for ware. I can't help but bombard them immediately I'm so scared and desperate at this point I don't even give them a second to breathe.

"Oh thank God you're finally back!"

I quickly explain everything that's happened my mouth almost moving faster than my thoughts due to finally feeling like I'm actually doing something that can help my husband after being forced to sit idly for days.

"Sam wait slow down, you said Heimdall sensed dark magic? And that Heimdall can't see him?"

I nod vigorously getting a bit emotional.

"Yes. Please, Stephen can you help us find him?"

The sorcerer's eyes soften as he looks over my distraught state.

"Of course Sam, we'll do everything we can."

We spend the next hour watching as Strange and Wong try various spells in the undercroft from what I gather this would be so much easier if there was a living blood relative to him here on Earth. I'm not quite sure how it works but Strange was able to easily find Odin back in 2018 by performing a spell with a lock of Thor's hair. I pull Thor aside for a moment. Though it'd probably be a lost cause we have to at the very least consider trying to get a similar token from one of Loki's biological relatives.

"There have to be living relatives of Loki on Jotunheim. His birth mother, a sibling, a cousin, an aunt, an uncle, someone."

"Laufey did have two more sons Helblindi and Býleistr but it's far too risky. The Jotuns will likely kill us on sight if we're to set foot on Jotunheim. I know we're desperate but trust me when I say we can't consider attempting to garner help from King Helblindi as even a remotely viable option. He was furious over his father's death and had threatened Asgard with war many times trying to get us to hand Loki over to him for what he did to Laufey and their realm. It's far too dangerous to try reasoning with him."

"It's starting to look like we don't have much of a choice. Please, I understand they're angry they have every reason to be and that there's a massive amount of bad blood from thousands of years worth of wars but is there anything at all short of letting them invade Midgard we could offer them to get them to cooperate?"

"The casket's been destroyed, that's what they would've wanted something to power their cities so they can prosper once again. Though giving them that would've been too dangerous anyway. They can't be trusted with that much power."

I stop for a moment considering this wracking my brain for any solution, one comes to mind though I'm unsure of the semantics.  

"What about the arch reactor technology? Would that give them that much power? If not they could power their cities without being a threat to other planets."

Thor goes full Allfather on me with his response.

"That's a question for Pepper or Banner. Regardless, as of now my answer to this proposed plan of action is no, that doesn't mean I won't reconsider this solution's viability as the situation progresses but as of now doing something that brash is a nonviable option."

I hang my head in defeat, once again feeling helpless and useless in the struggle to find and help my husband. Thor sees this and realizes how formal he was with me. I think it was done out of habit. When dealing with intense situations it's sometimes like he just switches into king mode in order to cope. He immediately shifts his posture and tone with me putting his hand on my shoulder.

"I'm sorry Sam it's just too risky to consider at the moment. I promise we'll do whatever we can to find him, I just know we can't find him if we're killed by Jotuns so we'll save that plan for the unfortunate event in which we somehow fall even further into desperation with our search."

I nod slightly though I can't help but shed a few tears. 'I just feel so entirely useless!' I find myself engulfed in a hug.

"It's going to be alright sister."