𝐀𝐕𝐀𝐓𝐀𝐑 - MCU

II. THE AVATAR STATE

II. THE AVATAR STATE
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Standing up and meeting the man's eyes, she glared suspiciously and said, "You're not Heimdall."

"Well, astute fucking observation," the man said. "It's Skurge. And you ain't Thor, are you?"

Luna looked herself up and down and shot Skurge a 'really?' look.

"Alright," he said, raising his rifle, grabbing from the floor a second one and pointing it right at Luna, "Who the bloody Hel d'you think you are?"

"Why are you Cockney?" she questioned in true confusion. "Thor isn't Cockney?" Raising her hands and clenching them into fists, she bent the barrels of the rifles up.

"What?" Skurge muttered, looking at his rifles with an expression of grief.

"I'm Luna Carter, better known as the Avatar and a friend of Thor. He gave me an open invitation to visit his home," she said, mustering every bit of authority she could find. "Now, take me to him."

"Uh... Sorry, miss," he said, still distraught over the fate of his rifles. "Thor ain't here at the moment."

"Loki, then, he lives here."

"Loki's dead—wait, did you say the Avatar?"

Luna blinked at the sudden revelation that the god she fought years ago was dead. "Yes?" she answered unsurely.

"I'll have to bring you to the Allfather, then. Follow me—wait," he said abruptly, turning to her. He held up his rifles. "Can you fix these?"

Luna stared at the rifles and Skurge's pleading expression. She waved her hand twice and the rifles bent back into shape.

"Much appreciated. Follow me."

Luna, as she followed Skurge, realized how hugely she had fucked up. Thor wasn't there, Heimdall wasn't there and the only other person who would, maybe, know her and vouch for her was apparently dead. That meant that she was on another planet on her own without back-up, currently being taken to the Allfather and King of Asgard, Odin. Her mind went to her brother back in Wakanda and to Wanda still in Edinburgh, but was quickly ripped away when she noticed the view.

Asgard was magnificent. The sun in the distance shined brightly down on the palace; grand and tall, raised above the bustling city. The bridge they now walked across, suspended across a long span of open space, looked like a rainbow trapped in a bottle, swirling inside its bonds. Luckily, the bridge wasn't slippery, since it had no railings.

When finally they made it to the other side, Luna could not take her eyes off of the enormous, glimmering golden statue of Loki that stood at the entrance of the city.

"And whose idea was this thing?" she asked.

"Odin had it built to commemorate Loki and his heroic sacrifice."

Luna was not only confused at the use of the words 'heroic', 'sacrifice' and 'Loki' in the same sentence, but also by the theatre production happening on the plaza behind the statue.

A man dressed uncannily like Thor held another man, dressed in greens and blacks, in his arms as he lay dying. Luna squinted her eyes as the Loki lookalike gave a monologue. Then, out of nowhere, she yelled for everyone to hear;

"Holy shit? Is that Matt Damon?"

The Loki lookalike snapped up, took one look at Luna's face, stood up and sprinted away.

That left everyone who was still attending the play to stare at her and Skurge, including an impressive old man with an eyepatch. Skurge stepped forward and kneeled before the man.

"Your highness, I present Luna Cavity—"

"Carter."

"—from Midgard."

"Yeah," Luna interrupted and stepped forward. She could barely hear Odin murmur something to himself as he put his goblet of wine down. For such an important and stately figure, he sure was lounging around quite carelessly, Luna noted. "I'm the Avatar," she added.

Low gasps and a quiet chattering rang through the crowd that had formed around Odin and herself.

"Quiet." Odin said. The crowd shut up. "The Avatar... You don't say." He stood from his seat

He was shorter than Luna expected. He was eyeing her curiously, his gaze darting from her strange Midgardian clothing and to her casual attitude when addressing the King of Asgard.

"It has long since been that I have had the opportunity to speak to an Avatar. Luna Carter," he beckoned for her to approach him. "You are welcome in Asgard." He began walking into the city.

"Cool..." she muttered, watching Skurge return to his post. A squadron of elaborately dressed guards followed after Odin and Luna as he led her through the market place.

"You have a beautiful palace, uh, sir," Luna said, trying her best to act casual.

"Yes," he replied, stroking his beard. "What exactly is the purpose of your visit, Avatar?"

"Thor—"

Odin imperceptibly rolled his eye.

"—invited me. But he's not here. Heimdall wasn't the one who brought me here, either. Can I ask where he is?"

"You may not. Follow me." He walked up the steps to the grand palace, commoners and those of noble birth alike bowed their heads in reverence.

"Okay..." she said slowly. "You asked me my business. I'm trying to safe my brother. He's been in a spiritual coma for a few years now. I think I've found a ritual that would help him but I don't have the key to perform it."

"And the key is?"

"Power."

"You think you'll find it here?"

"If not here, then where?"

Odin nodded along, which was the only indication he was actively paying attention to her words. The large, decorated doors to a grand hall opened before them, revealing at the back of the room a throne fit for the Allfather. He ordered his guards to stand watch outside of the entrance, leaving him and the Avatar by themselves.