The Avengers: Featuring Salem Ridge

Loki

Loki sat on the concrete floor, watching with a thoughtful expression as his mortal minions worked in the underground lab. His grip tightened around his scepter as he eyed one mortal in particular, a man clad in a black uniform, carrying a sleek metal bow on his back.

Once he got Barton, the rest was fairly easy - SHIELD had plenty of enemies who would jump at the chance to help bring the organization down. Barton knew all the wrong people, in all the right ways. Something he didn't know when he enchanted him in the first place, was that this particular SHIELD agent was rather close to his true target. A delightful surprise indeed.

To Loki, he was the perfect choice.

He glanced away from Barton, leaning leisurely on one hand as he did so. Men in lab coats rushing around contrasted by foreign operatives carrying large metallic weapons of human design made for quite the amusing scene, Loki thought. And at the center of it all the Tesseract, pulsating a bright blue light which reflected off the cold walls made of stone. Its radiant energy filled the room with a slight hum. It was a beautiful and frightening scene.

Everything was going according to plan. In a matter of days, the Earth would be his to rule and balance would be restored to Midgard. He would finally have the throne he had been promised, so long as his allies held up their end of the bargain.

As soon as that thought crossed his mind, Loki's scepter released a bright light. Inhaling deeply, Loki closed his eyes as he felt his surroundings change. His contemplative expression, carved from a lifetime of intricate schemes and deceptions, remained unphased. The air itself seemed to quiver with an otherworldly resonance as the ambient hum of the Tesseract escalated to a crescendo. A surge of energy, palpable and chaotic, emanated from the cosmic artifact, enveloping Loki in its embrace.

For a fleeting moment, the world around him blurred into a kaleidoscope of vibrant hues, distorting the familiar shapes of his minions and the confines of the dark basement. The very fabric of reality unraveled around him, and with a force beyond comprehension, Loki was wrenched away from the earthly domain he had been in just moments ago. He opened his eyes.

Within a second, the oppressive gloom of the subterranean lab gave way to the alien landscape of a distant planet. Towering rock formations loomed like ancient sentinels, etched with the scars of an eons-long existence. The sky above, full of foreign stars and bathed in colors unknown to Midgard, swirled with cosmic energy, casting an eerie and captivating glow across the desolate rocky landscape.

The cold winds tousled Loki's dark hair. As he surveyed his surroundings, the realization dawned upon him that he stood on the threshold of realms uncharted, far removed from the realms of Earth.

Such a strange place for a business meeting.

A tall figure appeared before him, stepping out from behind a rocky pillar.

"The Chitauri grow restless," the figure hissed. Loki's eyes scanned the being before him, taking in every repellent detail.

He recognized the thing as his newfound ally's lieutenant. The insect-like creature was wearing silver armor, and reached toward Loki with one long, scaly claw. Loki remained stoic, unimpressed by the figure's futile attempt at intimidation.

"Let them learn patience," Loki's melodic voice rang out in the space between them. Using magic, he conjured an apparition of himself, wearing Asgardian armor and carrying his scepter. The apparition walked closer to the creature and spoke. "I will lead them in a glorious battle.

"Battle?" The Other spat as it stepped past the apparition, placing its mutated hand on a nearby rock formation. "Against the meager might of Earth?"

Loki continued walking past the creature, weighing his attack angles should he need to flee this meeting quickly. "Glorious," he emphasized, "not lengthy. If your force is as formidable as you claim." On his last word Loki turned to face the creature, raising an antagonizing eyebrow in its direction.

"You dare question us?" The Other spun around rapidly, its raspy voice now raised in anger. "You dare question him?" The creature gestured away from the two of them with a seven fingered hand. "He who put the scepter in your hand?"

Loki's stomach dropped, as he knew exactly who the creature was referring too and the thought did not exactly provide him with warm fuzzy feelings.

The creature continued, its voice booming in the empty space between them "He who showed you ancient knowledge? And took you in when you had been cast aside, defeated?"

"I was a king," Loki snapped, his eyes flashing. "The rightful king of Asgard, betrayed."

The Other stepped closer to Loki scoffing as it did so, its ugly mouth twisting into a disgusting grin. "Your ambition is little, and full of childish need."

The creature looked toward the sky, its voice distant now. "We look beyond the Earth. To greater worlds which the Tesseract will unveil." The creature gripped the rock formation with its clawed hand.

Loki looked at the pathetic thing, controlling his tone to not reveal the impatience growing within him. "You don't have the Tesseract yet," he reminded gently.

The Other spun around moving in one fluid motion to where Loki stood, a claw reared back as if it were about to slash Loki's face. It growled low and menacingly.

Loki remained calm, standing straight. "I don't threaten," he said as he held his scepter between the two, reminding the creature of the power Loki held in his hand. The creature slowly lowered its arm, growling slightly as it did so. "But until I open the doors, until your force is mind to command," Loki's voice lowered dangerously. "You are nothing but words."

"You will have your war, Asgardian," the creature replied. It took a step toward Loki, brushing aside his scepter. "But if you fail," it started, "if we are denied the Tesseract or the girl," the creature stepped behind Loki. Loki felt its thick breath on the back of his neck, the small hairs on his skin raising. It leaned toward Loki so its mouth was just inches from his ear. The Other's menacing voice took on an even more sinister tone which sent a shiver down Loki's spine.

"There will be no realm, no barren moon, no crevice where he will not find you. You think you know pain?" it whispered. "He will make you beg for something as sweet as pain."

Loki cried out as the creature's hand made contact with the side of his head. A ringing in his ears now replaced the sound of its gargled laughter. Blinking away the stinging feeling left behind by the transition back to Earth, Loki brought a hand to his face. His body was shaking violently from the interaction, something which he would find utterly humiliating should anyone see him in such a state.

The lieutenant's warning echoed in his ears. There was no turning back now, or he would face certain death, if not something far worse. He knew what Thanos was capable of, but he didn't know the extent of the Titan's madness. He was not eager to discover it.

Loki's jaw clenched as he envisioned the true master behind this entire plan, his newfound ally.

It made him sick to admit that it was he who Loki was at complete mercy to, and that it was he who controls the would-be king.