New Game

Chapter 6

"Again!"

    I take a deep breath and try to channel all the blue power in my body into my hands and fingers. I feel it course through me, begging to be used. I concentrate on it. I picture it in my mind in its form. I picture it hitting the target across the room. I open my eyes and fire a single shot of blue and watch as it hits the target exactly in the middle. I smile and turn to face one of the Asgardian guards who is staring at me with a twinkle of pride in his eyes.

"I think that's enough for today," he says and walks towards the door and waits for me.

    I walk towards him and think. I think about how it's been a couple weeks since Loki and I had that talk. How it's been a couple weeks since I last saw my mother. How it's probably been a month since I've seen Bucky or Ogie. I wonder what they are doing right now. Has Bucky moved on over me? Has him and that red head hooked up with me out of the picture? Just the thought of Bucky with another woman makes my blood boil and the blue power rise up in my veins.

    Without looking, I fire another shot at one of the targets and here a sizzling sound that means that I've hit the target. The blast takes some of my anger away but most of it is still there. I follow the guard down hallways where we come into contact with no one. Loki doesn't seem to want others to know about my power. I wonder why? Why is he hiding me away from the world?

    I stop walking when I recognize the hallway we're in. The prisoners recognize me and duck behind their cots. Confused and slightly curious, I follow the guard to the cell at the end where a Loki, in disguise as Odin, stands beside the cell that my mother is in. I narrow my eyes at him, anticipating what his next move will be. What could he be up to?

"Hello, Kyra," Loki says with a purr.

     I shiver at the sound of my real name on his lips. "What do you want?" I snarl at him and cross my arms over my chest.

"I just thought you would want to see your beloved mother. If not, then you can go back to-"

"I want to see her!" I interrupt.

    Loki smiles his smug little smile and it makes me want to wipe it right off his face with a good slap. I wonder what Steve would think if I told him I slapped an old man. He probably would be shocked out of his mind. I smile inwardly at the thought of that but don't on the outside. On the outside I'm cold.

    Loki nods his head to one of the guards, "Lower the shield."

    My insides feel like mush as the shield lowers and I can now enter the cell holding my mother. I look at Loki, expecting him to yell surprise! You're never seeing you mother! But he only motions for me to go into the cell, making me wonder if there is something else in the cell beside my mother. Could it be a monster? There's only one way to find out.

    I walk into the cell and freeze, my breath hinging. Standing in the corner is a woman in rags and chains. Her long brown hair is dirty and in tangles. Her skin is an unhealthy pale and her frame is very skinny. She looks like she could use a sandwich and maybe another one. Slowly, she turns to face me. Her lifeless blue eyes meet mine and she tenses. Something in her eyes changes as a smile forms on her face and a single tear runs down her cheek. "Kyra..."

"Mommy," I whisper through a croaky voice. My eyes water and my throat tightens.

    I run to her and she to me. We embrace each other and fall onto the ground in a pile of sobbing tears and rags. I cling to her clothing and burry my face into her shoulder, sobbing. She runs her fingers through my hair and speaks soothing words to me. I cry for all the years that we were apart, for my sister, and for everything that my father has done to her.

"I... I missed you.... Mommy.... what happened? How... How did you get here?" I ask between sobs.

"Loki, he took me. He gave me power and then took me away. Not a day went by that I didn't miss your sister and you. Where.... Where is your sister?" She looks around to see if Sylvia will come walking around the corner.

    My sobs become harder. "She's.... She's gone! She was murdered!"

    Mother doesn't ask questions, she just runs her fingers through my hair and speaks soothing words to me. I cry for what seems like forever. I have no idea when Loki will come in and say that our time together is up and I plan to not waste it all away with just crying. I might never get a chance like this again.

    I pull back from her and look her in the eyes. "Mommy, what power did he give you?"

     Mother flinches as if I've hit her. "A power that is a great burden, a curse. It is evil and I can't control it."

  I summon my power and a blue misty cloud appears in my right hand. Mother stares at it with wide eyes and then does the same with her power, except hers is a dark ruby red. I stare at the red mist and then look up at Mother. She gives me a small smile. "I guess we're in the same boat."

   Mother hugs me. "Just be patient and I'll get us out of here," she whispers into my ear.

   I feel rough hands on me and look up to see Loki smiling down at me. "Time's up!"