The Brightest Star

Chapter 10 - Reading Minds

(Kára's POV):
"Perhaps we should try one more time," I suggested after having broken into Loki's mind for the fifth time this lesson.

After mastering cloning, I had discovered that Loki was skilled at manipulating other people's minds and projecting his thoughts to others. However, he had trouble protecting his own mind from being manipulated. In addition, he could not quite read another person's mind, only influence it. Myself, on the other hand, struggled to place my thoughts in other's minds as he could. As a result, I practiced breaking into his mind and instead of reading it, I would speak to him telepathically.

Loki seemed to get frustrated by the fact he could not block me out, but he took a deep breath and nodded, signaling that he was willing to try again. Giving him a minute to build up a resistance before protruding his mind. I then forced my way in, finding it significantly more difficult than the time before. I found myself lost in his mind, but unable to make sense of anything. All I could see were shapes and whispers, fragments of his memories. I was suddenly overcome by a dark presence, originating from a power source stronger than anything I had experienced before.

I quickly pulled out, shocked by what I felt. Shaking my head clear, I broke out in a smile, "you did it, Loki. I was able to penetrate your mind, but I could not influence it nor could I make out anything that I was seeing."

"What did you see?" He snapped, clearly concerned that he had let private information slip.

"Nothing, at least nothing I could make sense of," I replied, trying to recall the images and words. "Shadows, perhaps one of your mother, and there was a rather muscular man and a tall building? I honestly do not know they all went by so quickly and I did recognize anyone. And the words, they were random snips of conversation. You really do not have to worry about it, Loki, your shield did its job."

"I think we should be done for today," Loki decided, standing from his chair and leaving the room.

I watched him leave, not having the heart to stop him. I knew that he feared his privacy had been violated and I wanted to make sure that he knew he had his own space. Besides, the surge of power and pain, whatever experience that that lingered from, had given me a splitting headache.

I pulled out one of the books Frigga had supplied for our lessons and opened up to the page that I had left off at. I had taken to going through each spell book and testing to see if I could create a passable demonstration of each spell so that Loki would not discover something that I could not do. After about an hour, I put the book away and returned to my chambers, where Eydis was waiting for me to bring me my lunch.

(Loki's POV):
"You really thought you could hide from me?"

I remained silent, trying to access the situation. After returning to my chambers from the lesson, there was nothing out of place or could prepare me for the ship that I soon saw outside my window. The shields had not been quick enough to prevent its entrance and the guns shooting at it did nothing against impenetrable metal. As a result, I found myself staring into the face of the ship that had become the thing of my nightmares.

His army entered the castle first, easily taking out the palace guards, the years of training the guards had being no match for rabidness of Thanos's army. I watched safely from my bedroom window as Thor and Odin joined the fight and even they were not enough to stop his armies approach. Thor was able to hold them off better than any others, but even he was ripped to shreds like everyone else. But what hurt more was helplessly watching my mother, who had desperately came out to help, fall at the teeth of those creatures.

And now I stood directly across from the man who had been powerful enough to keep me in Asgard, no matter what my punishment, so that I would not have to face him. But I should have realized that, even here, I could not evade Thanos forever. And in my folly I had gotten my family killed.

"I know what it's like to lose. To feel so desperately that you're right, yet to fail nonetheless. Dread it. Run from it. Destiny arrives all the same. And now it's here. Or should I say, I am," he spoke circling me as though a I was a defenseless animal that he was stalking as prey.

"I really don't see what the fuss is about," I replied, trying to maintain a carefree facade. "The failure on earth was not my fault, you failed to tell me that the Avengers were as powerful as they were."

"The Avengers were no one, a group of enhanced people that would sooner rip each other's throats out than actually accomplish anything but you- you made them a team."

"Loki, I saw the ship outside and I wanted to make sure that you-" Kára cried out as she barged into my room, freezing as the sight before her sank in.

"And who is this? A girlfriend, perhaps?" Thanos questioned, stepping towards her.

A knife formed in her right hand and a shield in her left, "stay away from me!"

"How pathetic, she really thinks she can stand a chance against me," he tilted his head to the right, continuing his advance on her. Proxima Midnight and Corvus Glave approached her from behind, each taking one of her arms, despite her struggles against their grasp.

"Thanos, I am the one who failed you, not her. Now let her go," I spoke, desperate to get her freed but trying to keep my voice even so Thanos would not realize how much I cared for her.

"That is true, but I think it would be more affective if I give you a lesson before your death," he smiled, picking Kára up by her throat. She struggled in his grasp, gasping for breath through her constricted wind pipes.

She turned to me and stuttered, "Loki, h-how could you?"

The crack of her neck echoed throughout the room before the room plunged into silence. Her body went limp, like rag doll held in Thanos's large fist. He then threw her to the ground, her eyes still open and looking directly into mine.

"Kára!" I called out involuntarily, tears welling up in my eyes. Thanos turned to me with a smile, my heart breaking as the image of Kára dead at Thanos's feet became permanently seared in my mind.

-

(A/N): I apologize for the gif, it was cruel to include but I (not so subtly) based Kára's death off of Loki's in Infinity War so it felt right to have that be the opening to the chapter. But, if it's any consolation, I am right there crying with the rest of you