In The Middle, Somewhat Elevated | An Avengers Fanfiction |

Part 1: Prologue

Part One: In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated

Prologue

Explosions. Sirens from dozens of emergency vehicles. The moaning screech of metal on metal. Screams. Thousands of screams. I opened my eyes to a world torn apart.

Outside, a metal thing, for which I had no words, the size of a whale flew past Tony Stark's penthouse, blocking the light of the sun through broken floor-to-ceiling windows. Smoke poured out of the city.

My body felt numb as I stood up from the couch, oddly compelled to look closer. I tripped and landed next to a person lying on the carpet. When I saw the face of my friend, I froze. Blood oozed from a cut that ran from forehead to chin. I forced myself to bend and press my ear near his mouth. I watched his chest rise and fall. He was alive. For now.

I had to call 911. I turned to search for a phone but was caught up by the scene outside. I stood on unsteady feet.

More things, smaller things, flew through the air above the streets. They zoomed around corners, shooting people and cars and buildings, terrorizing and destroying everything in sight. Some crawled up the sides of buildings like colossal bugs.

It was mesmerizing and I took three steps closer. Far below cars were stopped, scattered in the roads like a child left his toys. People as small as ants swarmed, ducking into some buildings, streaming out of others. They screamed as they ran. Lights from cop cars flashed red and blue, dancing in the windows hollowly.

"Beautiful, is it not?"

My heart relocated to my throat and my insides contracted, glued themselves together. Loki stood behind me, a creeping shadow. His face shone with delight as he scanned the scene before us.

"The end of a world." He crooned proudly, his hand sweeping as if he could help wipe it out. "Albeit a moronic one. I am glad to see it go, aren't you? I deserve this, 'Semi. We deserve it. Look well upon that which you never see again. Midgard it once was. Now it shall be mine. I will rule it, a true king, with a heavy hand and a glorious purpose. And you, sister, shall witness it all."

I couldn't catch my breath. My heart was hammering too fast and too hard. The distinct feeling of imminent death cloaked me. I was going to die.

He snarled at my lack of response, wrapping steel fingers around my wrist and awkwardly marching me outside. I fought him weakly. I did not want to be outside, unprotected. He dragged me up an outside staircase to an open ledge, a circular landing place for a very small helicopter. Or Iron Man.

The sirens were louder outside and the periodic grinding of metal on metal shook me to my core. I could not take it much longer. I sagged my weight into Loki, forcing him to hold me up. I prayed he would not throw me off the ledge, or force me, like last time, to hurt someone.

With the scepter, he pointed up, behind us.

"Look, 'Semi. Power."

I followed his gaze to a shocking blue cord that shot out of the top of Stark Tower and reached straight up. I traced the cord to the top of the sky, to a hole in the atmosphere, a gaping mouth spitting out evil things that would tear the world apart.