Burned

1.11: The Rescue

WITH THE FLAMES IN HER EYES, SHE BURNED.

A man teleported right next to me. His hair was long and greasy, but it wasn't bothering at all. It was a pitch black. His eyes were a bright blue, maybe even icier than yours. He wore black clothes, probably leather. Here and there was a spot green waved into the texture. He had a long black cape waving on his shoulders. And damn, he was tall. I knew I was pretty tall, which wasn't that rare for a Witch, but he was at least two to three inches taller than I was.

'How disappointing,' the man began, starting to walk slowly around me. But he was looking at the Witches, not at me. 'When my mother Frigga visited your pathetic little Community centuries ago, she granted you with a future. She gifted you with knowledge about your pitiful magic.'

The man stood still, turning his head to face me. His electric blue eyes met mine. My heart stopped beating for a moment and I knew that this was the person I saw when Wanda interfered with my mind. Oh, no, don't worry, Steve, my heart didn't stop because I developed a crush on him or whatsoever, that's gross, but it was because there was finally someone like me on my side. Something like that was rare, or, well, in my case it was rare.

The man continued his pace and began another speech in his posh accent. 'She would come to visit you every once in a while. You told her there was absolutely nothing to worry about. So, she returned to Asgard with the knowing everything was going just fine.'

It was a weird experience for me. Because for once, the Witches were the ones who got told off. As little girls, we sometimes wanted to break the rules and be mischievous. But if the Witches ever found out we were misbehaving, everyone in the Community would look down to you. It was some kind of mental manipulation. The Witches, and then mostly the Council, were superior. They couldn't do a single thing wrong. And here this man was, debunking that unspoken fact.

And I loved it.

'But then my attack on New York, to make sure you would keep your word,' the man continued while he came to a halt. 'I didn't see any of you to stop me, or the Chitauri, now did I? You broke your vow and left Earth unprotected. But, mistakes can be made.

'After that, my mother died, by your hand once more. I was now the one who had to look after the growing Communities on Earth. If you would have stopped Malekith from invading your planet or at least locate the Aether, your mistake would have been forgiven. You didn't. Once again, you broke your promise by closing your eyes to everything that happened.'

The man was genuinely angry. In his ice like eyes were strong emotions. Where his facial expression was emotionless at the start of his angry words, there was now anger and disappointment visible. His volume had increased and he was now close to shouting. I was intrigued by this man. I heard about history I had never heard before. Only now I realised that my life in the Community as I had lived it was a complete and utter lie.

'Then Thanos,' the man went on, a sarcastic grin lay on his mouth. 'He killed every single Asgardian. Every one of the people my brother and I were supposed to protect. Then, he murdered me. Or, at least, he murdered my projection. Before I could go help on Earth, like you were supposed to, Thanos snapped his fingers and I was destined to die.

'Now I'm back. From a distance have I observed you. I've read all documents about your pathetic Communities. I've seen every decision you made. And then I stumbled upon one of your older documents. One concerning a girl, not even an adult, as you would say. An innocent, harmless girl you've kept completely in the dark about her magic and her parents.'

The man turned to me once more. Like just now, I saw anger in his blue eyes. But not for long, as when my eyes met his, he suddenly calmed down. The hostile look disappeared, making space for a calm one. He reminded me of an ocean. When there was no wind, no mistakes made by the Witches, he would be calm. When there was a storm, when he got angry, he could be very frightening. In the time I spent with him later, I would learn he could be even deathly then.

'You didn't even teach her the basics,' the man spat out, still looking at me, even though I knew his hatred wasn't focused on me. 'She's anything but defenceless.'

'There's seven of us, Loki. Do you really want to throw a tantrum?' one of the Witches asked the man.

The man, Loki, chuckled. His eyes shone with a mischievous shimmer and he turned to the Witch. 'A tantrum? That's how you see me pointing out your foolish actions?'

'Why do you concern yourself about the girl?' another Witch asked, a disbelieving tone in her question. 'What has she done to be in such interest for you?'

'It's not what she's done, Elektra. It's about what has been done to her,' Loki responded with clever words.

'Her parents were too dangerous to keep around,' the Witch with the name Elektra discussed.

Loki scoffed, immediately turning away from the woman. 'Such a weak excuse. It does not justify the sad knowledge of her magic.'

'Don't speak of things you don't understand, Loki,' another Witch told the man. 'You weren't there.'

'I understand just fine. You all were just scared. Pathetic. You're all a shame to the magic you possess,' Loki stated, hatred filling his eyes again.

'You want to put that to the test?' another Witch on Elektra's right challenged Loki.

A fool.

On Loki's face appeared a mischievous grin.

'Have I been wanting to hear you say that.'