Tabula Rasa (Unlike Loki: Book Two)

Chapter 78

(Anna)

I felt the cool metal on my neck and the warm trickle of blood slide down my skin, collecting on my shirt collar. The smell of iron filled my nose and I flinched back from it. The stench of blood brought to many horrible memories with it.

But it's not the first time I had bled at the hand of a knife. Years under HYDRAs scope had given me some experience. Plus, my powers and abilities helped me to heal fast. I tried to shake the fear of knowing that if I gave the stone to Thanos, the security feature would be gone. I'd be vulnerable.

But not yet, I told myself. Not yet.

Loki and By were yelling in the distance, but I tuned them out. I had to.

I had one shot at this.

And I couldn't get distracted.

I couldn't get distracted by the two men fighting against their bonds, worried for my safety. I couldn't get distracted by the look of victory on Thanos's face. I couldn't get distracted by the thought that he had used almost every single person I loved to somehow aid him. I couldn't get distracted by the look on Amora's face, as if she regretted every decision she had ever made. I couldn't get distracted by Leolin's breath on the back of my neck, hot and angry.

Leolin held me there, his chest pressed against my back. He had pushed me to my knees and made me arch back has he had pinned my arm behind me.

"I was given the honor of killing you, Mother." He laughed. And it was at he moment I knew that he was not possessed, but driven to madness. "Isn't that poetic?"

I didn't dare move, not even to talk, for fear that the sharp blade would slice too far.

I had never had my head sliced off. And I was in no hurry to find out if I could survive an injury such as that.

Thanos sat on his massive throne, Nebula on one side, her blue skin glowing with happiness, and Amora on the other. She had shrunken into herself. She didn't belong here and she knew it. She was no evil witch, even if she longed for power. EVERYONE wanted more power. But not many of the good ones could stomach what it takes to get there.

Thanos made a hand gesture at Leolin, and I suddenly felt the sting of the knife leave my skin, but it was just enough so that I could talk.

Thanos smiled.

He thought he was winning.

"You've been quite a pain in my side, girl." He sighed. "You have a way of turning all my minions soft. First, Loki. Then, Talia. And who knows how many others. It's getting real irritating. But that boy of yours is hard as stone. I know for a fact he won't budge." 

I flinched at his words, but ignored him, moving back to the subject at hand. "Why kill me?" I made a frown at him. "Doesn't make much sense. You need the spell to get the stone. If you kill me, what good does that do you?"

He laughed.

The asshat, mother effer actually laughed at me.

"You think I need some stupid spell to get the stone?!" He laughed some more. "That was all a guide you stupid girl. A story to make you willing to come here. The witch tells you how to do some fake spell that gets the stone out, BLAH blah blah." He smiled and stood.

"Then how-"

"How am I going to get the stone out of you?" He chuckled. "I kill you. Or, more accurately, the boy kills you. However he pleases. Though I asked him to make it long and painful. You've caused me quite the trouble. He came closer. "And then, as the light leaves your eyes, so will the stone. And then it will go into my vessel of choosing."

"My, my. From a villain standpoint, you're not very good at this, are you?. Telling me all your plans. Tsk, tsk." If my sarcasm didn't kill me before the end of this day, it would be a miracle.

Thanos snarled at me as Leolin twisted my arm further, causing me to grunt.

"Who is the vessel, then?" I asked through gritted teeth.

He came closer still. "That's a secret I and I alone know." The corner of his mouth twitched into a smile.

"Oh. Is that because whoever the vessel is, will end up exploding, thus giving rebirth to the stone?" I smirked.

"Close." He said, smirking back. I could feel his breath on me now. "Actually!" He said, holding up a finger. "If my vessel explodes, then the stone moves on to my next vessel, until it finds one that can hold its power." Be paused at the look on my face. "You see, I can't harm you. Because of the whole demon-Asgardian blood mix you have, it keeps me from being able to harm you. The only one who can kill you is that shithead over there." He motioned over to Loki. "It's a trial and error deal."

"Why move the stone around?"

"Haven't you been listening?!" He growled. "New vessel, one that's not you. Kill them, stone comes to me. I need the stone to be tangible. And I would pull it straight out of you, but there's an extremely powerful barrier there. It rather pisses me off." He smiled slowly. If he smiled one more time- "But, you see, there's only a few possible vessels. Would you like to guess them?" He smiled that horrible smile I wanted to slap off of his face.

"I-"

"Ah! Let me give you a hint." He boomed. "It has to relate to you, since you're the one with the stone."

I stared at him confused.

"Hmm. Another hint, maybe?" His voice was calm and collected. If I wasn't so pissed off, I would be utterly terrified. "The vessel has had to have shared contact, as in, anyone who's screwed you. Or, they must have shared blood."

Everything went silent. I couldn't hear the wind. I couldn't hear Loki or By. I couldn't hear my own breathing. I swear that even my heart stopped. 

No.

No.

No, no, no, NO.

I quickly ran the numbers through my head and then stared at Thanos in horror. He laughed horribly as he saw me make the full realization of his plan. 

Four people. 

Loki. 

By. 

Talia.

Leolin. 

My heart broke even more as I felt Leolin's grip slacken on me ever so slightly. 

"What?" He whispered, disbelief and betrayal in his voice covering the fear underneath. 

Thanos paused, the smile wiping off of his face. He simply glared at Leolin, "You dare disobey me?" Leolin remained silent. Only I could see his hand shaking. "Even if I did choose you as the first vessel, do you not think that you would be powerful enough to harness it?" Thanos chuckled. "Would it not be an honor?" Thanos spread his hands out wide. 

"I WOULD DIE!" Leolin suddenly screamed. 

Thanos glared at him angrily. "Don't worry boy. You're my last option for a vessel. And there's plenty of other power here. I am sure one of the others will be able to hold the stone." 

Leolin tightened his grip on me again. My little boy was going to kill me. 

"Leolin." I said. He stiffened at the sound of his names on my lips. "You don't have to do this. I can explain everything. You've been lied to-"

"Shut up!" He said, and the knife once again pricked me. 

And, suddenly, as if someone was leaving a trail of breadcrumbs, I saw the whole picture. I saw Thanos's plan. 

Only Leolin could kill me. 

Because he knew Loki wouldn't.

But Leolin had Loki's blood. 

Making it extremely possible for him to succeed. 

Thanos saw that I understood, and he smiled at me one last time before giving Leolin a signal. 

I didn't even have time to scream before Leolin, my sweet little boy, plunged the knife straight into my heart.