The Avengers: Finding Young Loki

Loki Lives

Erik, Jane, and Darcy followed Loki down the hallway of the SHIELD hellicarrier as he made his way to the weapons vault where they were keeping his helmet.  “Once I put that on, I’ll return to my adult form and be able to defeat Dokkalfar,” Loki said as he used magic to open the panel.

“But won’t Ikol be able to take over your mind then?” Jane asked.  Loki paused only for a second as he looked at his helmet.  He removed it from its place on a stand, and once more looked at his reflection.  When he turned to face the three of them, they all had worried expressions on their faces.

“He can try, but my will is strong.  He’ll have to defeat it first,” Loki answered.  He closed his eyes and he heard Ikol’s voice.

The time is almost here!  I’ll soon be released and return to my rightful place!

“Over my dead body,” Loki muttered as he turned around.  Fury was standing at the entrance of the vault with Coulson and Hill standing behind him.  “Oh, newsflash.  I’m alive!” Loki said with a smirk as he put his helmet under his arm.

“I can see that,” Fury remarked.

“How is that even possible?” Coulson asked.

“As soon as my heart stopped, my sorcerer fail safe kicked in.  I cast a spell on myself a few years ago,” Loki explained.  “If I was killed while still in child form, what was left of my magic would go into rejuvenating myself.  Hence the ice.  Keeps nosy people from dissecting me,” Loki remarked, glaring at a few of the doctors who had followed them.  They looked a little sheepish and took a few steps back.

“So, they ice was to protect you while you healed?” Jane asked.  Loki nodded and ran his fingers through his black hair. 

“Because of that spell, my magic is much depleted.  If I am to defeat Dokkalfar, I need the helmet,” Loki said as he started to walk by. 

“What if Ikol is released instead of you?” Fury asked.  Loki stopped walking and turned to face them.  He held his helmet firmly in his hands, staring down at himself. 

“If the other me comes out, if Ikol is released, kill it!” he said vehemently.  Jane and Darcy gasped at Loki’s request.  He was willing to sacrifice his very existence just as long as the world remained safe from his past self.  He turned around and ran out of the vault.  The SHIELD agents parted for him, watching as he ran by.

Are you really willing to sacrifice yourself, give up your very being, to save the mortals?  Why?

You would never understand Ikol, Loki responded mentally.  How could you?  You’ve never truly given up anything.

 

The Avengers arrived at Thor’s location, an abandoned laboratory.  “Perfect for a psychotic!” Natasha said as they all disembarked from the Quinn Jet.

“Now everybody, you all remember what verdict we decided on?” Tony said from inside the armor.  All the other Avengers looked at him, angry expressions on their faces.  “We’re going to kill this elf, no matter what!”  The Avengers got themselves together and entered the laboratory. 

Even in the depths of the basement, Dokkalfar heard them and he stopped beating Thor.  The Prince of Asgard was a bloody mess on the floor, his wrists hanging from the chains, straining his already damaged flesh more. 

“Looks like your friends are here to save you.  A challenge for me,” Dokkalfar said, touching the Mind Gem in his circlet. 

“They know you’ve killed Loki.  If he was with them, they would have been with him until the end.  They’ll be pissed at you.  If they want to kill you, I won’t be the one to stop them,” Thor said in a cracked voice.  Dokkalfar snickered and turned away from him.  He walked away and left Thor alone.  Now that he was gone, Thor bowed his head, and allowed his sorrow to appear.  Loki was really dead.  The elf would not make such a big deal about it unless he had actually killed him.  He had murdered a young boy in cold blood, and now he would flaunt that fact in the face of Thor’s friends to throw them off.  Thor knew he would.  The tears streamed down his face, leeching into his cuts, and burning him.  “Loki.  You’re gone again, but this time, it wasn’t planned for.  You couldn’t have foreseen it.  You’re truly gone.  But, I will always love you.  My brother,” Thor said.

“And I will always love you too.  Brother,” was the reply and Thor looked up.  He saw something that he thought he would never see again.  Loki was kneeling before him.  His hands were on either side of his head, and as he held him, Thor’s cuts slowly disappeared.  Loki’s smile was genuine, and his green eyes sparkled brightly.  The shackles fell from Thor’s wrists and he sagged.  Loki caught him and slowly lowered him to the ground.  “It’s good to see you again,” Loki said.  Thor did not speak, he just embraced Loki.  His strong arms around him, made Loki smile even more.  They hugged, and that was when Thor noticed the horned helmet behind Loki.

“What is that doing here?” he asked, separating from Loki.

“If I’m going to defeat Dokkalfar, I’m going to have to return to my former body.  That’s where all my magic resides.  I’ve got no other choice,” Loki told him as he helped him to his feet.

“But, Ikol could be released!” Thor said, swaying a little from loss of blood.

“I’ve already told Fury if he comes back, he is to kill him.”  Thor gasped and gripped Loki’s hands.

“I won’t let you make that kind of bargain!  I won’t go through the pain of your death again!” Thor said.  Loki smiled at him before he stooped and picked up his helmet.

“I won’t die.  I’ve got good friends around me.  What could go wrong?” Loki asked, spreading his arms and smirking.  “I am the God of Mischief after all.”

Dokkalfar blasted the Avengers back with the power of the Mind Gem.  An arrow hit him from behind and enshrouded him in mist.  Dokkalfar turned, but he felt something sharp penetrate his flesh near his hip and he growled.  He lashed out, catching Clint in the face and knocking him down.  He grabbed him around the throat and raised him up.  “You think killing me will bring your little bastard of mischief back?  Well it won’t!  He’s dead and there’s nothing you can do about it!” Dokkalfar said as he threw Clint into the ground and stomped on his chest.  Clint felt a few of his ribs crack and he groaned.

“I wouldn’t count your chickens before they hatch,” said an impudent and confident voice.  Dokkalfar and all the Avengers looked up and they saw Loki standing on top of the laboratory.  He was holding his helmet above his head and looking down on them, a smirk on his young face.

“Loki!” all the Avengers said as they saw him.

“It’s impossible!” Dokkalfar exclaimed as he kicked Clint away.

“Oh, it’s quite possible.  You see, I always have contingencies in case something goes haywire.  It’s called being prepared.  You should try it sometime,” Loki said grinning broadly.

“He’s really alive!” Clint said to himself right before he passed out.