Things were a mess.
History was a complete mess.
The whole damn thing had gone to hell!
Things were a mess.
History was a complete mess.
The whole damn thing had gone to hell!
Doctor Strange, standing ready for battle, was still in a state of shock.
In the letter the Ancient One had left for him before she died, she had clearly outlined the future she had seen with the Time Stone. This was why Strange had proactively gone after Gamora.
According to the Ancient One's letter, the one who would lead the army to Earth to hunt down the traitor was Thanos's son—Lothar.
The plan was perfect: use Gamora as a bargaining chip to get a face-to-face with Lothar, and then, through him, open a line of communication with Thanos himself to explain the crisis the universe was facing.
At least, that's what he thought.
But he had only completed the first step, binding Gamora, when he found that the plot no longer matched the script the Ancient One had left behind.
Not only that, but the mastermind behind the entire cosmic invasion crisis, Loki, had shown up instead.
Strange's mind was in chaos. He trusted the Ancient One; she was his mentor, the one who had brought him into the world of sorcery. But the future could change. Who knew if one small incident could cause a massive shift?
Just like this Gamora situation. What if Lothar was originally supposed to come to Earth to capture her, but Thanos stopped him for some reason?
"Don't look at me like that. I'm not interested in any of you."
Loki was clearly enjoying being the center of attention. He spread his hands in a gesture of false helplessness that made Tony Stark want to punch him. But being in soul form, he couldn't. He still hadn't fully grasped the magic book Strange had given him.
"Really? Your actions seem to say you're a hostile visitor." Stephen Strange subtly motioned to Pepper Potts behind him. As the owner of the New York Sanctum, he wasn't angered by the sliced-off roof. Instead, he was still trying to get information and, more importantly... stall for time.
"You know, I'm almost sixteen hundred years old. I grew out of your crude mind games when I was three hundred." Loki raised an eyebrow, using his age as an advantage to tell Strange, you're a novice.
"Of course. After all, you're Loki, the second prince of Asgard, the successor of Queen Frigga, the man who inherited the title of 'First Sorcerer of the Nine Realms'." Strange's expression didn't change as he continued to flatter Loki.
Tony Stark's soul, however, scoffed. "What? 'First Sorcerer of the Nine Realms?' Him? All he knows how to do is stab people with a little knife. He's not even a better sorcerer than you are."
Loki's face darkened as his old tricks were exposed. Strange wanted to add another layer of flattery, but the words stuck in his throat.
"ROAR!"
As if in agreement with Tony, the Hulk roared, a fierce look on his face as he clenched his fist. His foul breath and towering size made Loki unconsciously flinch, a sign that he was remembering an unpleasant memory. He took a few steps back.
"I've changed my mind," Loki said. "Clark, see that big green guy? Hit him. Hit him hard. I want him to kneel and beg for mercy!"
Vindictive as ever, Loki pointed at the clearly agitated Hulk. It seemed an all-out battle was about to erupt.
"Hulk will hold off that weirdo in the tights with the red cape, Strange, you—"
CRASH!
Tony, the helpless "fountain commander" in his soul form, couldn't even finish his sentence before the fearsome Hulk was sent flying back to his feet, a visible dent in his chest.
"..."
"..."
"..."
The brewing battle vanished in an instant.
The "weirdo in the blue tights with the letter S on his chest," as Tony had called him, now floated calmly in the air, his right fist retracted. His gray eyes were empty, devoid of any spirit, but they filled Strange and the others with an overwhelming sense of dread.
The Hulk, who had just escaped the trauma of his earlier fight with Lothar, was once again defeated and broken by Clark, the newcomer. Bruce Banner, now wearing nothing but his pants, returned to the group.
"Superman. Clark Kent," Loki said, stepping out from behind Clark. "Or you can call him Kal-El. In another universe, he is the greatest warrior on Earth, a peerless fighter with an invincible power. Before he met Lothar, he had never truly been defeated in an honest fight."
Loki patted Clark on the shoulder as if introducing him to someone important.
"Lothar?"
Just as Loki expected, a tear began to form in the space above the New York Sanctum, which had lost its magical core. Hela, with her long hair and a black battle suit, slowly stepped out. The mention of Lothar's name was enough to make her rush here.
"It's been a while, sister," Loki said, a wide smile on his face.
"I don't recall ever meeting you," Hela said, slowly landing inside the Sanctum. She looked at Loki with interest. She had heard Lothar mention this man once: her brother, Odin's second son.
"I've seen you in the sealed histories. Odin's first child, my sister, the prophesied heir to the throne of Asgard—Hela," Loki said.
"What Lothar said was right. You truly are just like Odin," Hela said, her fingers moving. She was complimenting Loki's shamelessness. He had his father's flair. "You were waiting for me?"
"Of course. When the New York Sanctum was destroyed, it caused a magical disturbance that Asgard was sure to notice. And as the ruler of Asgard, you would naturally come to check on things, wouldn't you?" Loki said with a grin. Just as he'd said before, he didn't come here for the "chumps" inside.
"You want to go home?" Hela asked.
"Of course. And, I wanted to give you a gift." Loki's smile widened. With that, the small cube in his right hand released another captive.
A woman. Her luxurious clothes indicated her noble status, and the crown on her head and the golden trident in her hand made her look even more majestic. She opened her eyes. They were gray and emotionless.
"What is this?"
"You and Lothar's relationship should be quite good, right? Don't deny it. He was willing to kill Odin for you," Loki said, a cold light flickering in his eyes.
"Are you here to avenge Odin?" Hela paused, a playful look in her eyes.
"Do you know who she is?" Loki ignored her question, pointing to the woman standing with Clark. "Her name is Mera."
"She is the Queen of the Seas from another universe, and her power is just as immeasurable. Of course, there's one more thing I think I should tell you." Loki slowly backed away, a strange smile on his face.
"She likes Lothar. And Lothar has carried her before."
"In a princess carry, no less." Loki tilted his head and grinned from behind Clark.
"Oh, and she's also kissed Lothar." He then added the final detail.
"With tongue."
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