Attack | OPEN
Thor watched, grim-faced, as his brother regained his former terrible power. He wondered if he would be forced to act upon his threat, if he had the strength to go against Odin’s law and kill another Asgardian. To kill his own brother…
He pushed the thoughts from his mind, focusing instead on the battle in front of him and the searing pain spreading like wildfire down his neck. Loki’s laughter filled the air, grating on Thor’s nerves, as he trapped the creature. Thor looked at Loki’s satisfied smile with disdain. Had the return of his might expelled any thought of rehabilitation from his brother’s mind?
When Loki gave the order to finish the beast Thor straightened up. Immediately he felt nauseous again. He gritted his teeth against the sensation as he spun Mjolnir to gain momentum. With movement mastered over generations of practice, he hurled the hammer at their enemy. Such was the force of Mjolnir’s impact that it cleaved the beast’s head clean off its shoulders.
He felt dizzy from the throw, but Thor kept his footing. Mjolnir now back in his grip he walked to Loki, a deep frown etched across his face. Before his brother had a chance to speak, Thor knocked the irritating smile off his face. As Loki stumbled backwards from the punch, Thor grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and pulled him close to his face. The nauseating feeling returned with vengeance, yet he ignored it.
“You can not dare laugh at a time like this,” Thor bellowed at Loki, “this is not some grand battlefield, it is part of these peoples lives!” He shoved Mjonir into his brother’s face for him to see the dark blood dripping from it. “On this weapon is the blood of an innocent man. His death is on my hands, brother.” Thor dropped Mjolnir beside him and gripped Loki with both hands, both out of anger and out of need to stabilize himself against the debilitating pain of the poison. “You are a fool! I could have helped you, we could have fought these vile things on our own terms.” Sirens blared blocks away. Thor knew they could not linger, but he needed to make Loki understand. Of all times, now was the most vital for him to grasp the lesson of responsibility and respect. “Loki,” Thor said, his tone softening, “your actions have direct and very serious consequences. Do not revel in the death and mayhem we are able to inflict.”
A jolt of pain raced through the entirety of Thor’s body. He let go of Loki, stumbled backwards and fell to his knees. The poison had reached his heart, the Norse god could feel it rampaging through his blood. “We are seen as gods,” Thor grunted, “and for a time we acted as such, thinking ourselves better than all.” He dragged Mjolnir to his side, using it to prevent himself from falling completely over. “It is time we began acting like…” Thor grimaced, knowing Loki would be loath to hear it, “mere men.”
The creature died with a satisfying spray of dark blood as Mjolnir separated the thing's head from its body. A smile pulled at his lips but was knocked from him as Thor's fist collided with his face, sending him stumbling back.
Thor gripped him tight, and the words he spewed sent tendrils of cold anger coiling in his chest. Loki's eyes dropped to look at the blood dripping from the hammer, and then he was forced to look back at Thor.
There was something...wrong...with the way Thor gripped him. A trembling that shouldn't have been there. But the words that were tearing through his skull burned.
His fists clenched tightly at his sides, his face a mask of cold neutrality.
"Mere men."
The words were spat from his lips as he glared at his brother.
"We are not mere men. We were not raised to be such. This world, like it or not, will become a battlefield with or without my intervention. Or yours. These creatures...these pathetic little humans who you so clearly adore have gone beyond themselves. They have proven themselves capable of fighting greater enemies, and they will be fought."
His voice was cold and harsh.
"I did warn you, Thor. Long ago when this began." He snarled. "There is no stopping it." He bent then, gripping Thor's arm and pulling him to his feet, and lifting his other hand, the bone of his arm still re-aligning itself from the force of the hit it had taken from Mjolnir before.
"This is only the beginning, Thor. I warned you of what would follow me here, told you what should be done. I expected better of your human allies, yet where are they? Why is it that you are the only one who came when you were needed? And yet still you are angry with me, after all I have tried to do. What, then, is the point of me remaining? I bring only chaos and death."
Loki let out a sharp laugh, tightening his grip and pulling. They stood atop Stark Tower, icy wind pulling at Loki's clothes.
"Do not speak to me of consequences, Thor. Do not speak to me of what my actions bring. You do not know me."
He fell silent then, his own expression softening into one of concern as he studied Thor. The cut looked agitated, and Thor's breathing was off. He reached out with his magic and recoiled at the black, sick, twisted aura that surrounded the injury.
Poison.
He knew this touch, how ill Thor would become before he would succumb to a painful death.
Loki also knew Thor could not return to Asgard's healing hall without bringing him back to be punished.
He'd have to find another way. He knew who he'd have to speak to...and that he couldn't do it here.
Loki's hand dropped from Thor's shoulder and he straightened.
"Do not come looking for me, Thor. You are in no condition to do so."
His tone was quiet as he turned, stepping away from his brother...and then he was gone. Vanished.
