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Do you like Loki's creations, dangerous experiments, and willingness to challenge enemies that appear above his league? Then you will definitely like Thairon, the protagonist of my original story, Arrival : Ruptures. Comments, likes and reviews are appreciated. Here are the links for : AO3, Spacebattles, Royal Road and Webnovel.
—
Bialya
Al-Qawiya
He stood before the flashing cameras and the press trying to ask everything at once. The cacophony was irritating, as were the lights. He raised his hand to the side, palm open. The flashes went out, and the noise was cut off.
"I will not be answering any questions. What I have to say will give you some answers but not all," he started as the cameramen checked their devices.
"I interfered and killed Queen Bee because her actions were despicable. I streamed it to everyone so the citizens of this country would know her crimes, and more importantly, they now had the chance to fight back," he said with a flat tone. He felt the questions that were about to rise from the thousands before him. He intervened before they could ask.
"What I am, who I am, these are irrelevant questions. I don't desire any rewards or worship." He glared at the front rows, seeing how they were praying.
"I simply gave you a chance, that's all. Whether you succeed or fail is up to you." He looked at the crowd, watching their silent, expectant looks. "From what I have seen, you are on the path to victory."
"That will be all," he said, turning around.
"Wait, please. We have so much to ask," a press member from the crowd shouted behind him. He tried to climb onto the stage, but the law enforcement stopped him.
"Just consider me an anonymous samaritan." These were his last words as he disappeared from sight.
—
Metropolis
LexCorp
He considered returning home, but there was one last matter he wanted to resolve. Klarion and Queen Bee were part of a hidden organization so named the Light with the intent to illuminate the world. Of course, each member had their own plans, and they didn't hesitate to use the organization to carry them out.
Lex Luthor, a billionaire human who provided financial resources to the organization, was a public figure. The heroes knew he was a villain, yet Luthor always managed to swivel out of trouble. Deniable assets, mercenaries, and elite legal teams kept him out of trouble.
Unfortunately for Luthor, none of them would stop him.
He passed through the walls with Cosmo. Circuitry and energy fields ran inside them. They blocked all but a certain wavelength of energy from leaving.
"Yes, first Queen Bee and now Klarion. We have certainly taken devastating blows," Lex said, elbows on the table, fingers interlaced in front of his lips.
"That you have," he said, patting the man on the shoulder.
Lex was startled, almost jumping out of his seat, but Loki's firm grip pushed him down. "What the?!"
"It appears Lex is discovered as well. We should end this call here," one of the members, Ra's al Ghul, said. The nondescript figures on the screen disappeared together.
"Indeed. I prefer to talk face to face," Loki said, his eyes shining. He snapped his fingers. Four individuals, each one different in form and existence, dropped on the chairs around the table with a small displacement of air.
A human that was older than Asgard and another one that was a couple centuries old. The most curious member was a brain in a robotic tank. The last one was an Atlantean, a relative of the young one he had met at the oasis. They all looked around the room, assessing the situation. None of them tried to attack or escape, simply sitting down, waiting.
"What now?" Savage asked. The caveman was evaluating him, searching for weaknesses, no doubt. Cosmo leaped from his side to the table, sitting on the other hand, watching
"I," creating a black hole in his hand, "have a question for you all. As long as you don't act up or lie, I won't harm you." He dismissed it just as quickly, walking towards Luthor.
Ra's leaned back, letting his guard down. Against such a power, he had no means to survive, except for his mind. "Ask then."
"You all are individuals of great power in differing fields. You, in your twisted vision, wish to see this planet stand atop the galactic food chain," he said with a blank tone, conjuring an illusion of Earth floating over his palm.
He closed his fingers, and the illusion disappeared. "Quite understandable." Almost every race in his universe wanted to be the top dog. Asgard had achieved it in the Nine Realms. He would be a hypocrite to call their ideals wrong.
Definitely twisted though.
"Why do it in the shadows though? Why not act in the light?" he asked. The irony of how the Light acted in the shadows was not lost on him. He simply wanted to understand.
"To avoid the interference of the Justice League, of course," Luthor said. The man was trying too much to be charming. It wasn't a natural gift he had but something acquired through many, many experiences, no doubt.
"That is illogical," he retorted. The League was only a threat because they were working in an illegal manner.
"We would be happy to hear your thoughts," Vandal said, intrigued about what the entity before him had to say.
"You," he said, laying a hand on Luthor's shoulder. "You control a company that is influential across the planet. You have great wealth and technological acumen. Why not use it to increase the life quality of the citizens?"
"If life were made more fair for them, if they were not plagued by constant, untreatable sicknesses, and if they were able to provide for themselves thanks to you, the citizens would fall over themselves to follow you." He had seen enough planets that had become paradises. It wasn't impossible for Earth. The public was simply divided into too many sections, making a unified effort extremely difficult.
"While I am quite wealthy, it is not to the point of solving all of Earth's problems at once."
"Then don't. Start small. Cure cancer, provide free electricity, and run for president to fix this country. The rest will come."
Luthor raised an eyebrow. "You think it is that easy?"
Loki smiled, touching Luthor's bald head, flooding it with the images and histories of the utopias he had visited. "I know it is that easy. You are all selfish individuals, which makes you underestimate the power of gratitude one would have towards people who gave them a better life."
He left the wide-eyed human to sort out the memories, turning his attention to the next member.
"Ra's al Ghul," he said as he appeared behind the old man. "You control the largest network of assassins and information on this planet. Why not use it to expose the illicit deals of the corrupt? Not directly, of course, but through channels that would make them heroes."
With the capabilities of his organization, he could turn any channel to a well of truth. If he wanted to control the citizens of this world, what better way than to ensure he was the only source of truth?
"When the time came, who would they believe more, you or the media controlled by the rich? You could manipulate the public opinion with a few words," he said, flooding the old man's formidable mind with images of him controlling billions.
Ra took deep breaths, closing eyes to clear the foreign images out. "Our past makes it unfeasible."
"Not as long as you don't reveal it," he said, his lips slightly curling upwards as he felt the small tremor in the old man's resolve.
He pointed at the brain in the mobile jar and the aquatic humanoid. "The Brain could use his genius to assist with medical and scientific endeavors. As for the Atlantean, I am sure he would prove useful in some way."
"And of course," he spread his hands to the side with a smile, turning towards the most dangerous person in the room. "Vandal Savage. Has history not taught you anything? People would follow the leaders they believe in to death. You could be it, one to drag this planet to greatness."
Savage looked away, memories of ages past coming to his mind.
"My question is, why bother with the cloak and dagger? You have the power to direct this planet to whichever path you desire. In the broad daylight no less." There was no answer to his words. Each member was silent, contemplating.
Exactly what he wanted them to do.
"It appears fear has made you prisoners of the shadows," Loki answered his own question with a stern tone and left. The smile on his lips did not match his voice, though.
"At least I am not the only one who thinks he has raised several interesting points," Luthor said, watching his compatriots.
Ra's rose from his seat, the final words ringing in his mind. "We can discuss what he said as soon as we are back in our own headquarters."
The bald genius smirked. "I am afraid that won't be possible."
"Why is that?" Vandal asked.
Luthor turned the screen around. "It appears we have been brought to the light." Their conversation was broadcasted to every city in the United States.
—
The Watchtower
"How the hell could we have missed this? The most dangerous villains were working together behind the scenes, and we didn't have a single clue," Flash said, watching the cops surround LexCorp. "This explains so much."
"We need to move now. Even if they are arrested, they won't stay that way for long," Superman said, his eyes narrowing. Ra's had a small army, and the rest of the Light employed many villains. The attempts to free them would turn into a battle.
They had to act quickly.
"No need. They won't try to break them out immediately, not until this matter settles down," Batman said. The security measures would be at an all-time high. Ra's was too cautious to act out so brazenly.
"Are you sure?" Wonder Woman asked. She realized Queen Bee too was most likely a member. It explained the villain activities they had detected in Bialya.
"It is likely the League of Shadows, which will lead any possible operation to free them. They are too cautious to act out in a time like this."
Green Lantern rose from his seat. "Still, we can't sit on our asses. At least some of us should watch them until they are behind the bars."
"Agreed," Manhunter added, following him.
—
Metropolis
Loki was sitting in a cafe, watching the chaos unfold. The law enforcement surrounded LexCorp with all available forces. Before there was even a need for the heroes to arrive, the members of the Light surrendered. Still, the Justice League escorted the armored vehicles transporting each member.
The statistics regarding the incarceration of individuals such as them pointed out that they wouldn't stay imprisoned for long.
The true chaos lay among the citizens. The idea that a shadowy organization was manipulating the events behind the scenes caused instant mass riots. Coupled with the conspiracy theories regarding politics, there would be a lot of headaches for the people in power.
He thought it was well deserved.
What awaited the citizens of this world now, he didn't know. This could be a wake-up call that their leadership was corrupt and compromised, or they would continue to be complacent as long as they weren't directly harmed. He had helped as much as he was willing to.
It was time to go home, though; perhaps he would visit this world in the future.
"Come on, Cosmo. I want to see how Thor is doing," he said. His companion got up, stretching. She trotted behind, jumping through the portal.
—
Home Universe
Earth
New Mexico
He appeared near where Thor was residing. There was an unusual chill in the air. It definitely did not fit the blazing heat of this desert. The reason was the pillars of ice covering the wrecked buildings.
The perpetrator came flying through a building, the side of his face caved in. Laufey fell right in front of him, groaning in pain, eyes unfocused. Thor landed right in front of him, Mjolnir in hand, lightning crackling in his eyes.
"Brother, you finally returned," Thor said in his booming, jubilant voice, hugging him.
Loki returned the hug, smiling at Laufey's state. "I have. You seemed to have regained your powers."
Thor flashed a grin, pointing Mjolnir at the downed Jotnar. "Laufey was of great help. He suddenly came out of nowhere and volunteered for it."
He peered closer to his birth father's shattered cheekbone. "How generous of him."
"How did your trip go?"
"It was enlightening. I discovered a universe similar in some aspects yet wildly different."
"Did you find Asgard there?"
He grimaced. "Kind of. My evil counterpart caused Ragnarok and destroyed it."
Thor's face fell. "That sounds like a story."
"Not much to tell really, but sure."
"Uhh, guys?" Jane came from behind, hesitant as she watched the blue alien for any signs of attacking. "Shouldn't you be handling him first?"
Thor prodded Laufey with his feet. He groaned softly but didn't react otherwise. "Surely he is here against the orders of the new king of Jotunheim. He broke the Allfather's peace by attacking Midgard. He should stand trial."
Loki nodded, concurring with his brother's analysis. "Yes, I don't believe King Helblindi would send him on this mindless attack."
Unless he wanted to restart hostilities for some inane reason, of course.
"Heimdall!" Thor called to the skies. No sooner had the echoes of his voice died out than the Bifrost fell a few feet away, right onto the open square. Lady Sif and the Warriors Three were leading a contingency of Einherjar.
Loki waved his fingers, restraining Laufey on a floating security gurney.
"My friends," Thor said, grasping the arms of each one.
"Glad to see you return, Thor. It was too tense up there with both of you gone," Sif said, reaching for Loki's arm.
He took the arm, glancing at Laufey. "Take him away. He has caused enough trouble."
The soldiers surrounded him, pushing the gurney forward for the landing site. Loki, in the meantime, waved his hand, fixing the damage Laufey had caused. Now that the Midgardians were aware of their existence, life was about to get more exciting.
"That's not good," Darcy said as a small army of SHIELD vehicles poured from every direction, surrounding the square. Sif and the Warriors Three readied their weapons, but Thor stopped them with a small flick of his hand.
A man left the lead car, one he had seen in the SHIELD base. The remaining agents were behind cover, but no weapons were drawn yet. "Miss Foster, I believe you have much to tell us," he said to the astrophysicist, a blank look on his face.
"The four of you return to Asgard. I'll handle this," Thor said, walking towards the human.
"No one's going anywhere until we get answers," their leader, Phil Coulson, if he bothered to remember correctly, said, hand on his weapon.
Loki regarded the agent for a moment. He snorted, and the six of them disappeared with a snap of his fingers, leaving Thor to resolve the situation.
—
In the next chapter:
"Okay, so what's a god doing on Earth, blending among us humans? Were you on vacation or something?" Coulson asked. Thor raised an eyebrow, impressed with the human's attitude.
"No. My father banished me to your planet for an offence I committed. I recently regained my powers while defending the town from Laufey, the previous king of the Frost Giants."
"And why did he try to kill you?"
"I committed the offence on his face," he said, his lips twitching.
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