Snapped! Snapped! Snapped!
"Are you sure this Loki is Odin's biological child?" Mephisto muttered, his lips curling in disbelief as he watched the Hulk slam Loki into the ground repeatedly. The sight was both absurd and oddly entertaining.
From his vantage point, Mephisto struggled to reconcile the image of Loki—the cunning trickster, second prince of Asgard—with the hapless figure being battered like a rag doll.
"How can this guy be the same Loki who's supposed to rival Thor?" Mephisto whispered, half to himself. "He can't even handle a brute like the Hulk!"
His plans were unraveling before his eyes. Mephisto had counted on Loki's strength and the Mind Scepter to destabilize Earth's defenses. But now, it seemed he'd have to step in personally.
With a resigned sigh, Mephisto turned his attention to the Mind Scepter, still clutched tightly in Loki's hand. Loki wasn't entirely foolish—he had used magic to tether the scepter to himself, preventing the Hulk from seizing it during his beating.
Mephisto's gaze darkened. If it weren't for Thanos…
As his thoughts churned, Loki's voice broke through.
"Mephisto! Why don't you act already?" Loki shouted, his voice laced with desperation. "If you keep hiding, don't blame me for revealing your location. Let's see how much you enjoy having the Avengers on your back!"
For all his faults, Loki's talent for manipulation hadn't deserted him. His threat hit its mark, forcing Mephisto's hand.
"Damn trickster," Mephisto muttered, but he moved swiftly. With a wave of his hand, dark energy coiled through the air, enveloping Loki's battered body. In a flash, the trickster was sucked away, disappearing from the Hulk's grasp.
As the dark magic dissipated, Mephisto's figure emerged, his expression a mix of annoyance and caution.
Thor, Steve Rogers, Snape, and the rest of the Avengers arrived just in time to witness the scene. Thor's demeanor remained unshaken, the effects of the Felix Felicis still radiating through him. He leaned toward Snape and whispered, "Contact Lockhart. We need him here now."
Then, stepping forward, Thor addressed Mephisto with unwavering confidence.
"Mephisto, this is a matter of Asgardian law," Thor declared. "I have been ordered by my father to return Loki to Asgard to face justice. If you interfere further, I, as the future King of Asgard, will declare war on Hell itself."
Thor's voice grew firmer. "The armies of Asgard will gladly meet you in battle, and Hell will crumble under their might."
Mephisto's eyes widened in disbelief. Is this really Thor?
The self-assured, strategic tone was a far cry from the hot-headed, hammer-swinging prince Mephisto had encountered before.
"Loki, are you sure he's your brother?" Mephisto asked, his voice tinged with genuine suspicion. "He doesn't seem like the same person."
Even Loki, who had been slumped in pain, looked up in surprise. His brother's calm demeanor and sharp words were uncharacteristic.
"Yes," Loki muttered, squinting as if trying to see through an illusion. "That's Thor. No one else radiates such obnoxiously thunderous energy."
Thor continued, stepping closer to Mephisto. "Leave now, or face the wrath of Asgard. This is your final warning."
Mephisto hesitated. He wasn't eager to provoke the wrath of Odin or the gods of Asgard, especially when the Sorcerer Supreme was already monitoring his every move.
Before he could respond, a red, flame-like portal appeared behind the group. The familiar hum of magic signaled the arrival of Lockhart, who stepped through with calm precision.
"Lockhart, you're here!" Thor exclaimed, a confident smile spreading across his face. "I will leave Mephisto to you. Loki is mine."
Lockhart glanced at Thor, observing his overly confident demeanor but choosing not to comment. Snape had briefed him on Thor's current state, and while the Felix Felicis was effective, it also had the tendency to make its user overly bold.
Lockhart turned to Mephisto, his wand already glowing with faint, pure white energy. The air around him crackled with magical intensity.
"Mephisto, the Sorcerer Supreme requests your presence," Lockhart said, his tone calm yet commanding. The light from his wand flared briefly, a clear warning to the demon lord.
Mephisto's gaze flicked between Lockhart and the Avengers. The odds were stacking against him.
Nearby, Loki gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on the Mind Scepter. Magic flowed into the scepter's golden gem, which began to radiate a pale light. The aura of the artifact expanded, clashing subtly with Lockhart's magic.
Loki's mind raced. He knew his best chance was to join forces with Mephisto, even if temporarily.
"Loki," Thor said softly, stepping toward his brother. "Come back to Asgard with me. Mother misses you."
Hearing this, Loki froze. Whether Odin treated him well or not was one thing, but Queen Frigga had always been kind and attentive to him.
"The Queen Mother would be heartbroken to witness this," Thor continued, his words laced with both regret and authority. He seemed to know exactly where Loki's vulnerabilities lay.
"She wants to be proud of you, Loki. She made so many sacrifices for you."
"Stop talking!" Loki snapped, anger flashing in his eyes. "Who are you? You're definitely not Thor!"
Thor's voice felt like an ethereal force, striking directly at Loki's heart. Every word touched a nerve, exposing the pain Loki tried so hard to bury.
This couldn't be Thor—or rather, if it wasn't, whoever it was had perfected the guise to a chilling degree.
Loki gripped the scepter tighter. Doubts crept into his mind, growing louder and more insistent. With a sudden burst of anger, he swung the spiritual scepter, releasing a pale golden blade of energy aimed directly at Thor.
Thor reacted instantly, throwing Mjolnir at the incoming blade without hesitation. In an instant, dark blue lightning crackled across the surface of the hammer.
Snap!
The light blade shattered on impact, but its fragments surged forward, glowing with dangerous energy.
Loki's impulsive attack set off a chain reaction. His actions had ignited a new battle. Without warning, Lockhart turned to Mephisto, his wand raised and commanding.
"Diffindo!"
A transparent blade of magic shot toward Mephisto. With an almost casual motion, Mephisto raised his hand, and a swirling black mist materialized, swallowing the spell effortlessly.
Pop! The sharp sound echoed as the mist absorbed the energy entirely.
Suddenly, Lockhart acted again. Click! Click! Click!
With sharp movements of his wand, a majestic spell radiated outward, spreading in all directions. The space around them began to shimmer and distort, the sound of cracking glass filling the air.
Mirror Space.
Silence fell as the battlefield shifted. Tony, Hulk, Steve, and the others paused, noticing how the gunfire and chaos outside had abruptly ceased. They found themselves in a warped reflection of their world—eerily quiet and devoid of life.
Lockhart wasted no time. With a flick of his wand, he manipulated the mirror space itself. The floors of Stark Tower twisted and split, revealing a massive circular platform. Mephisto observed the spatial changes with curiosity, showing no signs of concern.
Lockhart unleashed a barrage of magic, beams of energy streaking toward Mephisto.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The black mist before Mephisto expanded, swirling into a vortex. It grew larger with each passing second, devouring every curse and spell hurled at it.
The winds from the vortex howled like a storm, pulling everything toward its center. Lockhart felt the powerful suction but stood his ground.
Hulk, however, roared in defiance. With a deafening cry, he charged headlong into the black tornado, fists raised. His raw power countered the force of the vortex as he pushed forward.
Lockhart and Snape flanked him, their wands firing spells in rapid succession. Tony and the others coordinated their attacks, while Thor led a concentrated assault on Loki.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Micro-missiles launched from Tony's shoulders, trailing smoke as they zeroed in on Loki.
Loki's expression hardened. He slammed the scepter into the ground, summoning layers of golden shields that shimmered into existence.
Boom!
The missiles collided with the shields, creating fiery explosions that shook the battlefield. The shockwaves forced the attackers to retreat momentarily.
As the dust settled, Loki's shield remained, though visibly weakened. This magic was far beyond what Tony expected.
Thor seized the moment, raising Mjolnir high. Lightning surged down the hammer as he struck the golden barrier repeatedly.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
The shield faltered, fissures spreading across its surface. Loki's expression darkened as he realized it would not hold.
In the midst of the chaos, Mephisto's voice slithered into Loki's mind.
"Loki, summon the Thanos mark hidden within the Mind Stone."
A flood of information followed, overwhelming Loki's thoughts. His hands trembled slightly as he gripped the scepter.
The truth was bitter: the scepter did not fully belong to him. Thanos' influence lingered within. Summoning the mark meant willingly handing over control.
Thor's instincts screamed danger. "Lockhart, seal Mephisto now! He's stalling!" he shouted. Turning to Loki, he softened his tone.
"Loki, my dear brother, stop this. Please. Destiny doesn't favor your sacrifice. I don't want you to die, and neither does Mother."
Loki hesitated, Thor's plea piercing through his resolve. For a moment, he considered stopping.
But Mephisto's voice came again, insidious and manipulative.
"Loki, use the mark, or you will be expelled. You will fail miserably and forever live under Thor's shadow."
Loki's hesitation turned to anger. He tightened his grip on the scepter, his determination hardening.
If he was going to do this, he would not falter. With steely resolve, Loki channeled his power into the Mind Stone, initiating the ritual.
"The overlord of the stars, Thanos, I, Loki, future God-King of Asgard, call upon your aid!"
The atmosphere grew oppressive. Everyone felt it—a weight bearing down on their souls.
A shadow appeared before Loki, growing clearer with each passing second. A massive figure emerged, its purple skin wrinkle..
It was none other than the Mad Titan himself—Thanos.
While Lockhart and Snape battled the Hulk and Mephisto, a faint smile crept across Mephisto's face.
Loki meant little to him—a mere pawn in a grander scheme. What truly mattered was Thanos, the enigmatic force supporting Loki from the shadows. Thanos stood on the same level as Mephisto himself, a being of immense power and cunning. Only such entities were worthy of forming alliances with him. Loki? Just a chess piece in their game.
Across the battlefield, Thor observed the chaos without panic. Turning to Steve, Tony, Natasha, and Barton, he spoke with calm authority.
"Don't worry. This is just a soul mark of Thanos," he explained. "It's not even a clone, and its presence here is temporary. If we hold out long enough, it will vanish on its own."
Thor laid out his strategy. "I'll handle close combat. Steve, you focus on defense. Tony, you're in charge of ranged harassment. Natasha, Barton—stay vigilant. Wait for the right moment to strike."
"Understood," Steve replied, and the team moved swiftly into position.
Steve raised his iconic shield, its surface shimmering as dark yellow energy lines began to form.
Whoosh!
An energy barrier sprang to life, marked with khaki-colored streaks. Steve stood tall at the forefront, ready to bear the brunt of Thanos' assault.
High above, Tony hovered, his suit bristling with weaponry. Miniature missile launchers, palm-mounted repulsors, and shoulder cannons glowed with latent energy, primed to unleash devastation.
Thor gripped Mjolnir tightly, summoning crackling bolts of dark blue lightning. With a fierce battle cry, he charged at Thanos, swinging his hammer with immense force.
Thanos sensed the oncoming attack and showed no emotion. Slowly, he raised his hand, channeling the power of the Mind Stone. Pale golden light swirled around his palm, forming an ethereal gauntlet of energy.
Boom!
Thanos met Thor's hammer strike head-on. The collision sent a thunderous shockwave across the battlefield, shattering the lightning and hurling Thor backward into Steve's energy barrier.
Tony, witnessing the clash, unleashed a relentless barrage. Bullets, missiles, and plasma beams rained down on Thanos.
Boom!
A fiery explosion erupted, enveloping the battlefield in smoke and debris. A miniature mushroom cloud rose, the air thick with heat and ash.
As the dust settled, their hopes were dashed. A pale golden energy shield enveloped both Loki and Thanos, gleaming with unyielding strength. The shield remained intact, unaffected by the assault.
Tony cursed under his breath. "So this is the Mind Stone at full power."
Thanos, aware of the mark's limited time, pondered briefly. With a snap of his fingers, the golden shield dissolved. Slowly, he advanced toward Thor.
Thor scrambled to his feet, undeterred. Raising Mjolnir once more, he swung it with all his might.
Boom!
Thanos' punch collided with the hammer, sending Thor crashing to the ground again. Undeterred, Thanos strode toward Steve's barrier. He stopped just short of the energy wall, locking eyes with Steve.
Through the barrier, Steve's determined gaze met Thanos' piercing one. For a moment, time seemed to freeze.
"I admire your resolve," Thanos said, his deep voice filled with an unsettling calm. "Your unwavering desire to protect. It originates from your soul, doesn't it?"
Steve remained silent, his grip on the shield tightening.
"Kneel before me," Thanos continued. "Swear your loyalty, and I shall grant you glory beyond imagination."
Steve's answer was unspoken. His shield rose higher, his posture unyielding.
Boom! Crack!
Thanos' fist slammed into the barrier, spreading fractures across its surface. The energy shimmered dangerously, and Steve staggered, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
"I can hold this," Steve muttered, his voice steady despite his pale complexion.
Gritting his teeth, he willed the shield to repair itself. In response, the energy barrier began to mend, glowing with renewed strength.
Thor and Tony exchanged hopeful glances, inspired by Steve's resilience. They readied their weapons, charging at Thanos to buy more time.
Lockhart, observing the scene, exhaled with relief. If Steve could hold the barrier, they could endure until the soul mark of Thanos dissipated.
But Lockhart's gaze shifted toward Mephisto, who stood calmly amidst the chaos. Thor's earlier words echoed in his mind.
"Mephisto is stalling, too," Lockhart realized, frowning. What was the demon's true goal?
==============================================
Support me at p@treon.com/goldengaruda and check out more chapter of this FANFIC or more early access chapter of my other fanfic translation.
==============================================