The air in the darkened chamber was thick with tension.
Shadows flickered across the walls as Loki stood before a gathering of some of the world's most dangerous individuals.
Hydra agents, members of the Hand, and high-ranking operatives of the Ten Rings were all present, their faces hardened with suspicion and ambition.
They had all been promised something—power, control, or wealth—but in truth, Loki had only ever intended to use them.
Loki smirked, twirling his scepter between his fingers as he watched them argue amongst themselves.
"This alliance of ours is built on mutual interests," Baron Strucker said, his German accent sharp. "And yet, you have given us little reason to trust you, Loki. You have the Tesseract, and yet, we do not see the benefits we were promised."
"Yes," added Nobu of the Hand, his eyes cold and unreadable. "What exactly do you gain from working with us, God of Mischief?"
Loki let out a soft chuckle, stepping forward with slow, deliberate movements. His green eyes gleamed as he gestured with his scepter. "You mortals are always so concerned with deals, aren't you? So obsessed with getting your fair share. It amuses me." He turned his gaze toward the Mandarin—Wenwu—who stood slightly apart from the others, his expression unreadable.
Wenwu had said little since their arrangement began. Unlike the others, he did not seek Loki's favor nor did he demand anything in return for his cooperation. That was because Wenwu had his own reasons for being here—reasons that Loki found particularly intriguing.
"You," Loki said, tilting his head toward Wenwu. "You have been quiet."
Wenwu met his gaze without a hint of fear. "Because I have no illusions about this alliance. I know what you truly seek."
Loki's smirk widened. "Do you now?"
"You want to rule, to crush resistance under your heel," Wenwu stated plainly. "But you will fail."
A flicker of amusement crossed Loki's face before he let out a laugh—deep and mocking. "How delightfully confident of you. But tell me, what makes you so certain?"
"Because I have lived for centuries and seen empires rise and fall," Wenwu replied, his voice steady. "Men like you always believe they are untouchable. But power invites challenge, and the strong do not rule forever."
Loki stepped closer, his amusement undiminished. "Perhaps. But I am no mere man."
Wenwu did not flinch. "And yet, you fear something," he said, narrowing his eyes. "I see it in your impatience. You do not belong here, do you? You want something beyond this world."
Loki's grip on his scepter tightened, but he kept his expression neutral. "You are more perceptive than I expected."
With a casual flick of his wrist, Loki waved his scepter in the air. Instantly, the entire room shifted. The gathered leaders of Hydra, the Hand, and the Ten Rings froze in place as an eerie glow surrounded them. Their expressions slackened, their movements halted, and their eyes clouded over.
An illusion.
Loki walked past them, satisfied with his work. He had only needed their resources to get this far—now, they were expendable.
A portal appeared beneath their feet teleporting them elsewhere on planet earth.
Next.
The air in the chamber shimmered as the Tesseract began to hum with power.
A swirling portal formed in the air before them, blue light illuminating Loki's sharp features. It was a portal unlike the one meant for the Chitauri invasion. This one was for something...else.
Wenwu's gaze flickered toward the portal, his fingers twitching slightly. "Is she there?"
Loki nodded. "As promised, a gateway to Hela."
Wenwu did not react immediately. For a long moment, he simply watched the unstable energy swirl before them. Then, finally, he said, "And you truly believe you can win against Earth's champions?"
Loki chuckled. "They will kneel before me or be crushed. Either way, the throne will be mine."
Wenwu let out a quiet breath, as though considering something. Then, he turned away. "Then let us see how long your arrogance lasts."
Loki smirked. "Enjoy your reunion, Wenwu."
With that, Wenwu stepped into the portal. It shimmered once more and then snapped shut, leaving no trace of its existence.
---
Meanwhile, in a high-tech command center, the air was buzzing with urgency. The holographic display screens flickered with various data feeds, showing aerial views of increasing disturbances across the globe.
Fury stood at the center of it all, his one eye narrowing as he listened to reports from his agents. The situation was escalating, and fast.
Then, a distinct beeping sound echoed through the chamber. Fury pressed a button on his communicator, instantly connecting the call.
"Tony, where the hell are you?!" Fury's voice barked through the line.
On the other end, there was a slight pause before Stark's voice came through, dripping with sarcasm. "Good to hear your voice too, Cyclops."
Fury clenched his jaw. "Don't play games with me, Stark. We've got a full-scale invasion about to happen, and you've been off the grid for the last two hours."
Tony, now fully back in the outside world after his time in the Infinity Chamber, was already suiting up in his latest armor. His mind was still adjusting to all the changes his body had gone through, but there was no time to dwell on that now.
"Relax, I was just...doing some upgrades," Tony said as his suit's HUD lit up. "What's the emergency?"
Fury's expression darkened. "Loki opened a portal."
Tony's smirk disappeared instantly. "Where?"
"New York."
Tony exhaled. "Great. Because the city wasn't chaotic enough."
"You need to get here now. The Avengers are being deployed."
Tony flexed his hands, feeling the raw energy coursing beneath his skin. He had changed—evolved in ways he hadn't fully explored yet. And now, it was time to put it all to the test.
"On my way," he said, engaging his repulsors.
As he rocketed toward the battlefield, one thought crossed his mind:
'Time to show Loki just how much the game has changed.'
---
End of Chapter 53.
--
"Sorry guys for my absence...I don't have much to say and I'm not one to talk much but I've facing some stuff...the kind that makes one want to give up in life."
"But hey, I wrote a chapter today so...not giving up."
"A big thank you for not giving up on me and this story."
"This story has many glaring imperfections to me but I will finish it and then write another better fanfic."
"Still I don't plan to rush-end this one...no...I got some ideas..."
"I think you might enjoy if I do it right."
"Wish me luck!"