Carol stood in the bedroom, looking at the outfit Loki had laid out for her. "Seriously?" She asked incredulously, looking back at Loki flatly, who wasn't even try to hide his amusement. "How do you expect me to fight in this?"
"You'll make do, I'm sure," Loki replied, crossing his arms, his eyes dancing with mirth.
Carol stared down at the outfit in dismay, refusing to even call it armor. It looked more like a bathing suit, revealing far more of her than it actually covered up.
The outfit was mostly black with a few yellow accents, and few ornamental pieces that vaguely resembling armor, and while there were a pair of sturdy looking boots, they were high heeled, and would fit her like a second skin. She turned it over, and couldn't help but sigh in exasperation when she saw the hole in the back where her plug would peek through.
"I can't fight in this," Carol said, rounding on Loki. "I need something like my Kree uniform. How is this?" she asked, holding up the outfit. "Supposed to protect me from anything?"
"Conceding already, are we?" Loki smiled, leaning against the wall as he egged her on.
"That is not what I meant, and you know it!" Carol ground out. "This thing couldn't even protect me from a sunburn," she groused, throwing it back down on the bed.
"Well," Loki replied with a leer, "if you feel so strongly about it," he said, wrapping his arms around her from behind. "Then, by all means, don't wear it. I, for one, prefer it when you are not so… encumbered."
Carol growled low in her throat as Loki had more fun at her expense. She took a deep breath, looking up at the ceiling as she considered her options, or lack thereof.
She couldn't fight Loki naked. She knew that much, even though she silently acknowledged that it would certainly distract him. The trade off wasn't worth it. "Isn't there anything else I can wear?" She asked.
"Most definitely," Loki replied, leaning in to whisper in her ear. "Although it may not be the best choice to fight in. Lyria designed them for 'other' purposes."
Carol sighed again, fearing as much. "And what did she design this one for?"
"For an occasion such as this," Loki smirked. "She thought you would need at least one more demonstration before you accepted your place."
"Fine," Carol grumbled. "I'll wear it," she said, knowing that anything else Loki gave her to wear would be even more flimsy and revealing.
She picked up the outfit disdainfully, slipping into it, noting how tight it felt against her skin.
She looked down at herself. It fit no more snugly that her Kree uniform, but still felt restricting, and as she adjusted her gauntlets and boots, the feeling only worsened.
Her fingers brushed against her plug as she adjusted the bottoms, a constant reminder of Loki's hold over her, sending an unwanted tingle of desire down her spine.
"You're not used to it anymore, are you?" Loki observed, the smirk never leaving his face.
"Used to what?" Carol grumbled, adjusting her right gauntlet.
"Wearing clothes," Loki replied.
Carol glared at Loki, realizing he was trying to get in her head. "That's ridiculous," she muttered.
"Does that mean you're ready?" Loki asked.
Carol nodded as Loki moved beside her, his fingers tracing down her spine until he gripped the base of her plug.
"When I beat you, that plug will be the first thing to go," Carol promised herself.
"We'll see," Loki replied, leading her out of the bedroom.
***
Carol looked out across the nearly empty cargo bay at Loki, tightening her gauntlets anxiously, envious of how composed and confident he looked, as if the outcome of their fight was already a forgone conclusion. She would make him pay for his over confidence.
She threw a few practice punches and kicks, smiling when her mind didn't go blank and she could actually perform the moves. 'I'm back,' she thought, her confidence growing, as she did a few stretches to limber up. 'No,' she corrected herself. 'I'm better than I was before. The inhibitor isn't there anymore to slow me down, and I've seen how Loki fights. I know his tricks now. It won't be like last time.'
"Whenever you're ready," Loki called out from across the cargo bay confidently.
Carol met Loki's gaze, her heart racing, every sensation amplified, feeling the weight of the challenge in front of her. This was her chance. She couldn't waste it.
She did her best to ignore her inner voice, whispering in the back of her mind to reconsider. That being Loki's slave, his property, also had its benefits, that this path she was on needed to be explored more deeply.
Carol charged across the cargo bay, her feet pounding on the metal floor plating, knowing that she had to strike hard and fast before Loki learned how to counter her attacks.
He knew just as much about her abilities as her, as well as her limitations, so she had to use her energy blasts sparingly. She had to make every attack count, and even though Loki agreed not to use his magic, he was still the most skilled fighter she had ever seen, and she couldn't afford to let her guard down, not for a second.
She struck first, throwing a powerful right hook, her fist crackling with energy as she aimed for Loki's head, testing his defenses.
Loki smoothly sidestepped Carol's attack, using his enhances speed and reflexes to dodge out of the way, his smile hinting at his amusement as Carol's fist missed his head by less than an inch.
Carol didn't let her failed attack stop her, spinning as she dropped low to the ground, sweeping her leg out in a wide arc, trying to take Loki's feet out from underneath him, but to her growing frustration he saw her next attack coming as well, neatly jumping over her leg.
She didn't have time to dwell on her failed attack as Loki moved the second his feet touched the ground, throwing a series of jabs and kicks at her, targeting her neck, stomach, and shins, each attack sent with pinpoint accuracy.
Carol grunted, able to block the hit to her neck, but it left her wide open for the punch to her stomach and the kick to her knee. She staggered back, falling to one knee as she narrowly avoided another hit, glaring up at Loki as she rose to her feet wearily.
He was holding back, putting far less power into his attacks than she knew he was capable of. She didn't know whether to be annoyed with him for not taking her seriously, or grateful for underestimating her.
She took another step back as they slowly circled each other, each waiting for the other to make the next move.
Carol grimaced, the tightness and constricting feeling of her clothes becoming harder and harder to ignore. She knew it was all in her head, that her Kree uniform was far worse, and she'd worn it for years without complaint, but it felt different now, making it that much harder for her to concentrate on the fight.
She dodged Loki's jab, turning to her side to avoid his kick, as they traded attacks back and forth, her frustration mounting, unable to land a solid hit, even with Loki holding back.
As she twisted and turned, she felt her plug shift inside her, its presence a constant and intimate reminder of her time living as Loki's prisoner.
She went into a jab cross combination, sending blasts of energy through her fists to extend her reach, even kicking off of containers, and sliding under platforms to take Loki by surprise, and land a hit, but he always seemed to be a step ahead of her, deflecting each of her attacks, and still pulling his own punches as he dominated the fight.
She felt a flash of arousal as they circled each other again. The way Loki moved, the way he fought, an impossible combination of grace and skill that was impossible to ignore.
She wished she could peel off her tight-fitting clothes, feel the cool air against her skin, remembering the times she'd spent, held snugly in Loki's warm embrace, where none of her problems seemed to reach her.
Carol shook herself, pushing aside the distracting thought as she kicked off the wall, twisting in the air as she kicked at Loki's head, only for him to grab her ankle, halting her attack mid air.
She stared back at him in shock, off balance, and now on one leg. His hand had been a blur, moving faster than she could even track, plucking her out of the air like she weighed no more than a feather.
"Not bad," Loki complimented, releasing Carol's ankle, and pushing her back just enough to throw her off balance and send her tumbling to the floor without hurting her. "But you'll need more than that if you want to win."
Carol grew increasingly frustrated as her attacks continued to fall flat, Loki outmaneuvering her each time. She switched to using feints, conserving her energy blasts as she searched for a hole in Loki's defenses, something she could exploit, and turn the tables on him.
Loki smirked, immediately recognized Carol's change of tactics, switching to a defensive stance, and forcing her to come to him.
He could see the prolonged battle wearing on her, her movements becoming sluggish, her reaction time slowing as he quickly changed the pace of the fight, pushing her to her limits.
Carol knew she needed to do something. Feints weren't working, and Loki's stamina far outpaced her own. If she allowed him to control the fight for much longer, her loss was inevitable.
Taking a risk, she summoned all of her power, sending a tightly compacted beam of energy at Loki.
She watched as the yellow, crackling energy zoomed across the cargo bay, seeing Loki's eyes widen ever so slightly, the first indication he was actually worried since the fight began.
He was moving, dodging to the side, but he wasn't fast enough. Her energy blast clipped his shoulder, throwing him across the cargo bay and slamming him into the far wall with a loud thud.
She abruptly cut off her attack, shocked that she'd actually landed a hit on him, but also worried she might have actually harmed him.
'Stop it!' she thought, admonishing herself for taking her eye off the prize. Her freedom was at stake, and she couldn't forget that, but as Loki got back to his feet, she couldn't help but wince, seeing the deep gouge in his shoulder guard, and the scorch marks on his skin.
She didn't have time to dwell on in it as Loki went on the offensive again, making a beeline for her. He was fast too, just as fast as when he was fighting Malekith, maybe even faster.
She sent out another energy blast at him, knowing that she couldn't let him close the distance, but he was prepared for her attack this time, turning to the side as he jumped forward, her attack hitting nothing but air.
Carol increased the power of her attack, sending a continuous beam of energy at him, but just like before, he dodged out of the way, flipping over her attack, and dodging and weaving around it like a skilled acrobat.
Seeing that her attack wasn't working, she switched back to energy blasts, hoping the sharp bursts of energy would slip through his guard, but even that didn't seem to slow him down.
She stepped backwards, creating more distance between them as Loki quickly closed the gap between them.
She felt her power waning with each step she took, nearly running on empty now, as Loki dodged her attacks, sometimes by mere inches.
She felt beads of sweat roll down her forehead, now sweating profusely as Loki pushed her well past her limits.
Loki was only a couple of feet in front of her now. She couldn't let him catch her. In desperation she sent the last of her energy at him, widening the beam, hoping that the shorter distance and wider attack would finally catch him, but Loki was faster still, gripping her wrists, and directing her attack harmlessly into the ceiling.
Her attack sputtered out, all her energy spent in the last attack. She stared up at Loki, her heavy breathing filling the silence, sweat gleaming on her brow as the battle tilted even further in Loki's favor.
In an act of desperation, Carol wrenched her arm from Loki's grip, getting in close as she slammed the hard edge of her gauntlet into Loki's wrist, freeing her other wrist as well.
Loki released Carol's wrist, but deftly reached for the clasp of her gauntlet as she pulled her arm back, unlatching it, and slipping it off her dainty wrist, letting it clatter to the floor.
"You won't be needing this," he said, as the pace of the battle shifted again.
Incensed, Carol lunged forward with a left hook, telling herself that if she couldn't use her energy blasts, she would switch to physical attacks, refusing to go down without a fight.
Loki sidestepped Carol's attack, noting that when she got angry or frustrated, she telegraphed her moves even more, making it that much easier to predict her next attack.
When she threw a jab, he grabbed her wrist, giving it a sharp tug, pulling her off balance.
As she stumbled forward, he unlatching her left shoulder guard next, letting it fall to the floor as well. "Or this," he taunted with a sly smile, waiting for Carol's next attack.
"Keep you hands to yourself!" Carol snapped, her mind racing as she felt the cool air on her shoulder where her guard used to be, but all she received in return was another mocking smirk.
She growled, going on the offensive again, as she pushed aside her growing fatigue, throwing punches, jabs, and crosses, but Loki flowed around her attacks like water, moving around her with impossible grace, easily dodging every one of her attacks.
Her chest plate was the next piece of her armor to fall. She stared down at it landed on the floor with a loud clang, before looking back at Loki, panting.
It had four separate clasps, and Loki removed of them, all while dodging her attacks, and she hadn't even noticed.
She looked down at her uncovered breasts, feeling the cool air on her sweat soaked skin, feeling the desperation seep in.
Loki was playing with her, just as he had done with so many others. She looked back at him, idly wondering how many steps ahead of her he was.
Did he already have the whole fight mapped out in his mind? Or was he just making it appear that way as he ran circles around her? It was impossible to tell.
"That's better, isn't it?" Loki leered, eager for their 'fight' to continue as he stepped closer, boldly cupping her breast in his hand and giving it a firm squeeze.
Carol growled, stepping back and out of Loki's reach as she turned to her side, sending a kick at Loki's stomach, only for his hands to blur across her leg, removing her left shin guard next.
"Damn it, Loki!" she shouted angrily, taking another step back. "This isn't a game! Fight me properly!"
Loki smirked, avoiding Carol's next attack as he slipped in behind her. "You're right, this isn't a game," he leaned in close, whispering in her ear as he wrapped his arm around her waist, holding her close.
Carol froze, feeling a shiver of desire go down her spine as she felt Loki's hot breath on the nape of her neck. The momentary distraction was all Loki needed as he deftly unzipped her right boot, slipping it off her leg before she could react.
Carol looked down, feeling the cold metal beneath her bare foot. She hadn't even felt Loki move that time, then a moment later, she felt her left gauntlet slip off her wrist as well, joining the growing pile of her clothes littering the floor.
She shoved Loki's arms away, taking a step back as she tried to regain her bearings, but it was what Loki had been waiting for, deftly unhooking her belt next, letting it clatter to the floor.
Carol stared back at Loki wordlessly, understanding how Ronan must have felt in his last moments. Loki didn't just dominate the fight physically, but mentally as well, forcing his opponents to dance to his tune without them even realizing it, not until it was too late to stop him.
Every one of his attacks, his taunts, even the hits he took, were all designed to ensnare his opponent's senses. Their perceptions. The intellect required to think so far ahead was almost frightening, if not for the look he gave her.
The lust in his eyes, the way they lingered on her body, how he pulled his punches at the last second. He had no intention of harming her; she knew that. What he wanted to do to her was obvious. This was nothing more than foreplay for him, and she was only now realizing how outclassed she truly was.
"You're beautiful like this," Loki said, his eyes darkening with lust, taking in the sight of his slave's flushed skin. The way her lips quivered, her hardened nipples. It was enough to even drive him to distraction at times.
Carol's heart pounded in her chest, torn between her duty as a soldier to fight, and the intoxicating vulnerability she felt in Loki's presence.
She shook her head, clearing away her rebellious thoughts as she attacked with a flurry of punches, stubbornly refusing to give in. She needed to beat Loki; she had to. She couldn't think about failure. It wasn't an option.
Loki danced out of her reach each time, her right shoulder guard clattering to the floor this time, but she ignored it, continuing to fight, promising herself she wouldn't let herself get distracted by him again.
Somehow Loki undid the fastening on her left boot next, and when she kicked him, it flew off her foot, joining the rest of her clothes strewn out across the cargo bay floor.
She could feel her fatigue truly settling in as she stared back at Loki, her chest heaving. She didn't even fight this time as he removed her right shin guard next. What was the point? He could remove her armor any time he pleased, and it was not as if she even needed it to protect herself from Loki's attacks.
"You don't know me," Carol said, looking at Loki wearily, catching her breath. "You don't know what I want. You may have seen my memories, but that doesn't mean you get to decide who I am."
"Then show me," Loki challenged. "Show me the proud warrior you claim to be. Show me that fighting one pointless war after another is what you truly want."
The coolness of the cargo bay's metal floor against her exposed skin sharpened Carol's senses, the boundary between combat and desire growing thinner, but she stubbornly pressed forward, refusing to give up.
She went on the attack again, using her newfound freedom of movement to her advantage, trying to land hits, but despite her best efforts, Loki remained elusive.
Exhausted physically, she felt the weight of of her inevitable fate pressing down on her, a sharp contrast to Loki's agile and confident movements. She could only watch as he darted forward, tearing away the last vestiges of her armor, leaving her naked before him.
She stubbornly tried to regain her balance, but as Loki circled around her, she was forced to accept the inevitable. She was going to lose. "This isn't over," she breathed. She would keep her word, but she would never give up on regaining her freedom.
"Not yet, but soon," Loki murmured, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her close, gripping the base of her plug possessively. "Deep down, you yearn to be mine, to be my cherished slave."
Breathless, Carol countered. "I'm no one's slave, least of all yours," she added, her voice wavering. "Just because you beat me doesn't mean I won't stop fighting."
"I don't want you to stop," Loki revealed, surprising her. "This was never about changing who you are. It's about revealing your true nature and accepting who you belong to."
Carol looked at Loki, confused. He wanted her as his slave, but didn't want to change who she was? It didn't make any sense. What he wanted went against everything she was.
Loki, seeing the uncertainty in his slave's eyes, traced a path from her sweat drenched temple, down her pulsating neck, finally resting his palm on her left breast. "You can feel it, can't you? The truth of what you are to me?"
Carol felt her resolve weaken, her heart fluttering as Loki's fingers danced along her skin, arousing something deep within her. "This.. This isn't over Loki."
"Yes," Loki agreed with a sly grin. "This is just the beginning," he added before growing serious as he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close. "This was never about defeating you. It's about the battle in here," he said, placing his hand over her chest.
Carol, even in her exhausted state, tried to counter, putting her weight into a hip throw, only for Loki to somehow reverse it, sending them both to the floor.
As he landed on top of her, she instinctively wrapped her legs around his waist, staring up at him.
She took a shaky breath as she Loki pinned her to the ground, his fingers tracing over the contours of her sweaty form, exploring every dip and curve of her chest and hips, her breath catching in her throat as his hands dipped lower.
"You've lost," Loki murmured huskily, his lips brushing against her ear as his fingers traced slow circles along her inner thighs.
Carol gasped, grabbing Loki's wrists, trying to stop his wandering hands, as she fought back her own lustful urges, but Loki would not be denied.
She felt the strength in her arms waining, her grip loosening as Loki's fingers grew tantalizingly close to her dripping core.
"Loki," she panted, her voice a mixture of frustration and deep arousal as their battle took on a far more sensual turn, her protests dying on her lips as he reached higher, squeezing her heaving breast as he brushed his thumb against her sensitive nipple, hardening it in an instant.
Carol squeezed her eyes shut, trying to focus, stubbornly refusing to accept her defeat, but the combination of her exhaustion and Loki's relentless caresses made her efforts feel less than futile.
"Give up, my slave," Loki coaxed, his lips trailing along the curve of her neck. "This is what you want, what you truly desire."
Carol bit back a moan as Loki's lips found a sensitive spot just below her ear. "I w-won't… give up," she whispered, her voice quivering with desire.
Loki chuckled lightly, his hand sliding down her torso, returning to the apex of her thighs. "You say one thing, little slave, but your body betrays you."
A flush spread across her face. It wasn't the first time he'd said something like that to her, and knowing him, it wouldn't be the last either, yet it never failed to draw a reaction from her.
She stared up at him, her defiance battling with her desires as she gripped his wrist with both hands, not sure anymore if she wanted to push his hands away or pull them closer.
Loki's smirk grew, sensing his slave's inner struggle. "You were always meant to be mine," he breathed, pressing his lips to the swell of her breast.
Carol felt her heart flutter, her desires growing stronger as Loki's skilled fingers explored her body, coaxing moans and whimpers out of her as she struggled to resist him.
She wrapped her legs tighter around his waist, feeling the cool metal of his armor pressing against the soft flesh of her inner thighs, mentally berating herself for losing focus.
Loki pressed his lips to his slave's in a heated kiss, catching her by surprise, but she soon melted into his touch.
He snaked his tongue past her lips, exploring her mouth, their tongues dueling with the same intensity of their earlier battle.
Carol moaned into Loki's mouth, her resolve weakening further as Loki pressed his lips to hers, his hands continuing to explore her body, teasing and arousing her in equal measure.
"Yield to me," Loki murmured, breaking their kiss, his voice low, dripping with desire.
Carol stared up at Loki breathlessly, and overwhelmed, her need to fight ebbing away as her desires for Loki's touch grew stronger.
Loki reached down, slowly unbuckling his belt and freeing his throbbing cock.
Carol's eyes dropped, her eyes locking on Loki's thick cock, her lips parting, but there was still a hint of defiance inside her. A need to keep fighting despite their changed battlefield.
Loki caught the look in his stubborn slave's eyes, a sly smile working its way onto his face. "Defiant to the end," he murmured approvingly, tracing his fingers along the swell of her breasts, paying particular attention to her sensitive nipples.
Carol squirmed in Loki's grip, not trusting herself to speak, feeling Loki's wandering hands trace along her quivering body.
He had her pinned beneath him, and the more she wriggled, the more she defied him, the higher her pleasure spiked when he took back control.
A shallow gasp escaped her lips as Loki's hand between her thighs dipped lower still, teasing her swollen nub. "Loki…" she moaned, her voice trembling with both frustration and need.
Loki leaned in close, his lips hovering just above hers, but not quite touching. "Say it," he urged. "Tell me you yield."
Carol turned her head in a last futile attempt to avoid the inevitable, knowing their fight had long since ended, trying to evade Loki's hypnotic gaze, but when she did, she felt Loki's fingers enter her slick pussy, making her gasp as she arched her back, leaning in to his touch.
Loki worked his thumb along Carol's engorged clit in slow, steady circles. "Yield," he whispered against her ear, tempting her, a silent promise of what her surrender would bring.
Carol's resistance faltered, buckling under the weight of her growing need, and Loki's feather light, caresses, her barriers breaking down faster, and faster, but there was still a last desperate part of her clinging to her pride, refusing to admit defeat.
Sensing her hesitation, Loki pressed the head of his cock against her slick entrance, teasing her with his manhood as she shuddered beneath him. "Tell me," he urged, "tell me you want this," he breathed.
Carol felt overwhelmed by the sensations coursing through her body. Her resistance all but shattered as she felt the heat of Loki's cock between her thighs, but all she could manage was a slight nod, as her breathing grew ragged.
"You need to say it," Loki demanded, their eyes locked as he pressed the head of his cock into her overheated pussy.
Carol let out a lust filled gasp, arching her back as she felt the heat of Loki's cock press inside her, her body crying out for more. "Please, Loki," she murmured, her voice filled with need and desire as another barrier shattered.
Loki looked down at his slave. It wasn't a complete surrender, but it was close. Any other day, he would have gladly taken it, but today was different, a turning point for his slave, one he would not allow to go unmarked.
He pushed his hips forward, slowly filling her to the hilt, feeling her body tense as she took in a sharp breath.
He kept his pace slow and deliberate as he moved inside her, not enough to make her cum, but still drive her pleasure higher.
He smirked, feeling Carol's hands clawing at his back, silently begging for more as he pumped his cock into her slick cunt. "Say it," he ordered.
Carol looked into Loki's eyes, knowing he could keep her in this state for hours if he chose to. She had already lost, both of them knew it, and admitting it now would not change anything, or at least that's what she told herself as she finally accepted her defeat.
On the verge of a powerful climax, she let a soft gasp, her voice trembling. "I… I y-yield."
Loki pulled back slightly. "No," he denied. "Do it properly," he ordered, his tone both demanding and seductive.
Carol met Loki's steady gaze, a stark contrast to her own, her face flushed as she panted, looking deep into Loki's eyes, the last vestiges of her defiance still flickering, but beneath it there was also a deep longing, and aching need that only Loki could fulfill.
"Say it," Loki grunted, his voice rough with his own growing desire.
Carol let out a low, keening moan, feeling the full weight of her need pressing down on her. "I.. Y-ield… Ma-master," she stammered out between heavy breaths.
Loki's eyes darkened with lust and satisfaction, feeling his cock swell at his slave's earnest admission. "Good girl," he praised, his voice husky, yet soft.
Carol moaned, feeling Loki pick up the pace, his cock slamming into her slick pussy. She tightened her thighs around his waist, arching into his touch as he took her.
In the back of her mind, she knew there would be consequences for this, for her surrender, far more than her previous defeats at his hands, but it was too much for her to process now, with her body so overcome with need.
She felt his armor press against her sweat soaked skin, inhaling his scent as she clung to him, her pleasure building higher and higher. "Pl-please master," she begged wantonly, mews of pleasure escaping her lips. "I.. I need more… please let me.. Cum Master."
She felt Loki pick up the pace again, pistoning his cock into her quivering pussy as she ran her hands up and down his back, digging her nails into his armor. "EIEEEEE," she moaned, feeling wave after wave of pleasure course through her as Loki continued at his relentless pace.
"Master," she moaned, unable to contain her delight as Loki finally allowed her to tumble over the edge, her entire body trembling with her release.
Loki erupted inside her after a dozen more strokes, filling her with his seed, setting off another orgasm for his slave as she clung to him.
As Carol lay there in Loki's arms, their heaving breathing the only sound in the cavernous cargo bay, she felt her senses slowly return to her.
She had lost. Even without the inhibitor that weakened her powers, she hadn't stood a chance against Loki. She couldn't understand it, she had been so sure she would win, but she hadn't felt anymore powerful during their fight.
Removing the inhibitor hadn't change anything, but she would keep her word. She would wear Loki's collar and call him her master, but still couldn't understand how her powers had failed her so spectacularly.
She frowned, realizing that if anything, her attacks had felt underpowered. Searching her memories, she didn't sense any gaps. The telltale sign Loki had given her another mental suggestion not present.
"How Master?" She asked, staring up into Loki's eyes, needed to understand why, and how she had lost.
Loki stared down at his slave, feeling his cock stir anew, but pushed down his desires, at least for the moment, to answer her, knowing this was an important step on her road of self discovery.
"Do you know where the power for your energy blasts come from?"
Carol shook her head. She had never really given it much thought. It had always just worked when she needed it to, and ran out if she used it too often, usually taking a few days to return if she used her powers too much.
"You absorb the energy around you," Loki revealed, "but only very specific wavelengths. Thermal energy, radiant energy, magical energy, and cosmic energy."
"That's why you agreed so easily not to use your magic, Master," Carol realized, seeing their battle in a new light. Her powers really had been weaker in her fight with Loki, and now she understood why. "How long have you known?"
"I suspected it from our first battle on Ria, but I wasn't certain until I studied your memories," Loki replied.
"Why didn't you tell me?" She demanded, feeling a flash of indignation.
"Why would I?" Loki asked patiently. "Your days playing at being a warrior ended the day I defeated you."
Carol felt a pang of anger as she stared up at Loki, but silently acknowledged that as long as she was under his thumb, that was unlikely to change.
Loki let out an amused chuckle, seeing the disgruntled look on his slave's face. She had thought her powers could grow exponentially without the inhibitor. It was naïve, but he could understand how she came to the conclusion she did.
"That is the fatal flaw of your abilities," Loki continued. "You will only ever be as strong as your strongest opponent, and while it will work on the rank and file, against the truly dangerous beings in the universe, it will not."
"You don't know that for certain," Carol denied stubbornly.
Loki raised an eyebrow at that. "Don't I?" He asked. "I could figure it out. Do you truly believe that others won't?" he challenged.
Carol sighed, looking away. Loki was the most frighteningly intellectual fighters she had ever seen, picking apart his opponent's strategies and weaknesses, then countering them in a way that left her astounded.
She could accept that he had seen the weakness in her powers when she hadn't even realized it, but Loki was the exception, wasn't he? No one else would figure it out before the end of a battle, let alone create a strategy to counter it mid fight.
Loki could see the gears turning in his slave's head, already working out what she was thinking. "Yes," he replied. "They will change how they fight, switching to purely physical attacks, and without their energy to absorb, you will only grow weaker as the battle progresses."
Carol sighed, forced to accept the hard truth of Loki's words as she played back their fight in her mind.
She yelped suddenly as Loki effortlessly lifted her into his arms. "Master?" She asked, a hint of vulnerability in her tone as she clung to him. "Where are you taking me?"
"To celebrate my victory, little slave," Loki smirked, carrying her to their bedroom.
***
Thanos sat on his throne, staring aimlessly out into space, deep in thought, considering the heavy price the last few days had exacted.
It started with the with the sudden influx of rumors about the Collector, that he never had any of the infinity stones in his possession to begin with.
He had been suspicious of the timing, and despite his favorite daughter's insistence they chase down other rumors instead, visited the Collector anyway.
When they arrived, he was surprised to find the Collector's home empty, apparently having left days before their arrival, even leaving much of his collection behind.
That was when he first saw it, the hesitation in Gamora's voice as she talked about hunting down the Collector.
A part of him wished he hadn't seen it, but he couldn't ignore the truth staring him in the face. Gamora knew something, something about the stones, and she hid it from him.
It had been difficult extracting the information from his favorite daughter. She had fought as he knew she would, but under torture, everyone broke. It was simply a matter of time.
She had lasted a long time, far longer that he had thought her capable. It made him proud in a way, seeing how strong she was, despite what he had to do to extract the information from her, but eventually she gave him what he needed, the location of the soul stone, Vormir.
He set course for the planet immediately, feeling a fresh wave of guilt as he saw the toll it had taken on his daughter, and how she looked at him afterwards, but he had to move forward.
Time would mend their relationship. She would understand why he did what he had to do.
His duty was clear: sacrifices had to be made, and with the soul stone, he could finally track down Loki, and take the stones in his possession from him.
***
Hi! Thanks for reading. What did you think of the new chapter? Carol took another important step in understanding just how dangerous the universe can be while Thanos closes in on another stone.
I've also made some more changes from the canon depiction of Carol from the MCU. I felt she was too powerful a character in the MCU to effectively write a story about, especially with how wildly her power level fluctuated from scene to scene.
If you can, please take the time to review, and let me know how the story is going.
For more info on my writing, character pictures for Loki and Vers(Carol Danvers), exclusive chapter artwork (43 pictures for this chapter), audio chapters, and early access to chapters 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32 please visit: jumpinfiction.com
A big thank you to all my supporters, I really appreciate it.
Jumpin