5716/Astral Flux: Vengeance for Asgard

Astral Flux: Vengeance for Asgard
Date of Scene:	05 November 2018
Location:	New Asgard
Synopsis:	Thor brings information about the Shadow King to Loki, and finds Loki knows a few things about it.
Cast of Characters:	Loki, Thor
Tinyplot:	Astral Flux

---

Loki has posed:
    The castle is being built. The broad stones of beautiful white make an angled and exacting frame on the bluff above the quarry below, where there the stone once laid at rest. Erect here, it is glossy in the warmth of the sun. To the immediate side of the castle, still well up upon the height of the area picked for the castle, sits a second little building. The turrets and drapery from it shine a brilliant emerald, as the magically summoned tent structure, despite not being large, still maintains a certain obvious majesty there. Why build a structure when one can be created through magic? Light shines from the opened front drapes of the tent, a swirl of motion, and then quiet once again.

    Loki himself strolls from his tent, with a shiny golden fruit in hand, flipping it nonchalantly between fingers to opposite wrist, and stares out over the workers toiling on the castle's lower foundation, his expression closed and elusive as always.

Thor has posed:
    It is from the place of the foreman that Bjarke looks up. The old ship's captain having taken to his role as head of construction and taken to it well. The large wooden table before him with some of the rather elaborate designs set before him almost always dominate his attention, that is save for the times when he is voicing orders or offering advice to the teams working upon the matter. It progresses, not as fast if the stoneshapers were fully empowered yet it does progress. For now most of their efforts have been on making sure the settlement gains most of their efforts and so the construction team for the castle... relies on efforts not quite the eldritch empowered.
    "Your grace," The elder Asgardian looks up at the presence of Loki joining the day. He lifts one hand in greeting and lowers his head in that needed bow before he gestures to the table and the sprawl of documentation before him. "The construction teams plan to put their efforts towards the Northern facing if such is acceptable." He's already nodding to some of the teams as if to make sure that is acceptable and getting returned looks from the armored laborers.
    "Nylsa Soothsayer would speak with you as well when you have the time. She speaks dire visions and ill tidings." This declaration gets a few nods as well from the other Asgardians nearby.

Loki has posed:
    "Let's have a look," Loki answers smoothly, still playing with the apple. It rolls up one wrist and across onto the palm, up the fingers and then flips back along and across the knuckles with a dextrous roll. Loki approaches the table and checks into the section that the foreman refers to, dark eyes skimming the plans for the north, and then scanning out onto the area. "Yes, carry on with that," Loki declares, with a brief smile akin to encouraging. "I'll come by and grant some assistance in... perhaps an hour," continues the prince; he is in a very giving mood, it appears. His magic will definitely speed things up, so long as he does maintain interest. "If the workers can get, let's say, these structures here up today before dusk," Loki pats the designs, showing what he means with a loop of fingertip, "I'll add a special brew for them to enjoy this evening, as well," winks Loki, before he flips the fruit finally into the air and catches it again.

    The statement about Nylsa causes a pursing of lips and tightening of the areas around his eyes, but he simply shrugs one shoulder, unconcerned, and nods once. He got the message; whether he feels like dealing with it while he's in a good mood may be another thing.

Thor has posed:
    Whatever mood he might have been granted through the morning's good graces, it may well turn when there is a clatter of metal as a figure in that blackened plate of the royal guard closes the distance from the path that wends down the cliff side and towards the settlement. "My lord!" He rushes forwards and then pauses at the circle of worthies and upon seeing Loki he bows and lowers himself to one knee, "Your grace!"
    The guardsman quickly looks back and forth between the two and chooses upon the Prince to address, "Your brother the King is come, having set down amongst the people and offers his greetings and..." The guardsman looks up, and then up further as the morning's sunlight is blocked by shadow cast over him and the gathered Asgardian nobility.
    "And his assistance should such be needed on this fine day!" Thor's voice is strong, jocular and deep as he seems to hover there for a moment with the rising sun behind him and then the gleaming light restored as he sets down, the hammer in his hand held light and making a low /whom/ sound as he rests it upon his hip.
    "Bjarke. Brother!" He steps forwards and claps each on the shoulder as he looks between them. "How fare you both?"
    But even before Bjarke can answer Thor says, "Forgive me, Bjarke. A moment, I would share words with my brother." And then to Loki, perhaps a pace beyond the others if he so allows himself to be guided. "Brother there are matters most ill, and I seek your help." These words are delivered with a much less playful tone.

Loki has posed:
    There is a long-suffering patience on Loki's face at first when his little song and dance related to bringing high morale to the castle workers gets blindsided by the importance of the King. Blaaaaaah.

    "Of course; I'm here to lend my support, as always," Loki says in reference to the recent days, without too much sigh in his voice. He is accepting of being drawn aside, and will sleekly move to step into a slightly more private alignment to listen to his brother. He lifts his brows at the 'dark tidings;' not quite doubting them, no, but taking it all in stride evenly. "Building a castle OR with dark tidings," Loki adds with a partial smile, and a gesture of open hand. "How can I ...assist?"

Thor has posed:
    The assembled Asgardians behind them look on curiously, and for a time it's clear that /nothing/ else is happening until they are perhaps granted some motivation by Thor looking over to the side and towards them with simply a furrowed brow of confusion as if wondering what it is they are waiting for...
    And that serves as enough to put them back into motion and with Bjarke barking orders to the team bosses as they start to move about and set to their tasks. The day begins to take off and as Thor turns back to Loki and moves to walk further away on that great grassy green hillside where their father spoke to them for the last time. His brow remains furrowed only now in concern and concentration.
    "In my travels I have come across knowledge of the being known as the Shadow King. It is said that he holds one of the infinity stones in his power and exerts it upon the people of this realm." He straightens up, arms folding across his broad chest as he scowls. "There will come a time when we will have to martial our forces against him and I would have you at my side in battle once more."

Loki has posed:
    Loki looks out over the land as Thor guides their walk, purses his lips a little bit, and angles his gaze aside to Thor, as if trying to decide exactly how to gently put something. "Sooner than you may have guessed, I think," Loki answers elusively, and taps a few long fingers against the golden fruit he'd held. He considers it as they walk: it is a way of looking inward and into his own memories, instead of looking out or ahead.

"The Shadow King is... a disembodied spirit on the astral plane, as I understand it. In order to use something like an infinity stone, or anything else that is physical, he needs a corporeal body." Loki looks evenly to Thor.

    "Something you can hit with a hammer," Loki clarifies, in his teasing, slightly mocking way he can get when he deals with physical fisticuffs. "I think he is at the least, partly responsible for the attack on our fleeing ships. The destruction that nearly destroyed our people," Loki adds, the mocking dropping away, leaving a more chilly tone in its place. "And very shortly, I will have that target." The fruit was squeezed, the golden, shiny juice drips into the grass, slipping from palm and fingertips in slightly spicy scent. "I have not been /idle/ on this."

Thor has posed:
    Thor listens attentively as they walk and he too gains a distant contemplative look, though his is marred by a fingertip rubbing at the inlay of that strapless eyepatch. He nods as he listens about the Shadow King, and then at the wry comment a low exhalation comes from him that might be a laugh though it is accompanied by a sour smirk as eye glowers askance towards his brother.
    But then the comment is made about his striking the survivors of Asgard in their hour of need and Thor's expression shifts from the merely concerned to that abrupt wide-eyed harbinger of rage he so often has seen in his brother's gaze. Sometimes even caused by him. But this time it is a far cry. Protection of his people and the land they have chosen home. But to Asgardians... that is a thing entirely different from the need for vengeance.
    "You know this for true?" He asks abruptly, squinting distantly then back towards his kin. "If this is so then he must be made to pay the blood price." His jaw sets as he rests a hand upon the haft of Mjolnir, his features darkening.
    But he looks towards his brother and rests a hand on his shoulder. "Indeed, you have not been idle and I find you already set to protect our people. You please me greatly, Loki. Greatly."

Loki has posed:
    "I didn't do it to please /you/, Thor," Loki replies, but there isn't severe venom in it at the moment, since there's no real benefit to starting a little war with Thor right now, and Loki's never a fool. "I agree in full about the blood price. So far I have heard a great deal of 'mercy' speech coming from the earth guardians here. I question their resolve on it," Loki says, with some distain. "But, yes, it is true: I have found concrete connection to the alien plant growth. I think he hides in it now, a rotted cowering thing here on Midgard, while he plays king of the Astral Plane." Loki shakes his head, snorting. "He claims it is his, has made it a palace of his own mind. It is a cesspool of the worst side of humanity," Loki scoffs. "That he did it at all proves to me he has the Mind Stone. What he has done is no minor feat; and this will continue to endanger this world, if left alone."

Thor has posed:
    "Then we must speak with Strange and other defenders of Midgard." Thor taps fingertips upon Mjolnir's haft and says, "And we shall need to work with Stark, the weaponry he crafted to defeat those creatures will be of great use in the coming conflict." For an instant he chews upon his lower lip, working his way through what must be done even as he's stopped advancing forwards and instead has shifted to a slight pacing one way and then the other after a few strides.
    "In matters of the arcane, Loki, you are our greatest warrior. I would have you bring this creature to its knees. Tell me what you need to make this so." He folds his arms over his chest and though this isn't his usual sphere of influence it is still war and at that Thor has few peers. "I only ask of you that you allow me to strike in vengeance for our people, to strike in the name of our lost home. This creature will rue the day it thought to injure Asgard and its people."
    He seems to come back to the here and now, his distant thoughts filled with blood. "What say you?"

Loki has posed:
    Loki is more off in his own strategy land, less so focused on Thor's immediate need to personally splatter something under a hammer. "It will need to be you that garners cooperation with those particular allies. As much as I would LOVE to chat with Stark again. Ugh." Tastes bad to say. "I'll attend to other ones." Best that Loki not really say who he's going to talk to, probably.

    "I intend to find you full opportunity to strike very hard, and repeatedly. During which... I should be able to remove his stolen power from him, in the right situation, and to secure it." Loki is relaxed with his description, it is just a clear explanation, to him. There is no trace of anything other than some vengeance, not power hunger. "Whether the humans see it rightfully as me assisting them is harder to predict," Loki does say, "But perhaps it can mend the past a little. If we expect to stay here, I do not need to be a pariah," Loki teases. He doesn't truly care what foolish humans think, but he certainly can see the issue if they hate him on sight in their new home.

    Loki discovers the smushed fruit in his hand and loosely tosses it aside, drawing a cloth from inside his sleek green vest to wipe his long fingers.

Thor has posed:
    "Very well," Thor answers in response to the need to gather forces and indeed it is... a difficult situation to broach the aid of Loki. "I shall spread word but we may need to have you present at a parley for your insight. Yet I shall make efforts it shall not be an impolitic situation." Curious to hear Thor speak on such matters, but in this past year he has been a swift learner due to the harshest of circumstances.
    But he does take a moment to eye Loki sidelong, his brow knitting sharply. "You know that we will not be able to hold onto the stone. It is not for us to wield, Loki. Just having the one in play... it puts the very galaxy at risk. There are those who would try to unite them and then even we would be at their mercy."
    Shaking his head once, "Best we find some way to banish it or make it unreachable. Even our father did not abuse their might."

Loki has posed:
    "I would prefer to be present than not. There are ways to be present without immediately causing difficulty, but if we are calling on them for aid, I suspect you may get the best reception at the outset," Loki says, with a wily smile and laugh. He doesn't mind, again: it's humans, after all. Loki cares more about Asgard, and Asgardians, of course.

    "I suspect there's more than one here. But we can talk of that another time. After the stone is not in the power of a mad spirit that wants to turn the world into the worst version of itself, perhaps," Loki suggests. "You cannot say it would be as bad if I had it, grant me that," adds the trickster, more playfully now. "Allow me to learn from the past, hm?"

    Loki looks back to the castle, and to the Asgardians there. He makes a quick decision, on the fly. "I took the initative to rescue several of the things that were in the vaults, before Asgard fell," Loki says, very quietly, expression a mask. "And they are safe. No 'abuse'. That should count for something." With a proud lift of head, he starts to walk back towards the castle, though not at a brisk pace.

Thor has posed:
    Thor's answer is to turn his head to the side and simply say the trickster's name extending the vowels into several syllables of their own. "Lookii." He exhales again but less a laugh and more exasperation. But he shakes his head and crinkles his nose as he looks off to the side, his good eye narrowing as he rubs at his brow. "This realm's Sorcerer Supreme will likely place a stronger argument before you than I could on this matter. But we shall see what passes."
    Not that there's any chance he'd likely let Loki possess such a thing.
    "Come, let us to our efforts. I shall be here or in New York amongst the Avengers. Get word to me if you need my aid and I shall send word likewise."
    He turns and Mjolnir's in his hand, starting to whirl. For a moment he looks at his brother and offers a small smile. But whatever he might have been about to say is lost as he takes to the air.

Loki has posed:
    "Looooookiiiiii," Loki mimics back in a childhood reply, the smirk familiar as is the reply. He simply gestures some as if to wave Thor off as he might a tiresome family member (of which Thor certainly is), still walking as Thor whirls and flies off. Loki placed the seeds he needed to, and it is just as well that his smile is private to him and the grassy area around them.