The Magus In Marvel

The golden halls of Asgard were tense with unease. Odin's command had been absolute—no one was to enter or leave the realm. The Bifrost was locked, its swirling energies silenced under royal decree. Patrols had doubled across the city, and the Einherjar stood ready for war.

Yet, despite the heightened security, Thor could not shake his growing apprehension. Asgard had barely survived Malekith's attack. If not for Tony's quick thinking, which had minimized civilian casualties, and Rin's intervention saving Frigga from Algrim's fatal strike, the cost of that battle would have been far worse. But Odin, as ever, trusted in Asgard's strength, refusing to act unless forced.

Thor's frustration led him to seek out Heimdall, who stood at his usual post on the now-inert Bifrost bridge. The star-filled expanse behind him mirrored the storm in Thor's heart.

"You are not in Odin's war council?" Thor asked, folding his arms. Heimdall, usually a pillar of certainty, let out a quiet sigh as he removed his golden helm.

"The Bifrost is closed by your father's command," Heimdall replied. "No one is to come or go." His gaze lifted toward the sky, troubled. "We face an enemy I cannot see, an enemy who has already breached our walls. Of what use is a guardian who cannot guard?"

Thor clenched his fists. "Malekith will return."

"I know," Heimdall admitted. "And so does your father. He waits for the enemy to come to us."

Thor shook his head. "Let them decide the battlefield? No. I will take Jane to the Dark World, draw Malekith away. When the Aether is pulled from her, it will be vulnerable. I will destroy it."

"If you fail, Malekith will claim the Aether for himself."

"And if we wait, he will come for it anyway—laying waste to everything in his path."

Heimdall studied him for a long moment, then asked the question he already knew the answer to. "You seek to leave Asgard?"

"I do."

A knowing look crossed Heimdall's face, though he did not voice his thoughts. Instead, he simply said, "What do you require of me?"

Thor exhaled. "What I ask is treason. Success will see us exiled. Failure will see us dead."

Heimdall did not waver. "There is only one way off Asgard without the Bifrost."

And that path required Loki.

The dungeons were eerily silent, save for the occasional shuffle of a guard's boots. Loki sat in his cell, staring into nothingness, his usual poise an illusion barely holding together. The moment Thor stepped forward, it fell away, revealing the hollow-eyed man beneath.

"Did she suffer?" Loki asked, voice rough from disuse.

Thor's jaw tightened. "Mother is alive."

Loki's gaze snapped to him, disbelief flashing across his face. "Alive?"

"Had it not been for Rin, she would have fallen to Algrim's blade."

For a fleeting moment, Loki looked away, his expression unreadable. Then, a quiet, humorless chuckle escaped him. "And yet you come to me. Desperate, are we?"

"I know you want retribution as much as I do," Thor said. "Help me escape Asgard, and you'll have your chance."

Loki leaned back against the cell wall, studying his brother. "And what makes you think you can trust me?"

"I don't," Thor admitted. "But Mother does."

A silence stretched between them before Loki sighed dramatically. "Very well, brother. Let's begin."

In the depths of the palace, Thor gathered his allies—Sif, Fandral, and Volstagg—outlining the plan.

"You're trusting Loki?" Volstagg asked incredulously. "Have you taken leave of your senses?"

"I trust that his interests align with ours," Thor replied.

"He will betray you," Sif stated flatly.

"He will try," Thor admitted.

Tony, leaning against a pillar with arms crossed, finally chimed in. "So, let me get this straight—your genius escape plan hinges on Trickster McBackstab over there guiding us through a secret path, with no guarantee he won't get us killed?"

"Essentially," Thor said.

Tony let out a low whistle. "Wow. Risky play. I like it."

Rin, who had been silent until now, glanced toward the dungeon entrance. "And what happens after? Even if we succeed, Asgard will still be vulnerable."

Thor's expression darkened. "Then we finish this. One way or another."

Under the cover of darkness, the plan was set into motion. Sif secured Jane, dispatching her guards with swift precision. The mortal woman barely had time to process what was happening before she was ushered through the halls—only to stop short upon seeing Loki.

"You…" Her eyes narrowed before she slapped him.

Loki blinked, then smirked. "That was for New York, I assume?"

Jane crossed her arms. "Just get us out of here."

As they made their way through the corridors, Loki—true to form—couldn't resist his antics, shifting appearances: first into an Asgardian guard, then into Thor himself, and finally, to everyone's exasperation, into Captain America.

"Oh, this is delightful," he quipped, adjusting an imaginary shield. "I can actually feel the righteousness."

Thor groaned. "Shut up, Loki."

Rin sighed. "He does this often?"

Tony shrugged. "It's like babysitting a hyperactive raccoon. Welcome to the club."

Their path led them to the wreckage of Malekith's ship, where Volstagg stood guard.

"I will buy you as much time as I can," he said solemnly.

Thor clasped his forearm. "Thank you, my friend."

As they boarded, Loki smirked at the controls. "You do know how to fly this thing, don't you?"

"How hard can it be?" Thor muttered, pressing random buttons.

The ship lurched violently, scraping against a stone column.

"I think you missed something," Loki drawled.

Tony stepped forward. "Okay, yeah, I'm gonna say it—maybe let me take over before you crash into something important."

Thor hesitated but stepped aside, allowing Tony to assess the alien controls. Within moments, the ship lifted smoothly into the air.

Rin smirked. "Maybe we should have started with that."

As the Asgardian guards closed in, Volstagg held the line, buying them precious seconds. The ship shot into the night sky, weaving past artillery fire. Thor grabbed Jane as he, Rin, and Tony leaped onto Fandral's waiting vessel, leaving Malekith's ship to be pursued.

At the helm, Loki guided them toward the hidden passage leading to Svartalfheim.

Tony eyed him warily. "Is this going to be smooth?"

Loki grinned. "Possibly not."

The ship plunged through the portal, vanishing from Asgard.