(1) Alis Propriis Volat (Loki)

Chapter Fourteen

Tony, dressed in his Mark VII, takes off from the Stark Tower balcony as Loki and Astoria watch on as he shoots up towards the portal. From his shoulders, a miniature multiple rocket launcher pops out and fires. Like the Jericho missile, several targets are taken down, unlike no missile. It's useless. Thousands of chitauri fly out and descend on the city. Loki turns to Astoria who readies her armoured arm and sword. They share a look before she teleports away. She needs to play her part too, playing the hero is something she can do. Something she's been trained to do. And despite the plan, these chitauri can still deal out some damage whilst the play plays out.

.......

Astoria reappears on a street that is filled with chitauri. She smirks and spins her sword before she charges. She's agile and quick, dodging energy rifle blasts and outstretched alien hands. She is good at this. She loves this. She loves fighting. It clears her mind. She can just sink into the blood and gore. She lets out a battle cry and spins, cutting down an alien behind her. Throws out her free hand and a burst of blue energy pulses from her palm, rushing out to hit a chitauri, throwing it backwards as she slashes with her sword at another.

.......

Loki stands on the balcony listening to the sounds of the chitauri as they unleash mayhem on the city. Thor lands on the balcony behind him with a thud. Loki lets out a breath and turns to face him just as a number of chitauri soldiers land on the balcony too. Enough to surround Thor who holds out his hammer.

"Should have known you'd betray us" Thor scolds him, Loki just smirks back.

"So sure of me, brother?" Loki argues as the chitauri circle around Thor. Loki shifts closer to a chitauri soldier. Thor shakes his head. Disappointed in his brother. Loki slams a dagger into the spine of a chitauri soldier and then pushes him away. Loki and Thor share a look. Hope blossoms in Thor's eyes. Loki takes out another chitauri as they begin to realise what's happening. Thor uses his hammer to take the rest out with a few swift swings of it. More chitauri jump up onto the balcony, Loki now an enemy in their sight. Loki and Thor stand back to back, Loki snaps out his hands, two daggers manifesting in his hands. The two of them are battle-ready. Brothers in arms again.

......

Astoria cuts off the head of a chitauri soldier and then looks up as a quinjet flies into the city overhead. Astoria swishes her sword and lets out a breath. She was starting to think they'd never show their faces. It's going to take all of them to make this believable. Not that it matters now that Loki has shown himself a traitor to the chitauri and whoever they serve. It might be too late to convince them of Loki's hard-fought failure. Astoria heads towards where the jet is landing up the street from her.

........

Thor and Loki battle chitauri savagely on the balcony but seem to be holding their own.

.........

Steve moves towards Astoria who wiggles her fingers in a wave. Behind him, Clint Barton and Natasha follow, talking among themselves. No doubt Natasha is catching Clint up on who Astoria is and the whole Loki plan. Astoria shifts slightly and pops her hip out, resting on her sword.

"Thanks for showing up" She offers.

"We almost didn't" Steve argues. "Fury had a hard time believing" He adds as he adjusts the shield on his back.

"He doesn't like my kind" She comments.

"Enhanced?" Steve asks with a frown.

"No, annoying" She teases a little, Steve gives her a small amused smile. "Look all we got to do is make this look real enough for whoever sent Loki..." Steve nods in agreement.

"And this isn't some ploy of his?" Clint asks. "Maybe he is actually behind it?"

"And you are?" Astoria asks him back.

"Oh, Clint Barton..." Natasha introduces. "Clint...Astoria Hargreeves"

"Right, you're the..." Astoria starts, knowing who he is now.

"Guy your new bestie mind-controlled" Clint finishes for her with a look.

"Yeah, and Loki himself was under the influence of the sceptre so don't you get all high and mighty with that judgy ass look" She scolds, spinning her sword in her hand. "Plus you work for Shield...I mean, 'nough said" She gives Steve a look, and he sighs a little.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Clint asks.

"Let's just say maybe you don't know what really goes on in your own organisation" She answers and then lets out a breath.

"Okay, alien invasion" Steve stops them. "We can deal with that first...yes?" He asks them. Clint clenches his jaw and shakes his head, pulling his bow from his back to get ready for a fight with the chitauri. "Magix?" Steve asks. Astoria looks at him and then nods. Suddenly, the city abruptly stops and falls silent before a deep primal roar bellows out. A shadow drops over them, each of them looking up. From the portal, a chitauri leviathan flies out, carrying hundreds of soldiers. From both sides of the leviathan, chitauri soldiers fling themselves from it and onto the buildings at the side of the road, sliding down. Some crash straight into the buildings and begin firing from their energy rifles at innocent people. "Stark, are you seeing this?" Steve asks.

"I'm seeing, still working on believing. Where's Banner? Has he shown up yet?" Tony asks back.

"Banner?" Steve asks with a frown.

"Just keep me posted. Jarvis, find me a soft spot" Tony quietly flies behind and parallel with the chitauri leviathan.

"I got it!" Astoria yells and drops her sword, she throws out her hands and blue mist seeps out and shoots up at the leviathan, weaving through it and around it. She pulls and shifts her hands. With a burst of energy, the leviathan just explodes. Tony barrel rolls out of the way of falling debris. Astoria picks up her sword and smirks watching the pieces of alien rain down. "Ahh..just like Christmas" She offers, enjoying this a lot more than anyone else.