Reign

Chapter 12: The Middle

Thor held down Loki's face to where he was forced to watch the city falling to a crisp. He then took his chance with looking down and noticed a few blocks away that Ash was standing with the other Avengers. He slightly glowered, however, as he noticed the bottle in her hands. Specifically the stuff he told her not to drink.

But now was not the time for this. Thor shouted, "Look at this! Look around you! You think this madness will end with your rule?"

He couldn't tear his gaze away from the destruction as he continued to watch. "It's too late. It's too late to stop it."

"No." Thor looked into Loki's eyes with a glimmer of hope. "We can. Together."

It was silent for a moment before Thor was left kneeling over in pain due to a small knife that Loki had impaled into his side. Loki commented quietly, "Sentiment." Thor got up and kicked Loki down before lifting him into the air and slamming him down to the ground. Loki then rolled over the edge of the balcony and landed on a flying chariot with dozens of Chitauri following his lead through the city.

Down in the city with Ash, she and the three Avengers ran hiding behind overturned taxis. Ash looked up to see Loki taking his 'fleet' down the street, firing at the cars that were parked. Civilians ran the streets in terror, trying to avoid the explosions caused by Loki and his minions. She almost couldn't believe how heartless he seemed. She took a deep breath, convincing herself of the oath she had made. She wouldn't break it now.

Captain America looked down at the people running between the fire and explosions. "Those people need assistance down there!"

Chitauri soldiers landed near them and began firing at them. Ash ducked behind cover as Black Widow pulled out both of her pistols and fired at them. She turned to Steve and nodded her head reassuringly, "We got this. It's good. Go."

He glanced at Hawkeye and asked, "You think you can hold them off?"

"Captain," He pulled a trigger on his bow and an arrow was mechanically chosen into the slot as he continued, "It would be my genuine pleasure."

Ash added encouragingly, "Yeah! We've got it, Cap!"

He gave her a 'stay-out-of-trouble' look as Hawkeye shot an arrow into a creature's head, gaining a few seconds for Captain America who jumped down from the bridge, followed by an explosion that overturned the vehicle he was running over as he went to the panicking people.

A Chitauri suddenly jumped down to the ground behind Ash, separating her from the two master assassins. She jumped to the side as it swung its staff at her. She suddenly ran in the opposite direction of the Chitauri and jumped behind a taxi, hiding as she listened to it close in on her. She closed her eyes and despite her anxiety she attempted to calm her racing mind, focusing on using the magic that Loki had gifted to her. "Don't lose focus now, Ash... Just do it..." She only wished that Loki had had the time to teach her this.

The Chitauri then jumped over the taxi and in front of Ash. Her face looked horrified as it brought its weapon through her torso with no effort at all. But Ash's position didn't change at all and it was just staring at her in confusion. Someone from behind it suddenly jumped on its back with extra force and shoved it into its own blade. Ash opened her eyes as she was laying on the ground breathlessly behind the impaled carcass of the Chitauri. She looked at her illusion with a smile and made it disappear from beside the taxi. She ran back to where Natasha and Clint were.

She jumped on the roof of a taxi and increased her height as she came down, shattering the glass of her ale bottle on a Chitauri's head. Natasha then shot the Chitauri, bringing it down as Ash got down next to her. "Where were you?"