Marcus stomps through the hall, scrunching his face up to focus his vision. He tries to remember the route they took to get to Amaterasu's room, keeping his pace even. As he walks, he goes through everything in his head. Akari plans to step down as Amaterasu. Akimoto is refusing to take an apprentice. Fujin and Raijin want him dead. And the rest of the Kami are scrambling to pick up the pieces. He grits his teeth, letting out a low rumble.
I don't know what I expected. I shouldn't be surprised, He tells himself. I tried to tear the Pantheons apart. If Oliver hadn't stopped me, it would be like this everywhere. Probably worse. As he passes, he squints at a dark shape, and it lets out a small squeak of surprise. His best guess is that it's Kaito. I should have known that Akimoto was a scumbag when he tried to join me. This is all my fault. So, I've got to fix it.
"Don't worry, I'm sure she'll be okay," Melody says behind him. He glances back, watching her and Koji's blurry shapes trudging along. "She and Julien are adorable together. Like, so cute it makes you want to puke. If anyone can cheer her up, it's him." The blurs connect, and Marcus strains his eyes to clear his vision again. Either she's patting Koji's arm, or she stabbed him in the rubs.
"Are you sure? She's never even mentioned this guy. How important could he be if she didn't even tell her brother?" Koji replies, his voice still thick with emotion. Marcus sighs, looking forward. As much as he wants to snap at them for focusing on something they can't fix, he can't bring himself to do it. Even without seeing her clearly, Marcus could tell Akari isn't okay. She smelled like stale chips and musty blankets. She sounded absolutely heartbroken. And worst of all, it was all because of something he did.
"Where are Fujin and Raijin?" He says offhandedly, not addressing anyone in particular.
"In the caves, most likely," Koji replies after a few seconds. "There are a lot of legends in Japanese mythology that include caves - so many that it's become a part of our home."
"How do we get there?"
"Through the barn."
"Good." Marcus rounds another corner, flinching away from the light shining through the large doors. He throws them open, stepping out onto the gravel road of the farm once again. He looks around, searching for a blob that might resemble a barn. But it's like he's looking at the world through clouds of colour.
"This way," Koji says when he and Melody catch up. Marcus focuses on his silhouette as Koji takes the lead. "I should probably warn you, Fujin and Raijin are kind of...difficult." He says, choosing his words carefully. "They like to act like they're part of the Yakuza - the Japanese mob."
"Good, this should be easy then," Marcus replies with a smirk. Melody bumps into him again, sticking to his side like glue. He uncurls his fists in case she needs to take his hand. From how much she was trembling last time, he's sure she's dreading what's about to happen.
"Marcus, what are you doing?" She hisses darkly, a far cry from the fear he was expecting. "You heard what they said, right? Fujin wants to-"
"I know," Marcus says coldly. He sees Koji's form shift and assumes he's turned around to listen in. "But we can't do anything about Akari until Oliver gets back with her boyfriend, and something tells me I'm the last person Akimoto wants to see. At least this we can do something about."
"Do something?" She snorts angrily. "That's exactly what I'm worried about! Why can't you just-" She stops, glancing at Koji before continuing. "I'll show them the treaty, like Akari said. Maybe it will get them to back off. Then, once things have calmed down a bit-"
"Hey Koji, do you remember what I said to you after you beached our ship?" Marcus says calmly.
"What? I - yeah, of course." Koji says, thoroughly confused. "You said I'm the reason I'm in this mess, and I should own up to my mistakes." His blur shrinks into itself. "Look, I get it, I messed up. But I-"
"This isn't about you," Marcus interrupts, turning his attention back to Melody. "I'm not going to run from this, Mel. I messed up, and now I have to fix things." Marcus blinks as they pass under a wide shadow, and he squints to make out the large red building before them.
"You said I could trust you," Melody says, her voice soft. She touches his hand again, her fingers trembling. "You promised you would help."
"I will help." He says, turning to face her directly. Koji approaches the massive double doors and heaves them open. "But that doesn't mean you're going to like it."
"You also promised you'd tell me before you do something stupid." She says sharply. Marcus hums and nods.
"Yeah, I did." He says, taking a deep breath. He turns back to the barn as the doors open, letting out a powerful gust of wind. "Hey, Mel? I'm about to do something stupid. Really stupid."
The inside of the barn is dark, and Marcus has to draw on some of his divine power to make out anything inside. To his surprise, from what he can tell, the building looks exactly as it should - a simple barn, the floor strewn with hay and mud. The walls are lined with cubicles, the insides of which are dark and ominous. A hay loft hangs over them, with dozens of wooden crates like a wall at the edge. In the center of the room is more crates, piled high like a dragon's treasure hoard. Some of them shine, making Marcus wonder if they really are full of gold.
"Who dares enter our domain!?" A man growls, his voice echoing through the building. It certainly sounds like they're in a cave. Marcus narrows his eyes and leans forward, making out two shapes against the shine of the treasure. One is a large man in red, with some sort of giant club hanging off his shoulder. The other is a man in green, shorter but just as muscular, his hands in his pockets.
"Susanoo," Koji declares, raising his head high. Marcus can't help but groan at the obviously fake pride. Koji stomps forward, planting his hands on his hips. "I've returned from my training, and at Amaterasu's command, I've come to deal with you idiots."
"Oh, little Koji's come home?" The man in red sneers, leaning forward with a chuckle. "Took you long enough - I guess you're not as tough as you think!"
"Who are they?" The other snaps, pointing at Melody and Marcus. "They don't look like Kami."
"They're here to help. They have a new treaty that will repair the damage Akimoto caused." Koji replies. "This is Mel, an apprentice from Mt. Olympus, and Marcus-"
"But you can call me Loki," Marcus says, stepping forward. He raises his head high and digs his hands into his pockets, relishing in the silence that follows. He doesn't need to see to know what's happening. Koji's staring at him, his eyes wide and mouth hanging open. Melody's probably losing her mind behind him but looks calm and collected as ever. And the two gods before him are trying to work out if he's telling the truth or not.
"You're Loki?" The man in green says dumbly. Marcus flashes a smirk, throwing his arms out dramatically.
"Indeed! The Aesir's resident trickster god, father to Fenrir, the beast that nearly took your life!" He says. The green man recoils, and the red steps up to his side. "I heard a couple of simple-minded idiots are going around swearing vengeance against me. So, I came to see what all the fuss is about."
"Marcus-!" Melody hisses, but he steps out of her reach before she can stop him.
"I'm the one who caused the rebellion and tried to drive the Pantheons of the world to war. I'm the one who sent Fenrir to attack you and planted the idea that it was actually Lycon so you'd be at the Greek's throats." He lowers his arms, letting his voice dip to a low rumble. "And I'm the one that turned one of your own against you."
"Loki-!" The green man roars, stomping forward. Wind rips through the barn, slamming the doors closed. The ground shakes as the man starts to glow the same green as his outfit. "And here I thought you were a coward!"
"But looks like you came to die! Thanks for saving us the trouble of hunting you down!" The red man adds, waving his club threateningly. Thunder booms outside, and a dark mass begins forming on the ceiling.
"H-hey, hang on a second!" Koji says, holding his hands out. He steps into the middle of the room, and the wind starts to die down. The dark mass swells and contracts as Koji fights to dispel it. "Marcus, this isn't the time for jokes!"
"The only jokes here are those two!" Marcus laughs, waving a hand dismissively at the two gods before him. Their power swells, and the red man starts glowing light blue. They both float into the air, the wind and thunder picking up. The building rattles and shakes, shutters flying open along the walls.
"Marcus, what are you doing!?" Melody yells against the wind. Marcus looks away from Fujin and Raijin to meet her eye.
"Fixing things as soon as possible. Please, just trust me!"
"Trust you!?"
"Please!" He steps forward, grabbing Koji by the scruff of the neck and throwing him back. Koji yelps and flops to the floor, his eyes wide. "What's the matter, is this all you've got? A little wind and lights? I guess I was worried over nothing."
"I'll kill you!" The green man bellows, reaching over his shoulder. He pulls something off his back - a dark blob in Marcus's eyes - and lets out a guttural battle cry. A blast of wind slams into Marcus, but he holds his ground, creating a pair of clones to hold him in place.
"Did I injure your stupid pride when Fenrir almost killed you!? I bet you're just sour because you lost! And now you have to live with the fact that you're weaker than me!"
"Lies!" The red man snaps, pointing to the ceiling. The dark mass flashes dangerously, and Marcus feels the hair on his arms stand up on end. He can smell the storm brewing overhead but tunes it out for now. It's too late to back down - he's got to keep provoking them.
"Oh, now you expect me to believe you never lost to Fenrir? Who's the liar now?" He spits back. Another blast of wind slams into his stomach, nearly knocking the breath from his lungs. He clenches his teeth to keep from coughing, putting on a forced grin. "You couldn't beat me before, and you'll never beat me now!"
"I never lost to you!" The green man shouts. Marcus focuses on him - that one must be Fujin, which means the one in red is Raijin. "You were a coward and sent your dog to attack me! I'll blow you away right now if you want proof!"
"I defeated Fenrir!" Marcus yells, spawning another pair of clones to keep from being blown away. "I did what you couldn't! Which means I'm better than you'll ever be!"
"Rrrraaaaaahhhhh!" Fujin launches himself forward, flying like a cannonball. Marcus nimbly dodges to the side, letting the wind carry him back a few feet before steadying himself with more copies. "You are nothing! You couldn't even touch me in a real fight!"
"Now stand still and die!" Raijin adds, vaulting at Marcus. He raises his club, and Marcus springs off his clones to dodge. He rolls to the side, backpedaling to put some distance between him and them. He can't fight back - if he does, then his plan will be ruined. He spots Koji and Melody back at the entrance, wrapped in a bubble of magic to keep the wind from blowing them away.
"I can do this all day!" Marcus laughs, weaving through the barn to dodge another wild punch from Fujin. He has one of his clones turn into a snake, and it slithers across the floor, coiling around Fujin's leg. When he looks down at it, it turns back to human form, tapping the top of Fujin's head. "What was that? I couldn't even touch you?"
"Blast him!" Fujin rumbles. Raijin raises his club to the sky, seeming to stir the dark clouds hanging over them. The clouds spark and flash, and Marcus quickly dives for one of the stalls. A second later, a bolt of lightning streaks through the air, blasting the stall door off of its hinges.
"Go ahead, use up all of your power!" Marcus calls out, taking a deep breath. He creates a dozen clones, and they all rush out, taking random positions around the barn. The real Marcus stays far away from Melody and Koji, leaning against one of the stalls lazily. "You'll be exhausted by the time you actually find me," One of the clones says with a shrug. Another plops down on the treasure hoard in the middle of the barn, kicking its legs up. "Go ahead and try."
"We're not that dumb!" Raijin laughs, aiming up at the hay loft. "None of these are you! I bet the real one is up there!" Another bolt of lightning strikes, blowing a hole in the loft. Half a dozen boxes crash to the floor, the debris floating into the air on the wind.
"Or you're so dumb you'd waste your energy fighting things that aren't there," Another Marcus clone taunts. "Face it! You'll never get your so-called revenge!" Jeers a third. The real Marcus swallows hard, steeling himself. It's now or never. "I bet you couldn't even beat me in whatever you're best at! Go ahead - name anything!"
"A fight!" Fujin snarls, aiming his strange bag at one of the clones. Wind blasts it back, and it dissipates as soon as it hits the wall. Another clone moves in to take its place when Fujin picks his next target.
"You know what, it's no fun if this is how I best you. So why not make it a bet!?" Marcus continues through his clones. "I'll face you in anything you want - any sport, hobby, or skill you think you're good at!"
"And why would we do that!?" Raijin growls. Marcus laughs, and several of his clones shrug.
"Because otherwise, you have no chance of beating me! For all you know, the real me was never there to begin with! You could just be blasting phantoms!" Fujin and Raijin both pause, exchanging puzzled looks. "Here are the rules; if you can beat me at anything, anything at all, then I'll accept any punishment you see fit! You could even have my head!" He chooses his words very carefully, just in case. While this isn't his favourite of Loki's legends, he knows it far too well.
"And what do you get if you win!?" Raijin snaps. "You honestly expect us to just let you go? We'll kill you either way!"
"Of course, you will, because you're just a pair of sore losers," Marcus chuckles. "And that's what sore losers do; they go back on their word."
"We would never!" Fujin roars. "We're gods of honour!"
"Then you should have no problem proving it!" Marcus counters swiftly. His heart races, and he takes a deep breath to keep his voice even. "If neither of you can beat me, then you'll give up on this stupid revenge plot and get back to doing your jobs as gods of the Shinto!" Fujin and Raijin look at each other, and the wind slowly dies down. The clouds overhead retreat into themselves, and Marcus lets out a low sigh of relief.
"What's wrong, are you going to go back on your word?" Marcus jeers. Fujin's face goes red, and he stomps his foot, making the whole building shake.
"We always keep our promises!"
"We'll play your stupid game, Loki!" Raijin adds, his face just as red as his clothes. "Show your real self and we'll get started right now!" Relief washes over Marcus as the two spin in place, trying to figure out which of Marcus's clones is the real him. Thank the gods they're meatheads like Thor, he thinks proudly. That was almost too easy. Now I just need to make sure I win-
"Hold it!" Melody snaps, dashing forward. She grabs Marcus's arm, and his mouth falls open as she drags him forward. How she knew which one was the real him, he has no idea. Fujin and Raijin whirl around on them, glaring darkly. "If you want his head, then you should take mine as well!" Marcus's blood runs cold, and he grabs her arm, trying to pull her back.
"What are you-!?"
"And why would we do that!?" Fujin rumbles, leaning down to her height. "Who are you, again?"
"I'm Mel. And I'm the mastermind behind all of Loki's plans." She declares, meeting his sneer with one of her own. "You honestly think this guy could orchestrate a whole rebellion on his own?" Fujin and Raijin exchange looks again as Marcus tries to drag Melody behind him.
"Mel, I have this handled! Get out of here!" He whispers desperately. His carefully laid plan falls to pieces as she shoves him back, squaring up with the giant brothers.
"Fenrir hates his father, he would never listen to Loki! I'm the one that ordered him to attack you!" She adds quickly. "I figured, when the war started, a lesser god like you wouldn't be missed."
"Lesser god!?" Fujin roars. The wind picks up again, and Marcus has to grab her shoulders to keep her from being blown away.
"So, I'll take part in your little wager too," She presses, raising her arm to shield her face from the wind. "And when we beat you, not only will you give up on trying to kill Loki, but you'll help us convince Akari to sign our treaty!"
"Deal!" Raijin says with an evil grin. "This way, you can't complain that it was two-on-one when we destroy you!"
"No! Your fight is with me!" Marcus yells, but none of them seem to be listening to him anymore. He yanks Melody back, glaring at her from the corner of his eye. "Mel, you can't do this! I caused this mess, just let me handle it!"
"Sorry, but that's not going to happen," Koji says, putting a hand on Marcus's shoulder. "I see what you two are doing. And I won't let you." He steps forward, the wind seeming to part around him as he passes. "Mel is still an apprentice, she won't stand a chance against the two of you. So, I'm going to take her place in the challenge."
"Oh, no you're not! I'm a part of this too!" Melody snaps. A gust of wind throws her off her feet, and Marcus quickly wraps his arms around her to keep her steady.
"Hey, we're not facing the three of you! That's not fair!" Fujin huffs, crossing his arms. "It would be three on two!"
"You were fine with it being two on one a second ago!" Koji snaps, getting into his face. Fujin recoils back with a growl. "Besides, I'm sure you'll have no problem finding someone else to join you when you tell the others that Loki himself is here."
"We can do the challenge tomorrow!" Melody interjects, pulling free from Marcus's grip. "That will give you the night to find your third and come up with your challenges." Fujin hums, rubbing his chin. Marcus holds his breath, praying that they'll refuse. But to his horror, Raijin chuckles, nodding proudly.
"You're on. We'll grind the two of you into paste!"
"And we've always wanted to see how tough little Koji is!" Fujin adds. "Oh, we'll find our third all right! And when we beat you, you better keep your end of the deal!" He thrusts a finger at Marcus as if just remembering that he's there. Marcus glares at Melody and Koji, stepping forward.
"Oh, I will. But just to be clear - if we lose, you can take my head. Not theirs." He growls darkly. Fujin waves his hand dismissively.
"Sure, I couldn't care less about those two. It's your head I want to be mounted on a spike."
"Now get out!" Raijin rumbles, throwing his hands up. The barn doors burst open again, flooding the room with light. "Tomorrow at sunrise, we'll meet in the central clearing for our challenge!" He lowers his club, jabbing Marcus in the chest with it. "And you better show up. After what you caused, not even Amaterasu will stop us if we have to come looking for you."