Avengers: Damnation

Nelvannu's Court

Nelvannu's castle was a sprawling and dark estate, filled to bursting with shadows and demons. Loki felt no fear in their presence- he'd shared space with his share of dark figures throughout his lifetime. The demons he had thrown his lot in with were a stark contrast to his former surroundings.

Beings of pure evil are a far cry from the shining perfection of the Lion of Asgard.

Thor was surely hating him by now. The fact that he was involved in the abduction of Modi and Magni assured this. The bridge was decimated and would never recover. Not that he cared much.

Much? You don't care at all, he told himself, correcting that renegade thought.

The boys would serve their purpose in life. And by the time Thor and Dean were aware enough to take action, it would be too late. They would bear witness to Nelvannu's ascension. Dividing his essence between the twins, he would cast his darkness far and wide, easily conquering all that lay before him. He would venture into the Realm of the Great Beasts and free them from their shackles. Then, ravenous with their million year hunger, the Beasts would unleash hell upon all of reality. Thor and Dean would be but a stain under the dark god's might. There was a certain amount of pleasure in knowing that the vicious conclusion to the troublesome conflict was nearly there. And Loki grinned in the darkness, surrounded by his new allies.

What is it about dark, tyrannical beings and their fascination with a team of underlings? Loki pondered as he recalled Thanos and his ill-fated children. How mighty they thought themselves.

As Loki recalled the Black Order, Nelvannu's own underlings were assembling in the fallen god's court. He eyed them with detached interest.

"The Dark One's children are finally gracing us with their presence," Amora snickered beside him.

There was The Hag- a twisted old bitch of a demon who chose to hide her appearance beneath a tattered old cloak that appeared to be a type of gateway into a pocket dimension. This was where the twins currently resided. She stood hunched over her black walking stick that was as crooked as her spine. What little could be seen of her face was just as one might expect- wrinkled, sagging and the color of a corpse. Her eyes- yellow and milky- made her seem almost blind and yet she didn't miss a single detail.

"Uglier than the ass of a troll," Loki whispered to Amora, who giggled darkly.

The Gatekeeper stood brutishly at The Hag's side. Tall and imposing of build, he was a dim witted creature whose wit and intellect could never hope to be as sharp as the massive cleaver he held in his hands. His appearance was completely hidden by a suit of black armor but his eyes gleamed a menacing bright red beneath the helmet.

"Hopelessly stupid," Amora sighed.

Loki smiled. "Obviously."

The third member of Nelvannu's court was an emaciated and unruly creature Loki had not seen before. The Hungry, it was called. This was due to the creature's insatiable appetite. Cursed with endless insatiability, the beast was loyal only to Nelvannu and would turn on and eat anyone or anything unlucky enough to cross its path. Loki stared the creature down, amused at the doglike posture the humanoid beast took as it thrashed about, held in place by chains.

And holding those chains was The Moaner. This despicable being was afflicted with pain that could never end. Its pale face was completely dominated by one massive mouth that hung open and released an endless stream of pained groans. It had no other facial features. And it's body was one massive scab, constantly splitting apart and oozing blood and pus.

The final member of the Court was The Concubine. In possession of a tall and statuesque body, she appeared to be carved completely from obsidian. Her black skin was smooth and unblemished, with threads of gold running through it. She wore no clothes but walked as if she were draped in the finest adornments in all the multiverse. Her silver hair spilled down her shoulders and two curling horns erupted from her forehead. Her expression, always bordering on unamused, tickled Loki. He was further tickled by the fact that Amora was jealous of the creature.

"To strut about in nothing at all," Amora sighed.

"I did not take you, of all people, to be a prude," Loki teased.

"There is a certain degree of class when one leaves something to the imagination," Amora fired back.

Loki held his tongue, watchful as the door just beyond the large throne opened up. The tall, menacing shadow of Nelvannu stood in the doorway. Throughout their correspondence, Loki had never seen the fallen god's true appearance.

"He is ashamed," The Hag once explained to him. "Ever since his father turned him into a demon, he has hidden his visage beneath a veil of shadows.

Loki stared up at the god and felt something of a kinship with him. He, too, had been cast out by his family for his own ambitions. It was because of this that Nelvannu had been willing to take Loki into his court. That, along with the fact that Loki's devious and crafty mind spoke for itself. He smiled at the memory of Amora thinking she was the only one in league with the fallen god.

"The babes," Nelvannu spoke in a voice that lashed the entire room with its cruel and violent tone. Even the flickering candles seemed to shrink back from him. "Where are they?"

The Hag hobbled forward and reached a hand into her cloak. With one pull, she retrieved both Modi and Magni from the dark depths. The boys thrashed and wailed in the old woman's grip, their tiny fists flailing at the air around them. "They are strong, Great One," The Hag appraised.

"Good," Nelvannu whispered reverently as he stared at the boys. "Demigods."

"And Inhumans," Loki added.

"And Inhumans," Nelvannu repeated. He smiled, though none could see this. He extended his hands- their clawed tips causing the boys to cry harder. Gently, he caressed both boys' cheeks. "They are fitting vessels for me."

Modi reached up for one of the claws and gripped it at the base. With a tremendous scream, he tugged at the claw, tearing it from Nelvannu's hand. The Concubine hissed angrily but her master raised a hand and began to laugh. "Such strength, you have, little one," he said as the missing talon was replaced by a new one.

Loki stared at his nephews-

Not your nephews. Thor is not your brother.

-and couldn't help but be amused by their godlike strength. Though tiny and young and not nearly as strong as they would be when full grown, it was still an impressive sight. Thor would be proud. Of course, he would also be devastated to know that Modi and Magni's spirits would be obliterated to make room for Nelvannu's.

"The incantations will take time," Amora spoke up. "But Loki and I are prepared to begin."

Nelvannu ignored Amora entirely and turned to walk away up the steps to his throne. He sat down and took a leisurely posture. "Put the babes away," Nelvannu commanded The Hag, who hastily heeded her master's order. "And leave me."

The others turned to leave when a winged, spindly little demon hurriedly flew into the room, it's wings fluttering like an insect's. "Master," he hissed as he prostrated himself before Nelvannu. "There are intruders beyond the castle gates! They mean to try to enter!"

"No one can enter the castle," The Concubine said.

Nelvannu lifted a silencing talon. "Come. Let us greet our visitors."