Autumn Leaves

Illusions

Loki's POV:

Loki was wondering if he could burn Amora almost to death, and then save her life. As repulsive as saving The Enchantress sounded, it meant that she would suffer the pain of being burnt to death, without the actual death part. In fact, he became so taken with the idea, that he resolved to do it at once.

And then Savannah teleported in, Ravennha really, breathless and shaking. She swayed unsteadily on her feet, (Why couldn't she ever stand on her own two feet in times of need?) and Loki immediately rushed to her side. She moaned softly, and muttered something unintelligible under her breath, before leaning heavily against Loki.

Amora, miraculously, had become silent as soon as Savannah appeared, probably from shock. Well, she had stayed silent up to now.

'What is that doing here?' she hissed. Savannah sent a mental jolt to Loki, warning him not to murder anyone. It was slightly hypocritical, though. Savannah wasn't entirely sure if looks could kill, but she was damn well trying. With a great effort, she forced herself upright, and stared directly into Amora's eyes.

'Amora?'

'Yes, wench?'

Savannah gritted her teeth, and out of her peripheral vision, she saw Loki clench his jaw further.

'I happen to possess a gift of telepathy. I can also sense emotions. Unless you want an angered god ripping out your intestines through your throat, I suggest you refrain from petty insults.'

'You dare insult me, mortal?'

'Yep. And in the interests of everyone concerned, I wish to say a few words.'

'And those are?'

'Off in that direction,' Savannah pointed to her right,  'You ought to fuck.'

Next to her, Loki untensed, and chuckled a little. In front of her, Amora tensed, and glared a lot. The Enchantress lunged forward, hand outstretched, charging at Savannah.

Actually, that was inaccurate. In reality,she charged through the image of Savannah. Another illusion of Savannah appeared behind the baffled goddess, with the same vicious grin.

Amora snarled, and launched herself at Savannah, who simply stepped out of the way. Then The Enchantress whipped around, and cast a binding spell on Savannah, who winked at Loki, and then just disappeared.

Amora growled rabidly, and then turned to Loki. 'How did she do that?' she asked, voice trembling with fury.

'She's amazing, isn't she?' Loki murmured, dreamily.  'So incredibly ... incredible.'

Amora hissed in anger, her nostrils flaring unattractively.

'She's not going to be able to remember you,' she said vindictively, 'Within a few weeks, the toxin shall have completely destroyed her mind. Wonderful, isn't it?'

'Oh, she will remember me, because you are going to tell me how to cure her.'

'I'm afraid I cannot do that. She will lose her mind. My spells rarely fail.'

Trying not to let his voice shake, he asked-

'And what then? What happens when her mind has succumbed to your sick enchantment?'

'After her mind has wasted away, she will be unable to do anything. The body relies on the mind to tell it what to do. At worst, her heart stops.'

'And at best?'

'At best, she will become a shadow, a shade of her former self, unable to feed, wash or even clothe herself. Her body will waste away also.'

Loki narrowed his eyes at her. He wasn't called the God of Lies for nothing, and everything Amora said reeked of falsities.

'There is a cure, and you will tell me.'

'You can't make me.'

'We'll see.'

And he would have, if not for the fact that he could sense Savannah's presence in the atmosphere. She was here, just invisible. Even if he could not see her, she could see him, and one of the last things he wanted to do was let her see him in all of his rage. He had only felt this furious once before, and the fury was not his, but Thanos'. While under the sceptre's control, he had been filled with indomitable hatred, and rage. But he was angry now. It seemed there was nothing that he could do to save Savannah, because of Savannah. He'd probably muse on the irony later.

He tried one more time to search her mind, but it was barred to him.

'I'm leaving now,' he announced, more for Savannah's, rather than Amora's benefit. Then Savannah appeared next to Loki again, and, taking her hand in his, they both left the warehouse for the safety of Stark Tower.

'Don't you ever leave without telling me again, okay?'

'Yes, but-'

'No ifs, no arses, understand?'

'Yes.'

'Good.'

'I'm upset with you, Savannah.'

'Why?'

'Because if you weren't there, I would have been able to get the information I needed out of Amora.'

'Three things,' she said, mimicking Tony's earlier statement, 'One, how did you know I was there? I was invisible. Two, I don't agree with torture for any purpose. Ever. 'Kay?'

'Yes. And I can sense your presence with my magic.'

'Cool.'

'What was the third?'

'You don't need any information from Amora.'

'Yes, I do.'

'You don't.'

'I do. How else do I find out the antidote?'

'I've got it.'

'What? You knew the antidote all along, and you didn't tell me?'

'No, I took it from Amora's mind just now.'

'How?'

'She knew that you were trying to read her mind, so she focussed on keeping you out. She didn't know I was there, but I knew I was there, and I invaded her mind.'

'You have the antidote?'

'Yep.'

'I don't think there's anything else you can say that could possibly make my day any better.'

'I made Tony wet himself.'

'You enjoy proving me wrong, don't you?'