The Witch's Familiar

Chapter 71

You returned to Loki's side and shifted positions, standing on your broomstick to ride it like a skateboard for better maneuverability and spell casting ability. Autumn remained perfectly balanced on the end of your broom. She provided the perfect counterbalance and matched your movements as you flew. It was so great to have a familiar again. She was the perfect balance for you, both literally and physically. She balanced your mental health, balanced your magic, and at the moment, helped balance your broomstick.

You looked over the battle, evaluating it, evaluating the monsters and the Hydra agents. Only you, Loki, and your familiars were here, and there was Hydra and monsters everywhere. There were civilians, and police, of course, but the civilians were fleeing the area and Hydra seemed more interested in damage than in killing. So you had some time. You saw Loki evaluating the battle as well. "We have to get this under control," you told him urgently.

He nodded and gestured to the park between the office buildings, drawing your attention to the area. It was completely empty of civilians and perfect. "If we can corral the monsters there, we'll be able to protect the civilians and contain the battle,"

You looked it over and nodded. "Yes," you agreed easily and drew your wand from where it was around your wrist. You drew a quick symbol in the air with it, creating a one-way shield that shimmered with your power, appearing black in yours and Loki's vision, as you were drawing power from the reserves in the jewel you'd gotten on Asgard. "They can't see it, but we can," you explained to Loki. "They can enter it, but can't leave. We can contain them there,"

Loki smirked and you saw a murderous glint in his eyes. You had a feeling that whatever happened after all the monsters were in that shield was going to be vicious and nasty. Which you approved of when they were attacking innocent people. "Good, then we will deal with them when they are all contained. Be careful, magelet," Loki said.

He headed off in one direction and you flew off in the other. You blasted spells at the monsters, herding them into the shielded park. You kept the perimeter, keeping the monsters from escaping, while Loki used illusions and magic to force the closer ones in.

You don't know how long you worked together, how many monsters you wrangled with Loki. You kept an eye on him, and he kept one on you as you worked. You were the only backup the other had. For some reason, the rest of the team wasn't arriving. You were really on your own.

But you had a god at your side.

Loki didn't usually flaunt his abilities, didn't usually demonstrate just how much power he had. Today was an exception. He was a god. You saw that in action, saw how he used his power, held so many illusions, used shields, held so many spells in place at once.

And you knew that he was saving his reserves for the finale, for once you had all of the monsters contained.

Midgard had thought they'd seen Loki at his worst when he'd tried to take over. They knew now that he'd been under mind control. What they didn't know, didn't quite realize, or understand, was that he had been holding back. He'd been working against the mind control, fighting back against his orders. He'd circumvented it and tried to get caught.

They didn't realize that they were about to see Loki at his true worst now. And that worst would be in the defense of the mortals.

You landed beside Loki when all of the monsters were in the shield and stepped off your broom next to him. "Ready for this?" You asked and took his hand in yours.

Loki nodded. "Let's show Hydra what they never should have forgotten," he said with a glint in his eyes. You saw his power swirling there, saw him for the god behind the prince.

"And what is that, my love?" You asked him gently.

The rest of the team finally arrived on the scene, but hadn't quite reached you yet. Still, they were close enough to see, to hear, to understand what was going on.

His glint turned into a smirk. "They never should have forgotten that gods walk among them," he said. Power swirled around him, crackling over his skin, not unlike Thor's lightning, despite being green. Even though your hands were joined, you weren't hurt by his magic, which felt like a caress on your skin. His power was rubbing against you like a cat marking its territory.

Hel, Loki was like an overgrown cat himself. It made sense that his magic was too.

"No, they never should have forgotten that. Let's remind them," you told him warmly.

You added your power to his, the magic from your jewel, from your reserves, mixing with Loki's black power. You both held out your hands toward the shield, filling it with more and more power.

All of the monsters were destroyed in that blast of power. Leaving only the humans behind to be questioned and dealt with by the shield agents standing by. The explosion was tremendous, but the power contained in such a manner that it was visible, but the only damage done was to the creatures in that shield.

It was an extraordinary use of power. Even the muggles recognized that fact.

The news spread, the video was everywhere in a matter of minutes.

The story led the whispers. Whispers turned to conversations. And the mortals realized and remembered what they never should have forgotten. The gods walked among them.

And the gods, at least some of them, were on humanity's side.

And with that knowledge, with that remembrance, prayers began to flow once again.