Chapter 134: Loki Returns
After returning from Asgard, there were no new developments, and no supervillains appeared to threaten the peace. Dave used this time to learn the secrets of Kamar-Taj, as well as to master the spells he had copied from Asgard. As Diana had pointed out, each source of power seemed to subtly influence his personality. Now, he found himself genuinely enjoying the process of learning and mastering magic, all while aiming to develop new spells from his growing arsenal. While Dave immersed himself in his studies, events were unfolding at a hidden S.H.I.E.L.D. facility.
"Doc, are you ready?" Fury asked, looking at Dr. Selvig—the same scientist who had been at the site when Thor first arrived on Earth with Jane Foster and Darcy.
"I am," Selvig replied, standing next to the Tesseract encased in the machine. "We can now start harvesting its endless power," he added confidently.
Fury nodded, but what he missed was the unnatural glint in Selvig's eyes. Unbeknownst to him, Selvig was being controlled by Loki. Far away, on another planet, Loki smirked as he watched events unfold through Selvig's eyes. At the same time Selvig activated the machine, Loki muttered, "Time to return." The image of Dave flashed in his mind, and his smirk grew darker. "This time, mortal, I will win," he murmured, gripping the Chitauri Scepter.
For the past few months, Loki had tirelessly trained with the Scepter, refining its powers. The Scepter, which housed the Mind Stone, has helped him grow stronger, he had grown even more potent than originally he was supposed to be during his first invasion of Earth. This time, Loki's strength had been honed, partly due to his grudging acknowledgment of the humiliation Dave had caused him. and Acknowledging there is someone powerful on Midgard.
"Come forth, my little pawn," Loki whispered as Selvig activated the machine. Selvig, thinking he was extracting energy from the Tesseract, was unknowingly creating a portal. Through this portal, Loki and his Chitauri army would once again step foot on Earth, determined to seize victory.
As the machine worked, the portal began to form, drawing the attention of Loki and the Chitauri elders surrounding him. However, the portal soon began to fluctuate, its instability evident. Loki stood abruptly, his expression darkening. "It's not properly built," he muttered before stepping toward the portal. Without hesitation, he entered it before it could collapse on itself.
On the other side, Fury observed the machine's erratic behavior. "Doc, is something wrong?" he asked calmly as sparks flew from the device.
"The load is too much. We need a stabilizer," Selvig replied, hastily adjusting the controls.