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Description
Chapter 3
Angela woke the next morning with the room still shadowed.  Pale light filtered through the small crease of the curtain.  She stretched and yawned, slowly opening her eyes.  The sight that greeted her caused all drowsiness to instantly vanish.  Standing at the foot of her bed, watching with a sly grin, stood the god of mischief.
With a gasp, Amanda bolted for her wand, supporting herself on one arm, careless of the fact her covers were no longer hiding the satin, low cut nightgown she wore.  She pointed her wand at him as he surveyed her, still grinning wickedly.
"Good morning Miss – Rutherford, isn't it?  Did you miss me?"
"Not particularly," the young woman replied with a glare.
Loki chuckled.  "Oh, but I had such a wonderful time when last we spoke."
"How did you get in here?  The others –"
"Could not possibly be aware of my presence."  Loki opened his hands in a half shrug.  "I am a sorcerer.  I can avoid detection if I wish.  So it's just you… and I."
Slowly, Loki began to walk around the bed toward Angela, who raised her wand slightly, a soft white light emanating from its tip.  She locked eyes with the demigod, glaring at him.   "Not. Another. Step."
Loki complied, raising his hands.  "So… you've managed to draw closer to the wand I see."
"I have," Angela replied.  "I suppose I have you to thank, in a way.  If you weren't trying to steal it from me, I'd have never learned about it.  Thor telling me about Asgardian history was what caused it to happen."
Loki scoffed.  " My brother.  Oh, how you must have swooned  when the mighty Thor arrived to rescue you from me."
Angela surveyed the god of mischief; everything about his countenance radiated contempt.  His eyes were narrowed slits and his lips a thin line.  She shrugged slightly.  "He's handsome, but looks can be deceiving.  Take you, for instance.  You're handsome as well, but you're also completely demented."
"And your point is?"  Loki replied with a smirk.
"I'm not the type to 'swoon' over anyone."
She watched the smirk grow in the demi god's eyes.  "Of course you aren't."
"You aren't getting my wand.  I know that's why you're here."
"Yes, I should think that would be fairly obvious."  Loki's eyes briefly scanned Angela, that blasted smirk deepening in his eyes and face once again.  The thought of wiping it off greatly appealed to Angela.  "Though, I admit I find the view rather to my liking."
Angela glanced down for just a second and realized how exposed she was.  She looked back up and found Loki's face inches from hers.  She gasped, smacking her head on the banister as she put distance between them.  Loki grinned darkly.  "Give me the wand, woman.  You cannot hope to ever fully understand its power, or utilize it to its fullest potential."
He stayed uncomfortably close, but never touched her, his eyes boring into hers with an intensity that made her want to look away.  Stubbornly, she refused to give in to this desire.  "The wand thinks I'm a suitable candidate," she rejoined.
Loki laughed again, that soft menacing chuckle that made Angela's skin crawl.  "Then the wand sets its standards quite low indeed."  His eyes hardened and he leaned in even closer.  "Hand over the wand or I shall look into those lovely eyes of yours and watch the life ebb from them as I choke it out of you,  and once you have died, prise the wand from your lifeless fingers."
BAM!
Angela had heard enough.  Intense white light burst from her wand as she unleashed one of her directly damaging spells against Loki, and it made a deafening crack as it hit the wall.   But the problem was that Loki's face was still just as close as it had been before she'd attacked him, and the spell, known as  Eldritch Bolt, had gone straight through him.  Loki laughed once more, and slowly vanished, the sound of his laughter lingering for several seconds.
Angela stayed unmoving in her bed, staring at nothing.  The fear she had felt when he had been there was no longer pushed aside as it had been when she had been forced to confront him.  It now left her numb, with her limbs heavy, and her nerves frayed.  What had just happened?  Had he really been there?  A loud pounding at the door caused her to jump.  Thor swiftly pushed his way through, hammer in hand, looking ready for a fight.
"What has happened here?" he asked quickly.  "Are you alright?"
"Loki – he was here."
" What?! " Thor whispered aghast.  "Are you certain?"
Slowly, Angela shook her head.  "I… don't know.  When I attacked him, the spell went straight through him."
"An illusion, or astral projection," Thor replied gravely as he continued to scan the room.  "My brother is very adept at them.  He has used them countless times when we've fought… together and against one another."
Angela nodded again, her nerves very slowly beginning to return to normal.  She noticed the smoking wreckage that had been a dresser, and raised her wand at it.  "He made me cause quite a mess…"
Angela's attempt to fix the dresser only resulted in the whole thing falling apart completely.  Thor smiled kindly.  "In Asgard, it has been said that magic feeds off of emotion.  Perhaps you should calm yourself before repairing it."
"Yeah… give me a few minutes…"
"I shall not be far if you have need of me."
"Thank you."
Thor left, and Angela stayed sitting in the bed, letting her nerves calm.   Finally she successfully repaired the dresser and threw on some clothes.  Thor was waiting for her down the hall, speaking to the others, who all turned at her approach.
"Thor's just told us," the captain said as soon as they noticed her, a frown of concern on his handsome features.  "Loki didn't hurt you, did he?"
"Yeah… I'm ok, thank you.  I was certainly not expecting to see him when I woke, that's for sure."  Angela paused, stroking her chin thoughtfully.  Now that she was more calm, her mind was whizzing rapidly as thoughts began to form into an idea.  "But he never did anything to me, never even touched me.  I wonder… Thor, is Loki able to do anything as an "astral projection?"
"Loki's power lies not in his physical prowess, but in cunning and manipulation.  I do not think he could have harmed you in that form, but he might have been able to trick you into falling right into a trap he has concocted.  His words are his most potent weapon, and even as an illusion he can speak, which means he can cast spells if he wishes."
Angela felt the colour slowly drain from her face.  "If he can cast spells," she said quietly.  "he could try to make me come to him and hand over the wand."
"I suspect my brother would only use that as a last resort – he thinks he will be able to intimidate you into giving him what he seeks."
"And frightening me into submission would be so much more satisfying," Angela finished coldly.
Thor nodded sadly.  "I am sorry."
"Quite a charming fellow, your brother," Angela remarked, with a half-hearted attempt at sarcasm.
"Yes.  Loki can be quite charming when he wishes to be,"  Thor replied seriously.  "He did not get a reputation on Asgard for having a silver tongue without good reason.  He is intelligent and crafty.  If he is unsuccessful at acquiring what he is after one way, he will find another avenue to try.  He may even make it seem as though it has become more about you, than the wand."
"Why would he do that?"
"To mislead you and catch you off guard.  But I doubt that will be a priority.  For now, he still believes he can intimidate you."
"And I intend to do something about that," Angela said firmly.  "I think my wand can help me.  I will see what I can come up with to get rid of these illusions."
The others looked keenly at her and Angela saw in every pair of eyes a deep respect.  Natasha walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder and smiled.  "You're a very strong woman.  Not many would have the determination I see in your eyes."
The others murmured their own compliments and Angela smiled, feeling slightly embarrassed.  "Thank you all… well, shall we get some food now that the excitement's over?"
Sometime later that day Angela sat in her room, her wand in her hands before her.  She reached within herself to find the quiet hum deep within her soul that connected her to her beloved wand, and allowed her to commune with it.  She noticed that the more time she spent in this manner, talking with her wand, the easier it was to find that point of energy within, and she also sensed that it seemed very subtly to grow as she became more attuned to it.
Hello mistress.  How may I assist you?
"I was wondering if there was a way to combat the mind games Loki is playing."
There is.  But he is a very powerful sorcerer in his own right.  It will take time for you to reach the point when you can prevent his mental attacks completely.  I can, however, teach you to realize when he has had a hand in affecting the world around you, and with practice, you may be able to dispel these occurrences.
"Well, if that's what we have to work with, then we should get started."
As you wish.
Angela once again lost track of how long she communed with her artifact; it was not until her wand gently told her she should rest that she realized it was already evening, and she had not eaten since breakfast.  Her mind felt heavy and sluggish now that she was not focusing her concentration, and she had a mild headache.  It was definitely time for a break.
Angela rose stiffly from her bed and went to the dinner hall.  She was alone, and it was quiet.  Having spent so much of her time in solitude that day, she would have preferred that someone was there to talk with, but given how tired she felt, perhaps it was best she were alone.  After finishing her meal she wandered Stark Tower aimlessly, letting her feet guide her.  A few minutes later she found herself entering a very large room that had many different pieces of equipment for exercise, from a bench press and heavy weights to a treadmill.  Most interesting to Angela was the area off in one of the corners that seemed to be a committed dojo area.  The expansive mat and mirror made her feel like yet another piece of home had been brought to her.  Angela smiled as she recalled hours spent in training with her Sifu.
American Kenpo had consumed much of her time, and had kept her in excellent physical condition.  She looked at herself in the dojo mirrors – a small but strong-looking woman stared back at her.  Long blonde hair was pulled up into a pony – she hardly ever wore her hair down.  Bright blue eyes continuing their survey, she wore a simple shirt and jeans with sneakers.  She'd always been a bit of a tom-boy, although even she had to admit, she had a woman's figure; she just didn't like flaunting it.
Slowly Angela began to go through the many katas she had been taught over her years of training in kenpo.  Soon Angela was lost in the moment, her mind and body becoming one, hands and feet moving in instinctive patterns.  One kata was complete, and she moved to another, her motions beginning to become sharper and more powerful, faster and more graceful.  At length, she finally stopped, and turned to see Natasha, Steve, and Thor all looking fairly impressed.
"You definitely know what you're doing," Natasha complimented with a nod of her head.  "Very precise motions, and they seemed to be as natural to you as walking.  You've done martial arts for a long time, haven't you?"
"Yes, since I was a child.  It's almost as big of a part of my life as my wand has been.  And singing – I've been in choirs since grade school.  They are the things I enjoy the most – things that calm me, and give me focus."
"Those are better outlets than some choose in these days," Steve added with a slight frown.  "Do you mind if we join you in here?"
"Not at all.  I believe Natasha and I were going to have a spar at some point, weren't we?"
"That we were," the master assassin replied with what Angela noticed was the faintest hint of a smirk.  "You ready for that, Angela?"
Angela grinned slightly.  "I've been looking forward to a good sparring partner – it's been a long time."
"Then let's see what you've got," Natasha replied with a grin of her own.
Steve and Thor exchanged looks as the women began to square off.
"This should be interesting."

Description
Chapter 3
Angela woke the next morning with the room still shadowed.  Pale light filtered through the small crease of the curtain.  She stretched and yawned, slowly opening her eyes.  The sight that greeted her caused all drowsiness to instantly vanish.  Standing at the foot of her bed, watching with a sly grin, stood the god of mischief.
With a gasp, Amanda bolted for her wand, supporting herself on one arm, careless of the fact her covers were no longer hiding the satin, low cut nightgown she wore.  She pointed her wand at him as he surveyed her, still grinning wickedly.
"Good morning Miss – Rutherford, isn't it?  Did you miss me?"
"Not particularly," the young woman replied with a glare.
Loki chuckled.  "Oh, but I had such a wonderful time when last we spoke."
"How did you get in here?  The others –"
"Could not possibly be aware of my presence."  Loki opened his hands in a half shrug.  "I am a sorcerer.  I can avoid detection if I wish.  So it's just you… and I."
Slowly, Loki began to walk around the bed toward Angela, who raised her wand slightly, a soft white light emanating from its tip.  She locked eyes with the demigod, glaring at him.   "Not. Another. Step."
Loki complied, raising his hands.  "So… you've managed to draw closer to the wand I see."
"I have," Angela replied.  "I suppose I have you to thank, in a way.  If you weren't trying to steal it from me, I'd have never learned about it.  Thor telling me about Asgardian history was what caused it to happen."
Loki scoffed.  " My brother.  Oh, how you must have swooned  when the mighty Thor arrived to rescue you from me."
Angela surveyed the god of mischief; everything about his countenance radiated contempt.  His eyes were narrowed slits and his lips a thin line.  She shrugged slightly.  "He's handsome, but looks can be deceiving.  Take you, for instance.  You're handsome as well, but you're also completely demented."
"And your point is?"  Loki replied with a smirk.
"I'm not the type to 'swoon' over anyone."
She watched the smirk grow in the demi god's eyes.  "Of course you aren't."
"You aren't getting my wand.  I know that's why you're here."
"Yes, I should think that would be fairly obvious."  Loki's eyes briefly scanned Angela, that blasted smirk deepening in his eyes and face once again.  The thought of wiping it off greatly appealed to Angela.  "Though, I admit I find the view rather to my liking."
Angela glanced down for just a second and realized how exposed she was.  She looked back up and found Loki's face inches from hers.  She gasped, smacking her head on the banister as she put distance between them.  Loki grinned darkly.  "Give me the wand, woman.  You cannot hope to ever fully understand its power, or utilize it to its fullest potential."
He stayed uncomfortably close, but never touched her, his eyes boring into hers with an intensity that made her want to look away.  Stubbornly, she refused to give in to this desire.  "The wand thinks I'm a suitable candidate," she rejoined.
Loki laughed again, that soft menacing chuckle that made Angela's skin crawl.  "Then the wand sets its standards quite low indeed."  His eyes hardened and he leaned in even closer.  "Hand over the wand or I shall look into those lovely eyes of yours and watch the life ebb from them as I choke it out of you,  and once you have died, prise the wand from your lifeless fingers."
BAM!
Angela had heard enough.  Intense white light burst from her wand as she unleashed one of her directly damaging spells against Loki, and it made a deafening crack as it hit the wall.   But the problem was that Loki's face was still just as close as it had been before she'd attacked him, and the spell, known as  Eldritch Bolt, had gone straight through him.  Loki laughed once more, and slowly vanished, the sound of his laughter lingering for several seconds.
Angela stayed unmoving in her bed, staring at nothing.  The fear she had felt when he had been there was no longer pushed aside as it had been when she had been forced to confront him.  It now left her numb, with her limbs heavy, and her nerves frayed.  What had just happened?  Had he really been there?  A loud pounding at the door caused her to jump.  Thor swiftly pushed his way through, hammer in hand, looking ready for a fight.
"What has happened here?" he asked quickly.  "Are you alright?"
"Loki – he was here."
" What?! " Thor whispered aghast.  "Are you certain?"
Slowly, Angela shook her head.  "I… don't know.  When I attacked him, the spell went straight through him."
"An illusion, or astral projection," Thor replied gravely as he continued to scan the room.  "My brother is very adept at them.  He has used them countless times when we've fought… together and against one another."
Angela nodded again, her nerves very slowly beginning to return to normal.  She noticed the smoking wreckage that had been a dresser, and raised her wand at it.  "He made me cause quite a mess…"
Angela's attempt to fix the dresser only resulted in the whole thing falling apart completely.  Thor smiled kindly.  "In Asgard, it has been said that magic feeds off of emotion.  Perhaps you should calm yourself before repairing it."
"Yeah… give me a few minutes…"
"I shall not be far if you have need of me."
"Thank you."
Thor left, and Angela stayed sitting in the bed, letting her nerves calm.   Finally she successfully repaired the dresser and threw on some clothes.  Thor was waiting for her down the hall, speaking to the others, who all turned at her approach.
"Thor's just told us," the captain said as soon as they noticed her, a frown of concern on his handsome features.  "Loki didn't hurt you, did he?"
"Yeah… I'm ok, thank you.  I was certainly not expecting to see him when I woke, that's for sure."  Angela paused, stroking her chin thoughtfully.  Now that she was more calm, her mind was whizzing rapidly as thoughts began to form into an idea.  "But he never did anything to me, never even touched me.  I wonder… Thor, is Loki able to do anything as an "astral projection?"
"Loki's power lies not in his physical prowess, but in cunning and manipulation.  I do not think he could have harmed you in that form, but he might have been able to trick you into falling right into a trap he has concocted.  His words are his most potent weapon, and even as an illusion he can speak, which means he can cast spells if he wishes."
Angela felt the colour slowly drain from her face.  "If he can cast spells," she said quietly.  "he could try to make me come to him and hand over the wand."
"I suspect my brother would only use that as a last resort – he thinks he will be able to intimidate you into giving him what he seeks."
"And frightening me into submission would be so much more satisfying," Angela finished coldly.
Thor nodded sadly.  "I am sorry."
"Quite a charming fellow, your brother," Angela remarked, with a half-hearted attempt at sarcasm.
"Yes.  Loki can be quite charming when he wishes to be,"  Thor replied seriously.  "He did not get a reputation on Asgard for having a silver tongue without good reason.  He is intelligent and crafty.  If he is unsuccessful at acquiring what he is after one way, he will find another avenue to try.  He may even make it seem as though it has become more about you, than the wand."
"Why would he do that?"
"To mislead you and catch you off guard.  But I doubt that will be a priority.  For now, he still believes he can intimidate you."
"And I intend to do something about that," Angela said firmly.  "I think my wand can help me.  I will see what I can come up with to get rid of these illusions."
The others looked keenly at her and Angela saw in every pair of eyes a deep respect.  Natasha walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder and smiled.  "You're a very strong woman.  Not many would have the determination I see in your eyes."
The others murmured their own compliments and Angela smiled, feeling slightly embarrassed.  "Thank you all… well, shall we get some food now that the excitement's over?"
Sometime later that day Angela sat in her room, her wand in her hands before her.  She reached within herself to find the quiet hum deep within her soul that connected her to her beloved wand, and allowed her to commune with it.  She noticed that the more time she spent in this manner, talking with her wand, the easier it was to find that point of energy within, and she also sensed that it seemed very subtly to grow as she became more attuned to it.
Hello mistress.  How may I assist you?
"I was wondering if there was a way to combat the mind games Loki is playing."
There is.  But he is a very powerful sorcerer in his own right.  It will take time for you to reach the point when you can prevent his mental attacks completely.  I can, however, teach you to realize when he has had a hand in affecting the world around you, and with practice, you may be able to dispel these occurrences.
"Well, if that's what we have to work with, then we should get started."
As you wish.
Angela once again lost track of how long she communed with her artifact; it was not until her wand gently told her she should rest that she realized it was already evening, and she had not eaten since breakfast.  Her mind felt heavy and sluggish now that she was not focusing her concentration, and she had a mild headache.  It was definitely time for a break.
Angela rose stiffly from her bed and went to the dinner hall.  She was alone, and it was quiet.  Having spent so much of her time in solitude that day, she would have preferred that someone was there to talk with, but given how tired she felt, perhaps it was best she were alone.  After finishing her meal she wandered Stark Tower aimlessly, letting her feet guide her.  A few minutes later she found herself entering a very large room that had many different pieces of equipment for exercise, from a bench press and heavy weights to a treadmill.  Most interesting to Angela was the area off in one of the corners that seemed to be a committed dojo area.  The expansive mat and mirror made her feel like yet another piece of home had been brought to her.  Angela smiled as she recalled hours spent in training with her Sifu.
American Kenpo had consumed much of her time, and had kept her in excellent physical condition.  She looked at herself in the dojo mirrors – a small but strong-looking woman stared back at her.  Long blonde hair was pulled up into a pony – she hardly ever wore her hair down.  Bright blue eyes continuing their survey, she wore a simple shirt and jeans with sneakers.  She'd always been a bit of a tom-boy, although even she had to admit, she had a woman's figure; she just didn't like flaunting it.
Slowly Angela began to go through the many katas she had been taught over her years of training in kenpo.  Soon Angela was lost in the moment, her mind and body becoming one, hands and feet moving in instinctive patterns.  One kata was complete, and she moved to another, her motions beginning to become sharper and more powerful, faster and more graceful.  At length, she finally stopped, and turned to see Natasha, Steve, and Thor all looking fairly impressed.
"You definitely know what you're doing," Natasha complimented with a nod of her head.  "Very precise motions, and they seemed to be as natural to you as walking.  You've done martial arts for a long time, haven't you?"
"Yes, since I was a child.  It's almost as big of a part of my life as my wand has been.  And singing – I've been in choirs since grade school.  They are the things I enjoy the most – things that calm me, and give me focus."
"Those are better outlets than some choose in these days," Steve added with a slight frown.  "Do you mind if we join you in here?"
"Not at all.  I believe Natasha and I were going to have a spar at some point, weren't we?"
"That we were," the master assassin replied with what Angela noticed was the faintest hint of a smirk.  "You ready for that, Angela?"
Angela grinned slightly.  "I've been looking forward to a good sparring partner – it's been a long time."
"Then let's see what you've got," Natasha replied with a grin of her own.
Steve and Thor exchanged looks as the women began to square off.
"This should be interesting."