Your hands are shaking, let me help you. First take off this mask. Then focus of breathing, and shoot.
BANG
After all, I am thou, thou art I.
I am Loki. Together we shall burn this unjust world to ash. -- Anon Guest
Sometimes, a swift and violent action is desperately necessary to improve the world. Sometimes, those with the inclination to do something lacks the strength, courage, or resources to do it.
If they're desperate enough, they are willing to call on anything for help.
Lee had largely made up the ritual. Scavenged all the things ze used for it. Performed it nightly until the one ze summoned actually answered. He was in colours of green, wearing a cloak of raven feathers. Staring at Lee with curiosity in eyes that had mourned the loss of too many children, and had also beheld the end of the world.
The being took in the net, the images of fish, seals, and boats, toured around the fire and brushed their fingers over the image of a snake scribed about the circle of the can where it burned. They crouched opposite Lee and smiled the kind of smile that heralded trouble.
Trouble for whom was the matter up to debate.
"You called me because you need strength," said the beautiful creature. "You lack it and you know it. I cannot give you strength, as I am not known to be strong. That said... I can loan you cunning. I can help you blend in, or be unobserved in the trials ahead."
"That's better than I've ever had before," said Lee, and took the being's hand.
Their name was Loki. Like Lee, they were neither entirely male nor female, though the world kept deciding for them. Like Lee, they didn't have strength or much in the way of attributes that society valued. Unlike Lee, Loki had found other ways.
They could invent. They could use what they had to hand. They could analyze and be shrewd about their enemy's weaknesses.
...and strike when it was funniest.
The solution wasn't always murder. Loki and Lee together learned how to strike at any weakness. By the end of the reign of terror, they could do it with a few well-chosen words.
But for the ultimate of evils... violence was the answer. A tall tower, a telescopic sight, a lot of patience. And one bullet.
The battle between the underlings for the power vacuum took care of the rest, and ze was free.
Loki hung around, just to see what happened next.
[Photo by petr sidorov on Unsplash]
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