Mind

"Mother…"

A lonely mountain peak rose into the night. Amid piled, jagged rocks, two princes of Asgard faced each other. When Thor mentioned their mother, Loki’s icy gaze softened.

He hated Odin’s deception from the bottom of his heart, yet he had never resented Frigga, the queen who had raised him. Her unstinting tenderness and love were enough to warm the Frost Giant blood flowing through his veins.

"We grew up together in Asgard. We played together, fought together. Have you forgotten all of that?" Thor demanded loudly.

He could not understand why his troublesome younger brother remained so full of resentment. Even if they were not blood-related brothers, the bond they had shared since childhood had never been false.

"I’ve always lived in your shadow. Odin gave me hope, then crushed it with his own hands. Do you know how cruel that was? I’ve seen new worlds you know nothing about. During those days when I wandered alone, adrift and homeless, the vast universe unfolded before my eyes."

Loki roared in fury, veins bulging on his forehead. His arrogance stemmed from deep insecurity. Frost Giant blood flowed through his body; no matter how he tried to justify it, he could not erase the fact that he was not truly Asgardian royalty.

For Loki, who had grown up in Asgard, this was a devastating blow. The education he had received since childhood had taught him to despise the Frost Giants of Jotunheim, viewing them as mortal enemies from a savage world. Yet when the veil of truth was lifted, he discovered that he was one of them.

That was why this ill-fated god of mischief had wanted to destroy Jotunheim, to prove his resolve to Odin. Unfortunately, none of it earned the approval or praise of the King of Asgard.

"Give up these ridiculous dreams." Thor did not want to continue arguing. He had never been a match for his brother when it came to words. "Come home with me. Mother is still waiting for you."

The Bifrost had not yet been fully rebuilt. For Thor to come to Earth, Odin had paid an enormous price, mobilizing unimaginable Dark Energy to construct a passage. If they wanted to return to Asgard, they had to obtain the Tesseract.

"It isn’t in my hands."

A hard smile squeezed onto Loki’s handsome face. He did not deny that, just a moment ago, he had hesitated and considered following Thor back to Asgard.

But then he remembered the suffering he had endured, the instructions of the Cosmic Overlord, and the Chitauri army waiting beyond the stars… Loki immediately extinguished that trace of weakness in his heart. There was no road back for him.

"Listen to me, brother…"

Thor frowned and raised Mjolnir. Before he could finish speaking, a streak of fire flashed past, carrying the Asgardian Prince hurtling toward the forest below.

Iron Armor plowed deep furrows into the leaf-covered soft ground. Thor crawled to his feet in embarrassment, glaring at this Midgardian in strange armor, his chest filled with furious rage.

"Do you know who you’re facing?"

Although his last trip to Earth had helped Thor mature greatly, tempering his former thirst for glory, the innate arrogance and conceit of an Asgardian were still difficult to erase.

"A stage actor?" Tony curled his lip and launched into a vicious barrage of mockery. "Did you steal your mother’s shawl? Buddy, Halloween isn’t here yet. Playing dress-up is a little beneath you."

What kind of sparks would fly when the arrogant god of thunder encountered the sharp-tongued Iron Man?

Without a doubt, it would be a battle filled with blazing tempers.

For now, let us set aside the Avengers’ first meeting and turn our attention back to the restored calm of Umbrella.

Hawkeye Barton opened his eyes, his mind filled with confusion. He had infiltrated the main spire building to support Hydra’s operation, but a chimpanzee that had appeared out of nowhere had disrupted the plan.

That chimpanzee, whose singing was comparable to noise and who stood nearly ten feet tall, wore mechanical equipment resembling an exoskeleton. The pulse cannon in its right palm had directly knocked Barton to the ground.

By the time he woke again, he was seated in a metal chair, his movements restrained. Darkness surrounded him, silent and still.

As one of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s top agents, Barton was no stranger to such circumstances. He had plenty of experience dealing with interrogations. As a door opened, a tall figure strolled toward him.

"Clint Barton, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Why are you working for Hydra?" The low voice was full of amusement.

Barton’s pupils contracted, and astonishment appeared on his face. Besides being a master marksman known as Hawkeye, he had also trained exceptionally sharp senses and night vision. Even in the dim surroundings, he could clearly see the face seated opposite him.

"Sean Sipes?"

Even under the control of Loki’s Mind Scepter, Barton still remembered the young man before him. Natasha had infiltrated his side, and Nick Fury thought highly of him as well.

"You shouldn’t have said my name, Agent Barton. In movies, people who recognize the villain usually don’t end well." Sean was not surprised; instead, he wore a relaxed expression. "I’m curious. What exactly did you see? Is your mind clear, or confused?"

"I know what I’m doing. That scepter showed me the next target," Barton said coldly.

There was no emotion in those icy eyes, sharp as arrows. The illusion of the Mind Stone clouded his vision, and its wondrous power intoxicated Barton.

This senior S.H.I.E.L.D. agent saw his past experiences, his loving wife, everything so vivid and clear. The only difference was that Loki’s figure flashed through those fleeting images.

Barton’s will had been manipulated without his noticing. He had not lost the ability to think independently, but he had to submit to Loki. Otherwise, everything he possessed would cease to exist.

"I’m sure you won’t willingly tell me where the Tesseract is hidden, nor will you reveal anything about Loki."

As an agent, Barton naturally did not fear torture. His consciousness was controlled, and he would absolutely obey any command from Loki. The thought of betrayal simply did not exist.

"It’s fine. I can do it myself."

Sean smiled gently and reached out, touching Barton’s forehead with his fingertips. His mind pierced into the other man’s brain like a sharp awl.

Intense pain descended upon him, as though his skull had been opened and filled with a cup of boiling water, then stirred with an iron rod. Every thought and memory became a chaotic mess, tangled together like countless intertwined threads, while fragments of memory surged forth like a raging tide.

Barton struggled desperately, veins bulging across his forehead and sweat soaking through his clothes. Even his unyielding will, forged through years of training, could not stop him from letting out a miserable howl.

Sean remained unmoved. His mind clashed against another force, the wondrous power of the Mind Stone. It was like two savage armies colliding, producing hidden ripples.

"How interesting. It can shape consciousness, twist the mind, and even grant life different personalities."

Sean slowly withdrew his hand. He had sensed the marvelous abilities of the Infinity Stones. They were manifestations of this universe’s origin, able to pry at the rules of reality with ease and wield unimaginable power.

"Let’s start with the Tesseract."

Glancing at the unconscious Hawkeye Barton, Sean shook his head with a smile. Rather than follow the course of the world, he might as well write the story himself.

Flowing light spread across his chest, and golden flames drifted through the air. The Sentry took the stage once more.

P.S. A serious book recommendation: "Interstellar White Rabbit Candy." It’s simply a very good book. Though it is still a young sapling that needs watering, give it some time and it will grow into something substantial.