"What do you mean show us?" Steve asked.

"I can project my memories so other beings might see them."

"Wait," Bruce said, worried. "Won't that make you have to relive them too?"

Loki looked up at him, "Yes."

"Are you sure you are okay with this?" Tony asked.

Loki pressed his lips together and took a deep breath. "No. But you deserve an explanation."

Not giving anyone time to respond, Loki closed his eyes and cast his mind into his memories. When he found the right ones he focused and projected them into the cell.

The others saw the scene change around themselves to one with a dark sky speckled with stars and coarse rock beneath them.

A figure materialized on the ground, bloodied and bruised. Another figure, wearing a black robe materialized above him. The creature on the ground pushed themselves to their feet and analyzed their surroundings. It became painfully obvious that this was Loki.

"What do we have here?" The other figure said in a deep gravelly voice.

Present-Loki winced as he heard the voice.

Loki pivoted to look at the creature.

"Who are you?" Loki said in a commanding tone.

"You do not have the right to be asking questions around here, child."

Loki's face grew furious. "I am Loki, King of Asgard! You will obey--"

The Other reached out its six-fingered hand and Loki grasped at his throat, falling to the ground, gasping for air.

"You will know your place soon enough, Jotun runt."

Loki's eyes rolled back and he went unconscious.

The scenes went by quickly in a montage of Loki being whipped, burned, and beaten until it stopped on one.

They were in a dark stone cell, where Loki was hung up by his wrists so that he would constantly be kneeling. His head hung from his shoulders in exhaustion, his long black hair falling into his face.

The cell door opened and two chitauri came in, followed by the Other. The Other smiled as he looked at Loki.

"Ready to submit to your master?"

Loki looked up, his face bruised and a cut on his lip. He huffed out a laugh and looked the Other straight in the eye. He leaned forward as much as he could.

"Go to Hel!" he spat, blood trickling from his lip.

The Other scowled, and strode out. The chitauri released his wrists from the ceiling and dragged him out of the cell. They continued until they reached a clearing with many chitauri surrounding a raised stone circle with two posts on either side. They dragged him up and chained him to the posts so his arms were outstretched. The Other strode behind Loki and unsheathed a dagger. He pressed it to Loki's skin and started carving a design into his back. Loki bit his lip and didn't make a sound, tears brimming in his eyes.

"Oh my God, are they-- are they doing what I think they are doing?" Bruce asked softly.

"Doing what?" Tony asked with wide eyes.

The Other finished carving the symbol into Loki's back. He peeled it back and away from his muscles. He pulled the ribs from his spine, leaving his organs exposed. He then partially ripped out Loki's lungs. The Other stepped away, admiring his work. The crowd dispersed, leaving only Loki on the altar, gasping for breath.

"A Blood Eagle."

Steve looked like he was about to puke and Tony looked just about ready to murder.

But before they could do anything, the scene changed once more.

Thanos stood above Loki, scepter in hand. Four chitauri restrained Loki as Thanos touched the point of the scepter to his head.
Loki screamed and struggled in the guards' grasp. Suddenly, he stopped. Thanos took the scepter away and looked at Loki.

"Bring me the tesseract."

Loki smiled at the titan. "Yes, Master."

The scene faded out and the group was left with shocked and disturbed faces, all except Loki, who had faint tear tracks going down his face and was now working on controlling his breathing.

Steve and Tony looked at each other and then back to Loki. Steve contemplated asking, but he knew it would have to eventually be answered.

"Why didn't you ever tell anyone before?"

Loki opened his eyes and looked at him. "Do you honestly think that anyone would believe me?"

No

The answer went unsaid. Tony's appalled face quickly changed to determined. "We will get you out of here, no matter what it takes. No one, No one, should ever have to go through that."

Loki gave them a silent nod and a small smile.

"We'll be back soon, 'kay?"

"Thank you, guys."

Tony and Steve gave one last glance at Loki before striding out of the dungeons.

As they made it to the common room they had been given, the two Avengers were fuming. They burst through the doors, making all heads turn in their direction.

"My friends, I am so glad you're--" Thor started.

Tony cut him off," No, you do NOT get to call us your friends right now after the shit you pulled down there!!"

"You are still on about this?!" Clint accused.

Now it was Steve's turn to get mad. "Yeah, you wanna know why, BECAUSE LOKI WAS TORTURED!!"

The entire room went silent, except for Tony and Steve's heavy breathing.

"Doesn't lessen the fact that he's a monster..." Clint said softly.

Tony and Steve saw red.

Tony strode up to Clint, grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against a wall.

"HE IS NOT A MONSTER YOU BASTARD!! HE WAS TORTURED DAY AND NIGHT FOR A YEAR!! HE WENT THROUGH A FUCKING BLOOD EAGLE WITHOUT MAKING A SOUND!! IF YOU LITTLE SHIT-BAG STILL THINKS THAT HE IS A MONSTER, THEN YOU ARE SERIOUSLY MESSED UP!!"

He dropped Clint to the ground. He turned to look at everyone else. Nat had rushed out to help Clint, Steve was standing by the door stoically and Thor looked horrified.

When Nat had helped Clint up she asked, "What the hell is a Blood Eagle?"

JARVIS spoke up from the apparatus in the middle of the room," Miss Romanov, If I may, the Blood Eagle ritual was an execution method originating from the Norse where they would first carve the image of an eagle with outstretched wings into the back. Then the ribs would be separated from the spine and the bones and skin on both sides pulled outward to create a pair of 'wings' from the victim's back. Finally, his exposed lungs would be pulled out of his body and spread over his 'wings'. With Mister Laufeyson's origins, however, his healing abilities would have allowed him to survive the ordeal."

Nat and Clint became silent.

"If you still think he's a monster then you can no longer consider yourself an Avenger, and you can go home right now. Otherwise, you can help us figure out how to get him out of that cell." Steve said, staring at the group.

Tony stood next to Steve, "So what's it gonna be?"