Valda stiffened as the Asgardian the others saw Loki stepped out to meet them. She scanned the area with a hopeful glance but Sybil was nowhere in sight, sighing she focused back on Captain America as he walked forward challengingly to face Loki.

"Where's the girl?" Cap's voice was firm and a bit deadly sounding but under it was concern, which Loki easily picked up on.

Loki smirked and spread his arms out. "There is no girl here. In fact, all I see is a group of dysfunctional mortals."

"Brother!" Thor, who had arrived a day ago, growled and raised his hammer up threateningly. "We know the mortal child is here, give her back now and we may go lightly on you."

The criminal's smirk turned into a sneer as he gave a mocking laugh. "What if I do? I don't think that will change my punishment. Odin will still give me a death penalty. Frigga won't stand up for me a second time, not that she would be allowed to. No, I won't just lay down and beg for mercy just because some prince of Asgard told me to!"

Valda was amazed at the amount of venom in Loki's voice, the thought that Sybil had been captured by a monster like this frightened her and she felt Hawkeye put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"We'll find her, don't worry." Hawkeye told her gently, the grip on his bow tightening as he glared at Loki.

Valda felt slightly sick. "But will it be alive?"

No one answered her. In fact during that brief exchange of words the fight had begun. Thor and Captain America were the first two Avengers to charge Loki, the trickster gave them an amused look before the hologram disappeared and the real Loki stepped into sight.

"Such a harsh greeting." He snarled and swung his scepter threateningly. "I would be careful what you choose to do next, it could mean the death of your precious mortal."

"If you hurt her, you can be sure no one would stop Hulk from ripping you in half." Iron Man threatened and received a glare from Bruce, who was still human at the moment.

"Your beast doesn't scare me." Loki scoffed, though Valda could see him keeping his eyes on Banner.

A blast of lightning shot from Thor's hammer and Loki grunted as he hit the ground. "Give her to us."

Loki sat up and grabbed her scepter. "Fine, you want your precious human so badly... why don't you take her."

Valda's eyes widened, was he seriously giving up after one attack? They had all expected a bigger fight than this, perhaps he'd learned from the attack on New York. The though was quickly banished as a freezing chill came over the clearing. Valda gave a startled gasp as ice began coating the ground and the air grew misty from the sudden temperature change. Then Sybil appeared jumping out of a tree wearing armor that resembled Loki's only the metal looked obsidian black and the green was a darker pine green. In her hands was a wicked looking, double sided scythe. With Sybil's silver-black hair, Valda thought her friend almost resembled the grim reaper.

"Sybil?" Valda wanted to walk towards her friend but knew the Avengers wouldn't allow it yet, especially not when Sybil was giving them a murderous look.

Thor grabbed Loki by his collar. "What have you done to her?"

Loki laughed and kicked Thor off him. "As if you couldn't guess... Then again I was always the bright one."

Iron Man shot at Loki with pulsar blasts but Sybil moved swiftly and summoned ice to block it before turning it into a whirlwind and knocking the ironed Avenger to the ground. Captain America went up next, his shield raised slightly in defense as Sybil watched him like a fox watched its prey.

"Sybil, we just want to help you." He spoke over the sound of battle as Thor and Iron Man ganged up on Loki.

Sybil scowled at him and shot ice at his head. Valda watched as the Avenger dodged only to open up his torso for Sybil to strike, which she gladly did with a swing of her scythe. It would've struck its mark if Black Widow hadn't left Valda's side to electrocute, and thus distracting, Sybil from the attack. Valda could see her friend looked like she was ready to rip them apart and if it was even possibly, the clearing grew colder still.

"Stay here." Hawkeye ordered her as he ran off to help the others.

Valda started to run after him but Bruce held her back. "Let go, I have to help!"

"Let them handle it." He replied sternly, trying to ignore the chaos around him.

Valda glared at him and tore free before running towards Sybil, who was currently teleporting to dodge an arrow from Hawkeye so it buried itself deep into a tree instead. She took out a hand gun she'd been given for self defense, she didn't want to use it on her friend if she didn't have to, but Sybil didn't seem to be in her right mind. As if reading her thoughts Sybil's burning cold gaze turned to her and an instant later Valda's friend was only a foot away.

"Sybil?" Valda questioned uneasy under her friend's expressionless face.

She backed off quickly as Sybil lunged forward but still lost her footing and crashed to the icy ground. Suddenly, Sybil's surrounded her as each of them raised their scythe above their heads in preparation to spear her and rip flesh from bone. With a burst of lightning they were gone and only one Sybil was left as it staggered back dazed and collapsed to the ground. Valda felt Thor help pull her up before glancing back at the place Loki had fled from. Looked like he had been forced to give up his victim.

"Is she okay?" Valda asked as the Avengers gathered around Sybil's unmoving, slightly burnt, form.

Bruce made his way past Tony and Natasha before kneeling down and putting a finger to Sybil's neck. A few moments later he stood back up with a solemn nod. "She's just unconscious."

Steve picked up Sybil's limp form and started walking back to the jet. "Let's get back to S.H.I.E.L.D. then and find out what Loki did to the poor kid."

Valda quickly ran to catch up after grabbing the fallen scythe. "What about Loki? Will he come back for her?"

Clint shook his head with a disgusted look. "He would be fool to try it without an army to back him up. Hopefully when your friend wakes up his brainwashing will be gone."

"You mean she was under his control?" Valda was relieved. For a moment she was worried her friend had finally lost what remained of her sanity... Sybil wasn't the craziest person out there but she had her moments when rage and blood lust came over her.

"Yeah." Tony replied as he took the scythe from her to take to the lab back at S.H.I.E.L.D. "The first time he came the helicarrier was almost taken out of the sky by his zombie army."

Valda was relieved she hadn't been on the helicarrier when that happened.