"What's that, Father?" Young Loki asked, curiously. He let go of his father's hand and ran to the little, ornate pedestal in the palace armoury. It was surrounded by a glowing aura, keeping people away from the little purple vial that stood on it.
Odin chuckled and followed Loki to where he stood now, watching the glowing purple object with wide eyes. "That, my son, is a potion that should never be used."
"What? Why?" Loki reached out his small hands in an attempt to grab the vial.
"No!" Odin roared, startling Loki, who's hand dropped before it could touch the force field. Then Odin, realising that he had scared his son, cleared his throat and said, in a quieter tone, "No, Loki. Do not touch it. It is a mutating substance from Hel."
"Cool!" Thor was suddenly by his brother's side, observing the substance too. "What does it do, Father?"
Odin smiled and patted his older son's head fondly. "Nothing important."
"Oh, come on." Loki scoffed. "It does something, you just don't want to tell us!"
"Loki, know your place." Odin said in a warning tone, pulling both his sons away from the pedestal.
"Please, Father!" Thor asked, making large, pleading eyes that he knew Odin could rarely resist. Loki crossed his fingers behind his back, wanting to know more. His insatiable curiosity demanded knowledge of what was in the vial.
Odin finally sighed."Alright. But you must promise me that you will never use the substance unless it is the end of time and the only way to stop it is to use it."
Loki nodded eagerly, his fingers still crossed behind his back, concealed from is father's eyes. "Yes."
"The vial contains a substance that will give an Asgardian unlimited powers."
"Wow…. Can I use than, when I'm king?" Thor exclaimed, reaching towards the vial.
"No, Thor. You didn't allow me to finish. The substance in the vial, if poured over an Asgardian, would give them unlimited powers for a few minutes. Then it would destroy them."
Thor's face fell. "Oh."
Loki grasped the information eagerly. His eyes wandered from the vial to his father and back, an idea forming in his mind. Thor caught his look, however, and shook his head. Loki made a face at him.
Thor then turned back to Odin. "Father, what do you keep if for?"
Odin smiled. "If ever there be need of its power, one brave warrior will be able to use it and save Asgard."
"I'm brave enough!" Thor exclaimed.
"No. I do not believe anyone is brave enough to die."
Just then, a small girl wandered into the armoury, unsheathing a dagger and placing it, along with a sword, on a long wooden shelf where weapons were kept. She turned to Thor and Loki with a grin.
Thor bowed mockingly. "Hello, Sif." He grinned. "Still trying to prove a maiden can be a warrior?"
The girl, Sif, rolled her eyes. "Oh, shut up. You're just jealous I beat you in hand to hand combat."
Loki watched their banter with amusement. They would both defeat him easily; it was why his mother, Frigga had begun to teach him to use magic to defend himself. He was too weak for a true battle. Unless…..
His eyes trailed back to the vial of potion. If only he could somehow modify it…..
He waited until Thor and Sif had exited the armoury. Odin turned to him. "Coming?"
"Yes. One moment. I want to clean my dagger." Loki lied.
Odin nodded and exited after his older son, leaving Loki alone, surrounded by metal weapons he cared nothing for. He was merely interested in the purple vial. He reached out his hand, only to be stopped by the golden forcefield. He laughed quietly. Mother had taught him how to bypass these.
He pressed his palm to the glimmering dome and concentrated, aiming to override the golden, protective magic with his own, mischievous and malevolent power. The shield flickered and turned green momentarily. He slipped his hand inside and snatched the vial, then let the forcefield turn gold again.
He walked out of the armoury, the vial heavy in his pocket. He could already feel the unlimited power radiating from it. Indeed, he would one day find a way to become the strongest. Maybe then he could become king.
But those were childhood fantasies. Loki now sat in his ex-father's throne chamber, watching the Asgardian sunset with a smirk, while tossing a small crystal vial up and down. Every time he threw it up, the purple substance inside would catch the light, casting a momentary glow across the throne room.
He was finally here. He was finally what he was born to be. King.
And he was proud of himself, no matter how much pain he had to get through to get here. At least he'd gotten rid of that old senile fool that had pretended to be his father.
"Father." Loki scoffed. "You were never a father." He glanced down at the bloodstains that only slightly showed on the bottom of the throne. He didn't feel guilt for what he had done, just cold determination. He never felt guilt, but he still wasn't satisfied, either. What he had told Thor was true; satisfaction wasn't in his nature.
He knew, however, that that wasn't entirely true. His chest and lung was still mending after he got stabbed; the phantom pain still haunted him, the ghost of his sacrifice reminding him constantly of his weaknesses.
But he could no longer think about that.
He stood and stretched, walking leisurely down his throne, flinging his long legs out in front of him as he strutted to a large window. He gazed out of Asgard. His kingdom. He glanced down at the vial in his hand with disdain. With sudden determination, he drew his arm back, about to fling it away, but then he hesitated. Power still bore an intriguing quality to him. He wanted to examine the substance further.
Suddenly, footsteps sounded out, vibrating through the golden throne room. Loki quickly hid the vial and concealed himself in magic, turning himself into Odin again. He put his arms behind his back and hunched his shoulders in grief he didn't feel.
"My King." Two soldiers bowed in front of him. Loki tried his hardest to keep the gloating grin off his face. Now that would be un-Odin like. He didn't even remember his father's smile, much less a grin.
"Yes?" He shifted into a straighter position in a way that his father often would to hide his weariness.
"There is a problem with the Bifrost. I seems to be mal-functioning." One of the soldiers said.
"Is that so- I mean, of course. I am coming."
The soldiers bowed again and exited. Loki bit his lower lip momentarily, trying to bottle his frustration and annoyance, then headed after the guards and out of the palace.
He walked swiftly to the palace stables, where he was immediately handed Sleipnir to ride. His father's eight-legged horse was the only being on the planet that seemed to know he was not Odin, because it reared and snorted, trying to get away from Loki. A sarcastic grin tugged at the corners of his mouth.
"I am sorry, my King. I am not sure why this behaviour has befallen him." One of the stable men apologized.
Attempting his father's demeanour, he said, "Do not worry. Sleipnir is merely having a rough day. I shall ride Loki's bay instead."
"Are you sure, my King?" The guard seemed concerned.
If only he knew, Loki thought. He said out loud, "Yes."
The guard nodded and in a second, Loki held the reins of his own bay stallion again. The horse nuzzled him affectionately, and he pushed it away. "Shut it." He hissed in its ear. "You're not supposed to like me. I'm Odin, you idiot."
The horse neighed softly. "Oh, shut up." He pushed against the animal's nose and grabbed the reins, bringing his horse into a quick walk before he mounted with ease. It seemed that to horses, he looked like Odin, but he didn't smell like Odin. He wondered briefly if there was some kind of Eau de Allfather he could use. He almost smirked again at the thought. He had spent too much time on Midgard, it seemed.
He spurred the horse into a quick gallop and they took off down the rainbow bridge that led away from the castle and over the expanse of space.
Suddenly, Loki saw himself again, dangling over the edge of the bridge from Odin's staff. He saw his father shake his head "No." He felt his fingers slip as the willpower to live escaped him. His life, a lie.
The burning hatred in his mind flared anew, and he had to clench his teeth from screaming in frustration.
Loki arrived at the Bifrost gate imminently. He brought his stallion to a swift halt and dismounted quickly, only to remember that everyone around him did not see him as Loki, but as Odin, the old and fragile Allfather. And he remembered that he was not even riding the right horse.
"Where is Sleipnir, my Lord?" Heimdall asked. The gatekeepers golden eyes pierced through Loki's chest suspiciously. He had forgotten about Heimdall. His greatest mistake now, it seemed.
He needed a lie. And he needed one fast. "Sleipnir is tired, Heimdall. I brought him out for a hunt this morning, and it did not seem wise to bother him afterward."
To his relief, the suspicion in Heimdall's eyes faded, if only slightly. "Ah yes. Still thinking about Frigga, my Lord?"
"I feel her absence every waking moment," He sighed. Loki didn't have to pretend to mourn. If there was anyone he ever felt gone from his life, it was Frigga.
Heimdall nodded. "So do we."
Loki handed his horses reins over to a guard and strode into the dome of the Bifrost gate. The golden walls cast glows in the early day light, creating captivating patterns on the ground beneath Loki's feet. The little mischievous personality was left in him wanted to sit there and watch them. But there was too little mischief in him left.
"You called me here for a reason."
Heimdall nodded, drawing the sword he used to open the Bifrost. "Yes. There has been strange interference on Midgard. We believe it is something left over from the Dark Elves attack on Midgard."
"It is quite possible." He nodded, trying to look interested. He watched the shimmering gate hum to life as Heimdall placed his sword in the stone meant to activate it. "What are the signs of this?"
"My sight is obscured to earth, but I sense trouble."
Loki walked closer to the gate, trying to determine if he could see anything. He saw nothing but metal, to his great disappointment. He did not have his father's power to see into other realms on occasion. He could look like Odin, but he would never have Odin's powers. He was too much Frigga's son.
Trying to fight back another scream of frustration, he turned to Heimdall. "And what do you suggest we do? Considering the circumstances, if any trouble does break out on Midgard, it may affect other Realms and you will not see it."
"Those were my thoughts. I believe it is best to visit the location of the Dark Elves attack on Midgard and find whatever is causing this."
Loki suddenly began to have a rising feeling he had dug his own grave. "And who should go to Midgard, then?"
"I believe it is best if you go with a few guards. If you are not too weary, of course, my King."
His feeling of dread was confirmed. Saying no, however, might heighten Heimdall's suspicion further. A trip to Midgard would not hurt too much. He would find this object and return to Asgard in as short a time as possible. He could not risk being found by his brother. That would be the worst incident that could possibly befall him.
"I believe I am well enough. It should take my mind of Frigga and Loki…." Maybe he could now convince everyone that he was the rightful king to the throne. Once he had their respect, then he could commence his plan of ruling. He'd always been a good strategist; it was something that came with the power over magic and being the weakest of the litter. Even now, he was forming a plan in his mind.
"Have you any idea what I am to look for then, Heimdall?"
"Yes, my King. There is some sort of otherworldly object that must have been left on Midgard."
And S.H.I.E.L.D or one of the Avengers hasn't found it yet? Loki wondered. Truly, it mattered little to him that Heimdall could not see into Midgard. However, it worried him that this would stop Heimdall from alerting him if Thor was returning, which would pose a large problem. Even if his brother no longer wanted the throne, there was no doubt Thor would be quite angry if he found out what Loki had done. "And what sort of object may this be?"
"Quite possibly a Kursed Stone or a piece of Dark Elf technology. Are you sure that you are fit for another mission? I could call to Thor-"
"Nonsense. Leave my son out of this." Leave my brother out of this. He corrected in his mind. "I can handle myself, old friend. It has been long since I have left Asgard."
"Very well. I shall activate the Bifrost. But I believe some Midgardian clothes would conceal you better, my Lord." Heimdall added with amusement.
Loki chuckled, while facepalming himself in his mind for his stupidity. "Yes, I believe so."
Odin had always struggled with magic, and so Loki had to pretend to struggle too, even though changing appearances for him was like walking; it took no effort. In moment, he had turned into an old Midgardian man; wearing an old jumper and jeans. "Guards!" He called.
Two guards immediately met him. "The two of you will accompany me. You will take the appearance of Midgardians too; however, keep your swords." He waved his hands over the guards, stripping them of their golden armour and changing them into young humans. He hoped no one had noticed the green tint to his power; he could not change it gold, like his father's magic. "Come. Heimdall, open the Bifrost. I will return shortly."
The Bifrost gate hummed to life, and Loki only had a quick moment to wonder about what in Valhalla he had gotten himself into. The rainbow tendrils of the bridge grabbed him and sucked him inwards, and he managed to catch Heimdall's golden eyes trained on him. There was deep suspicion in those old eyes; Loki got the feeling that Heimdall knew there was something wrong.
Hello, dear readers! Many of you probably know me for my Warriors and Beyblade FanFictions and must be wondering what I'm doing, writing a Thor FanFiction.
In reality, I got this idea even before Thor: the Dark World came out. Loki's character had just been begging for some uncomfortable situations, and here they are. I always wondered how well Loki could possibly cope with the weight of leadership. We're about to find out, eh?
And damn, is it hard to write from Loki's perspective.
This will be a dual perspective story with around ten chapters, and don't worry; it will be devoid of romance, for now at least.
-eaglenation, over and out