So I had this idea while writing another one-shot featuring Gabriel/Loki and his kids. The Norse Gods are huge jerks so don't expect this to be without violence and death because Odin really didn't hold back. This is probably some of the saddest stuff I've written yet to be honest and don't expect it to get any happier. Not all of this happened in the original myths but good chunk of it is true (what happened to all Loki's kids plus Loki being bound by his son's guts). There was a slight issue with posting, hence why I had to repost this twice before. Sorry to anyone about that!
Warnings: one part is a bit graphic I guess but mostly just violence and harsh treatment towards younger kids.
Gabriel is written as Loki for most of this fic because at this point, he refers to himself as Loki and that Gabriel is dead. This is done purely because Gabriel is now Loki and no longer the Archangel he was before!
The air all around him crackled with power and the being shot his hand forwards, green magic emanating from his palm and shooting forwards. The large oak wood door swung open, slamming onto the stone walls of the grand hall. Normally, when trying to get back at another god for something, Loki was subtle and quiet, but this time, it was personal.
Screw subtly, he thought, raw power flowing off him in waves of anger. The so called All Father had caused the death of his wife and kidnapped his children. All six of them. No way in Hell or Helheim was he gonna show the god how pissed he truly was. No one messes with the Trickster.
The next pair of doors in front of him are flung open and barely manage to remain on their hinges. There, at the base of Odin's throne were six young godlings, crouching fearfully in the shadow the massive chair casted. Nari and Vali, Loki's eldest sons, were crouching in front of their younger half siblings, holding them close and trying to calm their sobs. If he wasn't upset at the fact his children were terrified right now, the chains holding them down definitely did.
That made him see red.
They were children, not animals, and yet Odin had the audacity to have them chained down like one. It was beyond disgusting how they were being treated as it only further showed the lack of respect the Asgardians had for him kids. On multiple occasions the God of Mischief had heard the snide remarks and comments directed towards the six of them, especially his younger four because their parentage and that they could turn to animals. As a good father – and mother, due to how Sleipnir had been conceived and born – would, he stood up for his kids and made sure anyone who hurt them paid the price and Odin? He overstepped by a lot.
Without checking the open room for others, Loki darted forwards, moving quickly to his little ones' sides. Bending down, the god whispered soft words to them, trying to quiet their sobs as he began to use his magic to pry open the shackles holding them down.
"Hush little ones, papa'll get you out and we will get far, far away from here," he murmured, pushing his magic outwards to unlock the bindings trapping the young children. Fenrir whimpered, trying to reach out for him and Loki felt his heart and grace shatter at the fear visible in his eyes. Gold eyes scanning the rest of them, he could easily see the fear in the eyes of his five other children – even Nari and Vali – as they were unable to comprehend what they had done to deserve this.
"Papa," Hel whispered, gazing at something over his shoulder and slowly, Loki felt his body stiffen, imaging it was Odin standing at the door way.
"Loki." The voice was gruff but the god could easily tell it wasn't the All Father and letting out a soft sigh in relief, he glanced over at his shoulder, meeting Thor's dark eyes.
A frown was on the God of Thunder's face and Loki hoped the thunder god would put aside all the things the Trickster had done prank wise towards him and free the children chained near Odin's throne.
"Thor, please you have to help me free them! Odin kidnapped them," he explained, a pleading tone leaking into his voice. "Odin, he…he can punish me any way he wants but they're just kids, Thor. Their too young to have to face this," Loki found himself begging for the god's help and when Thor moved closer to him, the Trickster found relief washing over him.
"Thank-" He frowned, stopping mid-sentence as two beefy arms wrapped around him and pulled the god backwards. Confused, Loki began to twist and squirm at the tight grip. "Thor, what are you doing?" Gold eyes widening, he realized the thunder god wasn't on his side. "No, no! You have to help me free them! Please Odin's gonna hurt them!"
Shaking his head, Thor said, "I can't Loki. I'm sorry."
Before Loki could yell at Thor, cursing the god for being foolish and a swine, Odin strolled in, head held high and shoulders back with a prideful expression. Flanking him were some guards as well as the god Tyr, one of the many gods who often insulted Loki's kids, especially Fenrir.
Immediately, Loki's eyes narrowed to gold slits, an animalistic growl escaping his lips. "Odin. Let them out now or so help me, you will not like my wrath," he demanded, but the threat did not seem to worry the god. Instead, Odin gave a sharp grin and made his way over to his throne, a gleeful spark in his dark grey eyes.
Sitting down, Odin stared down at the Trickster currently still in Thor's grasp. Directing his gaze towards his guards, Odin commanded, "Bring forth the two eldest sons."
The guards nodded and advanced towards Nari and Vali, Tyr still remaining by Odin's side. Loki watched as the guards grabbed the chains for Nari and Vali, yanking them forwards and the two boys stumbled, taken by surprise at the force and strength exerted by the guards.
"You sick bastard! Let them go, they're just children!" Loki yelled, fighting against Thor. The guards ignored him, shoving the two older children before the All Father.
Odin's eye brow rose at the god's words. "You know I believe in 'an eye for an eye' Trickster. You caused the death of my two sons, it seems only fitting, does it not?" He stated cruelly and gestured to Thor to bring the Trickster closer. Loki's eyes widened slightly and he shook his head frantically. "All Father, please. Punish me instead. Anything but my children," he begged. Loki was never one to beg, always prideful, but this was his children's' lives on the line and no way was the trickster god going to let anything happen to them.
"You crossed the line Loki and deserve to be punished. And what better than hurt you through your children? Make you understand the pain of losing your own offspring?" Odin said gleefully. He then waved his hand at Vali and Loki watched as his son's form twisted before transforming into a large grey wolf. The guards hurried out of the way, noticing the hungry gleam in the wolf's dark eyes. The wolf turned its shaggy head to look at Nari and opened its jaws to give a growl.
"Change him back, now!" Loki yelled, straining to escape Thor's arms but had no luck. The thunder god was strong, much stronger than Loki was in this form and due to the fact he was in hiding and his kind was welcome, Loki knew he wouldn't be able to escape as just Loki.
Odin paid no attention to the trickster god's words, mumbling something under his breath with a sick grin. Vali, no longer able to think properly in this form, leapt at his brother. Loki watched in horror as Vali's teeth sunk into Nari's arm, tearing at the flesh. As the wolf continued to viciously attack Nari, the on lookers in the room watched as the stone floor was stained red with Loki's son's blood.
Nari screamed in pain, thrashing underneath the wolf. "Father! Father help me! Make it stop!" The boy wailed, fits pounding on the wolf's chest and clawing at the throat of the beast to be freed.
Loki torn his eyes away from the gruesome scene to face Odin, gold eyes tearing up. "Stop it!" he shouted. "You're killing him! Stop it!"
Over and over the Trickster yelled this to the older god, his own cries drowned out by those from his son.
The sobbing from his four younger children grew louder as they were forced to witness their older brother being torn apart bloodily at the hands – well paws – of the other. Sleipnir hugged the smaller ones tightly, trying to shield their eyes but even without sight, there was no way to ignore their brother's cries as well as the yells of their father.
Loki felt sick to his stomach and knew he'd only end up screaming himself horse as tears streamed down his cheeks. Then, after what felt like centuries, Nari grew silent and his body fell limp in the scarlet pool of blood beneath him. His chest and stomach were slashed open, skin shredded, and organs hanging out. His greenish gold eyes were glassy and lifeless, staring upwards at the high ceiling and Loki felt his knees buckle, sending his body falling to the ground. Thor stepped back, guiltily watching the usually tough Trickster sob and crawl to his bloody child's body.
Odin, not yet done with his punishment, lazily waved a hand and Loki found himself chained to the stone floor as well, holding him back from reaching his dead child's lifeless body. "No! No!" he cried hysterically, tugging at the ropes holding him and only when he dared to take a peek at them had he realized that they weren't rope. No, the sick bastard in front of him had not only forced him to watch his child get torn apart mercilessly, but had also used Nari's intestines as ropes to hold the God of Mischief back from touching his children. Swallowing the need to throw up, Loki watched as Vali was then transformed back, only to find himself crouching in a pool of his brother's blood.
Eyes wide, Vali stumbled backwards and looked at his hands which were also stained crimson along with his mouth. Gasping, the teen then lifted his head, spotting the mangled body that was once his twin. "Nari? No, no!" He wailed, scrambling over to his brother's side and shaking the dead body desperately. "Wake up! Wake up!"
The teen then turned to his father, a look of horror written in his features and green-gold eyes wild. "Father, I didn't do this! It wasn't my fault!" he pleaded and Loki could see how his eldest son didn't want his father to abandon him, blame him for a crime he had no control over committing.
Loki nodded, taking a shaky breath. "I know, Val, I know," he choked out and his son moved closer to his father, tears falling down his cheeks.
"Please forgive me, father," he whispered, kneeling before his bound parent and Loki tried to reach for his blood covered child, not caring for the tears falling down his cheeks as well.
"I forgive you Vali. None of this was your fault, remember that my sweet boy."
Giving a shaky nod, Vali then reached for the small dagger he usually kept in his boot – a gift Loki had given them for turning 1,600 years old – and the sad look in his eyes told Loki exactly what would happen next.
"Don't do it Vali, please," he prayed and Loki watched his child shake his head, unsheathing the blade and lifting it.
"I'm sorry dad. Tell mom I love her." Vali then plunged the blade down into his chest, right at his heart and Loki gave a scream as Vali's body fell forwards, righting to Loki's out stretched arms. The Trickster held the body close and wept as his child gave one last shuddering breath before lying still, blood leaking from the wound.
Thor tried to move to comfort the grieving god but Loki's watery glare stopped him in his tracks. "Loki…I'm sorry."
The trickster ignored him, instead looking at Odin. "Okay Odin, you win. Let my other children go, please. You lost two sons, I did as well. 'An eye for an eye' yeah?" Loki said, voice cracking as he mentioned his now dead sons.
The All Father chuckled, shaking his head. "I am not yet finished with your punishment, Loki," he stated, causing Loki's heart to drop to the floor.
'Not finished yet?' The words echoed through the god's head and he found it difficult to breathe. What more could Odin do to his children, his innocent sweet children that never deserved this?
"Bring forth the wolf that is said to slay me during Ragnarök," Odin told his guards and they marched over to Fenrir, dragging the young child forcefully to stand facing both his father and Odin. Waving his hand, Fenrir turned back to his wolf form and snapped his jaws, trying to look dangerous and put up a fight.
Loki watched as Odin laughed and flicking his wrists, four heavily enchanted shackles appeared on the wolf's limbs, thick chains connecting each of them together. Fenrir howled, biting at the chains, but they refused to break and Odin nodded to one of his guards, Tyr, who stepped forwards with a blade in hand. Before Loki could warn Fenrir, the god drove the sword through Fenrir's jaws, holding them open.
A broken howl escaped Fenrir's jaws and Loki flinched, refusing to look away as he watched Fenrir struggled to be freed, gold eyes wide with fear and pain. Helpless to save him, Loki watched weakly as Tyr dragged Fenrir away, the wolf whimpers fading as they got farther and farther away.
"Fenrir!" Loki cried after his son, pulling hard on the gut ropes. Whipping around to face Odin, he yelled, "Please, no more. You got your revenge! Let me children go, please All Father. I'll do anything for you." Once more he found himself begging and just like last time, Odin refused to let him or his remaining three children go.
Odin then commanded for the serpent to be brought forth and the remaining guard pulled Jörmungandr forwards. "Jörmungandr, you shall forever be trapped in the Midgard waters, growing so large that you will wrap all the way around their waters. Only upon Raganarök will you be freed and slain by Thor," Odin's voice boomed through the room and Jörmungandr tried to run to his father, tears falling freely down his cheeks.
"I wanna go home!" he whimpered but his request went unheard by the All Father.
Jut just like he had done with Fenrir, Odin turned Jörmungandr back to his serpent form. The large serpent hissed and Odin stood from his throne, walking towards the angry snake. Thor step forwards, and although giving Loki a pitiful and sorrowful look, the thunder god joined the powerful god. Together the two of them lifted up Jörmungandr, carrying him towards the open window that faced the ocean.
"No!" Loki screamed as he watched the two gods tossed his son out the window, hearing a faint splash of his child's body hitting the water.
Hunched over, Loki's tears fell upon Vali's lifeless body and the Trickster wished it would all be over. That the All Father would perhaps realize how far he had gone and stopped, letting Hel and Sleipnir go free back to their only remaining parent.
But Odin didn't work like that and he had Hel pulled forwards, her shrill screams filling Loki's ears. His little girl cried for her father, for her mother as well and tried to run to him just like Jörmungandr had done but to no avail did she escape.
"Hel, daughter of Loki," Odin began, eye focused on the crying toddler and with a sweep of his hand, she was no longer a child but a young lady dressed in dark robes and adorn with a helm made from silver. One half of her body was a pale grey, the skin wrinkled and tight to the point her bones were almost visible. Her one eye was milky white and sightless, the other gold one still leaking tears. "You shall rule over Helheim, trapped there and unable to escape unless I command it."
"Papa!" Hel wailed as she was then dragged away by one of Odin's guards, reaching desperately for her father.
"Hel, don't worry my little warrior. I-I'll get you and your brothers free, I promise!" Loki's voice cracked and his daughter's cries faded as she was dragged away down to the land of the dead, Helheim.
All that was left was Sleipnir, and Loki was unable to fathom what punishment would befall his final child. Odin noticed the desperation and raw fear on Loki's face because when he had Sleipnir dragged forwards and transformed back to his horse form, Odin once again stood. Hand held out, the remaining guard handed Odin a bridal and the All Father approached the eight legged horse with a grin.
Despite Sleipnir tossing his head back and forth, whinnying, and trying to stomp his hooves on the All Father's feet, Odin slipped the bridal onto his head and yanked hard, pulling down the frantic horse's head.
"Sleipnir, you shall be my great stead that I shall ride through all the Nine Realms and I am your master," he commanded and when Sleipnir tried to bite him, Odin yanked hard again, earning a loud whinny from the horse.
"You asshole! Let him go now!" Loki screamed, eyes narrowed and glowing dangerously. "He isn't a horse you can ride!" He snarled and the All Father laughed, pulling Sleipnir forwards. Strolling forwards until he stood in front of the bound god, he grinned sharply.
"Let's hope you learned your lesson God of Mischief and will not mess with me again." Odin then pulled Sleipnir forwards and the two of them left the hall, leaving behind a grieving Loki and Thor.
When Thor tried to get close to Loki, seeing the pain the Trickster was in, he crouched down to free him from his bindings.
"Get away from me you swine," Loki snarled. "I don't need your help."
"Loki, you cannot remain bound here," Thor tried to reason but the god shook his head.
"I do not accept help from a god who helped damn my children. You didn't even stop him after he caused Nari and Vali's deaths. You let him continue!" Loki spat. "They are children! Barely 1,000 and you let Odin punish them cruelly, not caring. How would you like if Odin killed Sif and then any kids you had were taken, punished for your crime with such wicked ways and you were forced to watch?"
Thor tried to speak again but Loki hung his head, broken.
"Leave Thor. I don't want your help. I don't need your help," he said brokenly, gold eyes dull as they focused on his two children's bodies that lay on the stone floor. "Let me rot here, I don't deserve to be freed. Not after what I had caused."
The thunder god sighed and gave a nod, leaving Loki alone with the corpses of his two eldest sons in Odin's Throne room. Once he was gone, Loki gave a loud wail, crying for the children he had lost, the wife who was killed for his crime and cursing Odin for everything he had done.
He sat there for a while, not bringing himself to escape. Loki knew he could, after all, an Archangel's blade beat basically everything, but his sorrow was too great and the thought that he deserved this was more powerful than the will to escape. He didn't hear the sound of footsteps or really notice another was crouched down in front of him until one hand lifted his chin.
Sigyn's green eyes met his teary gold ones and she moved until she was holding him, allowing Loki to weep into her shoulder. "Oh Loki," she whispered, not daring to look at the bodies of her sons just a few inches away, unable to face the truth they were dead.
"I'm so sorry Sigyn," he mumbled into her shoulder, holding as best as the restraints would let him. "It's all my fault their gone. It's all my fault!"
He expected her to be angry, after all, he had caused the death of her children – their children – but she didn't yell at him or push him away. Instead, Sigyn held him close.
"You did not kill them Loki. Odin was the one who caused their deaths," she told him, on the verge of tears.
Pulling away, the trickster god shook his head. "No, it is my fault Sigyn. All of my children are dead or punished because of me. How can you stand to be in my presence knowing that? Knowing our sons are dead because of me?"
"Because," she began, cupping his cheeks. "Were you the one who killed them? Did you s-stab Vali through the c-chest or rip Nari to s-s-shreds?" He shook his head, her voice unsteady and cracking as she tried not to break down and sob. "Then why should I blame you for their deaths?" she whispered, tears falling down her cheeks.
"I killed Baldr. I caused Höðr's death. This was my punishment Sigyn," he told her and she shook her head sadly.
"No Loki. Killing Vali and Nari might've been to make you and Odin equal, but killing Angrboða and punishing Sleipnir and the three younger ones did not make you equal. Odin had no right to do such a thing to your children. They were far too young to suffer that way," she told him. "Now, let us get you out of these ropes."
Loki sighed raggedly, eyes falling downwards. "They aren't ropes, Sigyn. And I don't deserve to be freed. Leave me here to rot."
"No Loki, you don't deserve to be left here to rot," she told him, trying to talk some sense into the broken god she still loved. Ignoring the comment about the binds not being ropes because she knew she wouldn't like the answer, she began to reach for the dagger on the ground – Vali's dagger – but Loki stopped her.
"That won't work," He told her quietly and closing his eyes, a long silver blade appeared in his belt. "Use mine blade instead."
Her teary eyes grew wide as she reached for the blade, inspecting it in her hands. "Loki. This isn't from Asgard or made by any dwarves. It's-"
"Angelic, I know." He sounded so tired to her and it only pained Sigyn more.
"Where did you get it?" she asked and he gave a sigh, head hung.
"It's mine, Sigyn. Before I was Loki, I was an angel," he mumbled quietly, the words like poison on his lips. "I ran away to escape the pain and came here to start a new life, to have a new family. But everything only falls apart around me. I'm cursed Sigyn. Leave before I wreck what you have left," he begged, gold eyes watching her with sorrow and pain. "Before you are the next one dead at my feet."
She cupped his cheek once more with one hand, the other holding his blade. "You are not cursed, Loki. And I will never leave you. Just because our relationship fell apart does not mean I will let you be alone in this Loki or whatever you were once called."
"Gabriel," he croaked. "My name was Gabriel."
A soft, watery smile appeared on her lips. "Gabriel. I like Loki better," she told him, trying to lighten the mood and at that moment, a small spark of light lit up his golden eyes. "Now let's cut you loose so we can bury our sons."
Using the blade, she cut at the bindings and once free, Loki stood shakily. He gave her a small smile before bending down to scoop up Vali, holding his little boy one last time. Placing his son's dagger back in its sheath, the Trickster handed the body over to Sigyn before gently picking up Nari. No way would be let Sigyn carry the gruesome remains of Nari's body. Not after everything she had done for him.
Loki placed a hand over the wound, letting his healing powers seep through and mend the torn flesh until it was repaired, although nasty white scars still were visible. Nodding to her, the couple walked slowly out of Odin's hall, making their way to Loki and Angrboða's cottage where they planned to bury their sons under the large tree near the cottage.
Normally, Nari and Vali's bodies would be placed on boats and set a flame as they floated down the river but neither parent was able to do that to their children. Instead, they walked silently through Asgard, feeling the stares of Asgardians as they moved past them, Loki hearing whispers escaping their mouths. Blocking them out, both he and Sigyn walked to the cottage, silent tears falling down their cheeks.
When they reach the cottage, Loki notices the fresh mound of dirt already at the roots of the tree. Confused, he turned to Sigyn.
"I didn't want you to have to bury her Loki. And if you had gotten the kids back, the last thing either of you would've wanted was to see her dead body there," she told him and once again, the Trickster found himself beyond grateful for the goddess.
"Thank you Sigyn. You didn't have to do any of this," he told her, setting down Nari's body. "And I can't even repay you for what you've done for me."
She placed down Vali's limp body beside her other son, handing Loki the shovel. "You have more than enough Loki." And the god nodded, unable to think of a response. Instead, he began digging a grave wide enough for both Nari and Vali, gently placing their bodies inside and placing their two daggers flat against their chests.
Loki, looking over at the fresh tears falling down Sigyn's cheeks and the effort she was using trying to not break down and sob, lay down the shovel and wrapped his arms around her, inviting the goddess to let go and cry. And she did. Harsh sobs wracked her body as the shock had worn off, the numb reality that her two baby boys – Nari and Vali would always be her babies, no matter how old they got – were gone, for good and she had no way to bring them back. She wanted to blame the god before her, the one who had caused the crime that lead to the deaths of her sons – their sons, technically – but Sigyn never did. She couldn't bring herself to do that because when she had first walked into Odin's Hall, the broken mess that was once the proud God of Mischief made her realize Loki was just as affected as she was with their deaths.
So she sobbed and blamed Odin for their deaths, holding onto dearly the last remaining part of her heart and the goddess could feel the shaking that came from Loki's body as well and the two parents wept at their sons' graves, spending one last time with either of them.
Once she was a bit calmed down, Loki released her from his embrace and began to cover the bodies with dirt. When it was done, he turned to Sigyn, a sad, watery smile on his face.
"I'm so sorry Sigyn. I-I can't stay. I know you shouldn't have to face this after loosing…" he found his voice cracking as he tried to keep from crying once more. "I can't stay here Sigyn. I-I lost t-too much here and…and to stay, it's just t-t-too much. I love you…"
"I understand Loki," she whispered, placing a soft kiss on his cheek.
"I can't let my curse hurt you anymore, Sigyn." Turning away, he got ready to leave Asgard and everything he had grown so used to for thousands of years.
"Take care, Gabriel. And may you one day you be happy again," she told him softly, saying his real name out loud for the second and last time. "I love you and always will."
His smile softened and he nodded. "I do too, Sigyn." And there was a faint fluttering, almost like wings and the god was gone.
Loki had only returned to Asgard once more to get vengeance on Thor. Although it wasn't as horrible as the thunder god deserved, Gabriel promised himself to not kill or harm a child. Instead, he cut Sif's hair – which hardly made them even – but the thunder god understood that the god of Mischief wasn't ever going to forgive him. After that, the pagan god who was once the Archangel Gabriel and was now just a Trickster headed to North America, the new country to continue to serve his just desserts.
Told you guys it didn't get happier in the end like some of my fics. Nope, just pain and suffering. With my last fic ending happier, I felt I needed to put more pain and angst in it. Don't worry though; next fic that will be uploaded will be happier and lighter!
How'd you guys like it? Good? Bad? Did Sigyn seem too easy on Loki/Gabriel?
Also, I got some of the inspiration for writing Odin's dick personality from Neil's Gaiman's version of him, Mr. Wednesday. Holy hell is that Odin an amazingly written character! If you don't know what I mean, read "American Gods" right now! I adore all the different religions and myths and "American Gods" has tons of that. Plus, check out the freaking amazing trailer for the TV series in 2017! Oh my Chuck! The casting is beautiful and fits how I imagined the characters would look and it's just amazing overall!
Any who hope you guys liked this!
-Ally