Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to The Avengers or any of its associations.

Thor was to be made king on this day, as the first son of Odin and the most formidable warrior in all of Asgard. Born into royalty and bred on the battlefields, he was all that a king should be. He was strong and courageous, with the pride of a lion and a face that stole beats from hearts. He was the glowing beacon of light that Odin had been in his more youthful years, the perfect replacement for the man that had seen better years.

Loki stood at the front of the room beside his mother Frigga. She was beaming with pride as Thor made his way to kneel before their father, and Loki turned his eyes away from her in fear she would see them glow with envy. He looked instead to the crowd, who had eyes only for his brother, and his lip curled slightly in distaste at the blatant love on their faces for him. No eye even wavered for a moment to himself, and even if they had, the look was not bound to be pleasant.

Thor was the God of Thunder, the bringer of storms that fed the lands with water and youth. The strikes of power channeled through his hammer, Mjolnir, brought light to every face during even the darkest of times.

Loki was the God of Mischief, the bringer of less honorable things. The Asgardians had little appreciation for his magic, and even less for his manipulations. He was formidable in battle, but more for his silver tongue than his strength. He was vicious and calculating, everything that Thor was not and he was hated for it.

Loki meant to drown out Odin as he spoke the fateful words, but as always his voice boomed out over his people and commanded such presence that Loki could not escape from the words. His tongue sought to speak out in protest, and he had to bite it between his teeth to keep it in place. That kept him distracted enough that he nearly missed Odin's condemning words.

''On this day, as your father and as the Allfather, I proclaim you-!''

Odin's words fell short, his eyes looking from Thor to something much more distant. Loki looked between the two with pursed lips, trying to keep the smirk from his lips as Thor's face fell.

''Frost Giants,'' Odin murmured, before standing from his throne and striding quickly from the room.

Loki was quick at Odin's heels, too quick, and Thor rose and joined his brother en route of their father. He cast a glance of mistrust toward the mischief maker, but did not speak a word as they left the grand hall. Just as the doors closed behind them, he heard Frigga address the crowd to calm them as gasps and cries sounded throughout the room.

When they reached the weapon's vault deep with the depths of the palace, they were grounded by what they saw. Two of their men were dead on the ground, their blood staining the cold tiles beneath their cooling bodies. There were two dead Frost Giants on the floor beside them, their bodies of ice shattered and splintered and broken.

Worst of all, the pedestal that the Casket of Ancient Winters had once perched on was empty, and the room was vacant of its glowing blue presence.

Their father silently approached the pedestal, his hands pressing to the empty space where it had once rested. Thor and Loki moved to stand at his sides, silent as they waited for their father to speak.

''The treaty has been broken,'' Odin rumbled, his expression betraying the anger that bubbled beneath the surface of his skin. ''The Frost Giants will rise again.''

''What does this mean, father?'' Thor asked, the weary tone of his voice not befitting his usual abrasive demeanor.

Odin was slow to turn around to face his two sons, but when he did his face was grave. He looked upon Thor, whose face was lit by the torch on the wall, and then to Loki, whose face was hidden by the shadows the light cast.

''This means war, my sons.''

When Odin went to address his people, Loki disappeared into the crowd and escaped to his room. Just as the door was about to shut, a hand caught the edge of the wood and threw it back open. Thor thundered into the room, and Loki swallowed hard as he pressed the door silently closed behind him.

''Look what you have done!'' Thor shouted, turning once he'd reached the center of the room to face Loki. His cheeks were blazing red, and his body shook with anger.

''I know not of what you speak,'' Loki said blankly, his expression giving nothing away.

''You damn well know!'' Thor rumbled, and in two quick strides he was standing dangerously close to Loki, his hand tense on the handle of his hammer. ''You let the Frost Giants into Asgard!''

''For what reason would I do such an atrocious thing?'' Loki asked, his eyes narrowing at his brother, playing with the frayed edges of Thor's convictions.

Thor faltered slightly, but he shook his head to clear his doubt, his anger rising once again. ''You have always been jealous. Perhaps you meant to ruin my coronation.''

''I am your brother,'' Loki offered, feigning offense.

''You are the God of Mischief first,'' Thor countered lowly, turning his back to his brother as he headed toward the door.

''Do you intend to tell father of your suspicions?'' Loki called out wearily behind him, his mask of innocence falling for only a moment.

Just as Thor's hand settled on the handle, he looked back over his shoulder. ''You have brought war to your people, brother. There is nothing father could do that would be worse than the guilt that will haunt you for your actions.''

On Midgard, there was a flurry of SH.I.E.L.D. vehicles all speeding toward the same destination. A freak storm had landed in the heart of Las Vegas, and the small glimpses that they received of the event had held visions of beings within the terrible winds. The storm was not moving but expanding, claiming more land as each moment passed.

''Whatever this is, it's not natural,'' Agent Coulson said, his voice travelling over each of their radios. He was stuck a fair distance away from the action, having been on a date with a beautiful concert cellist and away from S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters. ''We need to shut it down.''

Nick Fury remained back at headquarters and seated behind his desk. More chatter crossed over the radio that sat on the desk in front of him and he switched it off.

Something about the events did not sit well with him, and his gut was twisting and turning with unease. He went over again the photographs of the storm, of the beasts that came with it and the people that had been frozen by the cold winds.

He stared at them for a long time, nearly an hour before reaching slowly into the pocket hidden in his leather trench coat and removing a key. It fitted perfectly into the lock on the top left drawer of his desk, and he removed the solitary content from its depths.

It was a thick folder, marked confidential in red across the face of it. He held his breath slightly as he pulled it open, and his face was solemn as his eyes grazed over the title.

THE AVENGERS INITIATIVE.

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of my story. I thought I would try something different, and create an alternate universe for the characters and challenge myself. I hope I do not disappoint with this story. Please continue reading and review!