Why did Loki stage Ragnarok?
This is the continuous story of 'The Dead Prophetess' Will : Part 1 Portent'. Please read that first for your understanding and stream of tale.
I'm telling you again, this fiction has no connection of TDW ; only I applied 'Thor(2011)' and 'The Avengers', and I'm not native English speaker. So there can be lots of mistakes in my sentences. Please understand it and enjoy the story.
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Chapter 8
[2-1]
Mead and a Report
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Thor was pleased more than ever. He had gained three consecutive victories and now he and his army came back to the Asgard palace and had a feast. There was a clink of glasses knocking each other and a wave of laughing and jeering rose from the soldiers.
Thor believed everything was fine and became normal as the day before his failed coronation. Though his father, Odin, having somber look and he saw his back left the hall quietly, it was only a moment to wonder why he was not glad and soon he completely forgot him with another toast. Even he didn't notice Loki who had sat just beside him, was gone until Sif mentioned.
"Thor, on the next battle, what about dividing the forces?" ventured Sif.
"Why?" Thor asked fatuously, putting down his huge cup.
"I think- you need to prove that you remain undiminished. And to do it, you should lead your army by on yourself without Loki's help." said Sif.
"I cannot understand what you mean." said Thor, gazing her with a glassy eyes.
"Uh, you know recently-" said Sif, studying his face. "Among the people there's a lot of talk about your leadership."
"They doubt your qualification for a commander in chief."
As Thor still seemed not to figure out what Sif's words indicated, Fandral said baldly. Thor blinked without saying.
"Someone said you should transfer the right of command to Loki." said Sif carefully.
"So what?" said Thor.
"So what?" Sif raised her voice.
"Loki has conducted this war so far and it is true that he did more contribution to these victories more than me."
"Thor, it is absolutely different thing that you have a help from him and Loki leading the Asgard's army directly." said Fandral urgently.
"And it can be not only a problem of status of commander." said Sif. "It can be his challenge to heir of the throne. And I never can see a Frost Giant sit on it as I'm alive."
"Enough." shouted Thor. "I was in good humor until now, so I could bear your rudeness to your highness but I couldn't do anymore. Sif, Loki is a prince of Asgard before he is a Frost Giant. If you mention something like that again I really can make you unable to see who sit on the throne."
On a minute Sif glared at him with an upset. Then she turned and left the hall.
"I follow her." said Hogun, getting up from his seat and followed after her.
Fandral and Volstagg saw each other nervously that they didn't know what to do. Thor drank two glasses of mead on after another in a huff.
The enemy, corpses, did not let them to enjoy their rest. Two days later Thor had to go into the middle of battle field again.
"Then we move our troops forward-" said Thor, pointing the map. He and Loki were in a barrack, checking their scheme before the meeting.
"No, we will have a close combat in the Woods of Ing." said Loki adamantly.
"But what about the artillery?" asked Thor.
"Of course we will use it."
"Are you intending to burn all of the woods?" said Thor agitatedly.
"Oh, I never knew you are a nature devotee." Loki smirked, having a dig at him.
"I'm not joking." roared Thor, scowling.
"So am I." Loki's sneering face abruptly turned set.
"I know it had no choice before." said Thor. "But all of the places you've passed became desolate. At this time we just have little effort to move a step, then, we can reduce damaged area."
"You don't like this plan, CRY OFF!" said Loki. "If you behave such mushily, there will be nothing you can save."
And he left the barrack.
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Another victory as he expected. But the woods burned up and were razed to the ground. Seeing it, Thor doubted that Loki's real purpose it destroying the Asgard little by little rather than saving it.
"I'm tired." said Loki. "Thor, write a report instead of me for this time."
It was Loki's last word at the battlefield.
That night Thor drank a few with his soldiers as always they did at the last day of battle. But his mind was still confused and he got back to his place early.
"Open the door." said Thor threateningly.
"I'm sorry, sir. But the hearing is already getting start. Even you are a royal blood no one can enter the court except the person interested." said a guard embarrassed.
It was the day that Thor's troops were back to the Asgard and, prior to recovering from fatigue of fight, he just arrived at the front of the court: He heard the news which Loki had been summoned before the senior committee.
"Inform them my presence." said Thor sturdily. The guard hesitated for a moment but Thor seemed not to have thought to withdraw without making a fuss, he got in the court through a side gate.
After a while, the heavy door of court opened and the inside met his eyes. There were twelve people sitting on the high and curved bench: one of them was Odin and the others were eleven elders. And in the dock which was in the center of the court, a tall black hair of man stood: Loki.
"Ah! Prince Thor. We are about to summon you." said a one of elders.
"What are you doing now?"
Thor asked to the eleven elders but his eyes fixed on Loki; he looked pale more than usual and his gaze bending on the ground was full of melancholy.
"The hearing! As you request." An elder who had long white eyebrows almost covering his eyes answered gently.
Thor opened his mouth to speak but another elder said before he did.
"Please sit, Prince Thor. Now you are a witness. Well then- let us start again."
"Then I ask the accused. You insisted on a close combat with an enemy at the middle of woods of Ing, did you not?"
"Yes." said Loki quietly.
"Do you agree the witness, Thor Odinson?" said the elder.
"Yes." said Thor.
"And you persisted in your plan even though the commander in chief, Thor, was against it?"
"Yes." answered Loki more feebly. He did not speak any explanation; he seemed that he gave up himself.
"And Thor?"
"…Yes.." said Thor reluctantly. Although he couldn't understand what he was doing exactly and have in mind where his answers led him, seeing Loki's feared feature, he felt like doing him harm and guilt.
"Did you think his behavior threat to Asgard's security?"
Ad elder with red hair kept asked to Thor.
"I think the word is little bit overstated. I only thought his behavior was not quite careful." said Thor.
"So you thought it could harm to the kingdom? Please answer it as yes or no."
"..Yes." said Thor, glancing at Loki.
"Then it is the last question, Thor. Do you continue your allegation that the accused is planning the menace to the Asgard through this war?"
"WHAT?" Thor shouted, jumping up from his seat. "I've never insisted such that foolish allegation."
The elders stared at him with dubious and perplexed eyes.
"Then what does it mean the report from you about the yesterday's battle?" asked the elder raised a long scroll and read it aloud.
"-and Loki appeared like intending to burn every Asgard's environs and our provisions already begin to have given out. I hope you held a hearing to discern truth from falsehood."
"I never ordered to write that. Ask to the scribe soldier." said Thor, confused and getting angry.
The elder gestured to the court guards. After few minutes the scribe soldier appeared in the court.
"Identify yourself." said the head of the elders who had bush gray beard.
"Mani Diswinson, the scribe positioned in the first troop."
"Had you any order from the commander in chief, Thor, about the battle report?"
Thor was firmly sure that he would say no.
"Yes." said the soldier.
Thor's eyes became wide open. He tried to refute but the head of the elders signed him to do not.
"Yesterday evening, the commander came into my camp when I was about to finish the report. And He dictated a letter to me
"What?" shouted Thor, losing his temper. "I never did! And you did not come to me to get my signature."
"Be- because you signed on the report right after I had written your words." answered the soldier bewildered.
"Did I?" said Thor furiously.
"Mani Diswinson, I think you forgot important thing." said an elder who sat the third seat from Odin. "As your report the battle was over late afternoon. Didn't he drink at that evening?"
"Yes. but-"
"Do you confess that you had a drink?"
The red hair elder asked to Thor, ignoring the scribe soldier.
"Yes." said Thor crossly but feeling nervous.
"But he did not drink till he was senseless. As you know, it is usual every soldier drinks a few at the last day of battle." said the soldier urgently, trying to defend Thor.
"Yes. Yes, we know that well. But the problem is not whether taking liquor is acceptable behavior or not. Rather the fact of that he drank at that night is the matter we concern."
"But I straight go back to my camp after that." said Thor.
"Do you have any witnesses?" said the elder.
"No." said Thor. "But Loki has learned magic from Queen Frigga. He can disguise his figure as anyone."
"But Thor, if I were he, why do I dictate the content about unfavorable to myself?" asked an elder having a hawk nose.
"And he was with me from the evening to the next day morning. I never saw he left his camp." said an elder who had trim white beard; he was a counselor of the Asgard's army.
Thor had no words to defend himself.
"Then the accused, I give you the last chance to state." said the head of the elders.
"I admit that my insistence was a bit of haste. It could have reduced the damage, if I had been more prudent." said Loki with a hoarse voice.
Thor astonished his hypocrite behavior.
"But it was so tangible victory that I only could desire to grab this." continued Loki. "Benevolent the elders please consider my position. I did too much evil in my past and now I barely get the chance that I can win Asgard people's confidence again. But- but, I was afraid, if the battle lose that I help, how many people would be frustrated in their belief and how would it be passed among them to be distorted."
Loki looked up the elders with watery eyes. All of them was staring down their noses at him and be in silence.
Thor was trying to say something or crave to shout that it was a lie but his rage ran over making his tongue kink; Thor couldn't make any words.
"I've known his drinking habit cause a trouble one day."
Thor heard murmuring sound from the high bench.
"He is simple under a mistake."
"I thought he is favor of his brother?"
"Maybe he felt jealous. You know recently, his reputation is diminishing."
The whispering had died. And finally Odin mouthed
"Those in favor of clearing the accused of all charges?"
Six hands were in the air.
"And those in favor of conviction?"
Only three elders raised their hands.
"Then-Cleared of all charges." Odin announced the decision. But it was not the end.
"Thor. Whenever the reason you did was, accusing you of crime that you did not carry out your charge and abuse your right to contort the report that makes an innocent person face with in trouble. I temporarily deprive you of the right in command of Asgard's army and order you to be under probation three days."
The elders rose to their feet and began to tickle out of the court. Thor stood still gazing his father in vain. And he turned his eyes to Loki. At the moment they met their eyes, Thor clearly thought he saw Loki sneering at him.