Prologue

Loki - Asgard

Loki had always loved the hidden paths of Asgard, and those between the realms, exploring the ancient forgotten mysteries as if he was still a child. At one thousand, one hundred and forty one years of age he was still a boy in the eyes of Asgard. Yet he was also married and a royal prince, and Thor had had children when almost three hundred years younger. Now, as Thor's coronation approached, exploration was an escape where Loki could think about the conflict raging in his mind. Thor would be a better king than Odin, but he was youthful and volatile, arrogant and reckless. This could easily be taken advantage of by the All-Father's council and the realms might sense the tension. The transfer of power was always a tenuous time and war may come.

Sif and the Three would do their best to keep Thor grounded, but they were just as young, and had been similarly groomed by Odin. Sometimes their best was well meant but extremely questionable. As Thor had always been to become King, Sif had been groomed to be his Queen, the Warriors Three as his companions. Loki was intended as a spare, only to take the throne if Thor was to die with no heir, and he had four children. Unless there was a great tragedy Loki would never be King, that suited him well as he had never wished to rule.

As soon as the coronation was over he planned to hide from the celebrations with Sigyn, they would last at least a week and no one would think to disturb them.

Loki rarely wandered as far as this, but he did need to think and let off steam, Thor's coronation was tomorrow. He could imagine that, Thor kneeling before their father to be crowned King of the Nine Realms, Sif declared his queen. Loki did not envy them, he was destined a far quieter life with Sigyn and any children they may eventually have. Things would be better when Odin had less power, it might be naivety but Thor had always promised they would.

These were paths that Loki had never traversed before, and he did not believe he had ever strayed so far from the paths of Asgard. It did not matter. He desperately needed to clear his head to face the next day.

Then Loki felt it, a strange, powerful feeling he had never felt before in any realm or even his few forays outside Yggdrasil. He could not move, his magic was trapped.

A figure appeared, one all Aesir children had heard stories of. Thanos. The Mad Titan. Banished millennia ago.

"Oh, this will be perfect." The being crowed to no one, touching Loki's forehead with a huge purple finger. Loki could not resist as he felt his consciousness pushed to a far back corner of his mind and an irresistible compunction to obey Thanos fill the rest.