Loki clicked the panel back into place, stepping back to the console to check the readings there and adjust the power levels going into the Tesseract. After thinking on it, Loki had decided to try to use the device in a similar way to how he did when using the Tessract's power for personal use; feeding power into the machine in an attempt to better control what then came out.
To do that Loki had to modify the Bifrost so that it had a power source as well as a multitude of other adjustments before he could even see if his idea bore fruit. Today he thought everything was in order, though, and he could finally experiment.
Loki hit the activation key and moved away, just in case the Tesseract decided to do something nasty with the new power it was being fed. A spark of lightning flashed across its length and then it began to spin in the air, emitting a quiet hum.
Loki rushed forward, checking his charts again, and smiled at what the computer was telling him, "It worked! I can do… well, anything!"
Before Loki's mind could even begin to contemplate the uses of his discovery, Odin's hand settled on his shoulder, and he jumped. Loki glanced back at his father, "I've… I've done it."
Odin smiled fondly down at his son, "Yes, you have; I always knew you could. You have not only learned to use the Tesseract to power the extra dimensional capacities of the Bifrost, but you have tapped into the secret of limitless power itself; you have to give something to get something."
Loki nodded, finding that he was blushing at his father's praise and feeling uncomfortable both for that and the accompanying emotions that followed. Loki had convinced himself over the time that had passed since his public humiliation that he hated his father.
Despised him even; Loki had questioned why he had ever cared so much what the old lord thought of him when Odin could so easily cast aside Loki's rights as prince. Loki turned away from his father's congratulations, shrugging the hand from his shoulder.
Loki wore an indignant look; waving off the praise, "I did what you demanded of me, so I assume we are now squared?"
Odin's face took on a stony tone as the smile slipped away, "You have done what I commanded, but you have a long way yet to go to atone for your many sins. I am surprised you thought it would be so easy…."
Loki barked out a humorless laugh, "I'm surprised I thought you would ever release me from my imprisonment."
Odin raised an eyebrow at Loki, "You are not imprisoned; I have granted you free rein over Asgard, and you may go where you please. It is your own choice to remain sequestered in your personal chambers."
Loki laughed again, also without mirth, "Yes, I may freely consort with any one of the many citizens who have seen my father make a mockery of me! You belittled me so thoroughly that the most common dregs of our society now have more dignity than I represent!"
Odin folded his arms over his chest, nodding. "I did, and you deserved every ounce of it; when will you look inward to solve your problems instead of accusing others for your ills, son?"
Loki growled at Odin, unable to keep a calm façade in light of Odin's attempt to shift the blame for what the All-Father clearly did on him, the victim. "When will you realize that I wish to leave, to start over somewhere else?"
Odin only stood watching him with an intense gaze, and Loki gulped before pressing his demand, "I don't want free rein of Asgard; I want to be able to go wherever I please. I will still carry out whatever further tasks you wish, but you have soured my taste for Asgard, and I no longer wish to live here."
Odin stood considering a long time before speaking, "Very well. Get your things together; I will send you away from Asgard to a place where you can continue working for me but be removed from the shame you have caused yourself. Consider this a kindness you don't deserve."
Loki started to protest but realized that Odin had agreed with the request, and stared in astonishment for a moment before recovering, "Of course! I shall be ready to leave shortly."
As Loki packed his things and traveled to Bifrost he began to have reservations about what he had spoken Odin into. Once the All-Father also arrived he voiced his concerns, "You are going to allow me to select from a list of places to travel, aren't you… in the interest of it truly being freedom and not merely relocation of internment, right?"
Odin glared at him sideways and then activated the central device of the Bifrost by slamming Heimdall's sword into a metal scabbard designed for it. The great engine made a dull roar as it powered up, and lights flickered on many screens as it seemed the very room began to spin around them. "You wanted the freedom to leave the company of your brethren here, so I have granted it; don't push your luck."
Loki gazed at Odin in open worry, "W-where am I going, then…?"
Odin smiled, and Loki suddenly felt like he had walked into an awful trap, "W-wait… I'm having second thoughts…!"
Odin shook his head and waved his arm from left to right. The simple gesture sent Loki wheeling across the room towards the glowing portal that had opened in the wall, and he cried out as he barreled through, hearing Odin's words as he left Bifrost. "The grass is most certainly not greener where you are going, son. Perhaps now you will realize what you took for granted…"
Loki slammed into hard-packed earth and… snow. He gasped at the sudden cold, looking around to see what he had feared he would; the mountains of Jotenheim loomed all around him, desolate save for brilliant blue ice and bright white snow.
The air whipped about, spinning small eddies in the drifts of powder and chilling Loki to the core despite the fact that he was possessed of frost giant blood. Loki looked all around but there was no longer any sign of the portal he had emerged from… not that he had expected to see any.
Loki gave out a mournful cry at the thought of what Odin had done; had his father finally decided to be done with him… to kill his unwanted troublesome son?
A shape materialized in the blizzard and Loki reflexively gestured, incanting a spell to render himself invisible. His eyes widened as he realized he could not draw upon his sorcery. Odin must have cut off his source of power… he really did mean to end him!
Loki looked left and right in a panic, finally diving into the snow itself in an attempt to cover himself and hide. The ground was not as soft as it had looked, however, and only an inch or so of the powder could actually be pushed aside, so Loki managed only to bruise and scrape his hands and knees for the effort.
A deep laugh sounded, and Loki looked up to see a massive frost giant looking down at him. She was smaller than most giants Loki had seen, but several heads taller than Loki, and far broader. "Laufeyson, the ground will not yield to such tender hands as yours, and even if they should, you would freeze if you succeeded in hiding from me. You may be of our blood, but you are soft like the rest of Odin's court."
Loki sat up, trying to appear presentable as he dusted himself off and held his head high, "You know who I am… Odin told you I would be coming?"
The giant nodded, "Yes; he mentioned that he was sending an emissary to show the seriousness of his wish for peace between our peoples, but to send you…" She smirked darkly at him, "Either he has the greatest faith in your silver tongue, or he would as soon be rid of you."
Loki only stared as the huge warrior gestured ahead of herself, "Well, are you going to come with me or did you plan on freezing to death after all? I had heard that you were a smart one, but you seem rather… stupid."
Loki cast a sharp look her way and then sneered, "I'm only shocked that they would send a no-name like yourself to see someone so important, and appalled that you feel so free to speak so candidly with your betters."
The humor dropped from the female giant's face and she growled at him, "I am Thurga of the Joten, and our new chieftain instructed me personally to fetch you, Loki of Asgard. Your All-Father instructed him where to find you."
Loki sighed, waving dismissively, "Just lead me to your new chieftain, then, and remember your place when addressing a prince."
Thurga's face was hot with anger, but her gravelly voice didn't betray how annoyed she was. "Very well, Prince Loki; follow me."
Loki smirked to himself as the warrior led the way, glad that he could finally get the deference he deserved, thinking that perhaps despite Odin's best efforts to make him miserable he might yet establish himself correctly. Perhaps he would even take the throne of the new un-blooded chieftain…
Loki liked the idea the more he thought on it. That would be just the right amount of bitter irony; Loki ascending to take over rulership of the very people Odin stole him away from. His mind soared at the notion of marching an army of Jotens into Asgard and…
The trickster's line of thought was broken as a huge building reared into view. He had never actually seen a Joten castle before, and Loki marveled at its simple beauty, the entire structure shaped from the ice by the unique sorcery possessed by the Joten.
After entering the grand chamber with its massive throne of ice, Loki frowned at the emptiness of the place, "What kind of audience is this? Is this new chieftain unable to command his subjects well enough to demand a reception fitting a royal emissary?"
A booming, weathered voice heavy with age but still possessed of power answered him as the source of the voice stepped out from behind the throne.
Taller than even Laufey had been, this giant bore many scars and a fearsome grizzled face. "This is the safest audience you could hope for, grandson. What greeting would you expect from the rabble for a traitor guilty of patricide?"
Loki yelled out as Thurga put a large hand on his shoulder and roughly pushed him to his knees, "You shall kneel before Lorey, father of Laufey and chieftain of the Joten, for he now decides whether you live or die in pain, Prince Loki."
The ancient giant sat upon the throne of ice and stared at Loki with cold blue eyes, "Prince? Not here; here you are the dirt beneath my heel and worth less than nothing. Your father Odin sent me a message stating his reasons for sending you and what he would like me to do with you…"
Loki's voice was significantly smaller sounding in his own ears now, and he ceased struggling against Thurga's rough treatment. "W-what did the All-Father say he wanted you to do with me?"
Lorey leaned over, taking a scroll from a nearby table and holding it up for Loki to see. The trickster raised his eyebrows in curiosity and then shouted "No!" as Lorey tore the scroll to shreds. "You changed the rules, grandson. I'll consider what Odin suggested, but I would see what in you is worth saving before I spare you any pain."
Lorey leaned back into his seat and rested his head on his hand, then motioned off-handedly to Thurga, "What impression has my grandson given you since his arrival, granddaughter?"
Loki gasped and Thurga smiled down at him cruelly at the terrified look on his face as he stared up at her, "He is a brat, Chieftain; spoiled to the riches of Odin, undisciplined and weak." She sneered at him, "He does not know when he is looking at his betters."
Lorey nodded slowly and clasped his hands together in his lap as he deliberated, "Grandson, we Jotens often ritually combat our own fathers for the right of rulership; the strong should rule. My own son Laufey inherited the title of Chieftain only because I grew tired of the task and stepped down. He did not dare challenge me in single combat."
Loki watched Lorey cautiously, not sure where this was going. The icy monarch continued, "So now we come to the question, then; why did you murder my son Laufey?"
Loki licked his lips, and then committed to what he saw as his only chance of surviving the encounter. He tried to stand again but pushing against Thurga proved impossible, so he simply made his voice as hard as he could and stared Lorey in the eyes with every bit of confidence he could muster, "I wish to rule my people the Jotens."
A silence descended on them all as Lorey watched him without replying right away, and Loki could feel his heart hammering away in his chest. At last the giant began to scoff, and then laugh out loudly, his deep voice echoing through the halls. "You fool child! So predictable; I told you our custom knowing that you would attempt to twist it to your advantage."
Loki's voice sounded panicked even though he tried to hide it, "It's true! I wished to lead the frost giants in a glorious victory over Asgard!"
The mirth remained o Lorey's face as he replied, "Then you wish to follow our traditions, and rule with the might of a giant? Measure your next words carefully; shall I have Thurga fight you to the death here and now to see if you possess the strength required?"
Loki's mind raced for a plausible answer, "Not all strength is in the arm, and Odin has crippled my magic, so that I cannot show you the force I represent!"
Lorey stood and shouted at Loki, his bellowing voice causing the trickster to flinch backwards onto his rear, "That is not our way, boy! But you would have known that if you were not pretending to know the first thing about our culture!"
Loki only stared up at him in speechless horror, daunted by the massive frame of the ageless ice lord. Lorey glared at him a moment longer before calm settled back over his wizened face again and he sat back upon his throne. "You think yourself so very clever, grandson, but I was unraveling plots by cleverer persons than you who wanted to assassinate me before your father was born."
Lorey leaned forward, looking Loki in the eye, "So, grandson; do you want to know how you came to be in the court of our enemy, raised by my son's greatest nemesis?"
Loki could only nod dumbly for a moment, knowing that the information Lorey taunted him with was a question that had burned deeply in his soul ever since he had learned the truth of his heritage, "Yes."
