When the following day had come around on Vadella, Thor took Loki and Jennica, having the Bifrost take them away to Jötunheim, much to Loki's displeasure. Immediately, they were confronted with intense cold, which was a shock to all three of them after leaving the boiling hot planet of Vadella. Jennica wrapped her arms around herself, shivering. Noticing Jennica's bare arms and his own comfort in the cold, Loki conjured his cloak from nothing into her shoulders.

"Wouldn't want your little arms to freeze off." Loki mocked, "You should have brought a coat."

Jennica sneered, narrowing her eyes, angry that he would find a reason to make fun of her in any situation, "I'd rather freeze..." she grumbled, but kept it on anyway.

The group walked towards the huge palace of ice in the distance. Long before they reached it, they noticed that the surrounding village was too quiet. Thor and Loki expected some kind of opposition already, but there was no one there. It was abandoned. When they reached the palace itself, they found that it had received the same fate.

"What happened here?" Jennica asked in fear, worried that something horrible had taken place. A quick glance at Loki confirmed Thor's thoughts. After Laufey had been killed, Jötunheim had suffered. The kingdom collapsed. Loki felt the emptiness inside of him, the regret of his grave mistakes from years before. More guilt from his attempt to destroy the Jötuns than he had ever felt before. He still hated his biological kind, but deep down, he knew that he was wrong to hurt them as he did.

Despite its emptiness, they continued to search the palace for some clue of what they were looking for. Making their way upstairs to the living quarters, they heard a female voice yelling for help. Their footsteps had alerted whoever was up there. As they reached the room where the voice came from, Thor pushed the door open, despite it being locked, to reveal who was left behind. The room was small and furnished with only a small bed and a cupboard that looked as though it was once filled with food. The Frost Giantess was restrained by a long chain that only gave her access to the room. She was smaller than the average giantess with unnaturally pale blue skin from starvation. She was on the verge of death but had the energy to stand and call to the arrivals.

"Please help me... I am the only one left. I don't know how long I've been here, but at least years. I don't know what happened, but one day everyone was gone." Thor broke the chain with his hammer, feeling deep sympathy for the giantess. "Thank you so much." Her voice broke as she said this, tearing up at her first taste of freedom since years before.

Jennica felt deep sympathy for the woman, attempting to help her to sit down against the wall made of ice. Despite her valiant efforts, Jennica's hands felt a burning cold upon the contact of the Frost Giantess' skin and jerked away instantly.

"Why have you come here?" The woman asked in a shaky voice after taking a few deep breaths, "You are not from this place."

Loki frowned at that. Thor responded, "We have come looking for a woman who is known as Fárbauti. Do you know if she is here?"

"I am Fárbauti." The woman replied, feeling lightheaded from malnutrition. Thor, Loki and Jennica were surprised at this news. Fárbauti was supposed to be powerful, and yet here she was, on the brink of death.

"Brother, find this woman some food and drink." Thor commanded, to which Loki ran off to do so. Jennica took off the cloak Loki had given her, offering it to Fárbauti.

"No, my child." Fárbauti refused, "You need it more than I do."

When Loki had returned with a clay cup of melted snow and a few pieces of frozen meat, he handed them to Fárbauti, who scarfed them down. Everyone was silent until Fárbauti had finished, and after she thanked them, she asked, "What have you really come here for? Why were you searching for me?" Jennica was silent, so Thor replied for her,

"We were told that you would be able to tell us where Jennica's locket came from. Not only do I want to know, but it would reveal to Jennica where she is from." Jennica took the locket off from around her neck and held it out for Fárbauti to see. The Frost Giantess seemed to recognize the design and material of the silver locket but looked each of them in the eyes before questioning,

"And why should I tell you this information? How do I know that you can be trusted?" With an aggravated sigh, Loki answered her quickly, not wishing to waste anymore of his time in Jötunheim,

"Thor and I are the princes of Asgard, sons of Odin. We do not know who Jennica is, but she is a harmless and ignorant being." Jennica frowned at Loki. She didn't understand why he had to be rude to her.

"Alright," Fárbauti resigned, "the design is from Alfheim. I can sense a great power radiating from inside... that does not feel as though it came from Alfheim."

"You are right. There are shards from an infinity stone within the locket. That is why it is important to find out who Jennica truly is. Thank you for assisting us."

Silence lingered again, and Loki itched to leave the frozen wasteland of Jötunheim, but Jennica was curious.

"If you have so many powers, why didn't you escape?" She asked meekly, earning a sad smile from Fárbauti, who showed her the cuff placed on her right wrist.

"It dampens my abilities." The Frost Giantess answered, "Someday I'll get it off. I'll go back to the planet Vadella and help the people I care for."

"Vadella is how we discovered your whereabouts." Thor cut in, "Why did you come here?"

Fárbauti's gaze met the floor, "I had matters to settle. Upon my arrival, King Laufey captured and imprisoned me."

"The king of this world?" Jennica asked, "Why would he do that?"

Fárbauti sighed weakly, letting a moment of silence linger, "I was his wife." The shock spread around the room, only making the place feel colder, "Years ago, I was one of the many wives of King Laufey, if he was ever fit to be a king. I saw his evil desires and witnessed the other worlds think of our kind as sheer monsters. And it was all because of him. I turned against him, despite his other wives and the rest of our kind following him. I betrayed him and became a secret ally for King Odin of Asgard. Both he and Queen Frigga had taught me how to use magic, and I've been a user of it ever since. After serving Odin for nearly a year or two, I gave birth to a son. Laufey's son. My husband, however, found me and took my son away from me although I managed to escape to Vadella. When I came back here to find my child, I was locked behind bars with no hope of escaping... until now. I believe Laufey abandoned my son to die after he was taken from me, and Odin invaded Jötunheim." Icy tears were now streaming down her cheeks. The room was filled with her silent pain. Loki's brows were furrowed intensely in deep thought.

Thor didn't know the right words to say, but he opened his mouth and eventually said, "I am... so very sorry. I can have the Bifrost take you to Vadella."

Fárbauti's tearful red eyes darted up, "Yes, please send me there. I need to be with them again. All of them. They must know that I am alive."

Thor nodded and stood up, beginning to leave the palace, assuming everyone else would follow. Jennica did, but Loki and Fárbauti, however, stayed behind for a moment.

Loki closed his eyes, trying to sustain his emotions, although it proved to be difficult. He let go of his Asgardian form, letting it all give way to who he truly was underneath. A Frost Giant. When he opened his red eyes that were nearly tear laced, he croaked out,

"M-Mother...?"

Fárbauti's brows furrowed, trying to comprehend what was happening, but when she fully understood, she tightly embraced Loki, his head resting on her chest.

"My son..." She cried, feeling the instant connection between her and her flesh and blood. Loki used his magic, taking the cuff off of her wrist. A noticeable mark was left behind from it. "How are you alive?" Fárbauti asked when Loki pulled away to look into her tear filled eyes.

"Odin found me abandoned as a baby and adopted me." He replied with a bittersweet look on his face, "He gave me this form so I wouldn't discover my true heritage. When I did happen to find out, I was angry. Angry at him and all of our kind. I hated them all. I saw myself as a monster."

The tears streamed down Fárbauti's face, "My son, you are not a monster. It is because of your father you saw yourself as such. But we are a race of our own kind, wise enough to make decisions as good as those on Asgard, Vadella, or even Midgard. It is you as a person who defines the monster."

Loki was silent for a moment, wanting to believe his true mother's words. Even if he stopped seeing himself as a monster, it could never guarantee what the rest of the universe thought of him. Nevertheless, it felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off of his shoulders.

"Come. Let us go out to the others." Loki said gently as he helped his mother to stand. While they walked out through the icy palace, Fárbauti asked,

"What did Odin name you?"

"Loki." The young Jötun replied, reverting back to his Asgardian form, "Loki Odinson."

Fárbauti smiled, "What a wonderful name."