HELHEIM

Hela appeared just as unexpectedly as she had disappeared. As Queen of the Underworld she could come and go as she pleased but it always made Odin curious how she accomplished it. Her brow was furrowed in thought as she retook the throne.

Odin had watched her silently but now his voice was clearly mystified as he asked, "How are you able to do that?"

She didn't even glance in his direction, holding out her hand for wine and gesturing with the other so that they might all see what was happening on Muspelheim, "What?"

"How is it that you are still capable of using magic?" He clenched his fists as he inquired, suppressing the bitterness in his tone that she was capable of a power in death that he was not. He didn't have a whisper of magic within his soul now and since Gungnir was in Asgard he had no way to reclaim it.

Slowly she lifted an amused eyebrow, looking at him as if he were no more than a pouting child. "I was never mortal like you so your rules don't apply." A chilling smile slowly inched across her face. "Or perhaps it is more appropriate to say that I do not attempt to enslave the magic around me…unlike some people I know."

Odin stood up taller, his back stiff and pride in his gaze. "I utilized magic without Gungnir."

"Not really. Parlor tricks don't count." She snickered, thinking of the magic he'd been capable of before Gungnir had fallen into his possession. The warriors of Asgard chided Loki for his 'tricks' but held short memories for the ones that Odin had been known for. All they remembered is the Odin of the now. The mighty King. The accomplished warrior with Gungnir in his hand and Sleipnir under his seat who used prized AEsir tactics to win wars. They didn't remember him like the nine remembered him. The puppet-master. The miser. The king who arranged wars as coldly as he arranged alliances and took back prizes from those victories, whether they be trinkets or people. He used sleight of hand and a basic understanding of potions. But most importantly, he used the sound of his own voice as a controlling mechanism. A rumble to cause strife to dissipate. A roar to cause fear. A soothing tone to persuade his victim to his point of view. All of which was a spell that he had paid a mage to cast over him several thousand years ago.

Then of course there was the more direct approach. Evidence of a corrupt Duke of Vanaheim mysteriously appearing in the King's study. A prince of Alfheim beds a young servant girl and it is later revealed she was in fact a Vanir priestess who is now with child and has no memory of how she came to Alfheim. "I mean real magic, real spells. You needed it because magic does not heel to your command without force." A sly little grin crossed her features, knowledge in her eyes. "But then that was why you were always envious of Loki."

"What?"

She rolled her eyes at him when it seemed he was determined to play dumb. "Magic adores the trickster. It has been his companion since his birth. If you had left him on Jötunheim, his magic would have sustained him."

Odin blinked in surprise, distracted from his pride by such a claim. Loki had been but an infant, not even a few days old. Without the knowledge to control it how could magic nurture and protect him for any length of time? Asking softly, almost to himself, "How?"

A secret little smile pulled at her lips. "Do not underestimate magic, Borson. You view it as a tool to be managed and contained. Magic is so much more. Paired with the right person, it is a loyal partner." Her little smile grew. Such as a partnership with the trickster of Asgard. A partnership combined with a will to live that could survive a plunge through the nine realms into Thanos' hands. A loyalty that could reassemble a mind shattered and broken by the titan. She blinked and waved her hand towards the image. "But enough prattling. Asgard is about to confront Surtur and I refuse to miss a moment of it."

MUSPELHEIM

Thor didn't move position, his arms crossed as he stoically watched the forces of Asgard assemble. The bi-frost was not a subtle transport. Surtur was well aware of their arrival, the thousand foot tall fire demon currently half hidden within an oozing volcano but his flickering eyes were watching them. He still wondered why Surtur didn't attack but chose to wait. The only answer Loki would give had been a half mumbled response about ego. It was unlike Loki to forgo stealth but time was running out so Loki had agreed to a sacrifice of stealth for speed, because there was little doubt that Vanaheim would be the fire demon's next target. Considering the size of the fire demon, he would see them coming anyway.

His friends were gathered together less than a dozen feet away. There was still an air of wariness about them when they interacted, but the anger they held with him seemed to be fading. He only wished Loki was as forgiving. But then Thor felt himself smile. It was a facet of Loki's nature and as inconvenient as his brother could sometimes be, Thor wouldn't change him.

Thor frowned as he watched Loki reappear from wherever he'd disappeared to. It had just been for a few minutes yet his brother looked lighter, somehow. "Brother?" Loki glanced at him. "Are you well?"

A smirk pulled at the corner of Loki's lips as he nodded. A familiar smirk that Thor had seen during their adventures over the centuries. A smirk that assured victory. The smirk slipped as he watched Tyr and the others from the war council direct all of the warriors towards a series of crates that had been sent from Asgard on floating skiffs. The skiffs he'd ordered them retrieve, what was on them he hadn't.

Fandral's brow furrowed and he wasn't the only one to look confused. AEsir carried their own weapons onto the battlefield. "What are they doing?"

Loki glanced down at the medium sized cylinders that were being passed out in distaste. They were effective in stopping forest fires, an invention crafted by the dwarves tens of millennia ago when fire broke out on Vanaheim and the Vanir turned to Asgard for aid. The coolant was an unlimited supply. Instead of dowsing the flame with water it froze it.

Tyr was already ordering the warriors to fan out, laying down a suppressive layer of coolant that froze the fire demons in their tracks. Loki sighed through his nose, mumbling under his breath as he started walking towards them. "Saving me the trouble…" He spoke louder as he asked a seemingly obtuse question, "General Tyr, what are you doing?"

Tyr turned to Loki and bowed appropriately before responding. "We need to cut through these smaller demons to smite Surtur…these weapons-…"

Loki brushed his explanation away impatiently. "I am well aware of what they are. What is your strategy?"

The men stuttered in their steps, watching the exchange between the two men. Tyr spoke louder so they could hear as well and know what was expected. "Create a path directly to our objective. The front line will lay suppression while the warriors prepare to charge."

Loki slowly narrowed his eyes. A perfect tactic for a fire if there were living, breathing targets on the other side. The circumstances were slightly different since this fire was sentient and was, in fact, the enemy. "You do realize you are not dealing with mere fire."

"Of course, sire."

Tilting his head slightly, he offered a more thorough hint. "There is nothing on this realm that doesn't burn." Tyr just continued to stare at him, not seeing Loki's point. Talking just a little slower, irritated he had to spell it out. "The warriors are just as flammable as a plank of wood. A frontal assault is suicide."

"That is why the front line will be armed with these."

Odin had once accused him of talking in circles. Loki felt like he was in that sort of discussion right now and the AEsir in front of him either was simply this thick or was pretending not to understand. Loki tilted his head in the other direction, a line of frustration creasing between his eyebrows. "Firstly, as every enemy here is wreathed and born by fire, what is the point in half of your warriors not armed thusly since you put so much stock into it?"

"The first line will freeze our enemies and the secondary line will use sword and axe to smite them. They will work in concert to cut those frozen enemies down." Tyr stood a little taller in his response, conviction in his tone.

"Secondly, Surtur will see you coming. Do not believe him an imbecile for he is not."

"My lord it is not a matter of questioning his intellect. He shall not have the fortitude to withstand our might." A cry of pride filled the air, a thousand voices lifting into the air to bolster their fellow warriors.

Loki didn't glance at them, trying a different tactic. "You would be better served with a dual assault."

"We will face our enemies as AEsir, not as cowards." Tyr was careful in his tone but Loki still felt as if the insult had been aimed in his direction. For years he had spent being named a coward because of his sly style of fighting.

Loki was not one for wasting his breath when much more effective lessons were available. He could order them returned to their crates, but Tyr would continue to hesitate following commands every step of the way and the men would follow by example.

Tyr looked to press further and Loki waved a dismissive hand. "Do as you wish. Their defeat will be on your head. Though they will journey gloriously to Valhalla on this day so that should please you." His voice was dripping with sarcasm at this point as he pivoted on his heels. Thor's brow furrowed ever so slightly in question but Loki just jerked his head slightly in the negative as he took up his previous position. Thor planted his feet and commanded his friends with a glance to do the same. Loki looked straight ahead, watching Surtur in the distance as he spoke. "Hunther, you will remain at my side."

Thor glanced silently at his brother. The name wasn't important to him but he took the extra time to memorize it. If anyone of Asgard held Loki's loyalty, they were worth remembering.

The guard, now at the rank of soldier, bowed and immediately moved, ignoring the objections forming on Tyr's lips. A dark look flickered in Loki's green eyes and for just a moment Tyr forgot how to breathe. He was not a coward. If nothing else, he knew that about himself. But he knew with clarity he didn't want Loki's response should he press the need for Hunther amongst the ranks. The warrior decided to cut his losses, ordering the rest into position.

HELHEIM

Odin made a disgruntled sound. "I taught him better than that." No one was really paying attention to the old monarch at this point. Hela barely even spared him a glance. "That boy knows how to give commands."

Hela studied Loki's now impassive face carefully. Yes, Loki knew how to give commands. He wasn't the best at inspiring loyalty but he knew how to win arguments. But she supposed that was the point. Loki was now king. He shouldn't have to win an argument to have the men follow his commands. "It was my impression you taught Thor better than that, not Loki."

"Taking a step back from Tyr makes him look weak." He bared his teeth slightly as he said this.

Still watching, she raised a single eyebrow as she asked, "And are you afraid that is a reflection on him…or you?"

Odin brushed off her question, lamenting on the past. "He should never have allowed Thor to abdicate the throne."

"Why?"

"Thor is the king Asgard will follow." Now Hela turned to look at him and he clarified. "A king commands respect. A man who cannot inspire obedience has no business being king."

"Of that we are agreed." A look down her nose at him told him he would never inspire her loyalty. She glanced back at the image, leaning back comfortably in her throne for several long moment before shrugging. "Loki merely uses the resources available to him." She smirked privately to herself. "When those resources are men like Tyr…he must inspire them differently."

MUSPELHEIM

Soon the men were posed three layers deep and weapons in hand. It reminded Loki of a battering ram and he knew it was going to be about as effective. Tyr raised his fist in the air. "For Asgard."

Loki raised his own fist ever so slightly, mumbling under his breath. "Odin would be so proud." He fought the urge to roll his eyes.

War cries filled the air before a wave of cool met the oppressive heat of this planet. Little fire demons were crawling out of the fiery cracks within the ground, freezing in mid motion as waves of coolant washed over them. The men walked forward, their gait even and rhythmic. Gauntlets struck breast plates as the thousands upon thousands that remained formed ranks and followed.

Thor and the others stood up straighter but Loki just slowly shook his head. They truly did resemble a battering ram now. Always a frontal assault. How disappointing.

"Brother, why do we not join them?"

Loki didn't even spare Thor a glance, just crossed his arms over his chest. "Because this is going to fail spectacularly and I would prefer not to be trampled."

Sif frowned, realizing Loki was more than just arrogantly confident. He was absolutely certain. "Sire, then order the men back."

Now why would I do that when there was so much education in defeat? Some people had to learn the hard way and he knew Tyr was one of those people. Loki slowly lifted one eyebrow. "I will bow to the wisdom of a seasoned veteran who has fought for Asgard's glory longer than I have been alive."

Attention moved back outward as the ground started to crack and move. Loki raised an intrigued eyebrow, the battering ram of warriors halted as something started to crawl out of the ground. Similar in build to the other demons, this one had a lizard-like build with a body filled with flamed, sharp angles. Dissimilar was the fact that this creature was nearly as long as the ranks of warriors were wide and well over thirty feet tall. The heat forced the men at the front back several steps but none of them ran.

Loki muttered softly, shaking his head as he glanced at Tyr. "He isn't truly…"

Hogun was frowning himself but none of them spoke as Tyr bellowed his order to destroy the obstacle in their way. Coolant tanks in hand, the creature was covered from end to end and froze in his tracks

A cheer rose through the air, Thor beaming with pride. Loki didn't react, he just watched. Even as the men celebrated victory the heat from the distant mountains continued to spew forth fire and ash. The celebration trailed off as Surtur started to laugh. Deep and resonating, it filled the valley until it was the only sound heard.

The ice along the ground formed cracks, red heat showing within them. As heat and ice collided, the frozen figures shattered into dozens of pieces and pockets of steam shot into the air. The great beast in their path did more than just shatter. Frozen bits and pieces of it tumbled down into the ranks.

Loki felt his jaw tighten and gave into the desire to make one last effort to spare the AEsir from the inevitable. "General Tyr, recall your men."

Tyr glanced back at him, frowning ever so slightly. "Why, sire? We are victorious. We will be able to defeat Surtur just as easily." Loki's expression went blank, just staring at Tyr. Odin wouldn't have been questioned. But then that level of respect Loki wasn't foolish enough to believe he would be offered.

"Such weapons have been available since before Surtur was imprisoned the last time. Do you truly believe this approach wasn't attempted?"

Thor had turned as well but as he studied Loki he could see no hint of amusement. It was no bluff or trick. He didn't know the why but he trusted his brother had a good reason. Putting authority into his tone. "You heard your king. Recall them."

Loki glanced at him in surprise. He didn't even attempt to hide it, staring at the thunderer as if he'd never seen him before. Thor never listened to him in the heat of battle. On rare occasion Thor had bowed to the wisdom of a seasoned veteran but most of Loki's suggestions were ignored and the rest he was chided for offering them.

All of them jerked around as cries and bellows of pain filled the air. The chunks of the great beast caught on fire as the ice melted, the fire burning everything it came in contact with. The chunks shuddered and started to grow but eyes were riveted to pain and heat and death.

A left hand formed a fist and shook a second before Loki bellowed a snarl, using magic to amplify his voice so the order carried. "RETREAT!"

Thor was only a second behind, glancing at Loki before roaring. "By order of your king, fall back!" The warriors 4 broke rank after a quick glance to Loki before wading into the thick of things to help the injured.

Tyr jumped slightly as if poked before setting his jaw and running forward to assist those he could. Those that could move unassisted didn't have to be told twice, dragging with them those that couldn't. Surtur's laughter only grew.

HELHEIM

Odin stood silently, his face wiped clean of all emotion. Even his eye was little more than a hard glint reflecting light as he stared. Hela approached silently, the fingers of her left hand gliding over the surface and a strange little smile on her face.

She knew the way Odin thought. He didn't see that he was culpable in this result. He had worked so hard to boost Thor up in the eyes of his men that no other king could compare. Unconscious or not, Odin had used Loki as the example of what not to aspire to be.

Loki throwing his weight around would be ineffective. He would be perceived as little more than a bully with power. A spoiled child trying to get his way…or the lacking second son trying to pretend to be a mighty king.

This was the easiest way and Loki was smart enough to know it. "Through pain and death he has proven Tyr's tactics to lack the necessary finesse for this particular foe." She turned her head enough to whisper in his ear as she passed and returned to her throne. "Now, he will inspire obedience."

Author's Notes:

Sorry for my delay, I'm trying to be careful with these chapters...and you know how life gets.

Next:

Victory and Defeat Part 2.