Loki was following the strands, Vali trotting loyalty beside him. They had been exploring for a while now and where slowly making their way up through the palace. He climbed the steps with much effort, keeping one hand on the ice covered walls.
The halls grew darker, smaller and less populated. He turned off into a small tunnel, watching the strands as they thickened.
"Up, up and up some more." He muttered, heaving himself up the steep set of stairs. He was tired, but there was no point going back now. Vali nudged him forward and he smiled at his friend, using his free hand to grasp his thick fur.
They continued upward. Loki didn't think he had even travelled this high in the palace before and he was rather excited. The flow was thick now, the glowing strands the only light as he made his way up. The stairs were getting older, he could tell by the way they sloped. No one had come to fix them in a long time.
He rushed forward, the voices encouraging his progress and Vali giving him support. He took a sharp turn and was momentarily blinded by the light. They were up high, large, glassless windows covered the majority of the wall and the cold wind stung his cheeks. He could barely see the ground below him and the slim room was more like an open hallway. He realised that if he continued forward and travelled downwards he would find himself in the temple.
He looked at the strands and gasped, their voices louder and the light brighter. They swirled into the centre of the room and travelled up a pedestal. They bunched together and violently hit the top, only to bounce back down. Once it came back down it quickly dispersed, the energy simply dying out.
Vali whined and he staggered forward, entranced. He could only watch at the beautiful strands disappeared. He felt helpless. A lone tear rolled down his cheek and quickly froze at his chin. He stumbled towards the small pillar, suddenly feeling very tired. Vali nudged him and he ignored his companion, his gaze never wavering from the light in front of him.
Both hands landed on the ice and a small shout left his lips. The blue light quickly spread through his body, the voices loud and overbearing. He took a shaky breath, almost overwhelmed by the power that he was encountering. He couldn't pull away. He didn't hear Vali bark for his attention and he didn't notice Vali grab a hold of his pants and pull him back. The world around him darkened and he hit the ice beneath him hard.
Vali whined around the young Jötun, licking his face and nipping at his skin. He lay still, Vali whining loudly at the 'absence' of his master. He licked the Jötuns face once more before turning to the door and sprinting down the steps.
He felt a warm fur body behind him and a large hand stroking his head. He coughed softly, breath laboured. His head was thumping and his body ached.
"Loki?" He head his Dam whisper, softly stroking his cheek. Loki coughed again, slowly opening his eyes and weakly looking at his Da.
"Fimbulvetr." He whimpered, feeling Vali lick his cheek.
"Shush, just rest." His Da said, voice breaking and pushing hair from his face. He relaxed at his Da's words, quietly listening to the thump of Vali's chest.
The peace was interrupted by a loud crash and he flinched violently, reaching for his Dam. He soothed him before turning to growl at the source of the loud noise.
"Quiet, you are scaring him." Seethed the Jötun, glaring at the other Kind
"Quiet? I have a right to be angry! He's been asleep for a quarter moon and you want me to calm down?" Shouted his Sire, flinging some innocent objects at the wall. "There hasn't been one in years! And now that it's gone, another is born and it just had to be my Loki! What are we supposed to do? If we don't get it back he will die!" The Jötun, voice breaking at the end of his sentence.
"Farbauti, just stop." Said his Dam softly, resting his head in his palms. Loki watched his parents weakly, placing his small hand on his Da's arm. The strands were bright around him, reaching from the ice to try and get to him. He wanted to touch them, but his limbs felt heavy.
"It's all his fault! I should go to Asgard and destroy them all! This is Odin's fault." His Sire seethed, throwing more objects and destroying more furniture. He continued like that for a moment before stopping and shuffling over to his youngest son. He got to his knees, grasping his child's hand and resting his head on Loki's chest.
The smaller Jötun no longer noticed his parents, instead he was staring at the ceiling, watching the lights swirl and listening to their hushed words.
"Find the Fimbulvetr." They whispered. "Bring it back to us."
They had left Loki in the presence of Helblindi, so they could rest. Farbauti sat hunched in his throne, picking violently at the ice structure. Laufey paced before him, frozen tears on his cheeks.
"We need to talk to Odin." Muttered Laufey, turning to his mate. Farbauti simply growled, shattering a chunk of ice in his fist.
"We should kill Odin!" He replied, standing from his throne.
"Killing Odin will not grant us the casket." Was Laufey's rebuttal.
"And neither will talking to him. He is a selfish man! He does not care if one or one thousand Jötun children die!"
"We have to try!" Shouted Laufey, pushing his mate back. "He is my baby! I will not watch him slowly whither away!"
Farbauti thumped to the ground, placing his head in his hands. Laufey kneeled before him, bowing his head. He slowly took his mates hands in his own.
"We will go to Temple and pray." He paused, resting his head against Farbauti's, "Then we will go back to Loki. We may be overreacting. It could just be he is sensitive to the seidr, perhaps he will be fine by the end of this moon. We will have to wait and see."
"Yes Laufey, perhaps it is nothing. I hope it is nothing."
A/N: Another! AhaI would like to thank musicalgirl4474 for all her help ^_^ Hope everyone enjoys and make sure you review! It makes me so happy to read them and your messages are my inspirations XD ahha thanks for reading~