Here is another chapter, I feel so bad this is taking so long to write up the final chapters and to assure anyone still following that I've not given up on this. I promise I wont let this fic die before its finished.
The next day Loki found himself seated at a table nestled amongst the comforting and familiar book clad shelves of the palace library. He was never certain exactly why it was the dim and silent labyrinth of towering shelves stacked almost to the ceiling with books, made him feel so calm and safe. Perhaps it was because some of his first memories were of his mother reading both he and his brother fascinating tales here, or perhaps it was purely because he had spent so much of his spare time hidden away reading books during his lifetime.
Whatever the reason it seemed that safe and calm was avoiding him today. That may have been due to other presence's in the room, Natasha wasn't exactly gentle in the way she dropped the book she had been flicking through onto the desk with thump. Had she no idea just how old most of the books in here were, they hadn't survived centuries, some over a millennia even just to be scuffed about by some mortal woman. At least Bruce had enough respect to handle the tome he held carefully, the man had been disappointed at first as he had found not one book close to any text he could read, up until Loki had handed him one of the library's enchanted spyglasses used to translate text. Not all the books were written by the Æsir after all, their collection held books and scrolls from all over the realms.
Though perhaps the subject of his reading may have had something to do with it.
"You would think Steve had stayed, I'd have though he'd like the idea of being surrounded by old books rather than new age gadgets and technology. He is always complaining about the way people are tossing away the old in favour of fancy electronic gadgets." Nat mused.
Steve and the others had opted to hang out with Thor and his warrior friends as they readied their armour, reading often gave Clint head aches, she had a feeling that was likely due to the fact he had a pair of reading glasses he refused to wear, he could read a sign half a mile away clear as day but couldn't read a sign two feet in front of him to save his life. Everyone knew Tony hated libraries he believed books pointless as you could find anything online now days. She wasn't overly fond of libraries, and while she did read the odd fiction novel from time to time, she didn't tend to spend much time around books. But it was Loki's thing, even if it wasn't so much others and while the others may have groaned at the thought of spending and hour or two surrounded by books, Loki put up with things he wasn't particularly interest in for their sake so the lest she could do was return the favour.
Besides they were friends after all and that was what friends did and perhaps it was also a little due to the fact she wasn't in the mood to be in the company of Thor's jealous Asgardian woman. Even if the thought of purposely bringing up Jane in front of Sif just to see her reaction had crossed her mind.
She gave a quick flip through the pages of one of the books laying on the table and letting the cover fall shut once more as she spoke again. "Know where I'd find books about elves?"
"Elves?" Bruce looked up, a look of puzzled surprise on his face. "I never picked you as one of those girls obsessed with elves."
"I'm not some bubbly fan girl." She snorted back with a roll of her eyes, "I'm just a little curious to whether they are anything like what earth movies and video games make them out to be."
"Through the arch at the end of that Isle and turn left, head straight until you get a sudden wif of nature, like wet grass after the rain. I'm not entirely sure how exactly the books keep such a fresh sent, they just do, much like the tomes and scrolls from Muspell tended to have a freshly scorched smell." Loki said, thumbing towards the large arched doorway without taking his eyes from his current reading.
"Downfall of the Titans, and Eternals and Skin-shedders, you have a rather interesting choice in books." Bruce read the titles on both the book Loki was reading and the one he had placed in front of him. "Skin-shedders, I hope that sounds nastier than it is."
Loki looked up from his book, blinking as he looked down to the one on the table than back a Bruce. "That all depends really, even Midgard has tales of the Phoenix correct? Well Skin-shedders cover just about all creatures from fire birds and some dragons who incinerate themselves and rebirth from their ashes to creatures that literally tear the flesh from their bodies to start over. Creature that are somewhat eternal but must die or disfigure themselves to continue life." He explained.
"Charming." Bruce scrunched his nose, before asking "Why the interest in such things, or do you usually read up on such things?"
"On occasion, you never know what matter of beast you might run into in your travels and it is always best to be prepared. Though in this case the interest was spiked by something father spoke of." Loki stated going back to his book.
Perhaps his father had good reason to keep some of his knowledge of Thanos from him, especially if his father knew even half of what Loki had managed to dig up in the old books found hidden away.
Who is apparently the only surviving member of a race know as the Titans, one of the very first realms born, which was wiped out by war. Which according to most records was started by Thanos's thirst for power and obsession with death. The realm held six powerful soul stones (more commonly known as infinity stones) crafted by the Norns themselves of time, space, soul, reality, mind and power and wielded by the six Titan overlords to craft the other realms. Thanos who was the original holder of the power stone became greedy, crafting a gauntlet to hold all six stones as he desired to wield all stones himself. He turned on the others destroying half of their realm before the other Titans working as one defeated and cast him out. But they could not leave his stone unguarded and none trusted another to hold claim to two, so eventually the other Titans fought each other wiping both themselves and their realm, and scattering the stones through out the universe.
It would seem the Titan still held his lust for power, his drive to find and wield the stones once more. And to make matters worse many of the texts stated the Titans as the first of the eternals creatures who do not age, do not have life spans and whilst it was obvious that even eternals can be kill as the other Titans no longer existed. Loki knew that killing an eternal was a difficult task, one did not just walk up to a dragon, Phoenix or a spriggan and just slay it with a single swing of a blade. He flopped forwards with a moan, book open on the desk and head in his arms crossed over its pages. What had he done. He really should not have given Thanos passage to Asgard trap or no, what if they could not handle this.
"What's wrong?" Bruce asked, Nat raising a questioning brow of her own as she retook her seat. Loki simple pushed the book over to them, Bruce turning it upright and lifting the seeing glass to read the pages content, Natasha leaning over his shoulder to see what it said. "Oh." Bruce breathed, Natasha mouthing the same in silence, "Hey this is like what the beginning of the nine realms time, for all we know it might all be nothing but speculation."
"And yet we hold the gauntlet and one of the infinity stones in our palace vaults." Loki groaned, burying his face further into his arms, "I've doomed us."
"Is my brother not here?" Loki asked as he entered the Avengers chambers.
They had been given the guest quarters used to house foreign dignitaries, consisting of a large open circular sitting room, private balcony, bath chamber and six privet sleeping quarters. These quarters were commonly used by Lord Freyr and his entourage when ever he visited.
"He was talking with that one handed guard when we left, my guess is he is still in the armoury." Clint answered, shoving another honey Apple dumpling in his mouth. "Man thesh shings are good."
"Calm down boy, what is that your sixth, seventh dumpling, the servants don't want to be cleaning your sick from the floor." Natasha tutted, snatching the tray and moving the snacks away from the man.
"Oh well, I had hoped we could fill you in together but I guess I'll be doing it myself." Loki shrugged, as he moved to stand in front of the lounge the others currently sat on.
"Fill us in on what?" Steve asked.
"About the battle against Thanos tomorrow, we have a plan." Loki announced.
"Odin made clear we were to stay out of it and if any of what you read is true than all the more reason to stay out." Bruce sighed with a shake of his head.
"Bruce is right, I think we should just let Asgard's army handle this as your father insisted." Steve agreed.
"Very well," Loki breathed before turning to Tony and Clint. "Barton, Stark, I have a plan."
"Loki." Steve spoke in disapproval.
"What, I'm willing to here him out." Tony shrugged.
"I'm not exactly trilled about being hidden away from battle with the kiddies." Clint admitted. Besides he never turn down a plan without at least hearing it out.
"Fine we'll all hear you out." Steve relented, he was not about to let Loki, Tony and Clint run of recklessly at the first chance they got. And he had no doubt Tony and Clint would be quick to jump on board with a reckless scheme.
"Okay so Thor and I were thinking of ways we could possible further turn this battle to our advantage especially if the enemy is indeed an eternal. Father and Thor posses the strongest weapons in the realm, in many realms, but there is another weapon in Asgard that holds similar power. The casket of ancient winters." Loki explained.
"And you think this casket should be used by Asgard in the battle?" Natasha asked.
"Well that's the tricky part. As far as I know the casket can only be used to it's full potential by Jotnar." Loki admitted.
"So you plan to use it yourself. And Thor agreed to this, to you participating in the fight despite your father's insistence otherwise." Steve exclaimed, not quite sure he was willing to believe what he was hearing.
"No, of course not. In my current state I've not the power to control and use the weapon, it would be far too dangerous. That is why we hoped to gain the aid of the Jotnar themselves."
"I thought your realm and theirs weren't on friendly terms." Bruce stated.
"There is tension yes, but Thor hoped to mend bridges, we both do. We have both played a part in destroying the treaty our realm had managed to attain and we want to repair the damage we did. And what better way to gain trust between realms than fighting side by side." Loki explained.
"I not sure it works that way." Clint pointed out, "You tried to destroy their planet."
"And I used a mind control stick on you, yet you've forgiven me. And besides we'll be showing trust by granting them use of the casket, surely that would show our authenticity." Loki argued. "Besides the Jotun have new rule now and their new king might be more willing to reinstate a peace between realms."
"And Thor actually agrees with this?" Steve questioned, still a little sceptic.
"He is the next in line for the throne, either way he will have to deal with this issue at some point." Tony pointed out. It made sense in a way, better to fix the issue now than chance it further deteriorating and having a bigger mess to fix once he takes the throne.
"Exactly, which is why he hopes to patch things up as soon as possible, to start repairs before anymore damage can occur. Trust me, we've thought this over accessed all risk Thor would never have agreed otherwise. You know how protective my brother is, he'd never let me put myself in too big a danger." Loki nodded.
"Though, to do so we will require your help, so we will only go ahead with the plan if you all agree." Loki said, looking the Avengers over with a hopeful expectant smile. "Though before that I think it best if here the plan in full."
"Thor I must speak with you, it is most urgent." Loki bounced on his heels as he awaited his brother's reply.
"Have a seat." Thor offered clearing some space on his bed for his brother to sit. "What is it you wish to speak about?"
"I've been doing some research on this Thanos and it turns out he may be a bigger threat than father let on." Loki started, once he was seated.
"A Titan, one of the first granted rule of the most powerful forces in all nine and beyond, who's thirst for power wiped out his own race. I know Father informed everyone in this mornings war council." Thor admitted, continuing before Loki had the chance to interrupt, he could see by the look on his brothers face that he felt somewhat offended, likely due to the fact he wasn't informed. "Father worried you might run off on your own and endanger yourself if you knew. He knew you would feel as though you need to fix things, but you don't Loki."
"I wasn't planning on running off on my own." Loki huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'll have the aid of our Midgardian friends."
Thor ran his hand down his face, looks like Odin's caution proved unsuccessful. "What have you planned this time."
"You make it sound like I'm about to tell you some foolish half baked plan." Loki rolled his eyes.
"Not half baked, no, just reckless likely." Thor chuckled, Plopping down beside his brother. "I've been part of many of your schemes and though they are more times than not far less reckless than my run in blind tactics, they still often lead to trouble."
"True, but the Avengers have agreed with this one and you know full well that Captain Steven Rogers would not agree to anything too reckless and dangerous. Besides we have agreed to only go through with this plan if you too agree." Loki continued, giving his brother a playful nudge. "Now are you going to here it out or not?"
"Very well than brother what is this most genius plan."
Loki made sure to pitch and spin his plan in just the right ways as he told it to his brother, just as he had done the others tweaking it just a little to make a little more favourable. It was much easier to convince his brother as he knew the best ways to get Thor to see his way. It did take a little convincing but in the end he won out, like there was any doubt. The only thing left was to make sure his brother and their mortal friends didn't find out that he had told each the other was already on board. So after bidding his brother a good night and heading for the door he turned back to Thor.
"Oh, I almost forgot Sif and the Warriors three were planning on heading out with the troops to set up for the battle tomorrow rather than having to get up extra early and having to rush in the morning. They told me to inform you."
"Thanks, I'll get set to head out right away." Thor nodded, as Loki continued out the room and down the hall.
He was just passing the main hall when he passed Volstagg, just his luck, that would save him time.
"Volstagg, I was just coming to look for you, well one of you. Thor has decided to set up with the troops for the coming battle he is getting ready to leave as we speak."
"Thanks, I'll inform the others and get ready right away. To battle!" Volstagg cheered, thanking Loki before heading to inform his friends.
"To battle." Cheered back, continuing on his way.