(Hi! I have posted more than one chapter per day, but the visualization graph indicates that some people are directly accessing the last chapter posted and missing the previous ones. So if you are one of the people who have come this far please check that you have not missed anything and know that in the next few days I will also be publishing at least three chapters. Thank you very much for your attention!)

The banquet was amazing, some giants insisted that they should cook manually instead of using magic for everything and as Loki understood that they had the sense of worthlessness remaining hidden while the war was going on outside, so he just summoned the ingredients and let them do it. what they wanted. All the Jotuns looked at him with admiration and treated him like a king to thank him, gave him their most cherished possessions, and set up a special place in the cave just for him. As much as it was unlike him to be happy to help those in need, the prince recognized that it was far more pleasant to watch them excited and determined to sad and languishing.

The little baby was his biggest companion during those hours, he easily marveled at anything other than the man doing and Loki was feeling a little stupid for acting like a fool with every cute gesture the child unconsciously made, he suspected that it probably was. the power of the brats, make us big assholes. Farbauti wasn't too far away either, worried about the boy's well-being more than he should, and had a habit of having to keep them from crushing his pup, so she always came back to the god because she forgot he was too much. smaller than any of his people and far less likely to kill the child for his size.

When the food was ready, everyone gathered in a large circle, large even as some of the older giants sat about fifty feet away, said a little prayer to the dead, and to those fighting outside, took their bowls and Finally they poured themselves a generous amount of the nutritious, thick soup that was offered. The stranger was initially frightened by the huge amount of food that was prepared, but soon understood when each began to eat in proportion to their sizes.

Even very simple and of doubtful appearance, that was the best meal he had tried in centuries, it was like his whole organism was looking forward that during all those years and now, finally, this unconscious desire came true. Loki felt right at home, his real home with his family and all he caring he'd been waiting for, but he knew nothing of that was real and maybe this was the worst part of being the god of lies. He could never have such things, he didn't belong there and Jotunheim considered him a freak where he really came from, just like Asgard had never totally accepted him even during all the years he lived among them. Nothing of that was indeed for him, those people considered him as monster-like as Odin in the future and there was nothing he could do now to change this.

(…)

In the day after, he spent some time with Vidar in the morning, he thought it would be useful to teach him some combat techniques of other kingdoms, this way, he wouldn't be caught off guard in the case something wrong happened in the path he would make with the child. Yes, he was indeed considering making the boy to live in another kingdom, he knew that the little one wouldn't survive there the same way he wouldn't have survived if the Father of All hadn't adopted him. That planet didn't allow someone like them both to resist its conditions.

Yet, he needed to agree terms with Grid and Farbauti for the trip. He still doubted that they would guide the king to the Casket of Ancient Winters, but this would be the only chance to convince Odin to keep them alive and to fulfill his part of the deal. It's not that he had clung to the people in two days, he still felt much aversion toward his own race, but the thought they deserved a chance to fight for a better life.

When the bastard and he went back to the shelter, they found peculiar the once again desolate ambient they saw. No giant looked at their eyes or seemed to want to fuse with the wall when they sighted them. There was nothing left from the happiness and hope that dominated people when they departed in the morning.

When entering the beautiful cavern where the woman who made him to feel so good lived in, they found her with her sister, both with lost and shaken expressions on their faces. Loki couldn't help noticing that someone was missing in the place, that there was no signal anymore of the infant noises produced by the baby and also that there was no signal of his presence anywhere.

- Laufey took him to our main redoubt. – Grid explained, the other was too shocked to speak. – He said that he couldn't stand anymore the biggest shame of the kingdom exposed for everyone to tease him, that son of a bitch! He's going to let him die. – Vidar went from ecstatic for the train to angry in seconds.

- He did what?! – The man was the closest thing to a father that child had and he loved it a lot. – By what right he could take your son away since he never recognized him as one of us?!

Farbauti seemed about to collapse, she was really sick, the little boy was the only thing that could still motivate her to fight. The god didn't feel guilty for seeing an opportunity in the situation, he neared to the crying woman and touched her with his hand, trying to comfort her somehow.

- We can take him out of there whenever you want, we can take Odin to the place, save him and then we depart safely through Bifrost to the other kingdom.

- I'm sorry Meili, but I still trust your dear heir not a bit, it was very cool from him to send you, but I don't think he really want us to be dirtying one of the other conquests. – There was a revenge bright in the eyes of the giant and that's what inspired Loki to continue.

- Take this as an own back on Laufey, having his greatest enemy so close to the best treasure of the kingdom… he didn't expect it and I'm fully capable of making Odin to send them somewhere better, after all, it was me who made him to accept me, wasn't it?

The three ones thought seriously about the answer they would give, Laufey wasn't exactly a good king, many have already died for his mistakes, proud, ego and thirst for revenge itself. He deserved to be impaired, but this could also mean that the people would feel the blades of the Asgardians and all the pain of war, though thousands were already dying due to it.

- We go, thou art right, the king shouldn't have taken him from my arms. – Farbauti murmured. – And this is an order. – She added when realizing she would be contested. The respect for the woman made them to swallow any doubt they may had about whether that was a good idea or not.

(…)

Loki left a generous quantity of feeding resources for those taking shelter there before departing, however, he didn't look back when headed out to the exit, he wouldn't keep any ridiculous feeling. He also gave weapons to the two warriors who would accompany him and an armor to the enchanting woman who didn't know how to fight, soon after, they mounted the trained beasts that survived all that food shortage and that were from the same species as those that he god killed when saving the boy Thor in Asgard.

Odin had already been telepathically warned and awaited them miles from there, so they didn't take long to go to meet him. They didn't talk along the whole way, the company of the prince was too tense for dialogues, excepting Vidar, they had no idea of how to cope with someone so powerful. The hours passed as minutes and more quickly than they wanted, they sighted the sparkling king in his legendary eight-paws horse.

The first image of Meili was back and it was with a poorly-restrained contentment that the glorious man noticed he had succeeded in his mission, convinced his enemies to handle him their best weapon. Loki was the only one to pretend a respectful reverence when they reached the Asgardian, the others ignored, though turning even more alert now.

A new blizzard began and it was very welcome, it hid his tracks and, even confusing Grid's senses and making it harder for her to find him, it also impeded that other giants noticed them and their trajectory, making them not to lose time in meaningless battles.

It was something so funny that the powerful horse of the king needed to keep a rhythm so inferior just to accompany the horrendous animals that the others used. It, unlike its owner, seemed to be restless and impatient, it didn't like to run on that terrible ground and the presence of the other creatures filled him up with angry, even not being hard to Odin to dominate them, the beasts emitted sounds that reminded laughs, just to tease him.

When the snow subsided, the king got closer to his galloping soldier, curious about what he had promised for those people so that they indeed accepted the proposal.

- Thou intriguest me, Meili, how hast thou convinced them to cooperate?

- I have only promised revenge to a king who forgets the needs of the people and feels shame of the weaker. They don't like thee for that, however, we agreed that the boy looks more like an Asgardian than one of them, he will have a brilliant future in one of the nine kingdoms.

- For sure he will. – Even with all the noise around and the fact they weren't not keeping eye contact, Loki knew he was being ironical.

It would be completely imperceptible for any stranger passing through there any sign of something on the ground and on the mountains except snow, but the giants felt the ground and knew exactly what was under it, they had already reached the redoubt and, therefore, stopped immediately. The unwary horse slipped, recovering from his sudden stop quickly.

Farbauti was the first to dismount, but was quickly followed by her sister and both of them headed to a thin and crystalline portion of ice that shined on the mountain under the rays of the sun, the taller one bit his own finger strongly and let the blood spill through the thin cracks of the crystal, soon after, sang a strong song in the jotun language and all of them noticed she ordered that a passage was opened. However, on the contrary of what was expected, nothing happened at first, it was as if the mountain hesitated to let them pass.

It was only possible to hear the cutting wind around, the giants and the Asgardian kept the deepest silence, expecting anything that could happen. And when it actually happened, there was a so loud bang that anyone miles away could hear it and avalanches were caused through the whole perimeter, sparing just the place where they were.

In front of them all, a passage was opened, a long and admirable stair that led to the heart of the mountain and to the greatest treasures of Jotunheim. Now all they had to do was entering and take the child with the weapon that was its passage for a better life; exactly, "had", for Odin didn't want to follow this part of the plan.

It was a terrible idea since the beginning to think that they could face the king in the peak of his power, they couldn't even see when he attacked Grid and Farbout, they only heard the pain scream that the man's ex-lover let out before falling to the ground and saw the blood gushing from her recently-slit throat, staining the pure white of the snow. Vidar wielded his weapon and attacked his father, Loki knew that Odin would kill him easily and quickly planned something to avoid the murder and acted.

The liar god narrowly could prevent the blade of the king from crossing the chest of his own son, whose existence he didn't know. He threw a dagger at the right moment and it hit the wrist of the man and made him to deviate some inches from his aim. Odin stared at him as if he liked his boldness, Meili became the next target, but, as expected, there was no chance to the time traveler to repeat his stroke of luck, the blade entered his stomach so strongly that even his spine was broken.

Or that was what the king thought till his image simply disappeared and reappeared far from there, gathering his force together to Vidar's. The distraction moment was enough for the one with the god's backs in front of her to act, she ran inside the chamber, unnoticed and took what Odin desired so much to have.

Maybe they have underestimated the power of a son of the glorious king for all this time, maybe in all Vidar's millennial life, even being discarded as a warrior for being the son of the enemy, he had just accumulated and restrained his power that didn't come from Asgard only, but also from the gods that were born there and those born in Jotunheim. Maybe that the pain of losing someone he loved had freed all this charge of energy at once and that was exactly what was happening.

It wasn't a good time, definitively, but Loki thought that the "god of vengeance" suited this mixed giant just fine.

Vidar was taken over by the irrational, it was like a beast being freed so strongly that the ground was cracking for it didn't bear his power. If they didn't kill Odin now, they would get themselves killed. The god of vengeance attacked and the king got ready to get the impact he knew he couldn't escape from, Loki got ready to act next, not missing the opportunity, and Farbaut came back, taking advantage from the fact that the king needed to be still to freeze him.

There was an explosion when the first impact happened, a so powerful one that disoriented who would become the father of all and caused him a terrible burn on the arms which impeded that the damage was bigger; but he didn't move, he wouldn't even if he wanted to, after all, the ice had already taken from his waist down. The prince knew he wasn't strong enough to kill Odin with the only coup he had left, so he did what he promised himself to do and what he knew to be the difference. He aimed for the eyes.

He didn't regret not even for a second when the eye globe was hit by his dagger, the scream he heard as an answer made each second worth it. But he didn't stay still, he wasn't willing to die yet, so he held Vidar's body still, who had used all his force in an only coup (though his body had conserved a percentage to keep him alive) and grasped Farbaut's clothes, pulling them inside the chamber again, the only place he could survive what was coming.

Odin was particularly exasperated when angry, but he was merciful, he let only fifteen percent of his power escape. All life within a radius of twelve miles burnt. That was a simple demonstration of what Vidar could have done if he could control his own energy, he wouldn't have caused more damage to the king than he did, but he would be very efficient even with threats that arrived close to the limit line that separate them from the omega level. His horse was fine, he had already survived in worst situations.

Inside the chamber, the god of vengeance seemed to be more conscious than in the last minutes and was ready to react, though Loki stopped him. Never ever in his whole life he desired so much that his powers of protector of reality were available, they had to get the hell out of there urgently, that would be, after all, the next place Odin would go, even if part of the chamber had fallen.

He needed to pick Farbaut and Vidar, find the baby and disappear with them, it wasn't that impossible that they could hide his presence from his father, he had done this before and… why was the woman's aura weakening so bad? Part of the chamber fell…

Meili looked behind fearing what he would see and determined that he should have left the magnificent woman up there, it would be a less painful death. Half of her body had been smashed, but the other half hadn't, and she still held the Casket of Ancient Winters in her remaining hand. He went to help her, looking for anything that could save her, his chest pulsed in agony, he was feeling her pain and knew that the child also did because its current cry was more suffering than any other he could ever have heard.

- I'll take you out of here. – He promised trying to remember anything that could destroy the rock without hurting her even more.

- Don't… don't worry about me… boy. – she answered, clearly in pain, but despite this, smiling. – I… I wanted to get rid of… of all this burden a… a… a long time ago. – the stranger stopped and held her hand close, putting the weapon away. – take care of my son, ok? I… I never told you… but his name is… Loki.

Farbaut loosened his hand and her red eyes whitened. She was dead. His true mother was dead because of Odin and because of himself, for having convinced her to go there. The mind of the god turned white. Never, not even in his worst moments he had made a so cold expression. Vidar not even asked him when acted.

(…)

Odin waited some time before heading to take his prize, he expected that till then his enemies were already dead due to the injuries. There was certain melancholy on his face, just as blood for the plucked eye. He felt tired, lost, it hurt to have all those deaths on his hands and, more than ever, he asked if all of that was worth it, he was empty, but nothing could have prepared him for what he saw when he arrived.

- How does thou feel now? Thou art the king, hast won the war. Surely, thou art very happy. – Borr commented with a calm that didn't exist.

- Father?! – the haunted question came before he could stop it.

- Father? I am not your father. No… I refuse to believe that this piece of shit has come from me.

- But how…? I saw you dying.

- No, THOU HAST LEFT ME TO DIE! – Odin stepped back, with his guilt heavier than ever. – THOU HAST LEFT INNOCENT CHILDREN DIE FOR YOUR GLORY AND YOUR PROUD, THOU HAST DECEIVED A SICK AND DESPERATE MOTHER, KILLED THE WOMAN WHO HAD BEEN SOMEDAY YOUR GREAT LOVE AND ALMOST HAST GOTTEN YOUR SON KILLED!

- Son? I have never harmed Thor… - his voice froze, he observed that the man who he fought with was alike him, but never thought that Grid had gotten pregnant. He shouldn't have cut her off so suddenly.

- AND WHAT WOULDST THOU DO NEXT? WOULDST THOU ABANDON LAUFEY'S SON, A BABY THAT ALL EXCEPT THOSE THOU HAST JUST KILLED DESPIZE, HERE, TO FREEZE AND STARVE TO DEATH AS HIS FATHER WANTED TO?

- No, I…

- THOU ART MY CHAGRIN, ODIN! – Borr turned around, clearly suffering. – I really don't understand what have I done wrong with thee, dost thou really think I could rest knowing the monster thou hast become? – his voice was quieter and quieter.

- I can take the boy with me! Stop the wars, I swear, I can change. – there was a very hidden pain in the king's chest that arose now.

- I have already given thee too many chances in this life! Take the boy if you want, change, become the man I dreamed up thou wouldst be and who knows I might be able to stop feeling so much… cold. – The image shuddered, he was paler and bluer than usual.

Then Odin put the child on his lap, and it was promptly bewitched to look like him, picked the Casket of Ancient Winters up and headed outside. Even if the king couldn't see him, the one who used Borr's image noticed when the man's eye no longer had the same perception of the world, and even though that was weird for him, he also noticed he stared at the baby as if it was the key for everything, his new hope and his new opportunity to make it different. He didn't believe that he had just to play a little bit with his feelings to make him do what he did. He kept watching Odin calling Bifrost and after that, he knew the king would never start a war again. He started his change. However, in the chamber, were still Loki and Vidar, hopeless about going back home.

- Dost thou think he's going to be fine? – The trickster god distressfully asked, with the little boy he loved as if he were his own child.

- He's going to survive. – The prince recovered his usual appearance – After all, in my time, I'm known as Loki Odinson as well. – He smiled with all the happiness he wasn't feeling, Vidar was shocked, completely speechless, then just surprised him with a hug. He distrusted about the wizard's origin since when they met, but had chosen not to confront him about that, just because the man had the same smell of the child that he wanted to protect the most of all, he couldn't hurt him at any circumstances. The god, of course, already knew about these feelings, he wouldn't be that fool to reveal himself if he weren't sure he was in front of an ally.

- It is not possible thou wert not properly fed even being the prince of Asgard! – he dramatized, tightening and smashing a little bit more the man. – Poor thee, so thin and small.

They wanted to laugh, even being destroyed inside.

An orange portal opened a few feet away from them and through it crossed a known woman with her Cloak of Levitation and her infinity stone, it was Alanes, the guardian of the reality of that time and also the greatest responsible for the end of the war among Asgard and Jotunheim.

- I'm in the way of an intimate moment, right? – she asked, though not seeming to be embarrassed at all.

- And you show up just now? – Loki accused her really angry and already out of the smashing hug.

- I'm sorry, thou art already for too long here, I am going to send you for your time immediately.

Alanes smiled comprehensively and somehow pleased with the results of what she risked doing. She definitively couldn't let him to stay there not even for more mere seconds, and didn't want to be the cause of permanent damages to the god.

The god wouldn't send any damn hug for anyone, fuck Tempus. His vision darkened again and much later, when opened his eyes again, he was in the hiding place he shared with Doctor Strange.