Visitation

by kalimecat

Loki has returned to Asgard and is imprisoned for his crimes. While in prison he has the occasional visitor, will the love of others bring back the fallen prince or is he truly too far gone?

10. Who is Thanos

A/N HELLOOOOOO READERS! Once again I must thank you for your patience. I know these updates come slow, but unfortunately i don't always have the full time to devote to writing as I would wish, still when I see your words of encouragement with your reviews and pms always keep me going and wanting to write more. You guys are awesome and make every moment of writing this story a treat. This chapter was tricky, I thought that it was going to a bit more action driven, but the climatic scene is coming very very soon :DD Once gain thank you. Happy Reads and writes and God Bless!

"You can't be serious!" Lady Sif railed halting Prince Thor as he made his way to the passageway that would lead to the stairwell to the dungeon. "You cannot go down there,"he persisted as she yanked at his strapping arm.

"Sif I must see him," Thor immediately responded pulling his muscular bronzed bicep from the clasp of the warrior woman's calloused hands, her rough fingers nearly scratched him as his skin slid through her firm grip.

"Thor I think you should listen to Sif," Volstagg interjected as he came up behind them a little winded from the long hike down a never-ending stair without any snacks. It was just then that he realized how isolated Loki was. They'd walked down through three flights of prison holdings hearing as the cantankerous prisoners bang on the prison bars trying to bribe the guards for bread and smoking pipes, but Loki was held miles beneath where even the seediest of criminals in all of Asgard resided.

"This is just what he wants!" Sif shouted furiously stomping behind Thor as the great blonde prince thunderously plodded his way to the large heavy stone doors that lead to out of one level of prison and to the spiraling staircase that would lead to the most dank recesses of the dungeon. "It's just a plot, a ploy, some trick to get you to come down there," Sif continued to protest sprinting up behind and matching her strides with Thor's. Before Mjolnir's hands could reach the handle to push open the heavy iron door, the female warrior jumped in front of it spraying her arms across the door.

The blonde hammer bearer laughed humorously at Sif's attempt to barricade the door, although he knew that she would be able to put up a warrior's fight to protect the entrance way, "Sif this is foolish," he began.

"The only thing that's foolish is how you are so easily willing to fall prey to Loki's schemes," the strong Viking woman shouted back as her hand immediately strayed to behind her back to grab at the sword kept in the sheave slung over her shoulder.

"Sif has a point Thor," Frandal said grabbing the thicker and sturdier built blonde man by the shoulder and pulling him back before he got his hand chopped off by Lady Sif who angled her saber ready the strike. "It's most likely a trick," Frandal added finally releasing Thor's massive shoulder and scratching his golden goatee.

"Of course it's a trick!" Sif declared rolling her eyes at Frandal's droll terms. "That's all he is!" the brunette warrior railed. "Tricks, lies, deceit, mischief," Sif listed as she waved her sword around angrily.

"And magic," Hogun commented coolly from the left side of Prince Thor. The brown-eyed shield maiden shot the slant-eyed Einherjar a glare, "You forgot magic," Hogun shrugged as he pulled out a dagger and began twirling it between his forefinger and thumb.

"And we can't leave out that," Sif said rolling her eyes. "He's just trying to lure you down there to release him," the dark-haired shield maiden cautioned. She lowered her blade and reached her hand out to grab at Thor's firm and handsome bronzed ones. "He just wants to get out...have you free him so he can spread his venom, start seize power..." she looked him in the eyes earnestly, her mahogany pupils imploring the sky colored eye prince to see reason.

"You don't know that," Thor responded twisting away from her statements that sounded all too real.

"He's just trying to awaken Ragnarök," she expressed nearly begging as she pulled down on Thor's hand.

"You don't know that!" the blue-eyed son of Odin turned around a hollered in the face of his trusted friend. Volstagg couldn't help but let out a faint squeal taken by surprise at the thunderer's outburst. Hogun lost his grip on the dagger he'd been twirling with precision and it fell against the dirty and wet cobblestone floor. Frandal's eyes bulged from their sockets as he noticed the volume to which Thor had raised his voice it nearly made the ceiling crumble. He instinctively raised his arms to shield his head from what he though would be bits of crumbling debris from the ceiling.

Lady Sif remained steady as a bolder, she only sucked in a pinhole worth of a breath at the way his voice boomed making her quake, it was like thunder overhead foreboding and warning and yet she could not turn back. reared back ever so slightly at the lightning that flashed through Prince Thor gorgeous sapphire eyes. She was not a timid damsel who sought refuge from a storm or ran from a fight. She was a warrior of Asgard. Despite the was she girded herself, forced her stance to remain still and jutted her chin out in bravery, Thor still noted the way she drew in a sharp breath; his tempestuous outburst had...startled her. He himself was not bold enough to ever state that anything frightened Lady Sif. Even to himself he was scared to admit such things. He'd called her a coward before merely in jest in their youth only to face an uppercut to the jaw and experienced a roundhouse kick to the abdomen finished off with a hit to the behind by a javelin, no after that he had learned better that to ever impugn her courage, but she was startled for sure.

"You both need to calm down," Hogun stated coming forth and placing his hands between them.

The leader of Einherjar collected himself breathing in deeply before allowing his hands to reach up and gently rest upon her shoulders. "You don't know that, Sif" he repeated his voice steady as he caused his thumb to rub a soothing circle on her shoulder.

Sif felt a tremor run through her as his warm and powerful thumb grazed her skin. "Yes I do!" Sif hollered back not allowing herself to succumb to the seductive power of touch from the golden pulled back and wiggled her shoulder's free of physical contact from golden-locked thunderer.

"Sif," Volstagg said quietly coming up to her and pulling her back by the shoulder. "Just let it go, if Thor feels..." he began.

She quickly twisted free of the plump warrior's meaty fingers, "I will not let it go," she ranted back at the curly locked redhead Viking warrior. Volstagg immediately released her thin yet strong shoulder and flung his hands in the air not willing to pick a match with Sif when she was already this riled up. Lady Sif let out a growl, it was a fearsome snarl she was noted for putting on in the heat battle. It had become an on going legend that her fierce glare could stop a giant's heart. Volstagg could attest to the fact that it was more than just a vicious rumor.

"Yes I do!" the female Einherjar went on casting a furious glance back toward the beautiful prince before her. "Yes I do!" she declared once more shaking her head, looking down and laughing harshly at her best friends ignorance. "Because I know what he is! I know what he is...!" she informed Thor breathlessly as she . Her brown eyes flashed up at him filled with anger. "You chose not to... You chose not to see...you chose to remain ignorant of everything he is... every evil and slimy thing that he really is," Lady Sif looked the crown Prince of Asgard but I will tell you," Sif declared. "He is a viper!" she screamed furiously, Thor watched as the muscles in her throat bulged with the scream. "He is a deceptive serpent," Sif whispered feeling her voice start to shake as she stared into his large and hurt looking blue eyes at the words she had just uttered. She turned away, looked down at the hilt of the dagger in her hand. She could not bear to cause him pain, if only he knew how every time she'd seen him scratched or scathed in battle she wanted to run to his side, how each one of the war scars that tattooed him tawny fleshed pained her to see as they filled her with pride at how strong a brave he was. "He is a cobra, that charms," she finally spoke in a low hushed tone before she brought earthy eyes back to meet Thor's sky blue orbs. "Dancing and twisting," Sif started to move her hand imitating the snake. "Hypnotizing and conniving its way to get our guards down," she went on her arms still slinking in seductive patterns, "Then he strikes!" she snapped opening up the palm of her hand like a venomous cobra would as it attacked its prey. "Why? Why? Do you want to be a victim to this serpent's poison?' she questioned indignantly pointing her hand toward the door that kept Loki at bay.

"He saved our mother Sif," Thor tried to reason.

"You are not certain of that... we are certain that he attacked her though," the Lady Sif was quick to point out.

"Mother said..." Thor began.

"She was in a coma, she could have dreamed the encounter," Sif immediately countered throwing her hands up.

"It could have been an illusion of Loki's," Frandal championed behind the armor draped woman

"A mother knows her son," Thor shot back.

'But perhaps it was another..." Volstagg attempted.

"Another?' Thor questioned. "Another? If it was another than whom? Eir admitted she had already pronounced mother dead and she knew nothing of the flower that mother kept, had she known she would have sought to use its power sooner.

"Lady Dagmar," Volstagg tried to give some explanation other than Lok. He raised a chubby finger as he posed the alternative. "Surely Dagmar knew of the flower studying with Loki for all those years," he hinted.

"Dagmar said it would take an enchanter of great strength to summon the reserves of healing energy left over in a flower that had been dead and dried for more than a millennium," Thor expressed trying to get his friends to see reason. "She said she was not strong enough to do it," the prince stated flatly. His four warrior friends still looked nervous and pensive as Thor pressed passed them and made his way to touch the cold granite door that led to Loki's cell. "I know you say Loki is treacherous..." The mallet weilding prince confessed as he blew out an exasperated breath, "And you're right," he nodded. "And he is," The strong prince swallowed the thickness in his throat, "He is," Prince Thor was forced to confess with a sigh, "But he was not always so and you know that as well. My brother's life hangs in the balance, this could be his last chance..." Thor's sapphire blue eyes looked up imploringly at each of him companions. Frandal heaved a sigh, and Volstagg lowered his light brown eyes in submission to the royal's request. Hogun's face remained firm, he was not one to crack many smiles, but he gave an approving nod. Thor turned once last glance to Sif. She wasn't looking at him and her posture was rigid and on alert. "He is due to face extraction," Thor added craning his neck to see her face, but the warrior maiden tilted her had in an angle so that her features were not to be found.

"He deserves that and worse," she spat. "He deserves death!" she turned to the golden prince of Asgard and proclaimed.

"And that is why I need to see him," Prince Thor expressed as he placed his thick, masculine hand on her slim and toned shoulder. He felt he shoulder lower as he gazed into her earthy colored eyes. There was something in them, something besides the rage and bitterness that she held toward Loki, it was something tender and full of longing, but Thor couldn't quite but his finger on it. None the less it made his female friend drop her firm place and move away from the ironclad door. The golden locked prince inclined his head to her gratefully.

---

Even once pass the door the trek to Loki's actually confine was still a hike. The long tunnel that lead back to the isolated cage was without ventilation and the air, stifling, suffocating and stale. It was hard for the thunder to even breathe in the toxic and noxious fumes that came from the prison. He plodded along shiny gold boots traipsing through sludge and grime.

He finally came to the glowing barrier that held Loki within the small cage. There was no light besides the faint green glow of the magic inhibiting force field wall that held the raven haired man in place. Thor squinted as he peered through the shield. There he saw a man wrapped tight in chains that hung from every part of the ceiling and wall. Manacles braced and bound him, they were enclosed around his ankles, wrist, waist, neck and mouth. He looked like a fly caught in a web an ill-fated creature with no choice but to wait for its end. Loki's head slumped forward as best it could. His neck heavy from the collar he wore and his head weighed down by the iron muzzle cast across his mouth to still his quicksilver tongue.

Thor sighed and girded himself up mentally to slip through the shield and enter Loki's pitiful domain. He pitied his brother, but somehow his friends' words from mere moments before crept through his mind, perhaps he was the fly and Loki the spider who'd laid the dreadful net for him. The handsome blonde exhaled as his hands carefully turned the dial to get the shield to dissipate and allow him access to his brother.

The golden prince tiptoed into the bleak holding chamber. Loki didn't stir or rustle as Thor's heavy boots plopped through the mud and thatch ground that the once prince had to call a floor. Thor was standing right before his brother. Loki was bare-chested; his cream-colored flesh clotted with dirt, and marred with black and blue marks and hideous red welts and scars. It made Thor cringe, his hair still long and bedraggled, unkempt, he knew Loki would be appalled at how mangy he looked. Thor reached his mighty hand out to skim across Loki's brow, he noted how the raven-locked prisoner's forehead furrowed with even the slightest touch, but Loki didn't open his eyes or seem to rally. Thor's warm and pillow like hand came and cradled the younger man's chin and cheek, Loki's face lulled listlessly in the palm of the man who he once considered a brother. The sunlight haired prince couldn't help the deep frown that crawled over his features along with the tears that pricked behind his eyes. Loki looked like a broken doll. He reminded Thor of the puppet theater they had in their playroom as lads. The puppet theater had been initially more of a gift for Loki than for Thor, being that Thor always preferred more rambunctious activities, but initially the large theater set that was a gift from a performing troupe that came to the palace from Alfheim became a source of delight for both princes. They'd practice with their puppets for hours. Loki always gave his older brother the simple hand puppets saying that Thor wasn't sophisticated enough for the more advanced marionette. Thor resented his brother's criticisms and naturally would try his hand at the string puppets. But it would always end badly for the performance dolls. Their strings and wires would get mangled and tangled, too twisted up and full of knots to be anymore use as playthings. Once lively and happy full of amusement and whimsy, now entwined and wrapped too tight to be good for playing again.

Thor pressed the latch on the side of muzzle that kept the contraption fastened to Loki's face. The latch hissed as it was unhinged and the muzzle slipped from around Loki's mouth and down his porcelain neck that was still chained causing him to lean deeper into Thor's touch. Loki's breath came out wheezy and sharp through his chapped, thin lips crusted with dried blood. "Loki," Thor's lips spoke before he processed the sensitive tremble in his voice. He dragged his thumb across Loki's dry flesh.

Loki's eyelids slowly fluttered open as he reacquainted himself with his surroundings. He saw the blonde's visage swim into focus. His piercing green eyes glared up at the son of Odin. His look cold as a viper. He growled as he yanked his chin from resting in Thor's palm. "Loki?" Thor asked cautiously flinching at his brother's enraged reaction to the very sight of him.

"Why are you here?' Loki asked his voice low and dark so that it was barely audible. Loki kept his head lowered but raised his glowing green eyes so that burrowed into Thor's. The bearer of Mjolnir flinched under the incriminating gaze.

"I..I have news," Thor stated.

"Are you simply the town crier that you feel the need to herald news to me," Loki's tongue was biting.

"About Mother," the blonde prince stated simply choosing to ignore his brother's sharp words.

For a moment the ex-prince's eyes bulged, his mouth hung gaping with expectation. Then he closed his eyes shut tight. He bit his ashy lips that drew a sharp lined frown on his face. "Have you come here to give me details of a funeral I shant attend?" the dark-haired prisoner's voice rippled with anger as he closed his eyes, gritted his teeth and balled his dirty hands into tight fist.

"What?" Thor shook his blonde locks baffled. "No Loki," he began.

"Come to tell me how I am foul and unnatural for slaying my mother?" He whispered his voice was shaky and Thor could detect that it wasn't from mere hoarseness. He heard a strange sound emitted from brother. Sniffles? Crying?

"Loki," Thor muttered his voice incredibly tender as he heard the sorrow sounds coming from Loki's scratchy throat, his hand reached up and clasped Loki's bony shoulder-blade. He could feel the way it trembled muscle and bone convulsing with the sobs, "Mother lives," Thor announced as he took a deep breath he offered a slight a hopeful smile

Loki's emerald eyes flickered, the harsh shadows that lined his face momentarily faded, it was so quick that Thor wasn't sure it was there, the faint way that the corners of his mouth twitched as if he was stealing them from turning into a smile. Loki dropped his head and bit his lip. The elder prince ever thought he caught a sigh of relief, but maybe it was just Loki's labored breathing after being muzzled and forced to inhale this stale air for so long. The blonde twisted his head trying to view his brother's shadowy visage, he thought he saw moisture on the pallor of Loki's pale cheeks. "She's awake?' Loki questioned the question sounded dazed and groggy as if Loki was coming out of a dream.

The golden prince nodded, a lump formed in his throat a feelings of overwhelming joy at how his mother had returned to them, rushed back to him. "Yes," Thor nearly exclaimed he was still so overwhelmed with glee about their mother. "It is a miracle! Eir had pronounced mother dead, then she came back to us," Thor explained taking a step closer to the prisoner. Loki's expression remained stoic once he caught the way Thor's blue eyes scanned him "Loki," Thor called him noting that his brother's gaze seemed to sail right through him. "She wishes to see her son," he nudged looking at the ragged bound man before him. A gentle expression playing on the full lips beneath his golden mustache.

"Have you not attended her?" the caged magician inquired smugly. "Go to her then!" he ordered "Why do you waste time here with me in the dungeon, son of Odin and Frigga?" Loki mocked.

Thor paid no heed to the jabs of the slim raven locked waif. "She wishes to see both her sons," Thor went on his voice showing a slight irritation.

"Tell her she has but one," Loki expressed with cold nonchalance as he looked back at the well dressed royal before him.

"ENOUGH!" Thor yelled in Loki's face his voice so loud and commanding that it rattled Loki's bone thin body. "Enough of this, Loki!" the Crown Prince declared cutting through the air with his powerful hand.

Loki chuckled deep in his throat, thin slipped his tongue out quickly to wet, chapped thin lips then allowed his twisted severe smirk to be displayed on his sweaty and grimy face, "What's the matter Thor can't stomach the truth?" the prisoner spat.

"You tell so many lies, you don't know what truth is," Thor responded his voice steady as he hung his head

"I know the truth, Thor," Loki breathed as if inhaling a fresh bouquet, "I know what I am...it is you and this family that have been the liars all along."

"I never lied to you," Thor blurted out an immediate protest as he thumped on the brass breastplate laid across his own chest, before gripping Loki by his bone thin shoulder's and looking into his wild emerald eyes. "and Mother...her love for you has never been a lie," Thor went on entreating the delusional man to see reason.

"I have no mother," Loki simply responded sick smile on his face as he saw how the words coming from his lips kindled his brother's ire. Ah, yes, how he relished it. He loved how shackled and bound as he was he still had the power to wound and maim. "I never did."

"STOP IT!" Thor thundered. "Stop it Loki!" Thor roared once more as his mammoth hands gripped the rusted chain and yanked Loki forward by the neck." I know no mattered what resentment you have toward me, no matter what anger you feel toward our father, I know you can't possibly feel nothing for our mother," Thor went on his hand tight around the brace that kept Loki pinned to the wall by the neck. "For the woman who raised you... fed you, clothed you, read you all those books you so loved before you were old enough to string the words together on your own, kissed every wounded knee you had, came and held you in the night when you were afraid of the dark, supported your magic, went to all those trials and competitions you had, defended you even when you were wrong, sat by your side night and day when you were ill... even up until this point she still believes there is good in you, she still weeps for you...she wants to see you...does that not suit your definition of motherhood?" Thor pressured gazing in to Loki's emerald pupils Loki's eyes flickered and trembled as they met the blue-eyed stare. Thor's eyes were so much like Frigga's everyone always said that Thor was the spitting image of Odin and he was, but his eyes were big and vibrant and blue just like the queens. They were gentle, trusting eyes. Loki thought to look away to turn his head so that he'd not have to gaze into the eyes of his mother any more, but he'd not give into such weakness. He gritted his teeth, growled and kept his vivid emerald irises trained on Thor's. It was a stalemate for several seconds neither blinking, finally the thunderer batted blonde lashes over azure lenses. "I know you don't hate her," Thor finally confess, his shoulders slumped as if he'd just gotten through sound long bout and was trying to catch his breath.

The raven haired prisoner started shaking furiously. His breath hitching and getting ragged."I struck her did I not!" Loki yelled. "Her blood still stains my palms, does it not?" Loki asked a wild look taking hold of his gem like irises. The golden locked prince shook his head as he watched his brother's tantrum. "Does it not?" he continued to demand.

"Loki," Thor whispered.

"DOES IT NOT?" the shackled ex-prince screamed his raspy voice barely able to reach the pitch he wanted it to. He pulled against the fetter that bound him to the slimy wall. He clawed like animal struggling to show the blood stains that marred his hands. Finally, he caught the hem of Thor's sleeve drape and he held on tightly to the fine fabric. It tingled on his finger tips, the texture so soft and rich, he remembered what that felt like, luxury and refinement, now all he felt was the coarse unrefined metal that made in fetters or the scratchy, thin material of the prison garbs that irritated the sensitive areas of his skin. He seethed he wanted to sink his nails into it and tear Thor's garments to nothing but shreds of red mesh. He started to, he sunk his dirty nails into the tunic, it must have hurt, he felt his brother's bulbous muscles flinch, he felt Thor tug away to get away from the harsh grip. "What does that make me, hmm? What?" Loki growled his long nails sinking deeper into Thor's skin, "A savage?" He inquired with crazed fury, "An animal?" he panted. Thor gripped Loki's hand back, flipping the wrist around so he could look at Loki's palm. The positioned his turned the hand in made Loki feel as though Thor would snap his wrist. The slender man gasped. The blue-eyed prince looked curiously at Loki's hand. Studying them. They were so horrendously filthy in comparison to how meticulous Loki had kept himself before. "Like...what...you...see?" Loki panted his torturous question as he allowed a smile to spread over his lips.

Thor's own handsome lips formed a scowl, as he scrutinized the inside of his brother's hand Loki's hands were filthy, mud and dirt were caked there, the lighting in the cell was almost none existent besides the faint glow that came from the magic resistant shield, but still even in the dim lighting Thor though he could make out the could make out the crimson coloring that was left on Loki's knuckles. "Mummy's blood." Loki panted noting Thor's crystal blue eyes didn't break their fixation from his palm. "I did it!" Loki informed his voice so sharp that it forced Thor's blue eyes to look up into his green ones, they were a swirling vortex of confusion and pain. "IdiditIdiditIdidit," Loki blubbered his jade eyes pooling with water as he shook his head. "I'm a monster," he choked.

"You healed her," Thor gently reminded Loki as held Loki's face in place with his mighty hand. His other hand dropped the wrist of Loki's which contained the blood residue and he picked up Loki's left wrist and looked at that hand, he thought he could feel the small fragments of the dried bits of flower petal there.

"I...I...I" Loki stuttered Thor's tender and understanding look unnerved him. "How do you know it wasn't Eir?" Loki asked pulling his chin from Thor's palm.

"Eir pronounced her beyond remedy," Thor explained. "She said mother was beyond her repair. It would take a magic user of tremendous strength to do what even a master healer such as Eir had deemed impossible"

"Lady Sigyn said she saw a figure looming over mother's bedside," Thor pointed out.

"Perhaps she saw a shadow," Loki sneered

"She did, she said the shadow looked like you," Thor pointed into Loki's chest.

Loki tried to toss his head back in mocking laughter to shake his muddied black locks. "And you believe her?' He questioned and chuckled callously at the thought. "Sigyn is a foolish and flighty damsel at best, she is prone to fantasy," Loki reminded his brother with a piteous click of the tongue.

"If it was Sigyn's word alone I may have dismissed it," Thor continued. "But Mother, said you came to her to heal her..." Thor concluded as he allowed a faint smile to grace between his golden mustache and beard.

Loki audibly sucked in a sharp breath, "I..." he started

"Loki," his brother cut him off, "I saw the remnants of the petals, and I know that you would be the only one with enough power to call upon the reserved energy left in a few dried dust particles to actually heal her," Thor said forcefully. "I know that you are the only one who knew where mother kept her book for horticulture," Loki's jade eyes glistened on the verge of tears, he dropped his head not wanting to look into the thunderer's sapphire blue eyes that were so much like Frigga's. "If you did on purpose," Thor began taking in deep breaths, "Why reverse it?" Thor posed.

"Perhaps I knew you'd kill me if she died," Loki automatically shot back his eyes glowing mysterious green orbs.

The blonde prince frowned. Loki may have been insane, but he was not without reason and there seemed to be no question Thor could produce that Loki didn't follow up with some blunt, hardened answered as if he'd already read Thor's thoughts. For a moment Thor thought that the magician in chains was reading his thoughts. Loki would do it sometimes when they were boys, but he hadn't done it in sometime at least if he had Thor was unaware.

"Why do it in secret then?" The thunder shrugged his large than life shoulders."You always liked a good show Loki," Thor posed, "Why not do it for all of Asgard to see, if you just wanted us to spare your life?" Thor kept up his interrogation.

Loki's breathing got ragged he sucked in a wheezy gasp for air, his frantic jade eyes darted across the cell rather than meet Thor's gaze. "I...I...I" he sputtered fumbling for another excuse. "I didn't know if it was going to work," Loki pulled a lie from the air.

"Why were you crying when Father, the guards and myself came and found mother unconscious? If you wanted her dead, Loki why weep for her?" Thor pressed his words were gentle as he watched Loki's green eyes brim over with liquid. The hot streaks ran down the bound magicians dirty face leaving zebra like strikes to cross over his cheeks. "Why do you weep now?' the muscular warrior inquired of the frail ex-prince.

"Because," Loki started to whisper, his voice so low that it was hard to decipher, "She's...my...mother...and I thought...I thought...I'd lost her," he confessed allowing his head to slump forward chin resting on his skeletal, pale chest as if he was exhausted by just saying the words.

"Brother," Thor's sturdy thumb under Loki's trembling angular chin. "Let me help you," Thor implored the waif of a prince as he dropped to his knees. The blonde-haired prince nudged his brother's chin up so that he stared him in the eye and observed all that was there, the confusion, the joy, the sadness, the rage, the fear. "Let me help you, hmmm," Thor asked gently cupping the sides of Loki's thin face. He stroked it in a patronizing gesture as tears escaped from Loki's emerald irises.

"Who says I need you help?' Loki hissed venomously.

"We always helped each other Loki, always protected each other," Thor presented. "I cannot count all the times you helped me."

"Oh I seem to recall a few," Loki spoke with disdain. "Like that time you fell for that Huldre Troll princess, she nearly sacrificed you," Loki reminded the blonde.

"I was unwise, easily fooled by beauty," The prince admitted dropping his head. He lifted it and looked Loki in his glowing green irises, "but my brother," Thor qualified, "he was not so unwittingly charmed, even after I had spoken harshly to him and dismissed him he came back me," Thor confessed somewhat shamefacedly as he reached out a hearty hand to try to stroke Loki's face. The shackled ex-prince swung his head to the side and attempted to bite the prince's bronzed fingers.

"Much good it did him," Loki spoke in third person playing along with Thor's speech patterns. "He should have left you to what folly wrought and taken the throne," he spat.

"What about that time you saved me from the Bilgeschnipe," Thor countered.

"I remember that time. I defended you to the point of exhaustion, I lied in a coma and had a concussion, Odin gave you a parade, proclaimed you an Einherjar, the youngest Asgardian ever to take such a title. He gave you the crest of valor," Loki hissed like a coiling python. "He gave me nothing!" he spat.

"I gave you something!" Thor retorted.

"Worthless piece of ice,"

"A bilgeschnipes tusk!" Thor bellowed. "A ring that symbolized our brotherhood," Thor expressed his voice brimming with emotion as he reached into a pocket hidden in the folds of his cape he pulled out the a small open sphere, the little piece of jewelry glistened a twinkle in the midst of the darkness of this abyss Thor twirled it around. He dropped it in Loki's muddied hand.

The dirty prisoner scoffed, as he looked at the ornament. It was crude craftsmanship, it wasn't even all the way around it was more an oval than a circle, he looked on the inside at the sloppily engraved word. "Einar" Loki bit his chaffed lips, "We are not brothers," He whispered awith a growl. He curled a tight and angry fist around the small ring. He felt like crushing it in his palm, but rather he chose to hurl it at the force-field wall the glowed dimly behind Thor's back. The ring said through the the magic shield. He seethed even that worthless ring was free to leave this wretch confine, but he was bound hand and foot, helpless.

Thor watched as the glistening white ring whizzed pass his nose and shot clean through the glowing green wall. He heard it clunk as it hit the mud. The curplop sound reminding him of the way his heart fell inside his chest."We were then," the thunderer scowled as he swiveled his head trying to find the ring he'd so carefully crafted for his brother. He saw its whiteness glisten from the muddied ground.

"Everytime I ever helped you I regret," his like a venomous snake

"I don't regret helping you," Thor responded.

"You never helped me!"

Prince Thor looked down, "Do you remember when you started to work with your weapons," The blonde prince managed to chuckle. "Do you...do you remember that Loki?" he asked.

"No," Loki responded back quickly, coldly.

Prince Thor frowned. "It was spring and you were 433 (10) I think," the eldest son of Odin concluded

It was a warm spring day in Asgard, the season had nearly broken and it would soon to be summer. It was that time of year again when the youngsters who attended the Primary Academy got to begin their weapons training. It was always a highlight of the year for the young Viking boys and girls to begin to take up combat. Combat was essential to the way of the life f the Aesir everyone was expected to study weaponry and the art of war. All children of the age of 500 years (10) were set for sparring challenges to begin training for their first weapons. Even the most lowly of peasant farmers, were expected to know how to use sword and shield to defend their homes from invasion.

Prince Thor had thought to pay his younger brother, Prince Loki a surprise visit to see how his first day went. Loki had been excited about it when they left from the palace this morning. Normally Thor and Loki met at the gate that separated the Primary Academy from the Royal Academy where the older children of nobility attended for the their schooling.

The blonde prince quickly arrived at the schoolhouse gymnasium. It was an opulent looking structure made of white limestone and silver. It had only been a few years since he had moved on from the stomping grounds but he remembered the glory days that had come to him in this gymnasium. It was here, where he'd had his first sparring match. He'd rapidly progressed pass facing boys in his own age range and he was fit to spar against older lads. He'd faced Sif's brother Leif and broken his record. Leif had never been fond of the golden-prince of Asgard but after the day Thor broke his record they'd nearly become mortal enemies. Thor laughed to himself as he though of Sif older brother boast and bragging about his skill but when it came time for a true sparring match the brunette teenager couldn't hold a candle to young Prince Thor and the way he could wield instruments of war.

Thor shook himself from such musings. Remembering that he was there to encourage Loki. He wondered what weapon Loki had chosen to be his first weapon to master. Thor tried to get into the arena, but the gymnasium doors were locked. No doubt the sparring and training had run late for the day because the younger students were so excited to finally be granted real tools to take home and begin to learn how to fight with. The blue-eyed son of Odin waited rather impatiently for the silver doors of the arena to open and for the 500-year-old children to come from the building. He was hungry, schooling always left him famished. He paced about on the outside of the arena restlessly trying to control his growling. Finally, after what seemed like hours which in reality could have been only ten minutes the silver doors of the training arena sprang open. Children eagerly bust forth from behind the sterling entrance ways. They all came out bursting with giggles and excited chatter. Young boys scampered by with Prince Thor waving their newly acquired battle axes, clubs, and blades. Most of the weapons had been blunted and dulled for safe use, but they were no less real, made of real metal: iron and steel and no less capable of producing damage if one was struck by them. Some girls came out with small lightweight sabers and bows and arrows, more children scampered by with daggers and whips. They were pushing shoving teasing one another and comparing their instruments.

Thor's wide blue eyes eagerly awaited to catch glimpse of his little brother after this proud moment. It was his first official step in becoming a warrior of Asgard. The elder prince watched intently as one by one lad and young maiden raced from the inside of the arena, he watched for Loki, but the numbers started to dwindle. Fewer children began exiting the building until it was only a few children remained darting out anxiously. Thor waited by the main entrance for a few minutes longer. He scratched his thick blonde-haired head as his leaned on one of the strong limestone columns that held up the regal looking edifice. Where was Loki all the other children had left? Thor peered his head inside the arena but the arena was empty and dark by now. The young thunderer started to walk through the gymnasium and back to the actual schoolhouse building. Loki loved his studies, perhaps he'd gone back into the academy to talk to one of the tutors or rather maybe he'd taken to the library to take time for his own personal study being that the sparring and weapon selection process no doubt took away a few hours of academic instruction. Thor shook his head in amusement a smile dancing across his rounded golden features as he thought of how his scholarly little brother would not dream of missing one moment to go over facts and figures or reading of a scroll.

Just as Thor was about the go back and retrieve his brother from some tiny nook where his was nestled down with a good book, he caught glimpse out of the corner of his eye a hooded, slim green figure slinking from behind the back entrance of the gymnasium and across the front lawn. "Loki!" Thor called enthusiastically to the figure cloaked in green slinking through shadows and behind the trees. "Loki!" the bigger blonde boy continued as he waved his brother over. Loki cringed upon hearing Thor shout his name once more. He pulled the hood of his green cape down over his face tighter. Before he could start to walk away he felt his older brother's strong firm hand come and wrap tightly around his bony shoulder. "Hey!" Thor called once he grabbed him pulling him back toward himself. "I was just about to go look for you," the oldest son of Odin explained to the younger.

"Why?" Loki immediately remarked curtly his voice sounding somewhat hoarse as he kept his head down and hood up. "We always meet at the gate anyway," the slim built prince replied.

"I know but I had snuck out of glass early to you in your first sparring event," Thor added happy grin flashing across his face as he gave the thin raven locked boy a playful punch on his slender arms.

Loki winced as he felt the mild blow from his 13 year old equivalent brother. "Y-you saw?" Loki asked anxiously barely able to make his green eyed gaze fall on his older brother.

"No," Thor mumbled with agitation, "The doors were locked," he expressed blowing his long blonde strands from his face and pointing his thumb toward the silver door structures. "Anyway I getting pretty worried almost everyone was gone and you still hadn't come out," Thor continued scratching the back of his neck. Thor turned back around only to find Loki walking off head down and cape drawn tight round him as if he was trying conceal himself. "Loki?" Thor turned back around spinning to the side wondering where his emerald eyes sibling had gone. "Loki!" he yelled dashing up behind him still laughing. "Loki will you wait up a minute?" Thor called sprinting as he ran behind his brother. The ebony coiffed prince halted and blew an exasperated breath out his mouth as his heard the blonde's thunderous footfalls pound behind him on the path. "Did you here me talking to you back there?" Thor asked in a pretend sort of huffiness as he put his hands on his hips and protested.

"Well you know how it is brother, sometimes I just have to tune you out," Loki replied with a tongue sharp as flint.

Prince Thor scowled at the blow. "What wrong with you?" Thor asked curling his lip at Loki's attitude.

"Nothing," the younger prince immediately snapped turning to face his brother. He nearly growled as he looked up at Thor, but still his face was cloaked and obscured from full view. The bigger child flinched at Loki's harsh reaction. His face falling into a frown like a simpering mongrel who's just been kicked by its owner after so happily coming to green him. The young magician pulled his outer cloak around him even more closer. "Nothing," the younger son of Odin replied correcting his tone. "Nothing," he breathed bringing skinny fingers to touch the bridge of his nose. "Sorry," he apologized quickly. "I'm...I'm just tired," he reasoned.

Thor beamed back a sunlit grin. "No doubt," he immediately agreed, "after a long day of your first weapons class," the prince with the azure pupils winked. Loki didn't respond he merely hung his head forward deeper. "Any way how'd it go?" Thor questioned giddily? Smiling fondly down at his younger sibling.

"Fine," Loki gave a curt answer.

"Fine? Fine just fine? Loki this is you weapon choosing and training day!" Thor reminded his little brother. "It is your first step in becoming a warrior of Asgard, the greatest day of your life," Thor insisted.

"Greatest day of my life?" Loki questioned rolling his eyes. "What about my wedding day?" Loki shot back.

"Your wedding day?" Thor scratched his head in complete confusion not understanding how the day you plant your lips of a woman in public could ever compare to the day when you first get to feel the might o steel and armor clashing ant your command. "I thought you didn't fancy anyone?' Thor added immediately, loving the opportunities he had to tease his shy sibling about being attracted to the opposite sex. If ever he mentioned it Loki's porcelain skin would flash red as a tomato.

"I don't!" Loki immediately shouted his could feel his cheeks flushing but luckily the large hood that he had pulled over his head kept his crimson colored cheeks from being noticed by his taunting older brother. "Anyway that's besides the point," Loki answered sounding flustered.

Thor guffawed for a minute at his brother's expense, then composed himself noting that Loki was starting to walk away again. "You're right it is," the teenaged prince responded slowly doing his best to contain the fits of laughter that were ever eager to escape him. "So anyway what weapon did you chose, huh?" Thor inquired with great interest as the pair started walking down the path. "please don't tell me you tried to pick battle-axe," Thor nearly begged. "Loki you are far to frail for that," Thor pointed out giving his brother a quick blow to shoulder and smiling. "You chose sword like me...didn't you...didn't you?" The older child pestered.

"yes," Loki's voice came out as a ripple as they started to near the bed near the stables.

"Well where is it?" Thor asked looking around. Loki only had the small satchel which her always carried to school for his book with him he had no newly acquired sheave for a saber.

"Can we just head home Thor I'm hungry," he asked.

"You're hungry?' Thor threw his head back and laughed. "I know you had your weapons training today Loki, but I'm the one starving. I could eat a whole bilgeschnipe," the older lad insisted. He laughed taking the lead of his brother. They walked on for a minute Thor still laughing and talking about all the foods he was going to eat while Loki shuffled along behind. "Loki?" Thor finally asked to break his brother's silence, "Why do you have on your cloak, it's a warm day Loki, you look ridiculous walking around with that heavy cape and hood," the young thunderer informed.

"I'm cold,"

"Cold? Cold!" Thor roared with laughter once more, "Loki it's nearly summer, are you sick?' Thor inquired with more concern. The thirteen year old-looking prince of Asgard stopped marching a head of his younger brother allowing their paces to align. He looked on the younger child with concern, reaching out thick hands that were already proficient with blade and lance to stroke across Loki's normally cool forehead. Loki's slim hands blocked his brother from the affectionate gesture.

"No I'm not sick," the younger child confirmed pushing Thor's hand back down by his side and stomping a head of the blonde. Thor plodded behind his younger brother only to notice Loki freeze in his tracks when they came across a group of boy who were in Loki's classes. The boys were talking and playing with their weapons under the large and shady sycamore tree that grew in the center of the grounds.

"Ha-ha- take that and that," One burly brown skin lad called as he swung his newly acquired blade at his friend who tried to defend himself with a shield. The brown skin boys moves were unrehearsed, but it was clear that he had a nature talent and poise when wielding the sword. The dirty blonde boy cowered behind his shield doing his best to fend off the attack. "I'll smite you yet foe," The chocolate hued youth played as he crashed his blunted blade against the strong metal of the shield. The darker skinned boy managed to bring the taller and bulkier boy who had held the shield to his knees. He humbled the boy until he was down on the dirt leaving grass stains of his school uniform trousers.

Another lad among the four soon joined in the game, "That was a pretty good imitation of Lord Theed in arena," a dusty haired strong-looking boy explained as he pushed himself up from resting on the trunk of the tree. 'Now I've got one," the child snapped his fingers and wiped his palm along the sides of his tunics and britches. He unsheaved his sword that had dangled by his side he pulled it out and immediately fumbled with the hilt dropping it on the ground. The other three boys who were around him broke out into fits of laughter. The dusty haired child attempted to pick up his weapon but couldn't seem to lift it off the ground. When he finally did he spun around with it wildly, tottering to the side and nearly falling over as the sword appeared to be to heavy for him. Thor watched with amusement at the younger children display.

"Ha," the older blonde boy pointed at them, "This boy is pathetic," he whispered to Loki as he watched the young man stumble about. One of the other boys who he had played with came up and kicked him in the seat of the pants causing the boy to trip and fall over flat on his face. His friends rolled on the lawn kicking their feet in the air with belly busting raucous cries of hysteria.

Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness," the plumpest of them sucked in air gasping for breath from laughing so hard, "That...that...that was perfect," he expressed exhaling deeply as he tried to pull himself up off the ground and into an upright sitting position. "That...that was great," he told the dusty haired boy who was taking bows in front of his 3 friends.

"That was just like Prince Loki this afternoon," another one announced pointing.

Thor's eyes went wide when he heard those words, his face falling into an open mouth grimace. "Loki what are they talking about?" He started to demand of his younger brother turning to him for an answer only to find Loki sprinting off in front of him. "Loki! Wait!" the thirteen year old-looking prince of Asgard threw his hand out and started to call toward his little brother, who was fleeing the scene of his mockery. Thor growled like a protective guard dog as he stalked over to the chuckling younger boys under the sycamore tree.

"I'm so glad you reported his cheating ways to the training coach," the boy with the sword remarked to the dusty haired youth,

"Ha!" the dusty haired boy laughed back, "I had to," he announced. "Like Loki could ever actually beat me," the child boasted.

"As if that little trickster could ever beat anybody in a fair fight," The plumpest child continued.

"He's such a little coward," the dark-skinned boy teased.

"You there!" Thor's strong voice roared as his thick and already muscle forming silhouette loomed over the younger children making them jump.

The four boys immediately sprang to their feet nervously. Thor could hear the chattering teeth of the nervous youngster as they stood before the golden prince. "Prince Thor!" they gasped huddling behind one another.

"What did you say about my brother?" Thor demanded his golden eyebrows knitting together as he scrutinized the bunch of lads. They were a motley crew at best. Though they may have been bestowed with newly appointed weapons and shields Prince Thor was more than confident he could best them all with one hands tied behind his back and maybe blindfolded as well.

"What...uh...ummmm...nothing...nothing..." they mumbled simultaneously.

The blonde-haired son of Odin quickly grew annoyed with the stammering of the ten-year old-looking Asgardian boys. Thor reached out his hand and snatched the plumpest of the boys by the collar of his tunic he hoisted the hefty child off of the ground and dragged him through the air to himself. The big lad trembled thinking that the thunderous crown prince would bring his strong hands to strike him in the face. "What did you say about my brother?" he growled the question, leaning his face into the plumper child's face whose feet dangled in the air.

"I...I...I...I didn't say anything," the portly noble's son stammered. He attempted to turn his head around and point at the culprit but the tight grip that Thor held on the collar of his tunic pinned his neck in one position.

"One of you called him a coward," Thor eyed each lad harshly. His eye landed on the dark-skinned child.

"It wasn't me! It wasn't me," the brown boy responded instantly throwing his hands up in a surrender, "it wasn't me, your highness...It...it...it was Soren," he immediately threw his index finger back and pointed to the dusty haired tawny boy.

Thor dropped the chubby child like a sack of potatoes landing the chunky built Viking boy flat on his bottom before he marched over to young Soren. He came toe to toe with the dusty blonde boy, with tawny skin. Thor stood nearly a foot over the other child. Soren held his ground but swallowed deeply as the strong built golden-haired royal leaned over him. "You dare call the son of Odin a coward?" Thor accused. "Speak up!" Thor challenged. "You were so bold before," he reminded the younger lad.

"I call it as I see it," Soren barked back balling up thin fist by his side before the young thunderer.

"Soren," the lankier dirty blonde called.

"No, I'll speak," Soren shooed away the caution of his friend. "Yes, I called him a coward, because that's what he is. cHe was using his magic the time making us think that he could actually fight, but take the magi away and he couldn't even pick up a blade. Some prince of Asgard he is," Soren added defiantly staring into the prince's deep blue eyes.

"And what of you, huh?" Thor arched a sun colored eyebrow at the Soren. "You're so good?" he inquired his voice low and and nearly feral with defensiveness. "So handy with a blade, huh," he egged on hitting Soren in the chest and causing the dusty haired Viking child to stagger backward. "Come on," Thor smiled as he pulled out his own finely crafted sword. "How bout it, you and me can spar in arena tomorrow," the blonde proposed as he carefully maneuvered his weapon easily flipping the blade from his right hand to his left and slashing and parrying and thrusting with the saber. "Or better yet let's have a go at it right now," the Crown Prince pressed, he raised his sharped blade at Soren's chin. He wiggled his eyebrows quickly smug smile etched across his sunlit face. "Hmm?" Thor inquired. Soren's defiant stance soon faltered, his head's cocky position soon fell and his gaze didn't hold its stare into the prince's eyes he dropped them and looked at his shoes. Thor snorted as he put his sword back. "Like I thought, my brother's no coward! Did he not face those who challenged him?" Thor gave the dusty mopped boy a shove and watched as Soren tripped over a protruding root of the sycamore tree. Thor hovered over Soren, who was sprawled out on his back. Thor stepped in between his spread legs."The coward is you," the young thunderer announced before stepping over the dusty haired boy and going after his brother.

Loki had dashed to the stables, where he busied himself trying to free Luna, his winged mare from his stall. He untied her reins and of her bit that had been tied to a post. "Here, you go girl," Loki said quietly as he reached under his thick evergreen cloak and pulled at a juicy, shiny looking red able. Loki managed to crack a slither of a smile from underneath the long hood of his cape as him emerald eyes watched his horse gratefully gobbled at the much desired fruit. "At least you appreciate my magic," the youngest prince of Asgard whispered as his stroked Luna's black velvet muzzle. Luna nestled her soft nose against Loki's palm then moved her snout the brush against his face. Loki winced jerking back as he nose rubbed gently near his right eye. He hissed the spot was tender and he flung back his hood as he massaged the sore spot.

"Loki!" Thor bellowed coming in behind his brother. The stable was empty besides Loki and Luna all the other horses and riders had vacated the grounds for the day. The raven-locked prince gasped and quickly flung his hood back over his head. "Loki!" Thor continued calling his brother's name until he came right behind the gangly youth. His strong hand weighing down on his brother's shoulder. "Loki, what was all that about back there?" Thor demanded.

Prince Loki pulled his bony shoulder from out of the blonde-haired prince's clasp and went on tending Luna, he struggled carrying the heavy leather saddle off of the hanger in the back of the stall to Luna's back. "What happened back where?" Loki asked nonchalantly finally managing to place the saddle on Luna's sturdy ebony furred back.

"When you broke out running! Why'd you run away like that?" the blue-eyed teenager Asgardian demanded.

"I'm just anxious to get home, I told you I'm tired and hungry Thor," Loki explained lifting his long thin leg up to mount Luna. He was soon straddling the midnight colored Pegasus pony. He clicked his silver tongue and gave a light, swift kick to Luna's haunches getting the horse ready to ride. Luna started to happily trot from the stable stall only to have Thor grab at the reins and halt the stallion.

"Liar!" Thor automatically accused pulling down hard on the horse's bridle. Luna reared and grunted as the gesture cause her pain.

"Stop!" Loki protested slapping at his older brother's hands to get him to release Luna's bridle. He jumped down off of the horses back, "You're hurting her!" he protested.

"You cheated today in weapons assignment?" Thor asked with disgust.

'I didn't cheat!" the slighter built prince of Asgard insisted stomping his foot in the hay scattered across the floor of the large barn.

"You used magic today, during your sparring rounds didn't you? that's cheating!" Thor condemned pointing his an accusatory thick finger at his brother long, sharp nose that was the only part of his face revealed beneath the emerald hood that shadowed his face.

"Magic is a weapon!" he insisted taking deep sharp breaths and trying to compose himself.

"Loki your little smoke and mirror tricks aren't warfare! That's not real combat how many times do I have to tell you!" Thor ranted back tossing his hands into the air.

'Magic is the most powerful type of warfare there is," the sable locked prince protested back. "And it takes more skill than wielding some blade!" he insisted.

"You take that back!" the older sibling demanded of the younger. "You have disgraced our entire family!" Thor carried on. Loki stiffened at his brothers harsh comment. "You were supposed to pick a weapon today, and now you have nothing to show for it. A real warrior uses blade and ax, sword and shield, not illusions!" Thor scolded.

"Why?' The jade eyed little magician questioned. "Because it involves my brain?" He demanded sniffling trying to keep the tears from running down his face. He couldn't hold it though. Thor had said he'd disgraced their family. Thor was ashamed of him and no doubt father would be, he was an embarrassment. He'd looked so forward to this day. Father and mother had beamed with pride when Thor came home nearly a century ago carrying his appointed sword. Father had shown Thor his first sword and the two of them instantly began sparring in the palace training arena, Loki had looked so forward to enjoying the same magic moment with his royal parent, but instead, he would return to the palace empty-handed. Once again he's only stand in Thor's shadow. "Are you crying?" Thor asked with a disgusted snarl as he heard the muffled whimpers from under the emerald cloak.

"N-n-no," Loki stammered bringing his milky colored fingers to rub under his pointed nose.

"Ugh," Thor grunted, "Can you take off that cape my goodness I'm starting to sweat just looking at you," Thor expressed with annoyance as he flicked back the younger prince's hood. Loki winced as the light stung his eyes. The proud warrior prince of Asgard sucked in a sharp breath as his caught of glance of his brother face. Loki's normally flawless porcelain skin was now covered in scratches, bumps and bruises. "Loki?" Thor mumbled looking at his little brother's marred façade. Small red scratches and bruises were scattered across Loki's cheeks and forehead, but they were mild in comparison to the blaring, shiny, purple and blue, battering that had come to claim Loki's right eye. The black eye was large, swollen and blistering nearly causing Loki's eye to be swollen shut. "Loki. My goodness," Thor said wincing as he stared at the horrible battering on the green-eyed lads face. He reached out his hand instinctively gingerly allowing his thumb to graze now purple hued flesh. The thinner boy twist away as even the slightest touch to the inflamed area was excruciating.

"Let it be,'" Loki instructed pulling from Thor.

"Well my goodness, Loki, what did you do just stand there and let them punch you in the face?"

"No!" Loki balked his voice quivering and the rest of his body following suit. "I tried...I tried...I tried," the green-eyed boy continued water unabashedly leaking down his black and blue skin around the eye. "I did I tried every weapon...I tried to fight," Loki blubbered tears streaming down his injured face. "But I wasn't good at it...I kept getting beat," he confessed. "So I used magic and I then everyone became upset and they told and then the instructor..." Loki became too choked up to continue.

"Loki it's alright," Thor expressed to his distressed baby brother, he reached out his arms trying to bring the trembling black-coiffed prince into a protective embrace. 'it's alright," he insisted wrapping sturdy fingers around Loki's forearms and engulfing him in a hug. Loki flopped his head against his brother's chest finally allowing his whimpering to calm.

"I'm...I'm just no good at it," the child expressed to his big brother, "Why...why can't I just use magic?' Loki questioned looking up at his handsome older brother. His left green eye glistened as the liquid still lingered there as he gazed back with hopefulness, his right eye squinting to open it because of the pain that the black eye had induced.

"Shh," the elder prince comforted rubbing soothing circles across Loki's shaking back. "There must be some weapon you'll be good Loki," Thor seemed to puzzle aloud. Loki looked back at his big brother hurt and betrayal swirling around emerald eyes as he backed away from Thor shaking his head.

"Later that same night," Thor went on, pulling Loki out of his vivid reminiscing of that day long ago. Loki grunted finally bringing his emerald eyes from looking at the nasty big insect that scuttled across the floor of his cell and back to looking into Thor's sparkling blue eyes. "I came into your room and woke you up in the middle of the night and took you to the arena and we worked with staffs,"

"You worked me all night!" Loki added.

Thor chuckled as he remembered him and Loki working with the staffs most of the night. He saw himself shuffling Loki's feet and helping him get in the proper stance. He barked out commands telling his brother to stand firm and not falter. 'You were good with them though," the well dressed prince responded and winked. "You caught on quick," he added. "You were always a fast learner," Thor continued. The golden locked son of Odin smiled, "You were so exhausted after our little training session you fell asleep on the gymnasium floor," Thor pointed out golden grin plastered on his face.

"We practiced until the crack of dawn,"

"You slept through lessons the next day," Thor reminded Loki crossing his bulky arms over his equally massive chest and giving a shy and hopeful glance at one he'd once been so close to. "Then you were angry at me for not waking you up in time for your classes," the blonde prince added letting out a hearty chuckle. "You always hated missing school," he went on. He looked at the bound man with the matted midnight tresses, but the expression Loki wore was impassive. Thor snorted but his facial muscles still held a faint smile. He took long strides as he marched around the containment chamber. Loki, like a cagey, hungry beast followed Thor fluttering red cape with intense emerald eyes. "We trained all week, and we threw in daggers...you were really good at those too, but we decided that it would be most impressive for you to use your staff when you challenged Soren at the end of week to a sparring match in front of the primary academy,"

Thor lunged with his sword, swing it was a wild sort of precision, Loki blocked the powerful blow of the blade bringing his iron staff up and holding it firmly between both hands as Thor had instructed him earlier in the week. "Good," Thor encouraged panting. There round had lasted longer the youthful thunderer had intended. Loki was blocking most of the elder prince's moves and he was getting hits in where Thor had least expected it. He'd taken the end of the rod and struck Thor with a powerful blow to the gut. Then while Thor had been doubled over Loki rounded off and hit him in the back. Thor had nearly fallen over on his face on the mats, but he caught himself and nicked Loki's arm. Thor switched hands and slashed at Loki again only to have Loki completely dodged the blade leaning back and almost touching the floor with his the back of his head. Loki lost his balance with the advanced back bend he ended up falling flat on his back. Thor chuckled as he marched over to his fallen brother willing to offer him a hand to get up. As Thor dropped his defenses to give a hand Loki swung his staff rapidly like a baton bring it down and sweeping Thor off of his feet. The sturdier built blonde lad crashed on to the ground. The raven-haired prince leaped to his feet and loomed over Thor. He planted the edge of his staff on Thor's strong chest.

A wide grin spread under thin pink lips, "I win!" Loki declared panting breathlessly with excitement amazed that he'd been able to make such an impressive move, without magic against his big brother. "I win?" Loki got bright-eyed as the realization dawned on. Thor slowly crept up to a sitting position rubbing the lower part of his back as he blew and exasperated out the side of his mouth, which made the long, sweaty, gold locks that were in his face flip back. Then he beamed back at his brother.

"You did it! You did it!" Thor celebrated leaping up and tossing his sword to the side. He high-fived his younger sibling who was bursting with excitement over his new-found victory.

"I did it! I did it," Loki rambled his bright jade eyes filled with glee, "I did it!" the midnight haired boy exclaimed his emerald eyes big as the moon as he jumped in the air. "I can't believe I beat you. You!" he put his hand to his forehead still overwhelmed with the idea. "Without any magic!" the younger prince of Asgard continued to proclaim.

"Yes!" Thor declared back with equal energy clapping his brother on the back. "So now your ready to face Soren," Thor insisted.

Loki's broad smile faltered, his staff dropped hanging limply is his pale little hands. "I..." the green-eyed prince hesitated.

"You have to Loki," Thor admonished noticing that Loki seemed somewhat uneasy with the suggestion. "You have to...for our family honor," Thor continued.

"Thor...I...I can't," Loki bowed his dark-haired head in shame.

"What? Loki no you cannot back out of this." Thor nearly scolded.

"Did you let me win?" Loki demanded the question was harsh and he narrowed his green eyes searching his older brother's azure pupils for truth.

"What? Loki no," Thor flagged off his brother's accusation. "Do you think I would ever willingly lose? To you," Thor threw in with a cheeky smile for good measure. His little brother looked up shooting him piercing glare. The thirteen year old-looking Asgardian prince put his hands up in his own defense. "No, that's not what I meant...I...I...you're ready, you're really ready," Thor encouraged gripping the frailer built child by the shoulders and giving him an affectionate shake, "truly." the blonde-haired son of Odin pledge sinking his head in a bow.

The second son of Odin's slender pointed lips curled up in sly little smile as he looked back at his strong and proud brother. "But what if I lose?" he asked nervously fiddling with his fingers.

Prince Thor pursed his fleshy lips, he brought his thumb to rub under Loki's dropped chin, he nudged it up forcing his emerald eyed brother to look at him. There was still some discoloration along Loki's right eye, but much of the swelling had gone down. "You're a son of Odin," Thor announced to the younger child as he squared his shoulder and watched as Loki mirrored him. "You are a prince of Asgard," He confirmed his voice almost sounding as regal as their father's. "You are my brother," Thor declared bringing two meaty fist to thump Loki on his skinny chest. "You won't lose," Thor told him looking him dead in the eyes. "Do your best," the elder prince instructed, tapping Loki on his pointed nose making the younger lad crack a smile. "Fight hard. I'll be in the stands cheering for you," the older brother said giving his younger sibling an affectionate tap on the side of the neck. It was a common gesture of familial love throughout Asgard. Thor winked at Loki before pulling away and going to retrieve his sword which his had flung across the room moments before.

"Thor," Loki scampered over behind his older sibling. Thor stood up straight and sheaved his blade. "Th-thanks," Loki breathed and grinned a full mouth grin at the blonde boy who stood about a foot over him. "Thank you for helping me," he finished dipping his head in a sign of respect. He so greatly admired his big brother. "You're the best," the fair skinned child beamed brightly at the older lad.

"Of course I am," The crown prince of the realm replied smugly at first, running bronzed fingers through silky gold tresses. He looked back down at Loki, whose earnest expression somewhat faltered. "Come, here" the elder son of Odin called and Thor automatically wrapped already muscle forming arms around Loki's lank frame pulling him close to ruffle his ebony mane and give him a noogie. Loki protested flailing about wildly hating when his appearance was anything less than pristine, "any time, little brother, any time?" Thor let out a heart laugh release Prince Loki who looked disheveled and disoriented after having Thor mighty first grind into his scalp. Despite his annoyance Loki could help but return Thor laughter with a few joys guffaws himself. "Come on," Thor began, "Let's get you ready for this afternoon's tournament!" he declared gripping Loki by his thin wrist and dragging him from the arena.

" And what?" Loki shot green eyes glaring up at Thor tearing the blonde from his musings. Thor batted back bewildered blue eyes at his snarling sibling. "You want a reward?" he asked with mockery, "Another metal of honor to hang on your tunics? Another crest of valor to dangle about your neck?" the silvertongued prisoner taunted. Thor's eyebrows knitted together puzzled by Loki's reaction. "What shall we inscribe upon your plaque now, Thor?" He questioned his word were flint daggers that cut. "Oohh such a good brother always rising up to protect his weak little sibling," Loki jeered his eyes gleaming icily at Odin's pride and joy.

"Loki," Thor whispered shaking his head. "Brother, I want to help..."

"I DON'T NEED YOUR HELP!" Loki roared pulling and tearing against his fetters making them shake with such ferocity that Thor feared he would dislocate his shoulders and hips. "I am not the sniveling little shadow who once idolized you before," he barked like a rabid hound foaming at the mouth. The Crown Prince of the golden realm looked on his brother piteously as the a spittle dribbled down his narrow and nasty dirtied chin. Loki started laughing wildly, cackling with manic hysteria. His riotous laughter made his gaunt body shake and rattle.

Thor's vivid blue eyes grew wide with horror as he watched Loki's crazed fit. "Loki!" he said gripping his shoulders firmly and shaking him. "Loki," he growled as he watched Loki's face finally regain composure, "There are only two options for you," the mighty prince declared holding up two strong as tree trunk fingers. "Death and Extraction," he explained. "Do you want to die?" Thor erupted. "Do you!" He screamed at Loki his breath hitching and his sapphire eyes welling with tears.

Loki composed his cackling for only a moment, he licked his tongue over his thin, ashy lips and smirked cruelly, "Do you want me dead," he asked with a quiet, taunting intensity. His calculating jade eyes never leaving Thor's.

"What?" Thor asked back jerking as he heard the question. "Loki no," he entreated his massive hands holding his brother's slender face firmly. The great warrior couldn't stop the thick, hot tear from running down his grizzly cheek, "I want to spare your life, brother," Thor explained with a sniffle, "But you have to give me something. Give me some testimony to tell to the council. Tell me what happened when you fell into the void?" Thor encouraged only to see Loki's face get hard and stern. "Tell me about Thanos," Thor nearly begged still on his knees. He felt his brother's bony body shudder thin get rigid. Loki's green eyes wide and petrified. "Loki," Thor whispered, trying to call him back from the trance of terror that washed over sharp features. "Please, I want to protect you," Thor continued his grasp on Loki's shoulders became less controlling and more comforting. "Tell me who he is," Thor persisted taking a firm clasp on Loki's skin and bone shoulder-blade. Loki started to sputter a dry, cracked and hollow laugh, he shook his head and dropped it, letting mud caked, soggy, straggly long ebony locks fall messily over his face. "Loki," Thor called in earnest, keeping the firm grip on his brother, "Loki," he shook him slightly as if to break him from his mad cackling

Loki raised his head sharply, instantly his deranged chortles fell silent, Thor heard a feral rumble escape from inside the porcelain throat. The mallet wielder's mighty hand flew from the pale skinned prisoner's begrimed, tattered tunic as if he had touched a hot skillet. Loki glared at him furious venom bubbling through jade pupils. "You wish to know who he is? You wish to know who he is," the liesmith hissed.

"I wish to help you, Loki, tell me so I can do that," Thor expressed with a sigh and he forced his bright cerulean eyes to gaze into Loki's tainted stare. Looking into Loki's eyes was a painful process for where once playful mischief, and vast knowledge, along with sensibility and compassion were housed now only anger and malice seemed to shine through.

"Ahhh the one story your father did not tell you, Odinson," Loki mocked, his slim chafed lips curling up. "On legend in the vault kept so secret," Loki clicked his tongue. "A story even to grim for his strong, little prince to bear," the green-eyed prisoner teased.

"What are you talking about?' Thor asked with annoyance in his tone. He grabbed his forehead trying to stave off the headache.

"What indeed?" Loki responded slyly.

"Enough!" Thor thundered tired off his brother's taunts.

"So thirsty for knowledge, Thunderer?" Loki arched his inky eyebrows, "well that would be a first," he enunciated crisply. " Let me give you a sip of the knowledge you so crave," the once prince sneered. He pulled against the chains leaning as close as he could toward the blonde prince's ear. "he is to be feared, he is termination and destruction, a destroyer of worlds," Loki panted. "He is Death's Consort," Loki whispered and when Thor looked up at him with horror and confusion written plainly across his visage he watched Loki snort with a giddy sort of laughter. The Crown Prince of Asgard's gut twisted and he heard his brother's words, but despite Loki's sickening guffaws when Thor looked up and into emerald irises he didn't see joyful pleasure, he saw fear Lying beneath the mask of insanity he noted the way his eyes trembled, the way his pupils were dilated and the way his eyes darted back and forth with nervousness.

"Tell me what he did to you Loki...did...did he force you? Did he make you do those terrible things on Midgard?" Thor implored his green-eyed sibling.

"Everything I have done...I have done because it is what I want it," Loki stated sternly looking at his puppy dog trusting brother.

The confession cut, Thor blinked as he was a child who had gotten struck and he didn't understand why. "Then tell me what he has done to you, to make my once kind and wise brother become this...this...this" Thor sputtered looking for the right word.

"Come on Thor,' Loki rumbled from a deep place, "Say it!" he taunted. "SAY IT!" He shouted in outrage leaving his self winded and his unused vocal chords aching. "Say like everyone else has," Loki whispered, his breathing now wheezy and uneven as his piercing gem colored eyes peered the his dirty unkempt black locks that had now fallen in his face. Loki attempted to push the sweaty mud caked strands aside using his tongue to part them. Prince Thor felt his blood run cold as he looked on Loki he looked like no more that a chained dragon, poised and ready to strike and when given liberty Thor had no doubt his would bite. "I know you think it," Loki continued to his pulling on his binds. "But you don't say it. Why? Say it and make it real!" he ordered. "Make it real," he begged his tone trembling.

Thor stooped down next to Loki. "You are not a monster, Loki" Thor confessed.

"Yes I am...yes I am!" Loki panted defiantly shaking his head. "I tried to kill your mother..." he insisted.

"You healed your own mother," Thor immediately countered back standing up and pointing in Loki's face. "Monsters don't do such acts of charity," Thor reminded Loki as he fixed his tunics and cape. "They just destroy," he admitted looking down at Loki.

'You're an idiot!" Loki snapped showing his teeth. 'If I were at liberty I would destroy you and this entire house," he railed. "Set me free and I'll show you, I'll show you!" he hollered struggling and yanking at his own fetters. "I'll show you what I am and you will run and cower in my despicable presence!" he hollered.

The blonde prince closed his gorgeous blue jewel toned eyes, not wanting to watch Loki tirade and carry on like some madman. Thor breathed starting to turn on his heels and leave the cell. "You make things hard on yourself, Loki," Thor whispered placing his palm to the magic reinforced shield and watching it dissolve to allow him to exit the stuffy quarter where Loki was held. Thor walked away his strides confident and even, in the background he heard Loki roaring with insane laughter. It was painful to hear. Each cackle and twisted giggle revealing how truly ill Loki had become. Thor thought of running because he couldn't take the sound anymore, he couldn't take the hysteria that the vision from long ago had predicted coming to pass right before his eyes. He took a few steps out of the cell and stooped down to pick up the ring he had made for his brother which had been chucked into the mud as if it were a worthless piece of nickel.

"Thor!" Loki bellowed from behind the glowing green force field. "If you are so curious about Thanos, go ask the man you call father," he instructed.

---

"Thanos!" King Odin gasped upon hearing the name fly from Prince Thor's lips. The revered leader of Asgard's face nearly went white. His sole eye dilated to the size of the moon as he processed the word. He instantly gripped Gunginir protectively in his hand as he stood from behind the large obsidian stone writing desk in his private chamber. He pushed from behind the desk and walked over to the small window as if he was in need of some air.

The blonde-haired man looked perplexed by the older rulers expression. "Yes," Thor went on. "That was the name mother mentioned..." he began to explain to his father. "She said...she said Loki screamed that name out loud in his sleep while she tended him," The hammer possessor confirmed.

"In what context?" Odin demanded of the soon to be leader of Asgard.

"Perhaps you should speak with mother about the matter," Thor expressed as he played with an ornate paper weight on his father's large and opulent desk.

Odin shook his head, "Your mother rests and I wish not to disturb her," the king breathed. She'd fallen back to sleep right before he and the healer came rushing to the queen's bedchamber. They rallied her and kept her awake only to check on her condition and examine the injury. The bruising to her busted nose and lip had disappeared and the deep scar that had torn through the back of her head that had continued to gush blood through her days of unconsciousness had vanished. The wound was gone as if by magic. They made the queen wake making sure that she'd suffered no severe head injury, but the Queen of Asgard though healed still needed much time to recuperate from the ordeal. Odin had set by his wife's side he couldn't help but stroke her face and examine every inch of her. The days when they'd thought she'd the moments when he feared for his beloved's life had been the most harrowing experience he had face and he had fought one thousand wars. He'd kissed her hands and temples, showing her with affection like she was a tiny little girl, but when he'd held her still, shallow breathing body in his elderly, but strong arms he realized how fragile and precious her life was. She e wished the speak with him about something, she kept muttering how she was alright, but he couldn't help how he shushed her ushering her back to sleep, he wanted her well, strong and vibrant a pillar to stand by his side until his time was no more, but even when he faded and joined his forefathers in the illustrious gilded hall of Valhalla he wanted her to live on 300 more years to see their sons and grandchildren.

"She said Loki begged him pleaded for him to spare his life. She said she'd never seen him so racked and gripped with in the clutches of fear. Mother said Loki's dreams were so violent, Loki wretched in the night as he implored Thanos to give him more time," Thor elaborated.

"Did you meet him?" Odin asked turning around to face Thor. "Did you see him when you were on Midgard with Loki?" He demanded.

"No," Thor shook his head earnestly to ease his father's fears over the matter.

"Good...good..." Odin confirmed but the way he mumbled and hung his head Thor could not take comfort in his father's words.

"Who is he?" Thor asked blatantly as he started to walk over to where the king leaned over the edge of the arch shaped window made of stained glass.

Odin shut his one eye, "He is not a who...he is a what," the kings voice dead serious.

Prince Thor cleared his throat, "Then what is he?" Thor pressed making gliding strides over to the window to stand beside his father. "A Frost Giant?" he guessed. The carrier of Mjolnir sucked in a breath ashamed that that had been his immediate reaction. Old habits died hard, but surely it was thoughts and statements like that that had led Loki to believe himself a monster, a thing a creature not even a civilized being and had led him to act out in such beastly an animal like ways.

"If only," Odin responded a humorless grunt echoing from his throat.

"is he one of the Chituari?" the blonde prince continued to question becoming more concerned. Reflexively, as a defense mechanism his fingers brushed against the mighty hammers hilt.

"He is an abomination," Odin growled clutching the stone frame of the window.

"The Chitauri look quite abominable," Thor quipped only to lighten the tension in the air of his fathers study. Thor chuckled his laughter pleasant as a balmy breeze. Odin normally always seemed amused by his eldest son's droll sense of humor, but he did not respond to the petty joke.

"I Had thought," Odin began his voice a distant whisper as his only grayblue eye stared out at the peaceful slumbering city below. The throngs of citizens who had clamored and hollered and rallied in protest just outside the castle mere days before had now dispersed since Frigga had come out of her coma. "I had hoped," Odin rephrased shaking his head as he watched the thirty guards who were on the outpost of the palace gates they marched making their chants as they did their rounds. He shook his head his white locks bouncing as he brought himself to stand up straight. He turned away at a sharp angle from window and crossed pass Thor to march over to a glass cabinet that contained a few scrolls. Scrolls that were rarely touched. Ancient scrolls that were a rare as the items that were nestled safely in the weapons vault. Thor watched as his father's stormy day colored eye roved pensively over the scrolls. The future king watched the rule raise a shaky, weathered war scarred hand raise and extract one of the scrolls from the center of the pile. Odin paced back toward his mammoth sized desk and plopped down in the chair as if he was exhausted by the short trip around the room. Odin's shaking hands started to unravel the thick rolled parchment paper, the he thought better of it, back out on the movement and allowed the scroll to roll itself back up. He hunched over his desk, he flopped his white-haired head in his strong and worn hands.

"Father," Thor asked cautiously after a few moments as he lumbered across the room. He felt panic rise at the base of his spine and slowly dance its way up his back until it sent a sharp pain to the stem of his skull. "Father," Thor voice sounded small and nervous like he was but a boy. Before long Thor's mighty hand rested on Odin's shoulder, he could feel the tension mounting in his father's shoulder blades. He could feel the way the older king's shoulders shook through the draping of his cape and armor. "Who is he?" Thor asked once more, his deep voice was serious and his blue eyes filled with concern.

King Odin shook his head as if breaking himself from some trance. He batted back slate-colored eyes as he stared up at his handsome heir. "He's a Titan," Odin stated simply enough as he let out a pent-up sigh and dragged old, calloused, bronzed fingers through his snowy colored mane. "A mad Titan," he qualified.

"A Titan?" Thor twisted his lip up in confusion. "I...I...I don't understand," the golden son of Odin wagged his head, "I...aren't they extinct?" he questioned.

"They are," the one-eyed king nodded, "Because of Thanos," Odin declared slamming a flattened palm on the desk. "He is a monster...who destroyed his own people," Odin expressed. "Many ages ago," Odin began looking back at the rolled up piece of papyrus and allowing Thor time to take a seat on the opposite side of the grand desk. "Once the Titans had a mighty and vast realm, Titania, it rivaled even our fair Asgard. Historically, the Titans had been a brutal people. They were powerful and they were tyrants among stthe realms. It was my grandfather, King Magnus, that had subdued their tyranny and freed the realms, the realms were grateful to him and he was the first to be given the name, all-father," Odin explained. "In the millennium to follow Titania became a peaceful place, but it was weak and poor. The King and Queen of the Titans died in time to come and left no heir to the throne. It was then that military leaders seized power of the realm. One such one was Thanos. Thanos glorified the brutality and enslavement that the realm of Titania was built upon in the past and he wanted to regain that power," Odin expressed. "He hated Asgard for taking their power and strength and he sought revenge on us," the great king paused. "He trained the Titan military preparing to wage war against our kingdom, in the time of my father, I was but a boy in those days," Thor father explained to him. The great gray-haired king couldn't suppress a snort that came from his nose. He'd been basically a small tot, no doubt, how many eons had gone by since the time of his boyhood. Thanos and his Titans bombarded the city for 40 nights. Raining catapults filled with brim stone down on us. Odin's one eye filled with horror. The imperial city was so peaceful now. But then it had been a place of turmoil an ash filled pit. He shook himself bringing his eye to look back into his son's. "But our warriors led, but my father defeated Thanos." He nodded feeling the surge of pride well through his being, "But Thanos was relentless, his desire for blood unquenchable," Odin insisted, "Desperate to defeat Asgard and conquer all the realms, he went to the Norns to try to buy one of the time held secrets from the Fates," Odin stated gravely

"The tesseract?" Thor inquired leaning over onto the desk deeply engrossed in the tale.

The king gave a deep nod, "The Tesseract indeed," Odin confirmed.

"How could the Norns agree to give such a monster such a powerful weapon?" Thor asked with disgust. "The Norns are supposed to be the protectors of fate!" he ranted.

"They were threatened. The Norns refused at first, but Thanos and his Titan forces besieged Nornheim," Odin explained noticing that his eldest son was becomin worked up over the matter. "For days on end the peaceful Nornish city was ransacked. When Thanos and his brutes broke through the city walls mercilessly slaughtered and left a trail of blood as he made his way to the palace. He threatened to burn the city if the Nornish King did not agree to his terms," Odin expounded plainly for Thor. Thor's face lost a few shades of color and his blue eyes expanded to take in the room. He understood the tremendous pressure that the Norn king must have felt. Thinking that he needed to protect the lives of his people over the preservation of a relic. "The Norn King wrote to my father, begging him for aid against the Titan army, but we did not receive the message in time. "Thanos ended up holding the king hostage, telling the advisers to the king that he would slaughter their leader and burn the city if they did not surrender the tesseract, the terrified Fates agreed, they opened up the catacombs and gave the Tesseract to Thanos only to watch him plunge his bloodied blade into the kings chest and give orders for his barbaric men to burn the sacred city of Nornheim,"

"Thanos tampered with the Tesseract, but he did not know how to handle the immense power that it wielded," King Odin went on."He wanted to use to destroy Asgard, but in the end, he only obliterated his own," Odin admonished, "The Tesseract is a power source, and it will suck and drain energy if it is not stabilized it will abolish life..." Odin looked up at Thor who was intently leaning over on his knees listening to his father's story. If it wasn't for the gravity of what had been revealed the king might have cracked a smile, Thor's face was still held the same enthralled expression that he'd worn as a boy, when he'd hear these old tales. His bright azure eyes bugged out at attention. Pouty lips held ajar as he hung on his father's every word.

"Time passed," Odin inhaled continuing his tale. "A century or so went by and we thought...we thought, Thanos had died along with his world. My father had taken a great deal of time in harvesting the fragments of the Tesseract and they were stored safely in the weapons vault. It was then that we heard of an attack Muspleheim. Thanos had been biding his time, lurking in the places unknown and harvesting these," Odin said unrolling the scroll across the desk. The scroll held a huge depiction of a large gauntlet that had a bright gleaming gemstone of diverse colors on each finger. "These are the Seeds of Yddrasil, The Infinity Gems" Odin revealed. "They would make Thanos...invincible," Odin whispered. "Each one of these sacred gems holds untold capabilities of time, space, reality, soul and power," Odin explained pointing to each bejeweled ring on the gauntlet.

"Thanos sought out the gems out a scoured realms leaving death and blood as the trail. He ravaged worlds and when he had collected all the crystals he would have the power to destroy us because he would finally have the knowledge need to know how to control the Tesseract. With the Infinity Gauntlet he brought his fury to the very gates of the Imperial City. He was like ravenous wolf killing and pillaging with no remorse. Our warriors fought as bravely as they could, but they could not resist him with the Infinity Gauntlet Thanos was unstoppable. It was then that my Father forged Mjolnir, to aid Gungnir and the Tesseract in defending Asgard. With the three mighty weapons Asgard was able to defeat Thanos, but not without great cost...the battle drove my Father into the greatsleep," Odin relayed the message to his son his voice quivered as he thought of his parents prone body lying in the bed. "He never recovered, I swore to him as he lay there still and dying hat Thanos would never rise again to threaten our borders or the peace and security of the realms. I searched for his body after the battle had ended, there were no traces of him. My general insisted that he'd been obliterated by the powerful blast, all that we found was the Gauntlet. I have stored it in the Weapons Vault, but I never thought..." Odin's voice and eyes drifted. He lowered his gaze and bowed his head. "If he is alive then he lives for one purpose to gain back that which he has lost. He seeks to awaken mass destruction on us all," the king confessed with a shudder. "And you brother...Loki," The one eyed king spat his younger sons name. "Has cast his lot in with that vicious monster," he looked up at Thor his one eye possessing a harsh and cruel look.

"Father," Thor sturdy voice called to the wizened ruler of the golden realm, he reached his hand out and grabbed Odin's strong yet wrinkled hand, "Mother...Mother says Loki was afraid of Thanos, that does not sound like they are allies," Thor tried to insist.

"If Loki has met Thanos then no doubt he knows of Loki's power... and he means to use it..."

"Then Loki is merely Thanos' pawn, that does not make him a willing accomplice, that does not mean he is what Thanos is," Thor rallied in the dark-haired prisoner's defense.

"The things he did on Midgard our proof enough that he has become Like Thanos, a savage that feast upon death and bloodshed," Odin countered the argument instantly standing and glaring down at Thor. Though Thor at full height towered over his aged father from this position he looked like no more than a child.

"Perhaps he was a victim, perhaps he was forced, or enchanted or..." Thor came up with a million excuses in his mind.

'Or perhaps he is a soulless beast same as Thanos was!" Odin barked back. His voice boomed and reverberated off of the walls made of the walls made of white limestone. Thor looked shocked as if he had been slapped across the face by the kings trumpet blast. Odin's eye softened he, faltered, his shoulders slumped and he sighed. "We...we cannot...we cannot trust him, my son, we cannot trust him," The war weathered sovereign replied.

"How can you say that, Father?" the blonde prince shook his head baffled by his father's words. "How...how...How can you?" Thor looked back up at him his crystal blue eyes searching for some level of remorse for the words his father had just said. The bright sapphire eyes trembled. He bit his lip allowing his strapping chest to deflate as he heaved out a powerful exhale that sounded like the stormy gust of a storm. It blew the scroll of the infinity gauntlet right off of Odin's writing-table. "How can you say that?" Thor repeated, he no longer could bring his gorgeous blue eyes to look into Odin's slate-colored pupil. "He came back and healed mother!" Thor shouted.

"We don't know how much influence Thanos has over him," Odin mused allowed.

"He needs our help, Father" Thor protested on his brother's behalf. "What if he is as Mother says, what if he is afraid?" Thor questioned relentlessly.

"Thor," Odin held up his bejeweled left hand that held his signet ring trying to dismiss his heirs pleas for Loki.

"If only you'd go and see him," Thor pointed out.

"Thor..."

"Won't you go and see your son, Father, go and look into his eyes and see the fear that is housed there?" Thor begged. King Odin did not respond. He kept his back to the Crown Prince who spoke in earnest for the young enchanters defense. "He is my brother and he is your son," Thor placed his firm calloused hands along the shoulder pads of Odin's tunics. "WE are his family, h

---

Dear Dagmar,

I'm officially about to embark in my training in magic! I know you're thinking that I already know much magic, but all that has been self-taught and some not even taught, some just came naturally to me, but now it is official. Mother and Father have gotten me a personal tutor to come to the palace! Just as Thor is being instructed privately by the Captain of Guard here at the Palace on how to handle his weapons now I will have personal lessons for how to handle my weapon. My brother and I will be able to spar and once my powers grow I will no doubt best in combat all the time, I already have a couple of tricks up my sleeve that have knocked him flat on his back.

I suppose you are wondering how the situation occurred, well I shall share with you. It was after dinner, Father had gone to meet with his advisers and Thor had dashed away from the table to head to the pool to get ready for a swim before bedtime, well Mother pulled me to the side and presented me with these packages. Three boxes to be exact. I opened them and found the most wonderful surprise. Inside was a cloak a real wizards cloak! It was tailor-made for me Dagmar, it fit like a glove too. I wrapped it around my shoulders right away. Mother gave me a matching wizards hat as well. They were both such beautiful pieces. They were made in my colors, thick rich emerald-green velvet and silky gold stars and moons embroidered on it. It looked so authentic, like how the sages dress when they come to the palace to perform ceremony for one of the celebrations. I can't wait for you to see it.

But my friend that isn't even the best part...oh it get's better it truly does. Mother pulled out an authentic wand. A real wand, Dagmar! A signature wand that will be mine to wield. The wand is to the enchanter what the blade is the Einherjar, this one will be mine. It is gold and silver intertwining and then at the top is a gorgeous diamond. It is bright and gleaming. It is a sight to see and I can't wait to let you see it, hold it. I will not let Thor hold it, my oaf of a brother breaks everything, but of course I can trust you with it!

After I thanked Mother for these gifts she informed me that they were not merely for dress up, but these were real and for me to use as I began my apprenticeship with Mistress Sigrid! Have you ever heard of Mistress Sigrid? She is one of the most powerful and celebrated mages in all the Nine Realms. Thor say that she's nothing but a mean old witch, but he's wrong. I know he's wrong. I do hear that she is very old I hear, but very wise and kind, mother says she is a very gentle woman who was a beauty in her younger years, but I digress...you see The reason why I asked if you had heard of her is because for a very long time she was residing in Vanaheim where she was setting up schools and universities in mysticism. Mother said she was thrilled and honored to be asked to come and teach a son of Odin. I will not disappoint her.

Can I tell you something, Dagmar, my friend? I have not told anyone else, but I am secretly hoping that Father will sneak in and watch my practices with Mistress Sigrid. Often time when I have watched Thor in his beginners battle training classes I have seen Father come in to watch. He stands silently by the door so as to not break Thor's concentration. He'll come and sit down next to me and tell me how well Thor is doing. He always so proud of him. I see the twinkle in his eye when he watched Thor maneuver the sword in some advanced positioning or seeing him get his footwork together. I know that Father has not been pleased with my progress in battle training, I one time dropped my saber, I saw father hang his head and walk out. I did try though Dagmar, but the weapons are heavy and Mother says I am truly too small to try and tote around such heavy instruments around. Perhaps she is right, but I don't want to disgrace my Father or bring shame on our royal name, perhaps when Father sees how I progress quickly in my studies he will be ever so pleased with me and commend me before the nobles as he commends Thor. Wouldn't it be wonderful if Father actually would teach me himself! Sometimes father and Thor will have sparring sessions, father will show Thor how to hold a dagger, they even wrestle, of course Father gives us both instruction, but Father and I never have private moments for lessons, but Father knows much magic. He can cast powerful enchantments with Gunginir, but yet he never shows me. I could learn so much more if Father would teach me. But he will see now...he'll be so pleased I am sure he will want to instruct me personally.

I am determined to work hard, to be most studious, I will astound Mistress Sigrid when she sees all that I already know. She will soon say of me that I am the most capable and competent of all her students. I will bring honor to my family and upon our royal name. I will master my craft and become a great enchanter who Asgard will take pride in. I will dazzle the court with my tricks and spells, then they will see, all will see Thor and I as equal. My brother and I will be an unstoppable pair. Asgard's Mighty Princes!

I'm so excited to be beginning in only a few weeks time. When you come back to visit I will ask Mistress Sigrid if she will teach you too. I'm sure she will not mind in the least. You are so talented yourself, she will be no doubt honored to have too such studious and dedicated pupils. How is your study going. Have you gotten the book on cloaking I sent you. I left some notes in the back for you that I thought would be most useful to you as you work on that concept. I'm sure it is going splendidly, you are so smart. I can't wait to see you come Solstice and you can see how I've advanced in my studies as well.

Until then, your friend

Loki

Lady Dagmar's lips crinkled and quirked into a smile reading the old letter from her childhood friend. The parchment was weathered it was wrinkled by the edges and the paper had become discolored. The ink had faded but still the words were easy to decipher. She laughed despite the tears she felt welling up inside her so many centuries they'd written each other so that even when they were separated by stars and space they could still be in close contact with one another, sharing their joys and triumphs and even their disappointments. She often wrote him with questions about techniques in her arts that she was trying to perfect and he always had an answer. Loki had always been so devoted to his arts, it meant everything to him. She remembered watching his sweet young face light up as he mastered a new move or technique. He'd always been so eager to share quick to help her gain a new skill and even more excited to have a captivated audience to showcase what he could do. He so longed to be impressive and pleasing with his talent. The way he put his whole heart into it every time. It was a part of him. It was as much his trademark as his vivid emerald eyes that were as impish and mischievous as they were wise and compassionate. His magic was as inherent to his being as his silver tongue that could weave lies as easily as he could recite a dissertation that could stay an army. Dagmar traced her manicured fingers over the loops and curves of Loki's cursive. She bit her pomegranante lip, stilling herself from tears she quickly rolled the letter back up and placed it back in the chest she had that held all of the letters that had been written by Loki to her since he was but a small boy, no older than the midgardian equivalent of 7. She placed that letter down and reached for another. She dug in deep pulling out one of the scrolls from the bottom. She felt this one it was encased in velvet textured box. She pulled it out an rubbed his smooth as butter pale palm over the encasement. Sometimes Loki would put his letters in these fine royal package when it was a very special or personal message. The Vanir healer wiggled her manicured hands nervously before steeling herself with a gusty exhale before she opened the emerald velvet container lined with golden silk. She unraveled the parchment. It was was some of Loki's best stationary. The papyrus had a golden hue to it and the design on the side was that of old rune written in black ink that made out the letters of his name. Besides that though the page was blank; no words, no pictures nothing. Dagmar's lips twisted up in a in a lopsided grin. Ha she remembered this trick of Loki's. It had been an act to conceal there personal notes from prying eyes, namely a pair of bright blue eyes that love to read Loki's mail. Thor had taken to teasing Loki about the letters he received from Dagmar calling them Love Notes if only to see his younger brother's face flush crimson as their mother's lips. Lord Audric's daughter's smile brightened from a reminiscing smirk to a full till smile. She traced one finger delicately across the parchment paper. The pattern was deliberate and percise. When she was done transcribing the pattern she ever so gracefully waved her hand over the golden colored stationary. Slowly words began to appear as if they were seeping through the very fiber of the parchment, they oozed through the thick sheet like bubbles boiling in a bog, but before long the jade colored ink took form to reveal Loki's impeccable penmanship.

Dear Dagmar,

I have very exciting news! It is so exciting I can hardly contain myself enough to write this letter, but I will...I will. I am actually taking deep breaths to control myself as I scrawl. I'm sorry I'm so giddy I don't know if these words on this parchment will even be legible my hand is jumping. I must sound so foolish and silly, so juvenile, forgive. But I believe when I reveal my news you will understand completely and you will share my joy. You have always shared my joys Dagmar, we are like two kindred spirit. I remember as a lad how I so desperate to find a friend in whom I could confide in and who would not think my love of learning strange. So many nights I wished upon star for a true friend...I supposed I had my brother, but...I digress! My goodness Dagmar you must keep me from rambling so.

You can see no doubt how terribly excited I am. Alright I shall cut to the chase, stop beating around the bush (or any other idiom that you can think of to mean, Get to the point Loki!)What has happened is...is so incredible. It is something I have dreamed of, so many nights. It is something I have worked hard for since I was such a little boy, ever since Mistress Sigrid came to the palace to be my personal tutor I dreamed of this day, this proud moment. Of course I thought it woul happen later in my life, although it has already felt like an eternity.

Alright, I must have kept you in suspense long enough. I can hear your voice now, feel your fingers plucking me on the shoulders. "Out with it Loki!" Alright I'll tell you. I'M TAKING MY MAGES TRIAL! I can't believe it, but yesterday a message arrived to the palace by courier for me. It cordially invited me to participate in this years Mages Trial. Dagmar I was floored and overwhelmed. I have worked so tirelessly for it all my life, but never, never did I guess to actually be chosen. I know that I am good, well in fact I am better than my professors at the academy, but still...I didn't expect I didn't expect to be asked to come and compete to ranked as one of the High Mages of Asgard to become a wiseman of my father's court at this age. I am floored, ecstatic, my sheer joy cannot be contained at this moment.

It is an honor and an accomplishment to be considered to take the trial at this age, it's unheard of! It was just like Thor when he hunted a bilgeschnipe accept Thor forced and bombarded his way into the Einherjar trial even when he was told no by Captain Theed and father, but Thor cannot take no for an answer. He proved himself by going a against the grain, he was deserving of it, I will not deny it, there is no young man as fearsome a warrior as my brother, but still he made it happen himself, but I...oh Dagmar I have so patiently waited. I have dedicated myself so to my study and it has been my greatest achievement to know that all my hard work has finally paid off and they requested me. I did not pout and whine and have a tantrum to get what I wanted, I practiced and studied and slaved over my craft and now all will see what I can do.

This is the opportunity I have waited for so long. A chance to showcase all my hard work a chance to feel all the praise and glory and applause that is always singularly reserved for Thor. All my life I have seen my talents and my gifts pushed aside, mocked and belittled, but no more not after this, after the trial all will gaze and see how powerful magic can be. My father will see. He'll see and he will beam with pride for me just as he beams with pride for Thor. When he sees how fiercely I compete and how intensely I fight. All I have wanted to do was be a source of pride for my father with my arts. Father knows magic, but never has he taken an interest in my studies in mysticism the way he has about Thor's battle exercises. I want to make Asgard proud. Let them know that I am every bit the Prince of Asgard that Thor is, I so want the people to take pride in my Magic to hear them shout my name in the arena. I want them to celebrate me.

Dagmar I write all this to say, rather to ask would you come to the trial? I know it is not the normal time in which you and your father normally visit Asgard, but it would mean the world to me to have you there. You have been my partner since we were but children. We have shared so much for so long.

We have grown together as enchanters. I know you have always considered me the master and you the apprentice, but that has never been true. You have helped me in so many ways and taught me so much. You have helped me in innumerable ways, I have often felt like your pupil. Because of you I have become a better mage. Your encouragement, energy, and enthusiasm as we practiced, studied and trained has been a source of inspiration to me since the moment we met. When I first saw you do your invisibility trick and you scared my brother making him think that there was a ghost in our midst. You had such a raw natural talent and I knew I wanted to get better so that I could be a better tutor for you. Your faith in me has given me wings to soar and expand my repertoire of spells and incantations. You have challenged me, and worked with me you have shared with me my deepest passion, no one could have given me more than that. My dear friend you would do me tremendous honor if you would come and see me on the momentous occasion. It would mean the world to me to share this day with you as I hope to share all my happiest moments with you. To look up into the stands as I am dubbed a mage of the realm before all will not be complete without seeing your sparkling eyes twinkling in the crowd.

Please say you'll come Dagmar, with you there as my lucky charm I am sure to do well.

Love Your friend,

Loki

Hot, fresh tears rolled down powered porcelain cheeks she could not stop them as they cascaded down the side of her face like rapids from a waterfall. She shook her head noticing how the salt water from her eyes was making the mystical ink smear. She quickly waved her hand over the parchment paper and the writing vanished. She clutched the blank page toward her chest, hugging it tight as if it was her friend. Perhaps it was. Were the words left in her trove of a chest of letters all that remained of the young man who had been her best friend growing up, of the deep thoughtful young man who she had loved for so long? Was he gone? Disappeared as the scribbling on the letter? Could she bring him back by whispering magic words? She sobbed harder. How could she? How could she do it? How could she go through with the extraction? How could she strip him of the thing that he once held so dear? What would he be left with and what would he become when the process was over? She shuddered to think. Dagmar had seen first hand what Loki was... gnarled and twisted, jaded and defiles by his own envy and lust for power, but with no power what would he be? A shell? Dagmar could feel her whole body begin to tremble. The thought of Loki listless, eyes without vibrancy or purpose, vacant and empty. Or maybe he'd just die. Dead. She'd thought she'd killed him once. Her rejection, her betrayal the final straw that broke the camel's back, the prospect of what they could have had the last thread tethering him to sanity and she had snapped it. She blamed herself for his death before, but then she had found that he was not dead. He was alive. Now she would possibly take his life again.

"Lady Dagmar! Lady Dagmar!" A sharp voice called at the door accompanied it. The silver eyed enchantress didn't know how long the person had been knocking at the her door when she registered the sound she found that she had fallen out of her chair and was weeping openly on her hands and knees over a trunk full of letters. "Lady Dagmar?"

Dagmar straightened herself quickly, shoving the scattered scrolls back into the chest. "Yes! Yes!" her silvery voice called shrilly to the knocker. " Just one moment, please," she asked as she ran to the mirror to inspect her face. "Yes," she flung open the door only to see wide-set amber eyes and gaping pink lips facing her. An awkward silence passed between them. The pair hardly ever spoke.

The honey colored eyes lowered and looked down at the carpet. "Mistress Eir, request your presence in the healing chamber my lady," the blonde haired maiden said to the darker haired.

Dagmar flipped her ebony lock and clutched her silky night robe tight around her. "At this hour?" Dagmar shook her head.

"It's for the extraction," Sigyn sighed.