Asgard
Beautiful beyond imagination. There was magnificent landscape of the Realm, through the gleaming capital city, modern yet timeless.
The palace rose countless stories tall, gleaming with an other-worldly majesty, towering high above the Realm sprawled out before it.
In a large window of the palace, a figure stood. Odin Allfather stared out at his kingdom. The ravens flew up to the balcony, and landed at his side.
Odin turns away from the window. His wife Frigga sat at a vanity and tried different earrings before the mirror.
"Are you ready?" Odin asked. "I never thought this day would come."
Frigga smiled. "We should be happy for Heimdall. I am glad you allowed them to be together at last. Perhaps you will reconsider—"
"No," Odin's voice was hard, final. "You know I have no wish to see my son so very unhappy. But if I were to go against my word and that goddess were to reappear—Asgard would be doomed."
Odin stopped, noticing his hand shaking. It seemed to be out of synch temporally with the rest of the world, leaving a trail as it moved. He stared at it determinedly, concentrating, trying to stop the strange event through the force of his sheer will.
Finally, the occurrence subsided, his hand normal once more. A worried Frigga covered his hand with her own.
"...if we only had more time." Odin said.
"For once, our son needs something we cannot provide." Frigga said sadly.
"I can fight it a little longer..." Odin said.
"No. You've put it off too long! I worry for you." Frigga said.
He touched her cheek.
"I've destroyed demons and monsters, devastated whole worlds, laid waste to mighty kingdoms, and still you worry for me?" Odin said.
"Always." Frigga said.
"Not today. Now come kiss your king..." Odin said.
He pulled her close, and they kissed.
Dining Hall
Directly under the throne room, a gloomily lit hall. Banners hung on either side to form a corridor down the middle of the fire lit room.
Giant doors opened at one end. A huge figure silhouetted against the bright light beyond walked forward. This was the God of Thunder. Hammer in hand, he reached the end of a raised platform.
An attendant handed Thor a goblet of wine. He downed it quickly, hurled it towards the fire directly below.
"Another!" Thor said.
The cup smashed, the alcohol caused the fire to glow intensely - and, for a moment, brightly lit, and seen full length, was Thor. He was very handsome, with glorious shoulder length blonde hair and blue eyes. He was strong, very muscular, with chiseled features. Every inch a warrior, and king to be.
He proceeds down stopped, and down the center of the Hall.
At the other end, massively shadowed on one of the great banners, was the shape of two great horns. As Thor approaches, the horn shapes moved, and then, from the shadows at the side, emerged Loki, wearing his horned headpiece.
Like Thor, he was dressed for a great ceremony. They stood by a brazier at the foot of steps that lead up to the crowded throne room.
"Nervous, brother?" Loki asked.
"Have you ever known me to be nervous?" Thor asked.
"There was the time in Nornheim..." Loki said.
"That wasn't nerves, brother. It was the rage of battle. How else could I have fought my way through a hundred warriors and pulled us out alive?" Thor said.
The Attendant approached with another goblet of wine for Thor.
"As I recall, I was the one who veiled us in smoke to ease our escape." Loki said.
"Some do battle, others just do tricks." Thor said.
The Attendant stifled a laugh. Loki noticed, doesn't like it. He gestured towards the goblet in the Attendant's hand.
Eels poured over the sides of the goblet, slithering out and across the terrified Attendant's hand. He screamed, hurled the goblet to the ground. Loki chuckled.
"Loki..." Thor said warningly.
Loki gestured to the writhing eels on the ground. They turned back to spilled wine, the illusion shattered.
"Now that was just a waste of good wine." Thor said.
"Just a bit of fun." Loki said, then turned to the Attendant. "Right, my friend?"
The Attendant wasn't so sure. Thor dons his eagle-winged helmet.
"Nice feathers." Loki said.
"You don't really want to start this again, do you, Cow?" Thor asked.
"I was being sincere!" Loki said.
"You're incapable of sincerity." Thor said.
"Am I?" Loki asked.
He looks his brother in the eye, all pretense lost.
"You're my brother and my friend. Sometimes I'm envious, but never doubt that I love you." Loki said. "I am looking forward to this wedding, and so should you. Heimdall is a great man."
Thor searched his brother's face, saw no trace of irony. He was either speaking from his heart or he was a very, very good liar. Maybe both. Thor put an appreciative hand on his brother's shoulder.
"Thank you." Thor said.
The two brothers took in the moment a beat, then:
"Give us a kiss." Loki grinned.
"Stop." Thor said.
Thor made the final adjustments to his ceremonial wear.
"How do I look?" Thor said.
"Like a king." Loki said.
They heard the blast of a ceremonial horn.
"It's time." Loki said.
"You go ahead." Thor said.
Loki cast him a wary look.
"I'll be along. Go on." Thor said.
Loki headed inside the palace without his brother.
Lounge
Volstagg combed his great beard in preparation for the big event. As he did, he was surprised to find a stray grape stuck in the beard. He pulled it out, looks around, then eagerly pops it into his mouth and gobbled it down. Fandral checked his reflection in a mirror, smoothed out his mustache, gave himself a dashing smile. A pretty maiden held the mirror before him, as other maidens looked on dreamily.
"Thank you, love." Fandral said to the Maidens. "Now who'd like to polish my sword for me?"
The giddy Maidens eagerly raised their hands.
Hogun stood staring ahead grimly, his hands folded in front of him, amidst the hustle and bustle of the attendants and the ceremony preparations going on around him. A helpful attendant approached him and started to polish his armor.
Hogun turned his head, gave him a look. Intimidated, the Attendant quickly backed away. From behind, there was a woman in ceremonial armor taking off her sword and setting it on a table, then her shield, then several hidden knives and small, yet intimidating weapons. We revealed that it's Sif, looking radiant. She eyed the weapons on the table.
"I'll miss you." Sif said.
Throne Room
Colorful ceremonial banners of the Nine Realms adorned the room, crowded with aesir and representatives from across Yggdrasil, all buzzing with excitement.
Thor's comrades entered and strode to their place of honor at the front of the hall. They were:
The Warriors Three. Volstagg had the girth and strength of a Sumo wrestler, with oversized passions to match. Fandral, the consummate swashbuckler, was agile, charismatic, and nattily dressed. Hogun was dark, sullen, brooding with a large mace slung at his side.
With them walked the warrior maiden Sif. She was clad in armor, a shield and sword at her side - a beauty not to be trifled with.
"I hope this goes quickly. I'm famished." Volstagg said.
"Noooo!" Fandral feigned disbelief.
"Are you attached to that pretty face of yours? Because one more word, and you won't be." Volstagg said.
"My, we are hungry, aren't we?" Fandral said.
The others laughed, save Hogun. Fandral turned to him.
"Go on, Hogun. Smile. You can do it. Even you, Hogun the Grim. Just one smile." Fandral said.
Hogun stared at him grimly.
"All right, half a smile. Look, forget the smile, just show some teeth." Fandral said.
"Fandral, is it true the famous Warriors Three are ready to meet any challenge?" Sif said.
"Name it, Lady Sif." Fandral said.
"Keep your mouth shut." Sif said.
Vault
Imposing Einherjar Guards were clad in armor, swords at the ready, stand watch inside the massive underground structure beneath the palace.
A cold breeze blew past them.
Throne Room
Sif and the Warriors Three still waited before the crowd. Loki and Frigga enter. Loki takes his place at the front of the hall alongside the others. With another blast of the horn, the crowd goes silent as the Einherjar honor guard moved into formation. They parted to reveal Odin, sitting atop his throne, clad in full ceremonial armor. He held his spear gungnir before him. Any trace of weakness in him is gone now. He exuded all the power and majesty of a Ruler of Asgard. Frigga joined him at his side.
Heimdall stood at the throne in ceremonial attire. His bride, Setsuna, Guardian of The Gate of Space Time, stood next to him, looking resplendent. She had dark green hair and red eyes, with a slightly darker skin tone than the Asgardians, but not quite as dark as Heimdall himself.
Her dress was a white Empire Silhouette gown having a heavily decorated bodice.
Odin looked around the hall, cast a glance over to the Warriors. Thor was nowhere to be seen. Odin looked to Loki. Loki shrugged. Odin wasn't pleased.
A murmur spread through the crowd.
"Where is he?" Volstagg whispered to Loki.
"He said he'd be along." Loki said.
Sif realized the truth, shaking her head in disapproval.
"What?" Volstagg said.
"He wants to make an entrance." Sif said.
"Well, if he doesn't show up soon, he shouldn't bother. Odin looks like he's ready to feed him to his ravens." Fandral said.
"I wouldn't worry. Father will forgive him. He always does." Loki said.
Just then, at the back of the hall, up the steps from the lower level - Mjolnir roared up into the hall, Thor strod cockily into the hall behind it, catching it behind his back. The crowd erupts in cheers. Thor spun his hammer with a flourish, held it up before the crowd, basking in the moment, relishing the adoration, whipping his audience up into a frenzy.
"Oh, please." Sif said.
Odin watched from the front, not liking this showy display.
Vault
As the sound of the cheers echo from above, the odd, cold breeze picked up in the Vault. The Guards rubbed their limbs to warm themselves. They grew increasingly uneasy, sensing something was not right.
They exchanged a look, then walked the length of the Vault's hallway to its end, where a sword sat undisturbed upon a pedestal.
A shadow suddenly loomed over them. They look up and shouted in terror as they raised their weapons.
Throne Room
Thor finished stirring up the crowd, then reached the front of the room, knelt on one knee before his mother and father.
Frigga cast him an admonishing glance. Thor winked up at her. She couldn't help but smile.
Odin struck Gungnir upon the ground with a deafening boom.
The crowd fell silent. Odin spoke with quiet, effortless authority.
He raised Gungnir before him.
"Gungnir. Its aim is true, its power strong. With it I have defended Asgard and the lives of the innocent across the Nine Realms since the time of the Great Beginning. And now the time has come for it to bless the union of these two Guardians in marriage."
Vault
The bodies of the Guards were flung to the Vault's floor, now strewn with ice.
The attacker lifted the Sword of Winters, known to mortals as Excalibur, from it's stand.
Throne Room
The Ceremony continued.
"Today I entrust you with the greatest honor in all the Nine Realms. Love, Responsibility, duty, honor. These are not merely virtues to which we must aspire. They are essential to every marriage."
The Crowd and the Warriors Three started to shiver and rub their limbs for warmth in the increasingly cold air of the hall.
Heimdall and Setsuna turned back to face the Allfather. Odin looked upon them with pride.
"Heimdall, do you swear to guard, protect and love Setsuna for all eternity?" Odin asked.
"I swear." Heimdall said.
"Setsuna, Do you swear to guard, protect, and love Heimdall for all eternity?" Odin asked.
"I swear." Setsuna said.
"Then on this day, I, Odin Allfather, proclaim you-"
Odin hesitated, noticing a strange sight before him. Ice crept across the surface of the large banners around the hall, making an eerie cracking sound. Thor, his comrades, and the crowd see it too.
"The vault..." Odin whispered.
The far-off sounds of a battle echoed in the depths of the palace below. Sif and the Warriors Three reached for their weapons, as Thor raced from the hall.
Vault
Loki stood in the Vault, sees the Sword of Ancient Winters sitting on its stand.
He walked over to it slowly, reached out to it, lifted it between his forearms off its pedestal. As he did, a blueness spread from his arms, across his body. The latticework behind the Sword started to separate, the Destroyer rousing. A fire started to glow within its black metal armor, as it rattled to life, but Loki ignores it -the blueness spreading further, consuming his whole body.
"Stop!" Odin said.
Loki turned, saw Odin hurrying into the room, the Destroyer went motionless, the latticework rejoining before it.
Odin eyed Loki with dismay.
Thor entered, then stared shocked at the sight before him.
Sif and the Warriors Three hurried in behind Thor and stopped short.
"Loki!" Thor said.
"The Destroyer." Sif said.
"I thought it was but a legend." Volstagg said.
Fandral looked around the Vault, ill at ease.
"I've never been inside the Vault before. It's said the Tesseract was once held here." Fandral said.
"The Tesseract? I thought that was but a legend too!" Volstagg said.
"Shush!" Sif said.
Odin surveyed the destruction. "I would have a moment with my son alone."
Thor and the warriors left the Vault reluctantly.
"Am I cursed?" Loki said.
"No. Put the Sword down." Odin said.
Loki set the sword back upon its pedestal, his body quickly returning to its normal form and color. He stared at his father.
"What am I?" Loki said.
"You're my son." Odin said.
"What more than that?" Loki said.
Odin didn't answer. He looked suddenly weary, burdened.
Loki sized him up, realized the truth.
"The Sword wasn't the only thing you took from Jotunheim that day, was it?" Loki said.
Odin looked him in the eye. He could deny it no longer.
"No." Odin said. "In the aftermath of the battle, I went into the Temple, and I found a baby. Small for a giant's offspring - abandoned, suffering, left to die. Laufey's son."
Loki was sent reeling by the revelation.
"Laufey's son..." Loki said.
He desperately struggled to make sense of it all.
"Why? You were knee-deep in Jotun blood. Why would you take me?" Loki said.
"You were an innocent child." Odin said.
"You took me for a purpose, what was it?" Loki said.
Odin didn't answer.
"Tell me!" Loki said.
"I thought we could unite our kingdoms one day, bring about an alliance, bring about a permanent peace... through you. But those plans no longer matter." Odin said.
"So I am no more than another stolen relic, locked up here until you might have use of me." Loki said.
"Why do you twist my words?" Odin said.
"You could have told me what I was from the beginning. Why didn't you?" Loki said.
"You are my son. My blood. I wanted only to protect you from the truth." Odin said.
"Because I am the monster parents tell their children about at night?" Loki said.
"Don't..." Odin said.
"It all makes sense now. Why you favored Thor all these years." Loki said.
"Listen..." Odin said.
"Because no matter how much you claim to "love" me, you could never have a Frost Giant sitting on the Throne of Asgard!"
"Listen to me!" Odin said.
Loki strode away towards the exit.
"Loki!" Odin said grabbing hold of him. "You must suffer the consequences of your actions."
Bifrost
"Loki Odinson... You have disobeyed the express command of your King. You have destroyed innocent lives and stolen the power that would have one day been your birthright, now, no longer."
The Allfather plunged Gungnir into Observatory's control panel. The turret turned, the Bifrost energy building along with Odin's rage. It fired, as the Bifrost opened at the end of the platform, creating a portal behind Loki.
Odin turned angrily to his son.
"You are unworthy of this Realm..."
Odin ripped a disc off Loki's chest.
" ...unworthy of your title..."
He ripped away Loki's cloak.
"...unworthy of the loved ones you've betrayed. I hereby take from you your powers."
Odin extend Excalibur towards his son. Emerald magic went flying from Loki's body into the sword.
"In the name of my father..."
A tendril of icy air came off the hammer and hit Loki, disintegrating the right arm of his armor and part of the chest piece.
"...and of his father before..."
Another strike disintegrated the remainder of Loki's armor, including the cape and torn-away disc on the floor.
"I cast you out!"
Odin thrusts Excalibur before him and - with a swirl of ice - Loki was hurled backwards into the open Bifrost and disappeared in the vortex.
Odin held Excalibur in his hand, stared at it bitterly. He closed his eyes, lost in contemplation, whispered something quietly.
'Whosoever holds this sword, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Loki." Odin said.
Runes appeared on the blade of the sword, as if carved into its smooth surface. The runes lingered for but a moment, then disappeared. Suddenly, Odin turned and hurled the sword into the Bifrost.