Author's Note: So I finished the Loki season 1 on Disney Plus last week and I immediately went on with this chapter. So far, I think it's my favorite MCU TV series. I cannot wait for season 2.
Sorry if this chapter seems a bit off. I did the best I could with trying to integrate Loki's motivations with Ainz' rule.
Anyway, enjoy the chapter. Any and all comments are welcome.
It has been quite a story these past few days. The royal family of E-Rantel have been investigating the criminal underworld organization known as Eight Fingers. They were also working with the adventurer's guild, Blue Roses, who have been alongside the best guards in the kingdom.
At the same time, Nazarick's butler, Sebas Tian, has stumbled upon one of Eight Fingers' slave girls, Tsuare, and brought her into his temporary abode. That in turn provoked Eight Fingers into taking action against him by kidnapping Tsuare and calling Sebas out.
After discussing the situation with Ains, Sebas was sent to work with the kingdom's guards to face off against Eight Fingers' strongest warriors who he easily defeated one by one. In the meantime, Mare was on her own mission. She snuck into the home of one of Eight Fingers' leaders, Hilma, and kidnapped her. She left the insect maid, Entoma Vasilissa Zeta, to clean up the mess.
Entoma began eating on the flesh of humans who worked for Hilma when she had an unexpected set of visitors, all of whom worked at Blue Roses. One was a very large, very muscular, very masculine woman named Gagaran. There was another woman there, a ninja named Tia. Entoma handled them well standing her ground, but she quickly lost the advantage when the masked third women, Evileye, showed up and bombarded her with a special magic designed to be used against insects. Entoma was damaged so bad, she lost her fake voice, her mask, and was on the verge of dying. That's where we pick up.
"Tia, deal the finishing blow." Evileye said.
"On it." Tia said. But before she could get any closer to the insect maid, something stopped her.
Green light flashed before them before revealing a certain trickster who arrived in Nazarick. Loki stood before everyone in his Asgardian cloak and horned circlet. He carried a spear-like scepter with a blue gem glowing near its tip.
"I'd rather you not." Loki said. "I still need her." He turned his back and knelt down to Entoma.
"You?" she whispered in a monstrous snarl. Normally, she'd sound like a normal girl with her Lip Bug which replicates the voice of whoever it comes from, but Evileye killed it with her insecticide spell. "What are you doing here?"
"It's a long story. You'll have to take it up with Demiurge." Loki whispered back. "Just fly off. I'll take it from here."
Entoma nodded and flew off. Loki turned his attention back at the Blue Roses members.
"I take it you're the master of that thing?" Evileye asked.
"You have no idea." Loki replied. "I wish I had time to chat, but I've got a schedule to keep. So…"
Loki reached out his scepter and a blue fireball shot out of it. It was very quick; too quick for Gagaran to dodge. She screamed as she burned quickly before falling backwards.
"GAGARAN!" Tia shouted. Suddenly, Loki teleported away from his previous spot and reappeared behind the ninja girl. He wasted no time impaling his spear through her back.
"TIA!" Evileye shouted. Loki tried the same trick, but the masked woman saw it coming and jumped out of the way before she could be stabbed too. "You killed them!"
"You know, I heard that there's someone in Blue Rose who knows resurrection magic." Loki said. "Of course, you'll have to survive me first."
"Maximize Magic: Scattered Buckshot!"
Several shards of crystal materialized around her and were shot directly at Loki. Unfortunately, the Asgaurdian used his scepter to shatter any buckshot that would've hit him.
"I must say, I really like this weapon." Loki said admiring his scepter. "It's much nicer than my last one. And I didn't think it would kill someone that big that quickly."
"I won't have you enjoying killing people!" Evileye shouted. "Even if it's to my last breath, I will…"
Suddenly, something big fell between the two. When the dust was cleared from the air, a large man covered completely in black armor stood there wearing a red cape. He had an adamantite talisman on his chestplate.
Evileye saw the talisman and spoke to him. "Dark hero, I am Evileye of Blue Roses! I ask you as an adamantite-level adventurer, help me dispose of this madman!"
"Understood." He said in a deep voice which Loki recognized. He turned to the trickter. "I am Momon. What is your business here?"
"Well, you're certainly a lot more polite than those girls. I am Loki, of Asgard. And I am burdened with glorious purpose."
"And what purpose is that?" Momon asked.
"A magic item somewhere in this city, one that has the ability to summon an army of demons." Loki said. "With it, I will create a new world, one that's made free."
"Free from what?"
"Freedom. Freedom is life's great lie. When you accept that in your heart, you will know peace."
"So you wish to take this magic item and use it to conquer the world?" Momon asked. "I guess I have no choice but to stop you."
"You can try." Loki said. "But I doubt you can stop me while you're saving the little one behind you." He shot another blue fireball that was aimed directly at Evileye.
Momon jumped in front of the fireball and blocked it with his sword. Thankfully he was unharmed, but when the smoke cleared, Loki was nowhere to be seen.
"Where is he?" Evileye asked.
"He must have scurried off." Momon said. "Just like a coward to stab his enemies in the back before fleeing."
Once he was clear, Loki took a breath in the middle of the city. He pressed his finger to his ear to connect a line. Demiurge answered.
"Ah, Loki. I take it you've found Lord Ainz?"
"I found someone who shares his voice." Loki replied. "Perhaps you should have told me that he'd be wearing black armor."
"Yes. Well, Lord Ainz keeps the Great Tomb of Nazarick well-supplied by doing jobs posing as an adventurer."
"Couldn't he just use the gold in your vaults? I noticed you have enough to fill a castle."
"The gold we have here is nothing like the current currency of this world. If someone catches how unique they are, they'd trace it back to the Great Tomb itself and our secret will be exposed. But nevermind that. Do you have the item?"
"Right here." Loki said holding up a small demon statue with six arms.
"Excellent. Begin. And the rest will be up to you."
Loki nodded cutting the connection. He held his spear up into the air and made it glow. Suddenly, a transparent barrier had blanketed a portion of the city beginning to panic every human there. After that, he awaited demons sent by Demiurge's demon lords and sent the horde to roam the streets. Humans were being herded and some were gathered while the stores were being looted. All Loki had to do now was wait.
The royal guard had gathered up with many adventurers, including Momon and Blue Roses, to charge into the barrier. It didn't hurt, so they were free to fight as many demons as they could. Momon, Evileye, and Narberal Gamma (known by her adventurer name, Nabe) broke off from the army to advance deeper into the city. It wasn't long before they came across the trickster himself, who had a posse of his own.
Beside Loki were the maids of the Great Tomb of Nazarick—Yuri Alpha, Lupisregina Beta, CZ2128 Delta, Solution Epsilon, and especially Entoma Vasilissa Zeta.
"I kinda expected you to come a few minutes earlier." Loki said. "Trouble with the swort sharpener?"
"Loki, I give you this one warning only." Momon said. "Call off your demon horde and surrender!"
"Never!" Loki said. "You can't stop it! There is only the war!"
"So be it." Momon said. "HERE I COME!"
Momon charged toward Loki who prepared his spear. They both clashed at a nearby ground where they exchanged strikes with their weapons. Loki held his own, but had to take steps back because of Momon's speed. Loki was able to compensate with blue blasts that come from his spear. While they fought, Evileye and Nabe fought the remaining maids. Evileye fought against Alpha and Delta while Nabe "fought" against Beta, Epsilon, and Zeta.
Momon and Loki's battle eventually lead them to the interior of an abandoned inn. It was there that Loki decided to drop the act and Momon did the same.
"I assume this was Demiurge's plan?" Momon asked.
"He did say you were a smart one." Loki said. He sat at a table across from an empty seat which Momon took.
"Is this room safe?" Momon asked.
"Yes. I've casted an illusionary wall. To anyone outside, this place will look empty and they won't hear a word we say." Loki replied. "Also, I've rigged explosives around the area to make it seem like our battle is still going."
"Good. Now, I expect to be kept in the loop." Momon said. "Why are you here, trickster?"
"Truth be told, this is all a test that Demiurge set up for me." Loki said. "He was originally going to play the part of villain himself, but decided that this would be a way to test my loyalty to you."
"How would this test anything?" Momon asked.
"Demiurge said that this mission would give me a hundred opportunities to turn against you and claim your power for my own." Loki said. "After all, I've got an army of demons at my disposal, the freedom to escape, and a new scepter that's even more powerful than my old one, which is impressive considering it was an Infinity Stone. All I have to do is see this plan through to the end and my captivity will be reduced."
"And how do I know you won't stab me in the back as soon as you find the right opportunity?" Momon asked.
"I'd never stab anyone in the back." Loki said. "It's such a boring form of betrayal."
"Loki, I've read up on your entire life. You've literally stabbed people in the back about fifty times."
"…Well, I'd never do it again. Because it got old."
Momon then thought to himself, "I think I see what would happen if he does betray me. If he does anything out of line, he'll have the entire Great Tomb of Nazarick out for him. It's quite a gamble, but from a certain angle, the payoff will outweigh the risk. This wouldn't make us trust him completely, but it's a good step in the right direction at least."
"So what's the point of this whole invasion, Loki?" Momon asked the trickster. "You said Demiurge was going to be in control of this before he gave the control to you. What's the game?"
"Right." Loki said. "Well, there are four benefits to this plan."
"Really? I thought there were only three." Momon lied. He had no idea there were any benefits at all.
"Well, our first benefit is this," Loki explained, "Because of this attack, we're able to rob every store in the warehouse district of their wealth and other necessities that Nazarick needs. The second is in regard to our actions against the criminal organization, Eight Fingers. I did say this attack was meant to search for a magic item, but the truth is it's to cover up our involvement. If we only attacked Eight Fingers bases, people will start asking questions. But if the entire capital was attacked by demons, people will only see it as an invasion for this item. It's like hiding a broken tree branch in a forest."
"That reminds me." Momon said. "What is this magic item you're supposedly after?"
Loki held up the six-armed demon totem. "Demiurge gave it to me. He called it Armageddon: Evil, and it was created by the Supreme Being who created him, Lord Ulbert. The plan was for me to find this item during the invasion to fool the mortals."
"I know of this item." Momon said. "Able to summon an entire horde of demons. But I do insist you use this instead." He held out his hand and a whole new demon statue was held in it, but it had only three arms instead of six. "This was Ulbert's prototype that he meant to throw away. I've been saving it for a rainy day."
"And you're giving it to me?" Loki asked.
"It's better than let it sit around gathering dust. Lord Ulbert wouldn't want that."
"All righty then." Loki said accepting the statue.
"Now, back to the benefits." Momon said. "What's the third?"
"Well, during the chaos, we've managed to capture most of the humans inside this barrier. They are then to be brought over to Nazarick where Demiurge will look for uses for them. Meanwhile, everyone will pass the blame to me earning my reputation as a man to be feared."
"So long as those who wrong Nazarick are given painless deaths, that will be fine." Momon said. "And the fourth?"
"Well, that's where this fight between us comes in." Loki said. "Once the people see the great Raven Black Hero, Momon, chase the fearsome, cunning, and stylish Loki out of the town, your reputation as a hero will grow. All we will have to do now is keep the battle going until everyone sees you driving me out."
"I see." Momon said. "Very well. But if you even try to do anything questionable, my next blow will be a killing one."
Loki chuckled. "I understand. But if there's anything you can trust, you can trust this: I don't want to die."
Before returning outside, Loki had to make a few dents into Momon's black armor. In return—much to Loki's chagrin—Momon had to dirty up his armor. Loki gave a signal to Mare who then used his staff to create a slight earthquake. It was the maids' signal to wrap up their fight. After that, Momon and Loki resumed their faux fight back to where they had left the ladies. Loki regrouped with the maids while Momon landed next to Evileye and Nabe.
"You're quite strong." Loki commented. "I guess there is a brain underneath that black helmet."
"And I'm surprised you haven't run away quite yet." Momon said.
"Now that you mention it, I suppose it is time for a strategic retreat." Loki said. "Here's how it works, mortal: the longer we fight, the more your precious humans will be hurt. So if you want to save them, your best option will be to let us go."
"Don't play games with us!" Evileye shouted. She was about to fight, but Momon stopped her.
"Very well. But this will be your one chance. If you go back on your word, I will kill you."
"You can try." Loki said. "Ladies, let's leave." In a flash of green, he and the other maids vanished into thin air. The demons disappeared and the barrier was dropped. The day the saved and everyone gave great thanks to the royal guards, Blue Roses, and most of all, Momon.
Everything went according to plan.
After that, everything fell into place. First, the girl who Sebas saved in the first place, Tsuare, was brought in to be hired as a maid ready to receive her training. After that, the dark elves, Aura and Mare, managed to gather up the humans captured and put them at ease with the help of the woman that the brother captured. With this, Nazarick was able to conquer half of the country.
At the main throne room, Ainz Ooal Gown walked in in his full, skeletal form cloaked by his robes and carrying the staff of his guild. Once he sat on his throne, he turned his attention to the three people who stood at his side: Albedo, Demiurge, and Loki.
"Step forward, Loki." The trickster complied. He attempted a bow, but Ainz stopped him. "No need for that. I've been reading up on you and I know that you're the type of man who'll pull any trick no matter how many times he 'proves himself'. For all I know, you're currently plotting to overthrow me as soon as the opportunity strikes."
Loki turned his eyes seeing distrusting glares from Ainz' most loyal floor guardians. "I… Well, from a certain way of thinking…"
"It's the same in any way of thinking." Ainz said. "Still, you have proven yourself in one way. Not to mention, your creative thinking may come in handy someday. So step forward." Loki complied. Ainz grabbed his wrist and placed a bracelet on him. "This magic item is called Restraint. As long as you're in the confines of Nazarick, you will be unable to use any of your magic. This way, you will be free to roam the grand halls without worrying about anyone keeping an eye on you."
"And you're not worried about me corrupting one of your followers?" Loki asked.
"No. I trust every last one of them with my life. Their loyalty is what I value most." He noticed Albedo blushing and trembling her legs together. "Once you have proven yourself further, you will be granted more privileges and more levels of freedom. And maybe, one day, you will be free to leave this world and return to your own once we find your item, the Tesseract."
Loki had many conflicted thoughts in his head. He knew how powerful Ainz was, maybe even more so than Thanos. As much as he wanted to find a way to overthrow the sorcerer before him, he knew it was impossible with all the Floor Guardians so loyal to him. Loki nodded to the Supreme Being.
"I understand. Thank you for your mercy, Lord Ainz Ooal Gown."
"Good. Now, Yuri Alpha has arranged a new room for you. You may leave now." Loki bowed and left.
"Are you quite sure we can trust him, Lord Ainz?" Albedo asked.
"I'm not trusting him." Ainz said. "The Restraint has been given a special condition that I didn't tell him about. On top of not being able to use his magic inside of Nazarick, if he causes me any harm, the item will explode and destroy him."
"Extra precautions, I see." Demiurge said. "That's why you're the grand ruler."
