My classes are really getting me this term so I am going to try and post as much as I can, but do not be surprised if there are some breaks in between.

So now, the falling action begins. This one is devoted to all of you who reviewed this week. I got so many! Please keep it up!

Musical selections: Part One = Adagio for Tron, Loki's room and the rest = "Father and Son" (all from Tron: Legacy soundtrack)

Chapter Twenty - Homecoming from Hell

Asgard was on alert. Due the news that their golden son had brought back, the realm was not the same. People began to prepare for the worst. Soldiers began preparing their weapons, people gathered and hoarded food for their families, supplies were enlisted by the royal house to give as tribute, and the royal family awaited the worst; fighting their own son.

In the confines of the portal temple, built around the portal ring in homage to their way of travel, Heimdall resumed his normal post of watching his home as well as the other nine realms.

The portal suddenly began to energize and open as Heimdall stood there watching as it was his duty and privilege to defend his realm. From what he could see through the hole in space and time, five people were going to entering his realm.

The first to appear was the fallen prince, now king of Midgard, Loki. He was also coming with company.

The king appeared, the two women who had come through before to arrest Prince Thor, as well as two men that flanked his sides.

One of these men carried a shield on his back.

Loki looked around the temple where the portal that he had supplied for their use was.

"Welcome home King Loki," Heimdall welcomed the king to Asgard, giving a polite nodding of his head.

"Greetings great Heimdall," Loki replied. "My associates of the Avengers and Royal Court."

"Greetings mortals of Midgard. We welcome you to Asgard, kingdom-head of the nine realms."

The mortals did not know how to react.

He was about to escort them out of the temple, when a myriad of guards arrived to meet everyone at the doorway to the chamber.

"We have guests," Heimdall ordered of the guards. "Summon their majesties and escort them..."

"The Allfather is aware of their presence," the head guard informed him. "We are here to escort them to the throne room."

This pleased Loki greatly. His entire family was assembled and awaiting his arrival.

The guards made a space between them.

Steve took his shield off his back and rested it against his arm. "I do not like this my lord," the captain said.

"At ease Captain," he told him. "This is my family. If they wanted to accelerate this war any further, we would have been attacked already." He smoothed his hand across the dark stubble that now lined his profile.

Soon, they were walking in a small herd. The Midgardians along with he were marching softly through the golden halls of the castle with guards all around them.

Captain Rogers was ready for anything as was Black Widow who kept her hands on her hips near the pistols strapped to her belt. Darcy was not armed behind, but as his royal adviser and legal expert, her mind was as sharp as any sword. Coulson stood close to him.

The doors to the grand throne room opened and they were escorted across the floor. It was mainly empty, their footsteps echoing off the vastness of the room.

The party finally arrived at the staircase where they would ascend and then descend; and there everyone was.

His father Odin stood from his throne whilst his mother released a smile when she saw him.

The Warriors Three flanked the staircase while Sif with her baby in her arms stood close to his parents.

Not surprising, his brother was absent.

The five of them walked down the steps and approached the throne.

"Welcome home King Loki of Midgard," Odin greeted them. "Greetings to all of your court as well."

"Odin Allfather," Loki said, "the members of my court. Captain America Steve Rogers, the leader of my military forces. Agent Phillip Coulson, head of my private security. And finally my two lovely assistants. First, Black Widow Natasha Romanoff, the greatest assassin and spy of Midgard and Darcy Lewis, my legal and royal adviser."

"We welcome you to and into our home," his mother said. "Please let us know what we can do to make your stay comfortable."

"We thank you," he replied. "My people will need quarters and sustenance; if peace talks is what you are about to propose."

Everyone looked at each other.

"Please," Loki added. "Arranging to have us brought to your throne room. The polite greetings. Asking us if we want anything...I can see through your ruse."

"No ruses son," Odin said. "Do not twist our gestures. We seek to only show kindness to you and your friends."

"We will not be swayed by any of your tomfoolery," the Captain said and prepared his shield to be used.

The Warriors drew their weapons, which in turn had Widow and Coulson doing the same.

"Stand down Captain," Loki said. "Everyone. We will conduct ourselves in true Midgardian fashion of respect. I expect the same to come from you."

"Absolutely," Frigga said. "Warriors at ease."

Everyone lowered and holstered the weapons.

"We are searching for the most productive and affective way to peace my fellow king," Odin said. "There is no need for any violence, blood to be spilled, or life to be lost over this."

The two kings were close enough to where they could shake hands.

"Must it come to this, my son?" his father asked. "Must a realm-to-realm war become of this."

Loki took one step forward. He stared deep into his father's good eye. "I gave my demands," he told him. "He was there and begged for me to take his life. If it takes until Ragnarok to find my brother and take that which he holds so dearly, I will do it."

"Loki," Sif begged from where she stood. Torunn started to weep in her arms.

"You lied down with him Sif," he said. "It is my queen's honor that he stole from her...and her life."

"Loki, stop this," a voice said.

The Midgardians and he turned around and faced the voice's origin at the top of the staircase.

It was Thor, adorned in his full armor with his trusty weapon, Mjolnir in his hand.

"Well, there you are coward," Loki said, "and it only took me and my court coming onto your turf to get you to finally surrender."

"Let me correct you brother," Thor said. "I was in the process of surrendering when your rebel leader attacked and took me away."

"But you still ran into the portal he charged for you," Loki shouted back, keeping his people behind him.

"I will not let you destroy our home," the elder brother stated.

"Why not? You have already destroyed mine." He took something from within his jacket. It was a small silver box that he flipped open with his thumb. "Do you see what this is? This is the wedding ring of Jane Elizabeth Foster-Odinson, Queen of Midgard. I had the privilege of taking it from her hand when the doctors began to tell me that I am torturing my wife by having her on life support. I should accept the fact that she is dead and I should take her off as soon as the war is over!"

It appeared they were about to come to blows. However, the Warriors kept him back while Coulson and Rogers did the same for him.

"Stop this!" their mother had finally had enough and pushed them both away one another.

"I did not kill Jane and you know it Loki. Stop with your lies!"

"You touched my wife. You put your lips to hers and assaulted her!"

Their father's spear struck the floor and stopped them all from getting into the battle in his throne room.

"Stop, both of you," he ordered. "Thor Odinson has admitted his guilt before me and his family. It was his intent to surrender to you on Midgard..."

"But no longer," Thor replied.

"What?" their mother said.

"I have chosen to not surrender, but propose something else instead," Thor interrupted him.

"What do you propose, brother?" he asked.

"The right to the challenge," Thor said.

Sif gasped.

"Thor, no," Fandral said. "You cannot be serious."

"The challenge," Volstagg whispered. "There has not been one of those in over century."

Sif came to stand in between them. "Please my lord, you cannot..."

"I know what I am doing Sif," Thor said and then they locked eyes again. "How about it brother? Will you face me in open combat, a fight to the death of one to save millions of others."

Loki had to admit that this was interesting move on his brother's part. To face him in a spectacle of combat before all of Asgard. Being he was the superior strategist and magician, it would be easy.

"I accept your challenge," he replied. "To commence two days from now. If I win, Asgard belongs to me."

"And if I do," Thor said, "Midgard belongs to Asgard."

Their eyes were close enough in the stare down where they could gouge each of them out.

"Agreed," Loki replied, snapping the box closed in his hand. "Either way, one of us will die."

Once his people were safely locked away in the chambers near his old bedroom, Loki adjourned for the night.

The room was unchanged, clean but unchanged. The licking logs provided heat to the chamber as he unpacked his satchel with his personal effects.

The king removed the long leather duster jacket from his arms and draped it gently over the foot of his old bed.

Before he did however, he took out the small trinket box and gazed upon the ring that he had taken from Jane's hand. He would carry it with him into battle to ensure she was always with him.

Loki looked through his old belongings and located an old necklace chain that he used to wear. It had been a gift from one of the elders of Asgard, but now he had no further use of it. He tore the charm from it, flinging the jewel into the fire.

He slipped the ring through the links, clasped it closed, and began to wrap it around his neck.

A knock came to his door as he adjusted the ring so it rested dead center over his heart.

"Enter," he called.

It was his mother Frigga.

"Hello darling," she said. "Is everything satisfactory and to your needs?"

"It is my room," he replied, not looking at her. "Everything is always going to be to my liking. I just wish it were under better circumstances for visiting."

"As do I," she answered. She stared at his reflection and touched the ring. "Your queen's?"

"So she will ride with me into battle or fight alongside my soul always," he answered and walked away. He placed his scepter spear at the edge of his bed on the table.

"How is your queen?"

He did not want to look at her. The fact was that he had checked on her before he started to pack.

"What I said is true. She grows weaker by the day," he answered, not making eye contact with her as he shucked off the long leather jacket. "The doctors tell me that she could be brain-dead and that the machines she is hooked into are keeping her alive." A tear slipped down his cheek and swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. "They said that I should be a merciful king and let her go."

She came to him, resting a hand gently upon his shoulder.

"You know what mother," he said

"What my precious boy?"

"When I fell to Midgard, my first thoughts after surviving my fall through the stars was to kill Jane." They locked eyes. "The first thing I wanted was to kill her. I wanted her blood on my hands," he continued as he lifted his hands to look at them. "Then something changed. I do not know what it was. It happened on the night that I seduced her."

Loki remembered and relived the entire memory in his mind.

"I took her body in the attempt to get her to trust me. When we reached our peak of romantic passion, I was going to kill her." He stopped for a moment. "Then I stared down into her eyes. The look that she gave me was one I will never forget. I saw her entire life, her history, everything she had seen. I saw her emotions for me, how she was in love with me. Her aura was filled with love and kindness; something I desired to have...and I knew that I could not resist anymore. I had to possess her." His past self kissed Jane again.

He turned from the fire that glowed in his eyes to face his mother who was sitting on the edge of the bed.

"You found one person whom you could identify with. Someone who was going to accept you for whom you were," his mother said. "It was the one thing you lacked your entire childhood."

"Mother, she took me," he said. He paced in front of the flames, lightly shaking his fist. "She took me into her tight grasp and I could not get her out of my head. I wanted her to be with me. I scoured the city for her. Called her out to surrender to me just so I could possess her. Then she came to me willingly. She needed someone who would protect her and keep her safe."

"And you have darling," she replied.

"Everyone says that she is sick," he told her. "Says that she has something called Stock...whatever it is called. They claim that she surrendered to her oppressor to ensure survival. I think the Midgardians have it all backwards. I think she captured me and I would do anything to ensure my survival."

Frigga came to him, standing in front of him. "Darling, you alone have the power to stop this," she said, a hand coming to his cheek. "You can return home to Midgard, mourn for your wife, and be a great king."

He was quiet for a moment. "Jane and I read this story about two lovers that were doomed to death due to their impulsive and bad decisions," he said. "The prince said that "There is no world without Verona walls.' That is how I see Jane. There is no future for me without her. Without me, Midgard will return to the way it once was; chaos, anarchy, and injustice. No, I cannot go home. I must face my brother."

It was not the answer that Queen Frigga wanted to hear. She was hoping to convince Loki, her son to leave Asgard and return to Midgard; avoiding the battle with her blood son Thor. He was the most level-headed one of the two.

"Loki," she whispered to him, "I do not want you to face your brother in the coliseum. No matter the result, I will lose one of my boys. I cannot bear to lose either or both of you. I will not lose either of you."

Loki came to her in effort to stop her weeping and pleading.

"If there is one thing that Jane has taught me during my rule is that honor is the better part of valor," he said. "I will go out there, face my brother with my wife's spirit at my side, and I hopefully will get the chance to go home to her. And if I do not, I will go to Midgard and take my wife's soul with me into Valhalla or Niflheim, wherever we are destined to go.

"Now if you will excuse me," he told her, "but I must rest and gain my energies. I will need them for my training tomorrow." Her son kissed both of her cheeks softly and turned to go to bed.

Frigga wanted to weep powerfully once she had exited her son's chamber. She had tried in vain to talk Loki out of staying so perhaps she could go to Thor and talk him out of the challenging his brother.

Maybe she could speak to her other son and try again.

Once to Thor's chamber, she did not enter.

Through the ajar door, she watched as Sif wept out loud and then entered her eldest son's embrace. The mother of Torunn was no doubt afraid that she would have to raise her daughter on her own.

She did not want to interrupt this time they would share.

Frigga suddenly had a thought. If she could not convince her sons to stop this madness in fighting one another, she would have to stop it herself.

Loki's honor and Thor's courage were two impenetrable forces that she could not stop on her own.

She needed help...and only one person was going to be able to supply what she desired.

The queen walked toward the healing chambers and entered.

Eir was placing new silks upon the bed, making sure they were smooth and perfect.

"Good day my queen," the healer said. "How may I assist you?"

"Preparing I see," she questioned her motives.

Eir was almost heartbroken. "Though this is a sad moment for all the Odinson Household, King Loki included," the redhead replied, "it does not hurt to be prepared for the worst."

"I would make the same preparations," Frigga replied. "What do you know about the injuries against King Loki's wife Jane?"

"Only what I have heard from muted whispers from others. Why do you ask?"

"Loki just told me that the doctors are telling him that she is 'brain-dead' and that he should cease his use of medical tools that are keeping her alive. He does not want to give up hope, but he is slowly losing it."

Eir stood up straight. "My queen, no insult to you, but are you about to suggest what I believe you are about to?"

"Eir, you are the greatest healer in the all the nine realms," the queen said. "I think that you can help Lady Jane on Midgard and heal her. As your queen, I am asking, no demanding, if you will help me. If we can save her, we may prevent a realm-to-realm civil war."

The healer looked away briefly and then they locked eyes again. "How may I help you my queen?" she said.

And Frigga smiled.

The following morning, Loki was taken to a secluded area for training with Black Widow and Captain America. They would teach him all the definitive maneuvers for offense and defenses. They figured he could take care of the magical part.

Meanwhile the opposite was happening in another realm. Thor took a trip to the island of Vanaheim. He had the strength and the physical prowess to attack. It was his magical talent that was lacking.

And who better to see then the magical beings of that Vanir. They would assist him with simple spells or how to block any of Loki's abilities.

Odin had come to check on his wife, but she refused to be seen. She would weep in seclusion until it was over. She requested that her victorious son come to tell her personally who had won.

Once her husband departed, Frigga threw off the blankets to expose her traveling attire. It was simple. Dark brown leggings and boots donned her legs, covered over by a shimmering beige tunic. Her hair was tied back in a weave that kept it tight to her neck.

She snapped on a belt with a large satchel of magical powder. The powder was meant to be saved for a crisis that she could not get herself out of. She felt that saving her sons' lives called for it use.

She threw on a long dark brown cloak to cover her in the attire of a poor hunter. It would allow her to get out of the palace without being seen or questioned.

Traversing down a stairway tunnel behind her fireplace, Frigga made her way down to the stables where she met Eir. She was dressed in a simple blue tunic with no leggings and strung boots. A dark brown cloak covered her body as well.

"We ready?" the healer asked.

"I am," she replied. "Heimdall is meeting with Odin as I speak. I have a dear friend that is going to conjure a portal for us without using the new portal. It will take us to Midgard."

"And once we get there my queen?"

"We save Jane and get back here to Asgard to stop the fighting; hopefully before one or both of them is killed."

They rode on their horses toward the city in search of the queen's ally that would get them to Midgard.

What did you all think of that? Quite the twist.

For those of you that a visual of Loki's coat and appearence, think of that 1885 jacket in that photoshoot and make it into a long duster. Also the hair being long (from the Avengers footage) and facial hair like from the photos. Kind of rough and tumble for a king.

OK, I am getting side-barred. Please remember to review. The battle for Midgard, Asgard, and Jane's soul has only just begun.