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FANFICTION
THE RISE OF LOKI, GOD OF MISCHIEF
CHAPTER XIV : Infiltration
[Loki is sent spying on Jotunheim to find out the truth about the threat of war against the Mountain Giants. Teaming up with a seiðr user, Eisa, she tells him something is following him since his arrival in Jotunheim. After going through the Crossway and facing his worst fears, deepest wounds and memories, Loki and Eisa reach Utgard on a very important day for this city. Many travellers and merchants from the Nine Realms have gathered and he found out information about the war, but not enough to prove anything. He needs to infiltrate the fortress of Utgard.]
Loki and Eisa waited in deep silence, hidden behind trees not far from the fortress' ramparts. Utgard was very different from Asgard on this point: where the Golden Fortress was high above the city and more brilliant than any jewel in Asgard, the fortress of Utgard – known as the strongest of all Nine Realms – was grey and threatening. The city was built in the mountain itself and at the top of the mountain stood the fortress protected by high ramparts. Everything was made of grey hard stone; even Thor wouldn't be able to break it with his mighty Mjollnir.
After gaining some more information about the Jotunn nobleman coming with its army, Loki and Eisa had slowly made their way towards the top of the mountain, avoiding all guards by hiding behind the trees around the fortress. The nobleman was said to be arriving soon, with his personal army and maids. Of course, like all cortege, they would come on carts filled with trunks and boxes.
"Are you sure they'll come by here and not a side gate?" Eisa asked in a low voice.
"I'm sure," Loki answered simply without bothering to look at her.
"Why?"
"Because as a Prince, I know how these kinds of ceremonials functions. A war is coming against Asgard, Fornjótr needs to reassure its people by showing off the power of his allies by making them come by the main road to his main gates," he explained as calmly as he could despite his obvious annoyance.
Eisa fell silent, both of them waiting once again. Loki had explained his plan several times to her – to make sure she had understood right and now – they had nothing to do but wait.
The girl tucked a lock of hair behind her ear before realizing it was still held up with the hair stick. She glanced at Loki a moment before flushing and breaking the silence:
"B-by the way… The hair stick, I need to—"
"Shush! They're coming!" He hissed, cutting her suddenly.
They heard the horses and footsteps of warriors before seeing them, but when the first horses appeared, carrying a nobleman wearing huge armour, face held up and gaze ready for battle, the two spies couldn't help but shiver. He was huge, even for a Jotunn – much bigger than Thor, and the later was really big, even for an Asgardian. His horse was the biggest Loki had ever seen – bigger than Sleipnir himself – to carry such a fierce man.
There were only two horses, likely carrying his advisors, following and a group of soldiers, all big and carrying spears, swords and shields. This cortege looked more like an army going for to battle than just a simple meeting with a King – which meant that war was almost inevitable at this point, Loki realised with dread.
Then followed a group of maids walking much more calmly than the army, and finally, what was interesting most Loki and Eisa: the carts. As soon as they passed in front of them, the two spies ran from the forest in complete silence, fell behind the unwatched rear of the last cart and climbed up in it, hiding behind a tarpaulin.
Eisa looked up at Loki but said nothing, a knee on the bottom of the cart and the other raised, both ready to jump out if necessary. They could feel every single stone the wagon rolled over and every hole it fell into as the powerful horses pulled them abruptly up the mountain towards the gates.
They heard the sound of the stone huge doors being opened and both were enveloped for a short moment by the green light of their seiðr, dropping their illusion of Giants they had kept up until then. They could have used an invisibility spell and walked past the guards, or found another way, but Loki had noticed the same spell protecting the gates and ramparts that protected Asgard; it broke any other spell at the moment you put your foot through an entrance of any kind. If they had gone with an invisibility spell, it would have disappeared and would have raised an alarm.
Loki saw through a little space between two tarpaulins that they were entering the gates and were now in the inner court. His heart missed a beat but no alert sounded off, which meant they had infiltrated Utgard fortress with success.
Thankfully, once they had passed the gates and ramparts, their seiðr could be used once again – otherwise, Loki would have been terribly bored if he couldn't pull any tricks back in Asgard's fortress.
He breathed out the breath he was holding and waited several minutes for the wagon to stop completely. He made a sign to Eisa and after checking the surroundings and realizing they were behind the fortress itself, they climbed out of the wagon and ran for cover behind a wall.
Still hidden, Loki saw several Jotunns going in and out of the fortress by a side door. Taking the appearances of a typical Jotunn working for the King, the pair advanced calmly and entered the door, making their way in the huge stony palace.
Loki glanced around, more shocked than he expected to be at the sight of the very beautiful tapestries on the walls, as well as delicately decorated armour. He had been taught that Jotunns were monsters; he never thought they would be able to make such art.
"It's beautiful…" Eisa – under her disguise of a Jotunn – murmured to him after admiring a particularly pretty tapestry.
Loki nodded absentmindedly, still shaken by this revelation. He had studied the Mountain Giants' language and commerce because this knowledge was necessary as a Prince of Asgard; but he had never imagined his enemies would have such a delicate and artistic side, those tapestries were as beautiful (if not more) than the ones made by his own mother, the Queen Frigga, known as the best weaver in the Nine Realms.
He was brought back to reality by his companion when the Völva shook his sleeve and gave a nod towards the end of the hall where a man and three soldiers were walking, talking to one another.
"Lord Nuallán only wants Sir Ari and Sir Eiríkr with him when he will be speaking with His Majesty King Fornjótr; the three of you will have to keep an eye on the entrances and exits of the Throne Room. Do not even think about bothering any of them or Sir Ari will be the one taking care of you. Is that clear?"
The three men quickly nodded, paling at the very name of this 'Sir Ari'. The man ordered them to follow him. Loki and Eisa, went after them without a word, understanding each other perfectly. They walked as quietly as cats; Loki quickly put a hand on the last man's mouth to smother his cry as a dagger cut the man's throat quickly and efficiently. The body went numb against him and he pulled the dead man behind a wall, still in silence. Loki noticed that Eisa had done the same effective job on the other man on the other side of the hall. They shared a glance and a nod, falling into steps behind the man and the third soldier. After being enveloped in the green light of their seiðr, they reappeared as the two dead soldiers right when the man turned around, frowning.
"Did you hear anything?" He asked.
The two spies – and the third one who looked lost and innocent (as lost and innocent a Jotunn can look as) – all shook their heads. The man shrugged and kept walking, the others following him.
Loki had a hard time not laughing when he realized how smoothly it had gone and that they would infiltrate the Throne Room itself – he couldn't hope for anything better than this occasion. He thanked the Norns for giving him such an easy path to accomplish his mission.
After a few minutes of walking, the three soldiers entered the Throne Room and went to their different spots.
Loki looked around quickly. The room was huge (but nowhere as huge as the Asgardian Throne Room) and as grey as the rest of the fortress. There were massive windows letting in sunlight, but he also noticed banners hanging from the walls with the arms of Jotunheim's main families. There were washbasins with burning fires all across the room but what caught his eye was the huge throne on a few stairs on which King Fornjótr sat. His son, the Crown Prince Björn, was sitting on a throne at the bottom of the stairs, looking as terrible as always.
Loki had met King Fornjótr and his son several times during diplomatic meetings. They never lasted; it was always too tense and the Giants left as soon as possible – which was most appreciated by the Asgardian court. Loki hated Björn who was violent and rude – at first, he had reminded Loki of Thor, until Björn showed how twisted and bloodthirsty he really was. Thor wasn't the brightest mind or the purest man and even if he was willing to go to war anytime, he didn't kill whoever had displeased him. As for Fornjótr, he usually appeared calm and willing to discuss terms, but if he was disrespected, he would glare until someone felt uneasy and apologized – Odin always ended up laughing about this habit of Fornjótr's as soon as he was alone with his closest advisors. The All Father was the only one with a gaze fierce enough to hold it up against Fornjótr.
"He is no fool, unlike his son, but he has a hot blood raging for battle." Odin had once said.
The All Father had never been more right. Loki could see the rage burning slowly in the dark blue eyes of Fornjótr as he sat on his throne. He appeared calm, but his gaze was furious and screaming for war. He seemed to want that more than anything; Loki realized that Fornjótr had been waiting for centuries to have a good reason to go to war against Asgard – and now he was making it happen.
Björn, on the other hand, seemed eager and impatient, always moving on his throne, his bright blue eyes almost mad with the idea of the coming battle. He shared his father's sandy blond hair; both of them wore it long and messy, decorated with braids and golden pearls. As if the Crown Prince knew an Asgardian was staring at him, he suddenly grinned, a feverish thirst appearing in his eyes, as if he was imagining himself cutting the Asgardian Princes' throats.
"Lord Nuallán accompanied by Sir Ari and Sir Eiríkr, Your Majesty," a man announced before opening the huge doors.
The huge Jotunn that had made Loki so uncomfortable earlier entered, the sound of his boots on the floor resonating through the whole room. He had long dark brown hair that he wore braided and his eyes were icy blue, darkened with kohl. His brown and black furs and his armour made him look even more impressive than his body already was. The two men followed close behind him; the first had black short hair and golden eyes and the second had bright red hair. They were both big enough to compete with Thor when it came to muscles, but behind Lord Nuallán, they looked like children.
"Nuallán! Old friend!" Fornjótr exclaimed, opening his arms and grinning, but didn't move from his throne, "Welcome in Utgard!"
He made a pause, turning towards the two men behind Nuallán.
"Sir Ari, Eiríkr," the King added with nods at the two men.
Ari was the black haired one and Eiríkr the red hair one, they both bowed to the King but it was Nuallán who spoke up.
"King Fornjótr and Prince Björn," he saluted with a short nod of the head.
Loki almost rolled his eyes at his lack of manners – he was almost certain his mother would have shrieked and shouted at him about how to properly talk to royalty but neither the King nor Prince seemed insulted.
"I believe you are aware of the reasons for your coming here," the King started, serious once again.
"I had heard a lot of things before receiving your message, but I wanted to know what is true and isn't in the middle of all those tales of war and spies," he answered with a voice that raged and boomed like thunder (Loki didn't want to hear him yelling in anger).
"I sent a spy in Asgard – which you know."
"Of course I know, I was there when you proposed it at Jotunheim's last Council. I said I was supporting you in your seeking for war against those filthy Asgardians!"
"It took us some centuries, but I will finally take revenge for my sister…" Fornjótr murmured in a hard voice, his gaze suddenly turned cold.
Loki thought deeply, trying to remember who his sister was; then it hit him: Fornjótr's sister was the previous Queen of Jotunheim, Queen Knorda who had tried, three centuries ago, a foolish war against Asgard – but Odin had stopped her madness and his brother took the throne after she was killed in battle.
"Her death brought you to the throne, Your Majesty. It was to your benefit, wasn't it?" Ari said with an evil smile.
The King reflected the same smile and nodded:
"Indeed, but it's also a good excuse to go to war against Asgard. Plus, thanks to my spy, we have received very interesting information – which is why I asked to the Lords of Jotunheim to join me in this war."
Loki froze despite himself: that one or two Lords would join their King in a war was more than possible. According to what they had just said, however, it was the whole Council of Jotunheim that had given their accord for the King to send a spy. Fornjótr hadn't simply mentioned the Mountain Giants Lords but the Lords of Jotunheim, which meant a war not just against the Mountain Giants, but all of Giants.
"Asgard is preparing a massive attack against Jotunheim, in order to wipe us out! They want us all dead and our Realm to be theirs!" Fornjótr exclaimed, rising in anger
"What?!" Nuallán shouted while his two advisors wore looks of complete shock and revulsion.
Loki's mouth fell open in astonishment and he sensed Eisa's gaze on him, as shocked as he was. Asgard wasn't preparing a war against Jotunheim, if Odin had planned anything against them, he would have told his sons.
The Asgardian Prince frowned while the conversation continued:
"The All Father cannot do such a thing! The other Realms would stop following him if he were to try such a thing! It's madness!" Eiríkr exclaimed.
"Nonetheless, we have the proof of such intention," Björn interrupted, his grin wide and wild at the idea of such a war.
He made a sign of his hand while his father sat again, and a man who was hidden in the shadows brought a letter to Nuallán and his companions indicating all the 'proof' the spy had gathered. The Lord frowned upon reading this and a sudden rage filled him, which made him look even more impressive – if possible.
Loki was dying to snatch the paper and know this 'proof' but he had no way to reach it without revealing himself.
"Odin had gone mad!" Nuallán declared with his thunderous voice.
"Is your spy sure?" Ari asked, raising a suspicious eyebrow.
"More than sure, he is faithful to us and Jotunheim. He found all this proof and managed to cause mayhem among the Asgardian court to destabilise them; he used magic to turn all of Queen Frigga's maids against her and we know that Odin sent one of his spies here, to Utgard."
"Any idea who it is, this spy?" Eiríkr asked.
Loki glanced at Eisa, she was trying to look emotionless, but her eyes showed how shaken and relieved she felt to know her mother was innocent. What worried Loki more, however, was that they knew about the spy, even if they didn't appear to know his identity.
"No idea, several of his spies went here. Our spy had been following them but he lost track of that spy after the Misty Mountain."
Loki remembered what Eisa had told him: that something or someone had been following him from the Bifröst landing site, killing off every single one of the Asgardians who were supposed to help him. The Misty Mountain was the mountain they had climbed to go through the Crossway; this meant it had worked and the spy had lost their trail.
"We only heard from my spy recently: he told us he was going back to Asgard in order to know what the All Father was preparing."
"We don't know where this Asgardian spy went, then?" Ari asked, frowning.
"It's more than likely he tried to go through the Crossway; the fool is dead by now," Björn answered with a snicker.
"What are you planning exactly, Fornjótr?" Nuallán asked, giving the paper with the 'proof' back to the young man, who hid in the shadows once again.
"To avenge my sister. With the excuse of this threat from Odin, I'll declare war to Asgard and we will destroy Odin, his family, his allies and his entire Realm! He wants to make Jotunheim his, but we will be the ones taking over Asgard! We'll make the Golden City our new Jotunn capital!" He shouted, throwing his fist against the armrest of his throne.
Nuallán grinned then took a step forward, his dark aura sending shivers down the two spies' spines.
"Count me, and my army, as your ally, my King Fornjótr!" He exclaimed.
The King smirked and then tilted his head slightly towards his son, who was grinning like a fool.
"Good. Now, my son, would you please be kind enough to kill the spy who infiltrated our fortress?" He asked with a cheerful voice.
Loki didn't even have time to react that Björn had taken a crossbow from his side and shot. The arrow hit Loki's shoulder; he let out a cry of pain as it flung him backwards. He fell against the wall, his hand breaking the arrow while he glared up at the Jotunns, clenching his teeth.
The King and Prince looked highly satisfied with their surprise while the shock on the three noblemen's face was being erased with anger.
"This fool is dead by now," Björn said, repeating the same words as earlier – which now sounded more like a threat than a statement. "You should have stayed lost in the Crossway; your death would have been much more less painful than the one waiting for you here, in Utgard!" He exclaimed.
"Guards, grab him!" The King ordered.
Loki tried to move but two Jotunn guards had grabbed him, lifting him up on his legs and pushing him forward. One of them pressed his hand against his injury, more blood flowing from his shoulder. A raging scream escaped the spy's throat while he was pushed down on his knees in front of King Fornjótr. The prisoner's arms were kept behind his back, which hurt his shoulder even more, but Loki glared at the king with a vicious gaze, clenching his fists and jaw.
"Drop your illusion," Fornjótr ordered.
"Or should we make it more painful by draining you of your seiðr?" Ari proposed with a wicked grin.
Loki – still under his disguise – swallowed hard. His mother had told him about the ways of torturing seiðr users, or forcing them to drop illusions or spells. He had never gone through such a thing, but he definitely didn't want to try.
He clenched his jaw and took a deep breath while a green light flickered around him, making him appear as who he really was: Prince Loki Odinson of Asgard.
They all looked shocked, most because they weren't expecting Prince Loki to be the spy than because they were impressed.
The first one to break the silence was Björn with his sudden loud laugh.
"Prince Loki! I can't believe it!"
"Since when does Odin send his own sons to spy on his enemy?" Eiríkr said, snickering.
Loki didn't answer, sending a burning glare at the King.
"I knew that he was desperate and ready to do anything to win a war, but to go as far as sacrificing his son?"
"What son is he, anyway? He is a seiðr user, barely able to hold a fight against his brother," Ari said, lifting up his foot.
The Asgardian Prince didn't have time to try any moves before Ari kicked his face violently, laughing joyfully.
Frozen in shock, too angry to feel the pain, Loki stared coldly at the ground, his raven black hair falling in front of his eyes like a dark curtain.
"Odin has given us the best hostage we could have asked for! With his son in chains at our side, Odin will have no choice but to give up his Realm for your pathetic life! Oh, except if this is what he intended to do from the beginning; I mean, who would want such a failure as son?" Nuallán mocked with an evil grin before laughing, jerking his head backwards.
"He is such a failure."
"I can't believe Odin has such a son. I am so sorry for him…"
"He is so different from Thor! Thor is so bright and this Prince is so… disappointing."
"He is nothing like his father and brother."
"He is Loki, after all."
Loki hated what had happened to him in the Labyrinth more than ever and the way it opened his eyes to so many things, especially that the Nine Realms knew he was a disappointment to his father. Perhaps Nuallán was right and Odin had agreed to send Loki to spy on Jotunheim solely to get rid off the embarrassment.
Whether this was right or not, Loki would not let those vile Mountain Giants use him as a card against Asgard.
If anything, this rage was more than useful to fight.
Loki's cold green eyes turned towards the men looking down at him. His gaze had turned so vile, so vicious, so hard and cold that they all took a step back, their hearts missing a beat at seeing such a furious and raging Loki.
He saw a black flicker at one of the window from the corner of his eyes and he just had time to recognise the two black birds before they flew off: Huginn and Muninn, the All Father's ravens. They would fly back to Asgard and share with the All Father what they had heard and seen.
Loki didn't have to think any longer about the presence of the two birds, his thoughts being brought back by the King. Trying to shake off his embarrassment at being so suddenly uncomfortable, Fornjótr laughed, but the sound was off and bitter, not convincing.
"A hostage? Don't be foolish! Let's send him back to Asgard!" He exclaimed.
His son and his allies all turned towards him, confused, before he grinned darkly at Loki's figure, kneeling, injured and weak at his feet.
"In little pieces…" He added with a wide smirk. "This way, Odin will have no choice but declare war as revenge; it will be his fall…" He murmured with a cold satisfaction.
His allies smiled as well, imitating the cold, mad look he had.
Björn, a dagger in hand, took a step forward, looking down at Loki as he struggled to free himself from the guard's grip, but the other man was much stronger than him.
"You've always annoyed me, Loki; it will be such a pleasure to cut you into pieces. Let be your blood be the first to flood! Let the blood of Odin's house taint our skins when we get ready for battle!" He exclaimed, lifting his blade.
Björn grinned but suddenly gasped, attracting everyone's attention. He moaned and everyone noticed the guard that had silently approached them in all the commotion and stabbed the Prince in the back. Too shocked to do or say anything, Eisa, still disguised as a guard, quickly lifted up her hand and cut his throat with her own dagger. The blood spurted suddenly, splashing on the ground and against the four men and their prisoner.
"N-NO!" King Fornjótr yelled, surging forward to grab his son's body as it fell on the ground, lifeless. "B-BJÖRN!" He shouted, voice shaking with fury.
Eisa dropped her illusion and, seeing Nuallán, Eiríkr and Ari's shocked expression upon seeing their Prince killed by another spy who turned out to be a woman, she jumped forward and hit the guard holding Loki with her dagger. His throat deeply cut, he yelled in pain, lifting up his hands stained carmine before falling backwards.
Loki, now free, quickly got up and turned around to run, followed closely by Eisa.
"CATCH THEM! CATCH THEM BOTH AND BRING ME THEIR DEAD BODIES!" Fornjótr shouted, still holding his son's body against him.
His voice was furious; his body was trembling in rage and pain while his face was covered in his son's blood and tears rolled down his cheeks.
"KILL THEM!" He yelled.
Fornjótr's loud voice made his three allies jump and they started to run after Loki and Eisa, who had already reached the door. The Prince threw daggers at the guards who advanced to stop them and he used his seiðr against the door to push it open while Eisa made green lights appear in her hands. The light turned into long whips that grabbed the closest washbasins of fire and with a gesture; they flew against the three men, who stopped, lifting up their arms to protect their faces. The flames and sparks flew to the ground and against the banners on the walls, quickly spreading and creating a barrier of fire at the door blocking the two fugitives' escape.
"CATCH THEM!" Fornjótr shouted again.
Every time a guard appeared in the halls, alerted by the yells or the fire, either Loki or Eisa knocked him down with seiðr before continuing, trying to make their way outside the fortress.
"Any ideas?!" Eisa shouted, glancing at Loki.
"Run!" He yelled.
"Brilliant!" She mocked.
Two guards blocked their way; the Prince took out a dagger, surging toward one of them. It went straight into his heart and the god turned around to hit the other guard with his fist. The guard stumbled backwards but lifted up his sword and shield, glaring viciously at his adversary. He jumped forward, his blade ready to hit the Prince but Loki moved out of the way and with his dagger, sliced the guard's wrist holding the sword. The nerves cut and the blood flooding, the guard yelled in pain and tried to take a step back. He never had time because Loki's dagger flew into his throat and he fell on the ground in a pool of blood.
The Prince, followed closely by the seiðr user, ran; finally finding a door leading outside as they heard the running footsteps of more guards.
They landed in a courtyard where several maids and workers screamed in terror and ran around. Loki and Eisa ran forward as they realized there wasn't a rampart; it was a side road for those coming from the city and the fortress. Loki and Eisa accelerated as they heard the guards flooding from the fortress, surrounding them.
They both froze at the edge of the platform, almost falling off as they stared down at the steep cliff as high as the mountain with the river raging down in the valley. Loki pulled Eisa backwards and they turned around, daggers ready, while more guards arrived.
"Catch them alive! I want to torture them slowly before cutting them into pieces!" Nuallán's voice resonated through the courtyard.
Loki looked around at the Jotunn guards wearing armours and carrying spears, shields and swords at their sides. There were over fifty surrounding them, slowly trying to catch them.
"Loki…" Eisa murmured nervously, licking her lower lip in panic as they both looked around, completely outnumbered, "Right now would a great time for a brilliant idea…" She whispered, her voice trembling anxiously.
Some guards were pushed away by Nuallán and his two advisors. They still were stained with their Prince's blood and glared furiously at the two cornered spies. The huge brown-haired man laughed dryly upon seeing them trapped.
"What could you possibly do trickster?! You're ours now, Loki!" He exclaimed with a bitter dark laugh, "You will be the cause of Asgard's fall!"
"I won't give you this satisfaction!" Loki hissed back with a cold glare, moving his dagger between his fingers.
He suddenly turned around, grabbed Eisa's arm and jumped off the cliff with her.
"NO!" Nuallán yelled, surging forward as fast as possible.
Loki and Eisa shouted as they fell down the cliff, right towards their death.
I don't know if I mentioned it already, but I will write a second part to this fanfic. :)
NEXT CHAPTER: DECLARATION OF WAR
Things are getting serious, and the epicness is coming!
Tell me what you think! :D
Yours Truly,
May