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Hazy Pirate : Thank you so much for your review! I'm happy you love this story so far! This is kind of the feeling I wanted to give you all, to see a bit of the dark Loki of the future! :P
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FANFICTION
THE RISE OF LOKI, GOD OF MISCHIEF
CHAPTER XV : Declaration of War
[Loki is sent to spy 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 has been following him since his arrival in Jotunheim. After going through the Crossway and facing his worst fears, deepest wounds and memories they infiltrate the fortress of Utgard, they find out that the Giants want war more than ever and after killing the Mountain Giants' Prince and being cornered, jump off a cliff.]
Asgard, tenth day of Loki's mission
Odin felt the presence of his ravens before seeing them flying towards him. He extended his right arm and one bird landed on it while the other settled on his shoulder.
Frigga got up upon seeing the two black birds, wringing her hands worriedly. Thor, healed from the poison but still weak, stayed seated, but looked with concerned blue eyes at his father, waiting for news.
Muninn, "memory", hopped on Odin's shoulder as the god tilted his head slightly to listen. To everyone listening, the clicking and squawking of the two birds made no sense, but the birds' magic could be felt. Their cackle had some sort of whisper, the whisper of magic, a language in itself but Odin's two messengers' magic was unique. Despite that, Frigga and Thor could almost perceive a word in Muninn's squawking: "Lo-ki, Lo-ki, Lo-ki". The chant was like a dark melody that sent shivers down their spines.
Once the raven was done with his report, Odin lifted his head and looked over at the beautiful Asgardian sky.
"What did he say?" Thor asked abruptly.
"Does he know where Loki is?" Frigga inquired; worry had been killing her since she last heard about him.
Her dear son had disappeared from Heimdall's view, and worse, Týr had gone to Jotunheim only to find the signs of a fight against a dragon and had retrieved the dead bodies of the Asgardians sent to protect him. There had been no sign of Loki ever since.
Odin didn't answer right away; he walked slowly, almost limping towards his golden seat before falling in it, letting down his mask of liege in front of his family. His shoulders dropped, as if his ravens were suddenly too heavy.
"Odin?" Frigga called, her voice shaking in panic at his intense silence.
"They caught him," he simply said, breaking the silence that threatened to choke them all.
For a moment, none answered, not sure they had heard right.
"They caught Loki," Odin repeated.
The Queen inhaled a deep shaky breath, a hand covering her mouth while Thor opened his eyes wide, panic and sadness clashing in it.
"W-what?" He hesitated, "It's impossible! Loki would not be caught so easily!" He exclaimed, getting up suddenly.
"What happened? Since… since…" Frigga hesitated, trying to remain strong.
"I don't know, Muninn and Huginn were flying around Utgard to find out about an army but there wasn't even a nervous horse. They approached the fortress and spied on King Fornjótr. He is preparing for war."
The tension in the room sparked even more until he continued, his voice hard and dark:
"They arrived in the middle of the conversation, but King Fornjótr is assembling an army. Loki was discovered in the room and…"
His voice trailed off while Frigga closed her eyes tightly, unable to hold back her tears anymore. Thor took a step forward, frowning in fear of what had become of his brother.
"What happened to him?" He asked in a shaky voice.
Odin stared at the table in front of him, not saying a thing, which only worried his wife and son more.
"What happened to my brother?!" Thor yelled, his heart beating soundly against his chest in cold fear.
"He is captured and into the hands of our enemies. He is a hostage of Jotunheim," the All Father finally said.
Silence fell in the room again until Frigga choked on her strangled sob and turned around, hiding her tears. Thor tried to understand what this meant. His little brother, one of the mightiest warriors of Asgard, had been captured? He was a hostage? Thor couldn't believe it, but the way his father was looking down with one wide eye, looking pale and shaken by whatever detail Muninn had given him left no doubt. Thor's heart sank and he clenched his fists, blinking away the tears threatening to spill from his eyes.
"We have to go!" He exclaimed with a voice weaker than he intended.
His father didn't answer, so he continued:
"If Loki has been captured by the Mountain Giants who want war then let's give it to them! We need to free my brother and—"
"No," Odin cut suddenly.
It took a moment for his son to process what had been said before his heart missed a beat and he frowned at his father:
"What?"
"We can't attack Jotunheim," the All Father said with a firm voice.
Thor hesitated, shaking his blond head slightly before reacting violently.
"Why?! They have sent a spy among us, are preparing for war and have captured my brother, a Prince of Asgard! We can't let them get away with that! We need to attack before—"
"This is exactly what they want!" Odin yelled.
His shout was so sudden that even Frigga, usually used to her husband's fits, started and looked between father and son. Thor's wide eyes stared into his father's one and electricity sparked between them.
"Arrh…" The King muttered, slumping back against his throne, hand on his heart, "We… can't attack Jotunheim. This is what they want of us…" He repeated, looking straight into his son's eyes.
"B-but… L-Loki is…" Thor whispered, panic rising in his chest once again.
"Loki is able to handle himself. He was supposed to stay safe and come back with information, not become a tool for the Mountain Giants to throw at us. Think of our position in this, Thor: we have sent a spy, my son nonetheless, right into Utgard's fortress. With Loki captured, the Mountain Giants have all reasons to declare that we have spied on them and betrayed our truce."
"They sent a spy before and—"
"We have no proof of it but dead corpses now turned into ashes!" Odin exclaimed.
Thor swallowed hard while the All Father continued:
"We are in a position of weakness and vulnerability: if we attack Jotunheim, it will not be seen as retrieving a Prince of Asgard, but a will for war. This is what they wanted of us from the beginning: that we send a spy that would allow them to appear as a victim attacked on their own territory."
Odin shifted on his seat to be more comfortable, but he was too nervous and worried and both his wife and son could see it.
"This is why we can't attack Jotunheim. We have to wait for them to make a move against us out of impatience." He repeated firmly, challenging his heir to speak against him again with his eye.
Thor swallowed and remained silent, understanding how delicate the situation was. It was Frigga who took a step forward, frowning lightly despite the distress in her eyes at knowing her son was imprisoned.
"But… a move against us… it would be…"
"Yes," Odin simply said, looking down in shame.
"You can't let that happen!" She exclaimed, anger appearing in her gaze.
Thor looked between them, not understanding what was happening. He was about to ask what his mother meant, but she continued, revealing what she knew the All Father was thinking about:
"If it's not a direct attack against Asgard, then Loki— you can't let that happen! He is our son! You can't let him die for your pride!" She shrieked, furious that Odin wouldn't try to find another solution.
Thor's eyes widened in panic, but his father threw a hard annoyed look at his wife which didn't make her flinch the slightest:
"He is our son, which is why I trust him in escaping—"
"Your Majesty!"
They all turned towards Týr, Orvar, Freyr and Hermód who had entered in the room without being announced.
"What is it?" Odin asked immediately, tense upon seeing the serious looks on his advisors' faces.
"We just received a message from King Fornjótr!" Hermód, God of Messengers, announced before handling a roll to Odin.
The King got up suddenly, his ravens flapping their wings to balance themselves while he took the roll and read it quickly, brows furrowing immediately. Silence reigned in the room until he looked up at Thor and Frigga, who were watching him anxiously, scared to hear news they didn't want to think about.
"King Fornjótr is declaring war against Asgard after his son's assassination by an Asgardian spy." He announced, a light of victory shining into his blue eye.
"Loki—" Frigga started nervously.
"Is not mentioned," he cut in, "but it is most likely he escaped, killing Björn and giving us the right to defence ourselves against Jotunheim."
"Did you plan for this to happen?" Thor asked in a low voice, frowning at his father.
The All Father ignored him and took Gungnir, his spear. He lifted up his head, looking fiercer and prouder and turned towards his advisors, a bright fire burning in his eye.
"Let us prepare the troops for the battle to come. Hermód, I want you to send a message to all of our soldiers and our allies: we need as much strength as possible. Týr, Freyr," he called, turning towards his generals, "let us discuss a strategy while the message is spread."
"The message…" Frigga repeated in a low voice, frowning lightly.
Her husband turned towards her, a brave yet dangerous look on his face: the look of a King heading for battle and a father ready to avenge his son.
"The war against Jotunheim," he announced with a hard voice, the tip of his spear sparkling coldly.
Hermód turned around, running off to send messages to all of Asgard and the Nine Realms. Týr, Orvar and Freyr followed the All Father while Frigga remained in the room. Thor ran after his father, catching up with him quickly.
"Father! Let me lead a rescue mission for Loki!" He exclaimed.
"No, Loki can handle himself – he just proved it."
"But—"
"Thor," Odin interrupted, his voice threatening.
He stopped so suddenly that Thor almost fell over when he tried to stop as well. He turned towards his father who looked suddenly angrier and more impatient with a war to get ready for.
"Loki went into Jotunheim alone, survived a battle against a dragon and assassin who was after him, and managed to arrive in Utgard to gain information. Even after being discovered, he fought his way out, killed one of the finest warriors the Mountain Giants know and gave us an opportunity to attack without being seen as attackers."
He put a hand on his son's shoulder; Thor stared at him, mouth hanging open.
"Be proud of your brother and trust him. He is alive and doesn't need rescue, I know it."
Thor looked down, clenching his jaw and fists, his heart tight with worry and fear.
"You don't know everything…" He murmured.
Odin's eye was sharp when he threw his son a look, but didn't respond. Instead, he dropped his hand and kept walking, to a wide table where a map of Jotunheim was spread, followed by his son and three closest advisors.
"Freyr, can I count on Vanaheim to ally with us?" The All Father asked, looking up at the Sun God.
"I cannot answer for them, but I will personally go and inquire after their alliance for this war, if it is your wish, Your Majesty," he answered firmly with a short nod of his head.
Odin nodded before pointing at some plains on the map.
"The only battlefield close to Utgard is the Plain of Sigrún. The only way to access it, for us, will be to cross those mountains and those valleys."
"It will be easy for the Mountain Giants to trap us if we take this way," Thor noticed, frowning.
"Except if we lure them into another trap," Odin replied, eye bright.
"What do you plan?" He asked, blinking at his father.
"Thor, you will take the Warriors Three and Lady Sif. The five of you will lead the main troops."
The Thunder God looked up, mouth hanging opened in shock. It took him a moment to process to what this meant. He finally shook his head, looking confused.
"Wait— the main troops? Wouldn't Orvar or Týr be more qualified? Leading the main troops, I am not sure I—"
"Thor, you should be honoured. Rare are the warriors as young as you who can lead troops. Tales will be told of your glory during this battle." Týr said with an encouraging smile.
"Y-you think?" The Heir hesitated, more embarrassed and confused than he would admit.
"I'm sure," he answered.
Orvar and Freyr nodded with smiles at the Prince who felt confidence and pride surging within him. He smiled and gave a short nod to his father.
"It's an honour, All Father," he said, bowing slightly in front of him.
Odin nodded before giving more indications about his plan and theories.
After this short war council, Thor went to look for the Warriors Three and Lady Sif. His heart hammered against his chest, in excitement for battle as well as worry and fear for his brother as he searched for his friends, to share with them the good news: they would lead the troops in one of the most glorious battles Asgard had known.
Meanwhile in Utgard, Jotunheim
The sky looked almost white from the rising sun behind clouds as King Fornjótr stared at the embers and ashes, the only remains of his son. After the announcement of the Prince's death, funerals were held by night, according to the traditional ceremony. Most people had gone asleep for hours by now; others were mourning their friends and families – the ones who died killed by Loki and his Völva; as much as the ones to come, now that the war against Asgard had been announced.
"Your Majesty," Lord Nuallán called, arriving behind him.
The King didn't look away from the bright embers as the sky was slowly charged itself with clouds, darker and darker by the minute.
"What do you want?" Fornjótr asked in a low, hoarse voice, motionless.
"We cannot find Loki's body, nor that of his associate," Nuallán answered, trying to lower his booming voice – without much success.
For a moment, the Jotunn King didn't move before lifting up his gaze slightly, just enough to stare at the mountains surrounding him and the sky covered in clouds.
"Keep looking," he said with the same tone.
Nuallán hesitated, shifting his massive weight from one foot to the other. He glanced over his shoulder at his two advisors, Ari and Eiríkr, who both tightened their lips upon seeing their King so weak with grief.
"With all due respect, My Liege, I saw them falling onto the rocks before their bodies were taken by the river. There is no way they could have survived such a fall, much less the river or—"
"He is a seiðr user, and she is a Völva. They could have used some trick to lure you into thinking they are dead. Keep looking for their corpses. I will not rest until I have Loki's body at my feet, dead or alive."
The dark haired Giant stared at his King before giving a sharp nod at Ari, who answered with the same gesture before turning around and leaving – not that the King had noticed his presence to begin with.
King Fornjótr turned towards Lord Nuallán and Sir Eiríkr slowly, his dark blue eyes widened and filled with many emotions: grief, sorrow, sadness, guilt, but mostly, fury.
"I will walk into battle with Loki's head on my spear and his blood as war paint on my face!" He hissed, mad eyes shining brighter than the cloud-covered sky.
I hope you like it. Writing with another pov than Loki's is a good thing, eeven if next chapter will not be with his pov too! ;)
Freyr, Hermodr and Tyr are actual gods from the myths. Freyr is a Vanr from the allied Realm of Vanaheim, he is the God of Sun. And Tyr is the God of War. Hermodr is the Messenger God. And as for Orvar, I created him (like all the Mountain Giants btw) and his name means "Arrow" in Old Norse. I don't remember where I found the name "Fornjotr", but for the others: Nuallán "Noble, famous," (Ancient Irish); Ari "Eagle" (Ancient Scandinavian) & Eiríkr "Ruler of Always" (Old Norse)
NEXT CHAPTER : THE DEED OF THE NORNS
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Yours Truly,
May