Sorry for being late but I have finales coming so I'll be very busy, that's why I won't post until around Christmas.

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FANFICTION

THE RISE OF LOKI, GOD OF MISCHIEF

CHAPTER XXII : Trap

[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 they infiltrate the fortress of Utgard, they find out that the Giants want war more than ever and after killing the Mountain Giants' Prince, they escape. Odin and Fornjótr both prepare themselves for the battle to come. Loki and Eisa get rid of Hyrokkin and scape her Iron Woods. He is about to join Thor and the Asgardian troops when Eisa reveals her betrayal: she is the spy.]

Loki laughed when Thor fell onto the ground loudly. He had just stepped nonchalantly on the brand new red cape his brother kept wearing around, showing off to everyone how mighty he looked with it. And he had fallen with grace and beauty.

"Loki!" Thor exclaimed, getting up and tossing off the cape that had fallen onto his shoulder.

He frowned at his little brother but the latter was laughing so much he was bent double, holding his stomach, and soon enough, the eldest was laughing as well – no one had seen him falling except Loki and Frigga, who was shaking lightly her head with a soft smile.

"Come here, you little prankster!" Thor exclaimed, grabbing his brother and ruffling his raven hair.

"Wah! S-stop! T-Thor!" Loki hiccupped, laughing too hard to focus on his words.

Thor then started tickling him. The youngest wriggling around, both still laughing.

Suddenly, a shadow fell on them and they froze, all joy and giggles fading away. They looked up and straightened up, staring warily at the All Father, who looked down at them with his cold eye.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"We're just having fun, father…" Loki answered, sounding hesitant.

"Stop playing those pranks, Loki. And you, Thor, stop wearing this cape everywhere you go – it's ridiculous. I think it's time you understand that you are Princes of Asgard."

"Yes, father…" They both mumbled in low voices.

No sooner had Odin turned away from them, and begun to walk away – Loki and Thor were hiding behind a pillar. The trickster moved slightly his hand and the spear of the guard walking by suddenly turned into a snake. He screamed and let go of it while the two princes laughed at his face.

"Thor!"

They turned around towards the Warriors Three and Lady Sif, younger but still grinning at the Crown Prince.

"Thor! Come with us!" Volstagg exclaimed.

"Where?" Loki asked, looking up at his brother, who grinned back at them.

"Let's have fun!" Fandral exclaimed.

"Thor, wait–" Loki started before Thor ran off, laughing with his friends.

Loki tried to follow him, running as fast as he could, but Thor was taller, stronger and faster than him.

"E-everyone! Wait for me!" The youngest prince exclaimed.

Loki tripped and fell face-first on the ground, but when he looked up, there wasn't anyone anymore. Loki blinked away his tears, realizing that his brother went to have fun with other people – they were strong warriors, like him, whereas Loki was so different from Thor; he was so disappointing for everyone.

Loki got up, standing in the darkness and looked down at his hands before moving them around, the green light of his seiðr illuminating his face and his surroundings. The magical energy created silhouettes of people and animals, jumping and running around him. He smiled, then laughed as a child of his age made of seiðr held out his hand to him. Loki was about to take it when his seiðr suddenly burst into flames. He screamed and held his arms in front of his face, sensing the fire surrounding him, hearing screams of distress and pain before realizing that it was his own voice – but it didn't come out of his mouth, it came from all around him.

"Loki?"

He looked up and realized flames didn't surround him anymore. He was in his mother's gardens. He turned around and saw Frigga, approaching him with a tender smile, holding beautiful flowers in her arms.

"Mother!" Loki exclaimed, running to her.

"I've heard you did very well on your test about Jotunheim yesterday, Loki. It's almost as if it was natural for you!" She said happily before holding out the flowers, "Here's a gift for you."

Loki grinned, proud to have had good results when he knew Thor hadn't done as well as him on this test. He froze suddenly, his fingers inches away from the flowers.

"This smell…" He murmured, his heart tightening in his chest.

"What smell?" Frigga asked with a gentle voice.

"Hyacinths, it smells of hyacinths," Loki answered in a trembling voice.

He stared at the flowers, suddenly realizing they were hyacinths. His heart missed a beat and he took a step backwards, wanting to be as far away from these flowers as possible.

"Loki?" Frigga called worriedly.

The flowers suddenly burst into green flames and Loki tried to step away but his feet fell into emptiness before he gasped for air.

Loki was lying in bed and breathing with difficulty.

"Brother!"

Loki's gaze went blurry and he blinked, trying to move but unable to. His muscles ached, his entire body was screaming in pain and his head was foggy. He had a terrible taste in his mouth and the smell of hyacinths was still surrounding him.

"Brother?"

Loki looked up and noticed that the ceiling was the inside of a tent. His watery green eyes looked at his brother who was hovering over him, a silly, relieved grin on his face.

"Brother, finally you are awake!" Thor exclaimed.

Loki swallowed the taste in his mouth and the sobs strangling him. His vision went blurry and he thought it was from exhaustion before realizing these were tears. He turned his head away and closed his eyes tightly, not wanting any tears to roll down his cheek. His heart was beating warmly in his chest, wishing it wasn't a dream, but the pain was too real and Thor's presence electric. Loki was back with his family.

"Brother – I'll go call a healer! I'll be back soon!" The blond haired warrior exclaimed.

Loki wanted to protest, but his brother had already left the tent, leaving him alone once again. His heart sank at the realisation, but he tried to focus on staying awake. He slowly recalled what had happened last time he had been awake: he had fought against Eisa – no, Angrboda. She was the spy. She was the one responsible for everything that had happened.

Loki's lips trembled before he clenched his jaw and fists. He did not wish to feel so many emotions, but it was too much for his heart. It felt like a tsunami was hitting him. If anger and fury at having played had been his main emotions at hearing the truth, now sadness, shame and betrayal were invading him. Loki had been foolish enough to listen to her words, to believe everything she had said. He had been played and he had fallen right into her trap. He should have never trusted her. He shouldn't have let her around. Loki should have finished his mission alone.

Air could barely reach his lungs and he moaned, closing his eyes again at this aching feeling crushing his heart and biting his lower lip. His ragged breath made his body hurt even more, but he could barely feel it because of his heart. His heart was so heavy, hurt, cold and dark.

Loki felt hands on his body and he jumped, opening panicked eyes and seeing Thor through a blurry gaze, lighted by the fire from the torches all around the tent. Loki noticed another figure next to his brother, who was touching his body. The youngest prince lifted up his hand to push him away before sensing the tickling warmth of Healing Stones. Loki looked down at his chest, covered in bandages and Healing Stones posed on him in various places.

"Calm down, brother, we're taking care of you," Thor said with a smile, lightly tapping his brother's arm who let it down, feeling a little reassured.

"He should sleep," the healer said before turning around.

"W-what happened…?" Loki asked hoarsely– he couldn't recognize his own voice.

"We'll talk later, brother, now you should sleep," Thor said.

The healer ignored Loki's weak protests and forced him to drink some liquid. He fought against sleep but his eyelids became heavy and he fell into complete darkness. It was so familiar for him now that it felt like home.

When Loki woke up again from a restless, dreamless sleep, his eyes were blinded by the sunlight and he moaned. He could hear the familiar sound of horses' hooves walking on a rocky ground. Loki's body was held down on some sort of stretcher in the back of a cart.

"Your Highness?"

The voice sounded far and close in the same time, resonating in his head as the young prince tried to look around.

"Your Highness, please be care–"

Loki had ignored the healer's voice and had tried to get up, only to hiss when a stinging, burning pain struck through his body, making him fall back on his stretcher with a trembling, weak body.

"I said to be careful! You'll open your wounds again!" The healer scolded, attending to the prince who glared at the man, annoyed to be in such a pitiful state.

"W-what happened?" Loki asked, forcing his anger to cool down.

He blinked at hearing his weak voice. Immediately after, the healer was bringing him water, forcing Loki to drink it all before helping the prince to sit up. Loki gritted his teeth but ignored his body throbbing from pain as he looked around, lips parting slightly in astonishment. He was on a cart that was travelling on a little rocky road between two cliffs. In front and behind him were powerful Asgardian horses pulling more carts. As he turned his head around, Loki saw many soldiers walking. Their golden armour was blinding under the sunlight and their steps were echoing the horses', the sounds advancing army resonating dangerously in the mountains.

"You were found by your brother, Your Highness. You were badly wounded and–"

"How long was I unconscious?" Loki cut, turning sharply towards the healer.

Loki gritted his teeth as an electrifying ache shot through his torso. He remembered waking up with Thor at his side, trying to warn his brother of the truth before the healer had forced him back to sleep. Eisa – no, Angrboda – was the spy who had lured them all into this war against Jotunheim – all of Jotunheim, not just the Mountain Giants.

"Two days and–"

"I need to see my brother, where is he?" Loki asked, trying to move towards the edge of the cart.

"Your Highness, it's not safe for you to move so much like that!" The healer warned, grabbing the prince's arm and trying to hide his annoyance at taking care of such an impatient prince.

"I don't have time for that! Take me to my brother right now!" Loki ordered, glaring at the healer and pulling his arm away from the other man's grip.

His voice had risen much higher than he intended and many soldiers turned around to glance at their prince.

The Healer tried to speak again when a running horse arrived at the same level as the cart.

"Loki!"

Loki looked up, a little bewildered, at Sif who was on her horse, looking down at him. She eyed him warily a moment before pulling at her horse's reins so he would trot alongside the cart.

"You're awake, at last." Sif commented, her green eyes looking right into his.

"Take me to Thor – I need to talk to him right away!" Loki exclaimed.

"Calm down, your wounds will open again," she said.

"I don't have time for–"

"And you should be reminded that the troops would not want of a wounded Prince disturbing and worrying them more than necessary," Sif cut in, her tone sharp and her eyes dangerous.

Loki glared at her before glancing around. The soldiers were staring at him with worried expressions – but it wasn't worry for their Prince's health. It was the worry and fear that his panicked reaction had caused. They could understand that he knew something they didn't and they were already wary of this passage in the middle of the Mountain Giants' territory.

"Sif," Loki hissed turning his gaze back to her and lowering his voice so she would be the only one hearing, "I have information about the Jotunns. I need to warn Thor and the All Father right away."

Sif stared at him, his burning watery eyes looking back at her with defiance. Understanding that he was more than serious about this, she gave a quick nod before snapping her reins, her horse galloping away and disappearing quickly.

The Healer changed Loki's bandages, applying some cream to his injury. It was looking very bad. Loki could still feel the pain in his back from Eisa's – Angrboda's — first attack, two days ago, and his fresh wound in the front of his torso was particularly painful. It was gushing red and still bloody (despite his fast-healing Asgardian body), his skin purple and dark all around the wound.

"The dagger was covered in hyacinth poison, the same poison that was used to attack your older brother a few weeks ago," the Healer started, "It's slowing down the healing process and causing side effects hard to treat in such conditions."

Loki only half listened, the pain of his body dull compared to his heart. He was more awake and alert than the last time he had awakened, but his heart still felt heavy with sorrow and hatred. "Bringer of Sorrow" Angrboda could not carry a better name… Loki felt a bitter taste in his mouth, clenching his fists until his joints turned white and he shook in anger, not believing he had been foolish enough to fall into her trap.

The cart suddenly stopped and when Loki looked up, he realized the whole army had ceased marching, most soldiers falling on rocks to sit and drink. He didn't have to wait much longer for Sif to come back with a second horse for him.

"I hope you are well enough to ride," she said as Loki finished putting a green tunic on over his bandages, helped by the Healer.

"Don't underestimate me," he growled before jumping down from the cart.

Loki wavered as he landed and had to catch himself on the cart, a hand coming to his dizzy head. Sif raised an eyebrow at that and the Healer looked pale, not wishing for his patient to go riding a horse so quick – especially when said patient was the Prince of Asgard. Loki glared at them and straightened his back, ignoring the stinging sensation of his injuries as he walked firmly towards the horse and climbed on it.

Sif didn't say a word and turned her horse, trotting to the front of the army. Loki, followed closely, jeering his fists clenched around the reins and his teeth gritted from pain, hiding it completely.

Chairs had been installed in the shadows of some rocks at the head of the army. Loki's heart missed a beat when he saw Thor, drinking ale and laughing at some joke Fandral had just told. The Warriors Three were with him and as Loki and Sif approached, they looked up. The blond-haired prince got up immediately.

"Loki! Brother, how do you feel?" Thor asked as the youngest put his feet on the ground, holding onto his horse a little longer than necessary.

Thor, whose brows furrowed, his smile disappearing as he became more serious, immediately noticed it.

"Brother, you have many things to tell me. Finding you injured in these woods was terrible. What happened to you since you left Asgard?"

"Where is Father?" Loki asked instead of answering, "I have things to tell him concerning this war."

Thor observed him a moment, knowing Loki had avoided giving him answers by changing the subject. Thor finally answered, his blue eyes staring right into his brother's green ones:

"Father isn't here."

It took a moment for Loki to comprehend the meaning of these words. He stared at Thor in disbelief, eyes widening slightly in apprehension of what happened when he was in Jotunheim.

"What do you mean?" He asked in a low voice to make sure no one else would hear.

"Father isn't here, he isn't with us to fight," Thor repeated patiently.

Loki's lips parted in shock, many theories of what kind of truth could possibly lie behind his brother's words starting to run through his mind. The memory of the Labyrinth's vision of his father came back haunting him: pale, his one good eye closed, cursed by the Odinsleep.

"No, Loki."

The raven-haired man wavered suddenly. He did not know if it was because of the memories darkening his heart or the poison weakening his body. Thor's arm immediately grabbed his brother's shoulder, holding him up. He frowned worriedly.

"Brother? Are you all right?" Thor asked with a tense voice.

"F-father is… is he…?" Loki stammered, eyes widened in shock and fear.

"Do you know that the Crossroad isn't only a crossway between all Worlds, but also time? Everything you lived there… You have yet to see it." Angrboda had said.

"Father is safe and sound, not to worry." Thor reassured him with a smile and a tap on his brother's shoulder.

Loki looked up, almost hesitant, upon hearing these words. For a short moment, he had had the feeling that Angrboda was watching them and was laughing at him for realizing that the Crossroad was a crossway in time. He hadn't wanted to believe her when she had said that. What if it was true? What if everything he had seen in those nightmarish visions turned out to be the truth, yet to happen?

His body shook and he swallowed hard, his broken, hurt family coming back as vivid images in his head. He had seen himself, his own reflection but it had been a twisted version of him. It had been a monster. Would he become a monster? Would his father, brother and mother be hurt, or worse – die? Would he be the one responsible for their fate?

"Loki?"

The youngest prince looked up, staring at his brother a little dumbfounded, feeling out of place and uncomfortable. Loki almost felt like he was back into the Labyrinth, seeing such vivid, realistic visions but having this gut feeling none of it was true. Or maybe, Loki had just changed so much in so little time that he couldn't recognise his own brother.

"Come, you must be tired after riding this horse!" Thor exclaimed, clapping him on the back so hard, Loki almost fell forward.

He glared at his brother, partly for underestimating him so much, and partly for hitting him carelessly when he was already hurt. He followed Thor anyway and sat on a chair, the Warriors Three grinning at him. Sif stayed a few steps behind, listening to their words but staying alert.

"Finally back from Hel, Loki?" Fandral asked with a laugh.

"It's good to see you again on your own two feet!" Volstagg added, tapping the raven-haired man's shoulder enthusiastically.

Loki stared at them, blinking in astonishment to see them relieved to know him safe and sound – as safe and sound as they could possibly be in Jotunn territory during a war. He hasn't expected them to bat an eye at his injuries, he had expected them to look down at him and mock him – as they usually do when he lost a spar or was hurt in some way.

"Surely, your adventures will be great stories to tell during parties!" The massive man exclaimed before laughing, forcing a cup of ale into Loki's hand.

The young prince stared at the glistening liquid, not quite knowing what to do with it. After a moment, he looked up back at Thor, ignoring completely ignoring the smiles that faded away from the Warriors Three's faces at seeing his serious and bitter expression.

"Where is the All Father, Thor?" Loki asked coldly.

The blond-haired prince blinked, uneasy at hearing such a tone from his brother. He recalled that Loki had been sent on a dangerous mission in enemy territory and if his pale face and injuries weren't enough proof, seeing his eyes was more than enough for Thor to know that Loki had been through a lot. The green eyes he was so familiar with looked so different, so cold and sharp, Loki's expression so hard and his body so tense. Whatever hardships he had gone through, his brother was changed. He was different and Thor wasn't sure how to act with this new disposition. The only thing he knew was that he had to be here for his brother, to help him go back to his old self and it would be by acting as natural as possible.

"Father remained in Asgard for the time being," Thor answered with his arms crossed casually.

"Then who is leading the troops? Týr?" Loki asked, frowning slightly at the idea of going into a war without his father – plus, if anyone had to be here, it was the King.

"I am," Thor answered with a proud, broad smile.

Loki's heart missed a beat and his eyes darkened a moment.

"What?" He said angrily, glaring at his brother without realizing it.

"I am leading the troops," Thor repeated, his smile less enthusiastic after his brother's reaction.

Loki looked at the Warriors Three and Sif, expecting them to burst out laughing at the obvious joke Thor had just told. When they stared back at him defiantly, Loki's heart sank, realizing Thor wasn't joking.

"You can't be serious," Loki started, shaking slightly his head, "Father wouldn't let you, who has no experience in leadership, lead the troops into such an important and massive war against Jotunheim! He needs someone experienced in leadership!" Loki exclaimed.

"And who would be a better choice? You, perhaps?" Fandral asked, laughing at the idea.

Loki got up so suddenly his chair fell backwards. Fandral's smile faded away while the youngest prince took a step forward, looking feral and dangerous.

"Perhaps I am!" He hissed.

"Watch your tongue, prankster!" Sif exclaimed, standing next to Fandral and glaring at the youngest prince more defiantly than the philanderer.

"Don't think you can give me any orders, woman!" He cried, his fists clenching in anger.

"And don't think you can give me orders when you have been injured and useless, causing nothing but a war!" She replied fiercely, stepping towards him as well.

Thor grabbed their shoulders, pushing them away from each other and frowning at all of his companions.

"Enough! All of you!" He exclaimed, loud enough that some soldiers turned their heads towards them.

Thor glared at his friends before letting go of their shoulders, once he was sure they wouldn't try to rip each other's throats out.

"Now is not a moment for arguments! Don't shame me by behaving in such ways!" He exclaimed before focusing onto his brother, "Father has a plan – which is why I am leading the troops."

"What plan?" Loki asked, tilting his head in disbelief.

"I don't know," Thor admitted with a little shrug.

"You DON'T know?!" His brother shouted, stepping towards him, "You don't know the All Father's plan but still follow it blindly?! This is the most foolish thing in the history of imbecilic decisions you have ever done, you oaf!"

"Loki! As Lady Sif said: watch your tongue!" Thor growled, glaring at him dangerously, "I won't let you insult me for trusting our father!"

"This isn't trust, this is stupidity!"

"He has a plan and I can't know of it for reasons! If he kept his plan secret, then surely he has some way to assure our victory against those Mountain Giants!"

"You are leading the main troops of Asgard when you have NO experience in leading entire armies into battle! You are going through one of the most dangerous and tricky path of Jotunheim! How is this insuring any sort of victory?"

Thor, the Warriors Three and Sif stared in disbelief at Loki, shaken by his outburst and shouting. The youngest prince was usually so calm and composed – the complete opposite of his brother. Now, Loki was red faced from anger and annoyance, his face scratched and bruised by his journey into Jotunheim. His entire body was shaking, from rage and the poison. His fists were clenched violently and his eyes were wide and blood-shot. His breathing was ragged and his raven hair messier than ever. He looked like a feral beast.

"Brother…" Thor started hesitantly, frowning lightly, "What happened to you?" He asked in a low voice.

Loki's watery green eyes widened even more and he finally realized why they were looking at him so warily. He glanced at the four warriors, who were tense, keeping their hands on their weapons suspiciously, ready to attack him if he were to turn violent. Then he looked back at his brother, who was staring at him with sad, confused eyes, not understanding what had happened to his baby brother to turn him into such an unbalanced and upset man. None of them recognised the youngest prince – and Loki suddenly realized with dread that he wouldn't have been able to recognise himself either. As in the labyrinth, he was staring at a dark reflection of himself, mirroring his deepest wounds.

Loki swallowed, but none noticed it. He took a step backwards, feeling weak and small under these proud warriors. He forced himself to breathe and relax his entire body, despite the panicked beating of his heart. Then he spoke up again, sounding much calmer than before:

"How could the All Father, with his mighty plan of his, possibly consider this a way to lead us into victory? How could he when he doesn't know everything? This war isn't against the Mountain Giants, it's against all of Jotunheim!" Loki exclaimed, his face hard from rage.

Thor's lips parted in shock and disbelief before laughing weakly, suddenly uncomfortable, his heart hammering against his chest in hollow fear.

"What?" He murmured, shaking his head slightly.

"Don't be ridiculous, Loki, the declaration of war was sent by King Fornjótr, the King of Mountain Giants," Fandral said, more tense as well upon hearing the prince's declaration.

Loki turned sharply towards him, his fists clenched in disbelief at hearing such words. Why could they not listen to him for once?

"This is what I was sent for! To gain information about the Mountain Giants and this war! And I am telling you what I know: King Fornjótr united all of Jotunheim to go to war against us!"

Loki turned back towards Thor, who paled quickly.

"This war isn't between the Mountain Giants and Asgardians. This is between Jotunheim and Asgard, Thor. The Jotunn forces and troops are much stronger and bigger than the All Father knows! His plan will fail!"

Slowly realizing what it meant, Thor swallowed hard. The Warriors Three and Sif realized it all as well before the maiden warrior turned towards the Crown Prince.

"Thor, you must warn the All Father. He must take into consideration this information!" She said vividly.

"Let's send a messenger to the All Father right away!" Fandral added.

"I…" Thor started.

They all stared at him, waiting for his instructions but he only looked at Loki, panic of realization shining in his blue eyes. Only his younger brother seemed to notice it.

"I don't know how… Father said he'd tell me more after we arrived at the Plains of Sigrún – I don't know how to contact him, he was supposed to be the one contacting me…" Thor murmured worriedly.

"Then we are in serious danger here if the Jotunns are more numerous than we initially thought," Hogun said, his dark eyes staring at Thor.

"You think I don't know that?!" The latter hissed, suddenly angry at himself for blindly following his father's orders – Loki was right, he should have been more careful.

"Going backwards would take us two more days, then reaching the Plains of Sigrún would take at least a week – the troops will not be in shape for battle at this point and we could be attacked at any moment." Volstagg said, brows furrowed in concern.

Thor and Loki shared a gaze that mirrored the same feelings: worry and fear – for the Asgardian troops, the victory of Asgard, their own sake but also their father's. Who knew where he was and what he was doing? If the All Father didn't know about the number of enemies, his plan would fail, and he would be in danger. It wasn't just about Thor and the main troops, but about all of Asgard's safety.

Suddenly, a hissing sound passed right between them. They looked down at the arrow that had just landed between them, all of them paling at the realisation of what was happening.

"TAKE COVER!" Thor shouted as loud as possible, turning towards the still resting troops.

His voice was drowned by the hissing sound of thousands of arrows flying above their heads. They were under attack, trapped in the mountains.

So, next chapter for Saturday December 26th! A long time and a cliffhanger and I'm sorry, but... finales... T.T

NEXT CHAPTER : THE BATTLE OF THE RED CLIFFS

Yours Truly,

May