I'm sorry about my slow updates of chapters lol. With school and work and never ending drama I barely have any time to write. I'm gonna do my best to at least get a chapter up weekly and if anything maybe 2 a week if I'm not so busy. I have a few exams this week so I'll be studying mostly but I'll still try to get a chapter up. I want more Hiddles and Loki and hopefully whoever is reading this is eager for more as well lol :P
Finally an Echo chapter which I'm really excited about. Her story is going to follow the movie so there are familiar scenes and dialogue. I won't be going into detail with every scene of the movie of course but to those of you who have watched the movie you'll notice how I integrate some scenes and dialogue.
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters and dialogue from Thor (and for future reference The Avengers). They are property of Marvel. The only character that is mine is Echo.
Chapter 5
Echo: A Disrupted Coronation
The silhouette of a man is seen beyond the flame as he steps through the hall doors. He descends the steps and walks down the empty, golden hallway. He is dressed in armor and black leather, a red cape cascading down behind him. He is Thor.
He stops at the end of the hallway before a staircase that will lead him to the Great Hall as another man appears from behind a pillar and walks to Thor's side. Loki is his name and he is dressed in similar attire with a shade of green to his leather as well as the cape draped behind him.
"Nervous brother?" Loki questions. Thor with s smug expression on his face says, "Have you ever known me to be nervous?" Loki references to the time in Nornheim where Thor claims he wasn't nervous and was able to save everyone by fighting hundreds of warriors.
"As I recall I was the one who veiled us in smoke to ease our escape," Loki says a mocking grin forming. Thor chuckles and says, "Ah yes, well, some do battle, while others just do tricks." A man who has brought them some wine overhears their conversation and tries not to laugh but a small chuckle escapes. Loki notices this and gestures to the cup with his right hand. The wine turns into small snakes and slithers out of the cup, frightening the attendant, making him drop the tray.
"Loki," Thor says feigning disappointment, "That was a waste of good wine."
"Oh it was just a bit of fun. Right my friend?" Loki asks with a smile. The attendant eyes Loki warily as he hands Thor his helmet.
"Nice feathers," Loki says referencing to Thor's helmet. He eyes him sharply and says, "You really don't want to start this now, do you, Cow?" Thor is referencing to Loki's helmet that holds two long horns that curl backwards towards the top.
"I was being sincere!" Loki says genuinely shocked.
"You are incapable of sincerity," Thor says. Loki's smile disappears as he stares at his brother, "Am I?"
"I've looked forward to this day as long as you have. You're my brother, and my friend," Loki says looking away for a moment, "Sometimes I'm envious, but never doubt, that I love you." Thor searches his eyes for any sign of trickery or lies but finds none and finally says placing his hand on Loki's shoulder, "Thank you." They both watch each other for a brief moment and then Loki breaks the moment by saying jokingly, "Now give us a kiss." Thor laughs turning away, Loki laughing as well.
A slender figure appears at the head of the steps and asks, "Do my ears deceive me, or are my boys truly playing nice?"
"No games here, my dear Echo," Loki says looking up at the woman he cares for. She smiles when his emerald, green eyes reach her deep, blue ones.
She descends the steps towards them her dark, rich auburn hair rustling softly. She is wearing a mix of dark blue and black leather, gold snaking its way throughout making intricate, swirled designs. Armor placed at vital points of her body a dark, blue cape hugging her body. Her outfit is smaller, more refined to allow ease of movement as opposed to the more bulk of armor the two men wear. She makes her way to Loki's side and turns to take a look at both of them.
"My brother, you say you are envious of me, but I am most certainly envious of you to have such a beautiful woman at your side," Thor says eyeing her up and down. Loki looks to her smiling, "Yes, she is truly lovely isn't she?" Echo blushes lightly and turns away, "You both flatter me too much."
Both brothers laugh softly as Thor looks down feeling the weight of his helmet in his hand. It hits him as his smile disappears. Echo senses this and turns to look at him, "Thor, what is wrong?" He looks straight ahead, his voice just above a whisper, "Truly, how do I look?" A small smile forms on Echo's lips her eyes softening as she looks to Loki. He smiles softly understanding what she wishes from him. He looks over to his brother and says earnestly, "Like a king." Silence fills the hallway they are in.
"It's time," Echo says staring straight ahead.
"You both go ahead," Thor urges, "I'll be along." Echo nods and looks to Loki as he hesitates, "Shall we?" He looks to her and nods, "Yes, we shall." He holds out him arm to her and she takes it feeling that ever sweet, ever familiar electric sensation as it travels from her hand and throughout making her heart race. She wonders once again if not only he notices the beating of her heart, but if he feels the same electricity run through him as it does her. They ascend the steps leaving Thor for a moment alone. They step through two large doors and gaze upon a very large hall filled with people. The crowd cheers as Loki and Echo walk down the golden walkway, two rows of guards on both sides of them stern and at attention. They are followed by the Warriors Three and Lady Sif. Ahead of them sits King Odin in all his glory Gungnir, his golden spear, in hand. Frigga his beautiful and ever-loving wife stands at his side dressed in a long white dress, laced in golden silk, her hair like golden locks themselves curled and pinned up. As they reach the steps directly in front of Odin, Loki and Echo separate as she joins Frigga at her side. Loki stands off to the side, the Warriors Three and Lady Sif standing in a row descending the steps.
The crowd goes quiet as they wonder where Thor is. Echo looks to Odin and sees he isn't pleased. Her brows furrow, her eyes showing concern as she turns and stares out towards the entrance.
Where are you, Thor? She asks herself. He emerges suddenly, raising his hammer. The crowd cheers loudly. He strides down the walkway repeatedly raising Mjolnir and roaring proudly, enticing the crowd more as their cheers rise in volume. He reaches the foot of the steps and kneels on one knee, his gaze finding his father's. Odin stands and strikes Gungnir against the ground, the sound reverberates throughout the hall silencing all. Odin looks to his son concern written on his face. He worries for Thor, fears he is not ready. He takes a long deep breath and then speaks, "Thor, Odinson, my heir, my first-born." Odin practically chokes on the words as tears form in his eyes and yet he regains his composure and continues to speak. He talks of Thor's hammer, Mjolnir, and how it is a weapon and yet a tool, something worthy of a king. He speaks of how he has defended the Nine Realms for quite some time and how it is time for a new king to rise to defend them.
Two guards descend the stairs of The Vault: an area hidden in the palace, a place where weapons, taken from those who wished only for destruction and power, are held. They walk down the walkway towards a blue casket at the end. A never-ending mixture of ice-cold blues, churn inside it. A weapon used by the Frost Giants, from the realm of Jotunheim, to try and bring all the realms to worlds of ice. Odin and his army gathered together and defeated them in a bloody, vicious war. They took the casket it and hid it inside The Vault to keep it away from the wrong hands. To this day it still lays hidden.
A cold chill begins to surface in The Vault. The guards rub their shoulders to wade off the cold and eye each other warily. They turn and walk swiftly towards the steps that lead outside The Vault. But they aren't fast enough as three large, blue human-like creatures appear from behind a wall. The guards attempt to draw their weapons but to no avail, as one is stabbed by a frost giant, its arm transformed into a frozen, spiked weapon. One of the other giants grabs the other guard by his throat and breaks it, killing him instantly. The three frost giants run to the casket and one picks it up. They turn to leave.
Thor looks to his father with sincerity and admiration as he continues to speak.
"Do you swear to guard the Nine Realms?" Odin asks his voice serious.
"I swear," Thor replies.
"Do you swear to preserve the peace?"
"I swear."
"Do you swear to cast aside," Odin pauses for a brief moment, "all selfish ambition and pledge yourself to the good of the Realms?" Thor raises his hammer with a smile as he yells out, "I swear!"
Echo watches Thor and sees his eagerness in what is about to be proclaimed. She also worries that he may not be ready. She knows full well his headstrong and stubborn nature. She wonders if he will truly be able to push that aside to be not only a strong king, but a wise one. She bows her head for a moment taking her thoughts in and breathing deeply. She senses something. It feels wrong. Cold. Her heart begins to race as unease snakes its way into her veins. She looks up to Odin as he says, "Then on this day, I, Odin Allfather, proclaim you-"
"Frost giants," Echo whispers under her breath, silencing Odin as he senses what she sees: frost giants stealing the casket.
The frost giants are running down the hall as the latticework behind where the casket had stood begins to dissipate and retract a very large, human-looking, metal-like figure appears from beyond it, The Destroyer. Its face lifts, retreating into itself revealing a fiery flame forming inside. The flame bursts outward as a beam targeting the frost giants. It obliterates them instantly one by one, the casket falling to the ground. The Destroyer walks to the casket and picks it up, placing it back on the pedestal where it was held. It disappears back behind the latticework as it restores itself.
The group which included Echo, Thor, Loki, Sif, the Warriors Three and Odin all raced to The Vault. Odin dismissed Sif and the warriors heading inside The Vault with his sons and Echo following. They survey the destruction as they walk towards where the casket rests. The walls are covered in ice; a cold chill blankets The Vault. The guards lay dead half covered in ice.
"The Jotuns must pay for what they've done!" Thor yells angrily. Echo sighs heavily at Thor's words. Loki places a reassuring hand on her arm.
"Thor, they already have," she says her face holding a solemn expression.
"Yes, they've paid with their lives," Odin says examining the casket, "The Destroyer did its work, and the casket is safe. All is well."
"All is well? They broke into the weapons vault!" Thor voice rises as he continues, "If they had stolen even one of these relics-"
"They didn't," Odin says, interrupting Thor, his voice retaining its calm.
"Well I want to know why?!" Thor demands.
"I have a truce with Laufey, king of the Jotuns."
"He just broke your truce!" Thor continues his anger far from receding, "They know you are vulnerable."
"What action would you take?" Odin asks turning to look at Thor.
"March into Jotunheim, as you once did. Teach them a lesson. Break their spirits."
"You are thinking only as a warrior," Odin says disappointment in his voice.
"This was an act of war!" Thor yells.
"It was an act of but a few, doomed to fail."
"They got this far!"
"We will find the breach in our defenses and it will be dealt with," Odin keeps his voice steady trying his best to reason with his headstrong son.
"As King of Asgard, I would-"
"But you are not King!" Odin yells breaking his calm composure, "Not yet." Thor stares at his father and knows there is nothing else he can say. Frustrated he turns and storms off out of The Vault. Echo closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. She opens them to see familiar green eyes staring back at her, filled with concern. She wishes there was a way Thor could understand, that he could see that his father does what he does for the good of the kingdom and all the Nine Realms.
"Will you go to him?" Echo urges Loki, "He always seems to listen to you."
"And what of you?" he asks wishing not to go and tend to his troublesome brother and to just stay with her.
"I'll be along," she says taking his hand and squeezing it gently, "Please Loki." He nods reluctantly and turns to leave. She watches him disappear through The Vault doors. She hears a heavy sigh come from Odin and turns seeing his hand to his face, rubbing his eyes.
"You mustn't worry, my king, he will learn, in time," Echo says trying to reassure him, but to no avail.
"I fear time is no longer on our side," he says softly, exhaustion written in his face. He looks up to see worry in her eyes and gives her a soft smile, "Now Echo, I have told you many times that you need not to address me as "king," you know you are family."
She remembers the day she first met Odin and what he did for her, "You saved my life, Odin, and I am truly grateful for that. I am in your debt." She bows her head. He walks to her and takes her chin in his hand lifting her face so his eyes meet hers.
"To me, you are the daughter I never had," he says sincerely.
"You are like a father to me Odin, and Frigga, like a mother," she says, "Which is why I dedicated my life to protecting you and your family as well as the Nine Realms."
"You hold the name as Guardian but know that there are many who will fight with you," he says placing his hand on her shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze, "Know that this burden is not yours alone to bear." She nods thinking about his words.
Odin suddenly remembers something he's been meaning to ask her, "Echo, have you and Loki made a decision on a day?" She smiles at his question, thinking about how she and Loki will soon be married.
"We wish for it to be soon, but we will wait until everything is settled," she says. Even though she tries to hide her disappointment Odin can sense it. Before he can say anything to comfort her she gives him a small smile, "I will go to Thor."
She turns to leave her smile disappearing, "I'll try my best to keep him out of trouble, as always."