Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Marvel Universe, The Amazing Stan Lee and Joss Whedon, or anyone else involved with the movies or comics. I am not making any profits from this writing, it is all for the purposes of fun and creative writing.
Author's note: Agains, I apologize in advance if characters seem OOC or Mary Sue like. Please forgive and bear with me.
Chapter 12
The silence that followed Hela's silvery words of praise for Loki Odinson was all encompassing. Not a single person spoke, or moved, or even seemed to breath, all of them collectively gawking at the goddess who was floating over the green-gold flame, an amused looked over her half-masked face.
Then, Thor blinked and seemed to snap out of the stunned paralysis that gripped him and everyone else. With a gasp, Thor all but ran forward, closing the distance between himself and Hela where she floated with her arms crossed over her chest.
" Where is he?" Thor asked, desperation radiating off of him in waves as he gazed up at Hela.
Hela merely blinked at him before she slowly shook her head.
" Your guess is as good as mine Prince of Asgard." Hela said neutrally.
" What do you mean Hela?" Frigga said, resisting the urge to scream at the Queen Niflheim.
A few feet away, Bruce let out a low growl, his skin graced with a telling green hue. It was signal enough that the Hulk wanted to make another appearance right then and there but Bruce was doing his best to calm his alter-ego, getting the feeling that more threats were not going to get them anywhere with Hela. The last thing anyone needed right now with things so raw and open was to deal with a pissed off Mistress Death.
" Keep your cool man, just breathe." Tony said as he rested a reassuring hand over Bruce's shoulder, while he gazed at Hela with hard eyes. If Bruce wasn't gonna Hulk out, Tony just might, because he was getting pretty fed up with Hela's flare for not being quick to give a clear answer.
Back at the cauldron, Hela looked down at Thor and Frigga, who were quickly joined by Odin, the royal family all staring up at her expectantly. With a small huff, Hela spoke.
" What I mean, Queen of Asgard, is that the last time I laid eyes on Loki Odinson was when he was breaking through the crack in the barrier that surrounds my realm. After he broke free from my realm, he simply vanished from my sight. I know not where he went after he passed through the crack, nor do I know where he ended up. All I know is that he was alive when he broke free. That was nearly one year ago. What happened after that..." Hela trailed off, watching as a look of pure terror spread across Thor's face.
" So you are telling me that after all that, after all that misery and pain my brother went through, he escapes your realm as no other has done, only to be lost once more?" Thor said, all but whispering it.
" Yes, that is what I am telling you Odinson. You should know that if I knew of where your brother was right now, I would tell you without a moment's hesitation." Hela said honestly as she gazed down at Thor.
" You would?" Frigga said, eying Hela with burgeoning gratitude.
" Yes, I would for the one whom you seek has earned this Queen's respect. You all heard what Loki said, his love for you three remains despite you lies and his anger, you are still what he wants, and I would not deny Loki of Asgard anything should he ever ask." Hela declared, her voice holding no room for doubt.
" You have our thanks Queen of Niflheim, for answering when summoned, and for showing us your truth." Odin said as he gazed up at Hela with respect.
In reply, Hela remained frigidly silent, gazing down at Odin with indifference clear in her pale white eyes.
From where he stood, Tony had a knowing feeling as to why Hela was staring at Odin so coldly. It was a look he understood because he had directed it at his own father many times during his life while the man was still alive.
" There is much I would say to you Odin All-father, much." Hela said, her voice colder than the winds of Jotunheim.
" But it is not my place, nor would it be, becoming of me as a visiting Queen to speak what is on my mind to he who is the King of this realm. But there is one thing I will say."
A chill seemed to fall over the entire hall at these foreboding words, and all eyes were on Hela as she said her final piece.
" As I said before, Loki Odinson, second Prince of this ream, has gained my utmost respect, but do not make the mistake of believing that this respect extends to the one he choses to call father."
There were stunned gasps all around at Hela's brutally honest words. But from were he was standing, Tony Stark felt a smirk spread across his face despite the seriousness of the situation. He took back everything he had thought earlier, this lady was all kinds of awesome, and yeah, maybe even kind of hot, in a pale, Elvira-esqe kind of way. Not to mention that whole outfit she was wearing, in all its otherworldly greens and blacks left very little to the imagination. Tony bit back a chuckle as he caught himself before his mind veered way, way off course into no man's land. Shifting his gaze, Tony focused his attention on Odin, wondering what Thor's dad would do, what the king's reaction would be.
Odin clenched his jaw as he met Hela's glacial gaze, his own eye hardening at Mistress Death. But then in the blink of an eye, Odin seemed to sage in on himself as he spoke.
" You have every right to feel as you do, Queen of Niflheim." Odin said with a heavy sigh, suddenly looking more like an utterly exhausted old man, than a regal king as he reached up and pulled the horned and feathered helmet from his head, letting it drop unceremoniously to the floor with a dull clank before he continued.
" If there is one thing that is clear from all that we have just seen, it is that while Loki have proven himself to be a true Prince, I have been proven to be an utter failure as his father. I could neither see the truth of Menkos' deceit, nor hear my son's screams as he fought tooth and nail through your realm. While he proved his strength, I proved only that I am an old, blind fool who thought the worst of his innocent son and condemned him instead of questioning whether my eye was truly seeing the truth. "
Hela simply blinked her eyes and tilted her chin up a little, still eying Odin coldly as she spoke.
" Well, at least you acknowledge that you have done grievous injustice to the one you call son, but let me ask you now Odin All-Father, before your Queen, your eldest, the entirety of Asgard, the ruler of Jotunheim, and the warriors of Midgard, what will you do now that you know Loki has survived the trials the Norns have put him through, that he escaped the confines of my realm, his cage? What lengths would you go to if it meant you could have him back?"
The challenge was clear in Hela's voice, she had just thrown down the gauntlet, and now it was Odin's turn to reply. All eyes, from Frigga and Thor, to the distant eyes of Heimdall turned to Odin, eying the king of Asgard in tense silence, all one in their anticipation of just what kind of answer Odin would give to the Lady of Niflheim.
Odin parted his lips, no doubt to make his declarations, but before he could get a single word out, a hard unknown female voice sounded.
" Yes Odin All-Father, do tell us what you are willing to do." Came a cold, yet melodious trio of voices that seemed to materialize out of nowhere.
Before anyone could even look around as to where these three unified voices came from, a deafening boom sounded through the air, with such for that the Great Hall of Asgard actually shook to its very foundation.
" Mother!" Thor shouted as he grabbed Frigga as she was nearly knocked off her feet.
Tony was quick as he did the same for Jane, while all of the Avengers collectively went on the alert, all of them reaching for weapons they unfortunately did not have with them, except for Natasha who had a dagger in her hand, no doubt having had it hidden on her.
" Protect the royals!" The captain of the royal guard cried to his men. In an instant the black armored guards were forming a protective ring Thor, Odin, Frigga, Hellblindi and his delegation, and also the Avengers. Sif, Hogun, Volstaag, and Fandral wordlessly joined their ranks despite not being armed.
" Reveal yourself!" Odin shouted, his eyes looking every which way.
" Look!" Jane cried as she pointed high up above her.
All eyes turned up towards where she was pointing, and there were gasps all around as everyone beheld three eerily familiar glowing white orbs of swirling magic. Before anyone could react, the three orbs flashed as they floated down from near the ceiling and came to a halt just a few feet away from the ring of armed guards.
The three orbs flashed brightly and began to swirl about rapidly as they began to grow larger and larger in shape until finally, they shifted into three solid forms.
" It's them." Natasha said, her voice hard as stared coldly up at the three otherworldly beings who where they floated above them.
"The Norns." Frigga said softly with wide eyes.
Above them Skuld, Urd, and Verdandi floated, gazing down at them all with their supernatural blue eyes cold and aloof. Gone where the three ethereal being who had appeared before Loki garbed in swirling, diaphanous gowns. Instead, the three sisters of fate were outfitted in ornate silver armor over robes of pure white. Behind them their long, elegant white capes billowed out as if there was a wind blowing beneath them.
Urd floated to the right of Skuld, her long black hair floating about her almost like a dark halo. Atop her head was a gleaming silver helmet from the sides of which silver, thorny tree-like branches came out to form an almost crown about her head. Over her shoulder was a spaulder of similar thorny, interwoven branches. At the center of the helmet over her forehead, a brilliant, glittering, black oval-shaped jewel was situated. In her hand she held a long, gleaming sword that shone almost white against the light.
Next to her, Verdandi stood in similar armor, but the gleaming helmet that adorned her head had two rows of wicked looking spikes starting from the forehead region, and diminishing in size as they elegantly curved over her head, while her pale blond hair billowed about her shoulders. It was reminiscent of the helmet a Roman Centurion would have worn, except that instead of an erect mane of red hair, there were those intricately carved spikes. A spaulder of similar spikes graced her shoulder. In Verdandi's hand was a gleaming silver, double bladed battle ax. At the center of the front of her helmet was a gleaming, white oval-shaped jewel.
And finally, standing at the forefront between her two sisters stood Skuld, her flaming red hair billowing about her shoulders. Atop her head was a gleaming helmet with a crown of five swirling, ornate ram's horns jutting out from it, lending a truly awe-inspiring visage. Two swirling horns curved over her shoulders as part of the two shoulder guards she wore. At the center of the forehead of her helmet, a bright, blood-red oval-shape jewel glowed the brightest out of the three. In her hand Skuld grasped a gleaming white spear, the four-cornered tip of which seemed made out of a clear glass like materials with a bluish-white energy swirling within it.
The three sisters of fate had arrived, and by the way they were staring at Odin, they looked ready for all out war.
" Where is my son? Where is Loki, what had you done with him?!" Odin shouted as he shoved past the guards in front of him to glare up at the three sisters.
Frigga and Thor rushed to flank him on either side, they too glaring up at the beings who had brought Loki back to life only to leave him to face all out purgatory on his own.
" Where is my Brother?" Thor demanded, his hand already on Mjolnir's handle at his belt.
" Rest assured, Loki Odinson is alive and safe, hidden from all sight but ours." Skuld said, the coldness momentarily leaving all three of the sisters' eyes at the mention of Loki before they collectively hardened and Skuld spoke.
" But you have yet to answer the questions Queen Hela has posed upon you. Now you face the three of us." She said, before her eyes flashed dangerously and she swiftly turned her spear toward Odin, pointing its lethal looking tip at him unforgiving before she continued.
" Hela may have spared you her ire, but we three shall not be so kind. That filthy beast who murdered him was one culprit, a fiend unto himself for his own actions, but you three standing before us are by far the worst offenders of Loki."
There was a tense murmur through the entire hall, but otherwise everyone remained where they were. From where he stood, Steve eyed the three sisters with hard eyes, but also with quiet awe, for these were the real goddesses out of legend, and they looked like they wanted to stomp on the all father. From where he stood, Tony couldn't help but admire the shapely curves and how the armor these three ladies were wearing seemed like they were molded to their bodies, and what shapely bodied they were. But Tony quickly shook himself of his distracted musings and focused back on what was happening. Clint was worrying his lower lip lightly as he watched the stand-off between the royals of Asgard and the Norns. Natasha was at Bruce's side, keeping a reassuring hand on the doctor's shoulder, for the latter had a distinct green tinge to his skin, signaling that the Hulk was of the mind to make another appearance. Jane had found her way over to Selvig and Darcy, and the three of them watched on tensely as Frigga spoke.
" Sisters of Fate, I know that you do not look kindly upon us, but please, just tell us where Loki is." Frigga said, her anger slowly turning to desperation as fresh tears filled her eyes.
" I need my son." She said softly.
" What need would you have of him Frigga Queen? To allow your fool of a husband to use him futher as a mere foil for your golden offspring, your first-born?" Urd said, glaring down at Frigga.
Thor moved to speak, but Odin held up his hand, halting him. With a sigh the All-Father looked back to the Norns and spoke.
" Mistresses Skuld, Urd, and Verdandi, do not blame my wife and eldest for what is truly my folly. I know I made my mistakes in how I raised Loki-" Odin began when Verdandi cut him off.
" Mistakes, so simple a term you use for the damage you caused. Have you any idea what you have done Odin All-Father?" The blond Norn asked.
" You stumbled upon a true jewel that day in the temple on Jotunheim after Laufey's defeat Odin All-Father, yet you chose to treat him like dirt and allowed others to treat him worse. Tell us, why did you take him in the first place if this was the life you have to offer him?" Urd asked.
" Was it because you pitied the poor runt and decided to take him home like one would a stray dog? Would it not have been better to have let him die?" Verdandi Asked coldly.
" Was it because you wanted to raise your eldest beside the runt of your defeated enemy, to make your golden hair offspring shine brighter beside a child of baser quality?" Urd asked, watching grimly as Thor's face grew red with shame and anger at hearing Loki being referred to as base.
" Or perhaps you took him so that you could one day place him on the throne of Jotunheim, loyal to you, a puppet you could control from you so-called jewel of a realm?" Skuld asked, watching as Hellblindi glared daggers at Odin, but otherwise remained still.
" No! No I did not take him for any of those reasons. I found a child left alone in a deserted temple, crying out for anyone to here. When I held him in my arms for the first time, he ceased his tears and... and he smiled up at me. I knew then that I could not leave him, I knew then that in the span of those mere moments, in that cold and desolate temple, Loki made a place in my heart. I chose to take him as my son." Odin said, pain and sincerity written across every line of his weary face.
" Then why did he not have hope that you would save him from the trials we put him through, why did he look upon you image that night and say that he knew none of you would be crashing down into Niflheim? Why was he so quick to abandon all hope in you his father, you his mother, and you his brother?" The three sisters said as one, all of their frigid gazes going from Odin, to Frigga, and then settling on Thor.
" It is my fault that he had such little faith in any of us, in me." Odin said through gritted teeth before he took a deep breath and spoke.
" I failed to treat Loki with the same affection I treated Thor with. Where Thor was lauded, Loki was berated. Instead of being the father that I should have been and protected Loki, I allowed everyone from Thor down to the lowest servant to belittle him for his talents in seidr, for not being like the other warriors of Asgard, for choosing to utilize his mind as his greatest weapon, for simply not being like the rest of Asgard, for not being like me. I failed to see that he is the jewel you say he is, I did not value Loki as what he truly is, a gift."
" What my husband says goes for me. I too failed for I did not do enough. Loki is my son, my baby, yet even I could not see the true depths of the damage that was being done to him by the people whom I rule over as Queen. I nurtured his talents, yet I did not try to change the minds of those who would look down upon Loki and call him ergi." Frigga said, tears falling from her eyes once more.
From among the guards that still stood with their spears raised, Sif flinched as she remembered that she was one of those people of whom the Queen now spoke. It made the shield maiden's stomach roll. This feeling of shame rippled through the entire hall, except for the mortals and the Jotuns, for they where not present during Thor's childhood, nor did they contribute to Loki's suffering as such. The mortals and even the Jotuns all felt the guilt of having been duped into thinking the worst of an innocent man, but they could not be blamed like Asgard as a whole was now being blamed by the Norns.
It was then that Thor took a step forward, his face a mask of anguish as tears gathered in his eyes and he spoke.
" I am the worst of all of us Sisters of Fate. I was an arrogant, spoiled boy. In my foolishness I never once realized the true depth of the pain I caused Loki. I treated my brother so poorly, and others learned from my example. Where I would berate and belittle, they would join in. I failed him as a brother, instead of protecting and lauding him for his talents. I valued his tormentors over him, never seeing the malice with which they treated him." Thor paused here to look over he shoulder a moment at four particular tormentors before he turned back to face the Norns, who looked upon him with eyes still glacially cold.
" While he suffered in silence, I laughed and was merry. While he was wise, I was the oaf who went looking for danger. I scoffed at Loki's magic, thinking it nothing more than tricks, but it was Loki's magic that allowed him to free himself from Niflheim and pass your test. I can say with certainty that my brother, Loki, after all that we have all witnessed, is the better Prince of Asgard, the better warrior, the better man. It is he who should be King, not I. " Thor said with conviction.
" It is I who is of baser quality, not him." Thor said, his voice cracking as his eyes filled with fresh salt.
Many an Asgardian bowed their head in shame at their crown prince's words, still others stood gaping at what they were seeing and hearing. Steve felt his heart lurch as he stared at Thor, his heart breaking for his friend. Tony clenched his jaw tightly, his eyes hard as they gazed up at the Norns, but when they turned to Thor they filled with quiet respect. Clint reached for Bruce's other shoulder, joining Natasha's efforts to keep the Hulk at bay. Jane shook her head, but stayed silent as stared at Thor with pained yet proud eyes. Selvig and Darcy also looked to Thor with quiet respect.
Frigga bit back a sob and resisted the urge to simply run to Thor and take him in her arms, while Odin mutely watched on, his own eye over bright with both sorrow and pride in his eldest. From where she still floated above the flaming cauldron with her arms crossed, Hela watched on with grim satisfaction, and the barest hint of begrudging respect for Thor as well. Hellblindi and the other Jotuns stood with their red eyes wide, never having expected to hear the eldest son of Odin refer to himself as the one of baser quality while exalting an abandoned Jotun runt. It was turning out to be a very strange day indeed.
The Norns gazed down at Thor silently, their eyes and faces unreadable.
" It is all well and good that you see the error of your ways Odinson, but only after the one you call brother suffered a cruel and torturous death. Only after you thought him dead, did you see Loki's true worth. We are of the opinion that you are too little, too late in your feeble attempts to make amends and repent." The Norns said as one, their voices reverberating through the entire hall like the clash of cymbals.
" No, no it is not too little to late! He survived your trials, he lives I know it. I have changed, I am not the fool I was. I can be the brother he deserves, the brother he always deserved. I can spend the rest of my days trying to be worthy of him!" Thor cried in horror as a few stray tears broke free and flowed how his paled cheeks.
" Please just give him back to me so that I can." The Thunderer all but sobbed.
The Norns stayed silent for a painfully long time, just staring down at Thor with their pale blue eyes. It was like a long, and lonely life-age of the realms, and then finally, Skuld broke the silence.
" We do not doubt your sincerity Thor of Asgard, but before we make our own decision, we shall show what happened immediately after Loki escaped from the horrors of Niflheim."
Then as one, Skuld raised her spear, Verdandi her battle axe, and Verdandi her sword. The three weapons of the Norn's glowed pure white. Then an all too familiar white, swirling mist began to spread over the entire length of the great hall once more. Even Hela floated down from her place above the flame, coming to stand in front of the flaming cauldron while her white eyes turned upward along with the eyes of everyone else.
They watched as the mist, swirled about as it darkened into a new image.
The ear-shattering sound like glass shattering to shards filled the air as they watched Loki, still in the form of a great eagle burst through the crack he had made into the very fabric of Niflheim's realm barrier.
The eagle let out another great cry as he unfolded his wings and flapped them hard, propelling himself away from the crack in the realm. Everyone down below watched as Loki careened into what could only be described as a sort of nether-verse. It was nebulous, this space that Loki flew through, with a vast array of violets, reds, and blues all churning together. It was a place very few ever saw, the space between the realms, the branches of the great world tree.
Loki soared through this space, looking like something straight out of a wondrous dream, triumphant and proud. But then, Loki let out a strangled cry of clear agony, and the people down below watched in horror as he began to shrink and morph, shifting back into his true form, the form he had been before he had used his magic to transform into an eagle, so very much like his father.
" Loki!" Thor cried as he watched his brother turn back into the form of a man, and then start to fall into the abyss beneath him.
There were gasps all about as everyone watched Loki tumble through the air like a piece of paper in the wind, barely conscious and crying out as he was too exhausted and injured to help himself. Loki seemed to fall through the nebulous atmosphere for what seemed like an agonizing eternity, but then suddenly he just stopped.
The crowd watched stunned as Loki hung limp, suspended horizontally in the air by some unseen force.
" What the hell is happening?" Tony said quietly as he stared up at a bruised and bleeding Loki, his blue skin almost glowing against the wondrous background of the space between the realm.
As if to answer Tony's question, a thunderous rumble filled the air as a beam of bright bluish white light suddenly cut through the nebulous atmosphere below and careened straight for Loki where he lay suspended. From where he lay in the air, barely conscious, Loki had enough time to let out a startled cry while his eyes grew wide before he was fully engulfed in the unknown light. With another thunderous roar, the beam of light swirled about, disturbing the purple and blue could formations before it began to recede back from where it came from down below, taking Loki with it.
" It's like the Bifrost!" Jane shouted, realization across her face.
" Very astute of you to observe, Jane Foster of Midgard." Came Verdandi's mildly amused voice from somewhere in the background, sending a thrill through everyone as they watched the beam of light disappear from the nebulous atmosphere that resided between the realms.
The image then quickly shifted, showing Loki within the beam of light, flailing about as he desperately tried to get his bearings, crying out in pain as his wounded and battered body was violently jostled in the process. Loki spun, he jerked, he thrashed all about as the speed at which he was traveling seemed ten-times more powerful than the force of Asgard's own Bifrost. It made many stomachs roll at the sight of seeing Loki, who had already been through so many levels of hell, get thrashed about like a rag doll.
They watched as Loki cried out in pain, but then his wide red eyes suddenly hardened. With a frustrated yell, Loki stiffened his entire body, straightening out so that he was now flying straight within the beam of light, like one did when they were traveling via the Bifrost. It pained them all to see the streaks of dark red that were flying from Loki's body, reiterating that he was still severely wounded from his ordeal on Niflheim. This went on for what seemed like ours, until suddenly with a low rumble, Loki touched down on solid, snow-covered ground and the powerful beam of light dissipated into nothing, leaving the second prince of Asgard a solitary figure against a sea of white, which looked more indigo against the darkness that surrounded Loki.
" Where... Where am I?" Loki said, his voice a ragged croak as he looked about, trying to figure out what this place was.
As if to answer Loki's question, there was a brilliant flash of golden white light from behind that had the battered and bleeding Prince whirl around and stopped dead in his tracks at what he saw. His expression of sheer shock and awe was mirrored by many on the hall of Asgard as they watched the golden white light swirls around and multiple, intertwining with itself until it formed an elegant, interwoven structure that looked almost like the roots of a plant.
" What?" Loki whispered, a look of incomprehension filling his countenance as he stared up at the hulking mass of glowing light beams.
" Welcome warrior, to our domain." Came a silvery trio of voices that was to the crowd below, all too familiar now.
They all watched as three familiar glowing orbs materialized high above Loki. Loki himself seemed to recognize the three orbs, and who they represented because the shock and incomprehension left his face, his eyes and jaw hardening with mute fury as he glared up at the Norns as they made their entrance.
The three orbs glowed brighter and brighter until finally they expanded and smoothly shifted to form the three sisters of fate. Skuld, Urd, and Verdandi floated in the air, diaphanous maidens one more, in long, flowing white, grecian style gowns. Skuld floated with her flaming red hair loose and flowing about her head in soft waves, a circlet of pearls resting over the top of her head. Beside her, Urd floated with her bone-straing ebony locks swirling past her shoulders, a wreath of silver leaves adorning her head, and finally, Verdandi floated with her sisters, her pale, almost white blond hair done in a thick single braid that fell over her shoulder, strands of white jewels woven into the braid. They looked, not as the angered warrior goddesses that had literally crashed into the great hall, but ethereal maidens with warmth shining in their pale, blue eyes gazes.
Loki it seemed, did not notice this warmth, he was too busy glaring daggers at the three sisters. Taking in a deep, rattling breath and gasping as the action sent a razor sharp pain through his entire being, Loki spoke.
" Have you brought me here to torment me further?" Loki hissed as he clutched at he bleeding shoulder where he had been shot with an arrow earlier and took some halting steps towards the Norns, never taking his furious red eyes off of them.
The Norns were eerily silent to Loki's question, although the barest hint of amusement filled their three gazes. With a small growl, Loki let go of his bleeding shoulder and forced himself to stand to full height. He glared up at the Norns, his red eyes glittering with the promise of violence as he spoke.
" Did you bring me here to try me further?" Loki said through gritted, his fists clenched.
" Was it not enough that I just fought my way through the whole of Niflheim, are you planning to put me through more for your own amusement?"
Down below, Odin stared wide-eyed at his youngest son, having never seen him look so angry, or so strong, facing off against the Norns with his back straight and his head held high. It made the All-father's heart both swell with pride, and bleed at having to see Loki, looking like he could collapse at any moment, and yet stubbornly refusing to fall.
From where she stood, Hela felt a tiny smile tug at the corners of her colorless lips at Loki's brazen tone with the Norns. The second Prince of Asgard was indeed not lacking in spirit and nerve. She and everyone else watched on as Loki spoke further.
" Send them, send another legion if you so desire. I'll tear them apart, my magic may be depleted, but just I'll rip them to shreds with my bare hands then. I'll keep fighting till you force the last breath from me yourselves, you vile, loathsome trio of harpies." Loki spat furiously.
Down below their were gasps from the Aesir, all of them stunned that Loki would be daring enough to insult the Norns. Thor however, was stunned for only a moment before he let out a breathless laugh, pride written across his whole face for his brother. Frigga had to cover her mouth with her hand to hide her own grin of pride at her youngest son. Odin was actually gaping, at both his son's words that he would keep fighting, and also his brazen words to the Norns themselves.
" I like real Loki." Clint said with a smirk, turning to see his fellow Avengers nodding and smiling in agreement.
" I am definitely giving this guy I drink when I meet him." Tony said with one of his own trademark smirks.
Sif and the Warriors three were all doing fine impressions of freshly caught fish, all of them flabbergasted at the sight of Loki as he stood fearlessly in front of the three Norns, not caring at all that they undoubtedly that they were a most formidable trio of magic wielders in their own right. Sif felt her heart swell yes, but she also felt her stomach fall, this is who she had called an ergi in her youth? Sif shook her head, a fresh wave of shame washing over her for every daring to call Loki anything other than what he truly was, a Prince of Asgard.
All eyes turned back to the Norns' projection, in time for everyone to see Loki's blood-red eyes start to turn glassy.
" My son." Frigga cried out, as she watched Loki begin to sway dangerously where he stood, taking a stumbling step forward as he spoke.
" Well... What... What are you three waiting for?" Loki said, his voice losing some of its anger as exhaustion and blood-loss finally made itself known loud and clear.
" Do... Do your worst..." Loki trailed off as he took a wobbly step forward and then pitched forward with a shaky gasp.
He never hit the ground though, instead he found himself wrapped in a warm embrace and gently lowered to his knees. Loki looked back up to see the beautiful face of Skuld as she held him up, the Norn on her knees in front of him.
" The only thing you'll be doing now is saving your strength." Skuld said as she lowered Loki the rest of the way and cradled him to her as if he were a newborn babe.
There was a look of sheer exhaustion mixed with confusion over Loki's bruised and bleeding face as he looked up at Skuld, the faces of Verdandi and Urd soon coming into the scope of his slightly blurred vision. The three sisters of Fate were all on their knees in the snow, surrounding Loki who was laying with his upper half resting against Skuld's chest.
" There is no need for you to fight any further, Loki Odinson." Urd said as she gazed down at Loki with a tenderness that was not thought possible of a Norn.
" You have more than proven yourself to us." Verdandi said, her silvery voice like a soothing balm over Loki's battered soul.
" Why did you do this to me?" Loki asked flatly, tense within Skuld's hold. Then he was gasping lightly as warmth spread through his whole body, the many wounds and bruises melting away from his dark blue skin, leaving him with his body healed, but still utterly exhausted.
" We saw the injustice done to you, and when you were thrown into Niflheim we decided to bring you back, but because we chose this it was necessary that you prove you were worthy of this second chance. We saw the potential in you, for you seidr is strong, but your will to live is stronger. It was why we left you with the cryptic words of finding the fire within. The words of fire were our blessing unto you, once you accepted yourself and also declared your love and forgiveness to your family, the spark was lit. Our blessing ignited fully when you knew you would be facing the legions of the dishonored, certain death, but you declared that you would fight on. You did what none other has done, you passed our test and ripped through the fabric of Niflheim's barrier itself. After that it was easy for us to find you among the branches of Yggdrasil and bring you here to our domain." Skuld explained.
" Where is here?" Loki asked quietly, his eyes going to the glowing interwoven beams of light.
" You are with us where we reside, at the roots of Yggdrasil itself." The three Norns said as one.
" What?" Loki asked, his eyes going wide as he looked from the Norns to the glowing roots of Yggdrasil itself.
" You heard us correctly Loki of Asgard, you are at the very heart of the world tree, the center of the nine realms." Skuld said, her pale eyes filled with quiet warmth.
As she said these words, behind her the roots of Yggdrasil suddenly started to glow more brightly than they had been before, their light turning pure gold as they illuminated the darkness.
" Oh my God." Bruce whispered with wide eyes as at the sheer beauty that he and the rest of the great hall now witnessed.
The darkness that surrounded the roots of Yggdrasil melted away into a golden resplendence, as if a supernova was gently expanding over the sky above Loki and the Norns. Loki gasped and stared up at the site that was unfolding above him, tears coming to his exhausted eyes for he had never seen something so beautiful.
" It's so beautiful." Loki whispered, as his whole body seemed to sigh and relax in Skuld's hold.
" You are here now because we offer anything you so desire Prince of Asgard." Verdandi said, drawing Loki's tired yet wonder-filled gaze away from the shimmering golden sky so that he looked between Urd and Verdandi.
" Anything?" He asked softly, seeming not to truly believe what the Norns were offering.
" Anything." The three sisters said as one.
The crowd down below felt their eyes involuntarily fill with fresh tears as they watched the smile that spread across Loki's face. It was a smile of exhaustion, but also sheer joy as he spoke.
" Can I go home to Asgard, to my parents and my brother?"
These softly spoken words may as well have had the force of a bomb, for they made every single heart in the great hall freeze for a moment. Then there were gasps and cries and shouts of Loki's name as the great hall groaned as one, so moved by Loki's simple yet telling request.
Frigga sobbed without shame, Thor with tears streaming from his own eyes quickly going to her side and wrapping his arms around her tightly, a pained looked on his face as he stared up at the image of his brother.
Odin stood with his head bowed, truly humbled by his youngest son. With pride and pain shining in his one eye, Odin forced himself to look back up at the image of Loki where he lay in the arms of the three Norns.
" If that is what you truly desire, then off course." Urd said with a smile, albeit tinted with sadness. Besides her, Skuld and Verdandi were sporting similar expressions. It did not go unnoticed by Loki.
" Why do you three look so disappointed?" He asked softly as his eyes went from Skuld, Urd, and then Verdandi.
It was here that the three Norns did something no one thought them capable of. They all smiled down at Loki, looking more like three beautiful, young maids than the all-powerful Goddesses they truly were. It was Verdandi who spoke.
" Would you laugh at us if we told you that we feel reluctant to part with you, Loki Odinson?" She asked.
" We three must admit that we were desirous that you would stay with us here." Urd said.
" You have achieved yet another feat, Prince of Asgard, for you have earned our true favor." Skuld concluded.
Down below, the great hall, even Hela stood stunned, for these were the three Norns, the keepers of fate, the beings who resided at the center of the universe really, and they were all admitting that Loki, whom everyone had before thought so weak, had gained their respect, and judging from the way they were all gazing down at him, Loki had also earned their fondness as well. It was impossible, and yet there it was laid out for all to see.
Up above in the image, everyone watched as Loki, despite the bone-weary exhaustion that was evident in every line of his face and body, smiled shyly in disbelief.
It was here that the Norns grew serious.
" Is there nothing else you desire? Nothing else we could do for you?" Urd asked.
To this they watched as Loki seemed to contemplate the inquiry that had been made of him, raising his blue hand and staring at it for the longest time. Hellblindi down below watched as a sad smile spread over Loki's lips as he shook his head and spoke softly.
" No, I am content as I am, Jotun by blood, Aesir by heart."
Now it was Hellblindi King who bowed his head, humbled by the brother he had given up all right to so long ago. Around him others too bowed their head, truly abashed at ever thinking the second Prince of Asgard was every a weakling.
Jane felt fresh tears come to her eyes as she eyed the look of true peace that now graced Loki's face.
" Loki of Asgard, you have proven yourself worthy of our favor, our blessing shall remain with you the rest of your days. You will see you family and your home as you so desire, but for now you shall rest and recover from the trials you have endured." Verdandi said, before she reached out towards Loki's face.
Loki had enough time to make a startled gasp before Verdandi warm, elegant fingers were cupping his cheek tenderly, another wave of warmth washing over him. When Verdandi withdrew her hand, there was a collective gasp through the great hall as every witnessed Loki's dark blue Jotun skin and red eyes gently melt away into pale, alabaster skin and striking emerald green eyes.
Verdandi had returned to Loki his Aesir form. He still looked haggard, with dark circles like smudges under his eyes and a gauntness that came with only being sustained by his magic, but the smile of sheer joy that lit up Loki's face as he held his shaking hand up to his face made none of that matter. Grateful tears gathered in Loki's green eyes as he looked to the three Norns.
" Thank you." He whispered.
" There is no need for thanks, for we return to you that which is rightfully yours." Urd said.
The Skuld gently cupped Loki's pale cheek, turning his head so that their eyes met as she spoke.
" Rest now and let your weariness fade, and know that the next time you open your eyes, you will be home, in Asgard."
With that, Skuld moved her hand from Loki's cheek to his forehead while Urd and Verdandi both placed their right hands to the center of Loki's bare chest, right over his heart. As one the Norns' hands glowed pure white, and all watched as Loki let out a soft sigh and his eyes fluttered shut, the tension completely draining from his entire being. There would be no more worry, no more fighting for the very right to live, no more pain or wounds suffered, Just sleep.
The image then turned away from Loki and the three goddesses surrounding him, turning upwards to the shimmering, nebulous golden sky over the roots of Yggdrasil. The lights brightened until the image faded out to pure white. Then the smokey mist over which the memories had been projected dissipated into nothing, revealing the three Norns where they still floated aloofly above the All-father, dressed in their ceremonial armor and holding their weapons.
The silence that had descended over the great hall was one of stunned shock. No one knew what to say, or what to do, all of them collectively staring up at the three goddesses.
It was Frigga who was first to snap out of the paralysis as she stepped out of Thor's embrace and made her way before the Norns.
" You promised Loki that he would be home, so why haven't you brought him back to us?" Frigga demanded.
" We did not bring him back to Asgard because at the time it was not safe, for the invasion of Midgard was unfolding and you were as of yet unaware of Menkos' truth. We hid Loki in a suitable place, where he could rest and recover his strength." Urd said.
" Wait, are you guys saying that Loki's been asleep for more than a year?" Tony asked as he stepped forward.
" Yes Anthony Stark of Midgard, Loki has remained in deep sleep while you and your allies were facing your own ordeal at the hands of the Chitauri." Verdandi replied as she looked down at Tony.
" Thank you for clarifying, and please, I prefer to be called Tony." Stark said, earning some exasperated looks all around.
" You are welcome, Tony." The Norns said as one, startling everyone by giving in to Tony's request.
Down below Tony felt a grin spread across his face despite the situation, cause three all powerful chicks had just called him by his preference. If that wasn't a boost to an already inflated ego.
" Where did you hide my son?" Odin said, stepping forward with Thor beside him, the two of them coming to flank Frigga.
" We hid him in a fitting place for a prince and warrior of our highest regard to lay his weary head." Skuld answered.
" What place, where?" Thor asked immediately.
" Do not think that we will simply give in to your demands." Verdandi said coldly.
" But why?" Thor asked, stunned that the Norns would not bend.
" While Loki have gone above and beyond to prove to us his worth, you most certainly have not proven that you are deserving of him." Urd said.
Odin, Frigga, and Thor all moved to say something, but Skuld held up her armor gloved had, halting them in their tracks as she spoke.
" Before we arrived, Mistress Death posed certain questions to you Odin All-Father, we may have interrupted, but now we too are desirous to hear your answer. Queen Hela's questions are now our own. Now that you know Loki has survived the trials we set upon him and have seen his true strength with you own sight, what are you willing to do to have your youngest son back King of Asgard?"
Skuld's question was met with stunned silence through the entire hall, as all eyes turned to Odin to see what his response would be. They all watched as Odin clenched his jaw tightly while his hands gripped Gungnir in a white knuckled grip. Then Odin stepped forward and transferred the great spear into his right hand, lifting it up and holding it out horizontally as if presenting it to the Norns. Everyone watched as without another moments pause, Odin opened his hand and let Gungnir fall from him. The spear landed at Odin's feet with a dull, metallic clang.
Thor and Frigga stood wide-eyed in shock while the rest of the Asgardians and also the Jotuns in the room all gasped or stood wide-eyed. The mortals could tell that something big had just happened. Hela herself was staring in surprise at the sight.
Odin however, paid none of that any attention, his eye gazing up at the Norns with determination. The Norns stood impassive as ever, although Skuld had the barest frown marring her brow as they gazed back at Odin.
" Lady Skuld, Lady Urd, and Lady Verdandi, you ask me what I would be willing to do to have my Loki back, this is my answer. I renounce my crown, my power, and my pride." Odin said loudly before he swiftly sank to one knee before continuing.
" I kneel before you now, not as a King, but as a man who wants his son. I would gladly give up any and all that I have, if it means that I can call Loki my son once more. I will gladly spend the rest of my days earning back the privilege of being able to call myself the father of Loki."
Movement beside him had Odin turning in time to see Frigga and Thor both kneeling beside him as well, looking up at the Norns with pained determination in their eyes. Frigga was the first to speak.
" Norns, I to kneel before you, not as a Queen, but as a mother who wants her son back. I too am willing to renounce my title and powers as Queen of this realm. If it means I will have my youngest son back in my arms, then so be it. I'll renounce it all a thousand times if I must." Frigga said with conviction.
And then all eyes turned to Thor, who looked so haggard and wrecked. With tears stubbornly held back, Thor reached for Mjolnir at his belt and gently placed the hammer in front of him on the floor, a low thud echoing through the entire hall before the Prince spoke.
" As my mother and father had done so before me, I too am willing to renounce my title as Crown Prince of this realm and all the power and privilege that goes with it. There is but one privilege that I would have, and that is to call myself the brother of Loki, to have him back at my side and be at his for he is my equal, if not my better."
Skuld parted her lips to speak when movement behind Thor caught the attention of the three sisters.
" Listen up, we may not have any royal titles or magic powers to renounce, but we'll do whatever it takes to bring Loki home. We were wrong about him, sure we had the wool pulled over our eyes by Menkos, but we will not stand by if there is anything we can do to make sure Loki gets back to the people he loves." Steve Rogers declared for all to hear, while he was flanked on either side by his fellow Avengers, and Jane, Darcy, and Selvig, all of them with bright determination shining in their eyes.
" What the Midgardians say goes thrice for us." Came Volstaag's voice as he, Fandral, Hogun, and Sif all came to stand beside the mortals and sank to their knees as one.
" We are Loki's culprits, and we will do whatever it takes to make amends, for he is our prince." Volstaage said.
Thor looked over his shoulder to give his mortal friends and grateful look, which dimmed somewhat when his eyes fell on the warriors three and the Lady Sif, but he did give them a curt nod of acknowledgement for coming forward.
" To my father, Loki was nothing more than the runt who stole his beloved Farbauti's life. We have to claim over him, but I speak for myself and my people that Odin All-Father and his realm should be allowed the chance to prove themselves worthy of Loki, for the simple reason that they are what Loki himself wants. If they prove that they are worthy, than they should have him." Hellblindi said firmly as he and his delegation stepped forward to stand on the other side if the Avengers and Jane, Darcy, and Selvig. Odin turned to send Hellblindi a truly grateful look, to which the latter gave a curt nod before looking away.
All around the three royals, the mortals, the four Asgardian warriors, and the Jotuns, the crowds of Asgard rumbled lowly in agreement. A flash of green and black had everyone looking up to see Hela floating above them, facing the Norns with her arms crossed and her pale white eyes hard as she spoke.
" As I said earlier, Loki Odinson had gained my respect as well, and I would not deny him anything that is within my power. He wants his family, those three who kneel before you." Hela began, gesturing to Odin, Frigga, and Thor before she continued.
" Allow them their chance to prove that they are worthy of he whom they should have cherished all along."
Before the Norns could respond, a single voice rang out from among the crowd.
" For Loki, our Prince." A random Agardian shouted.
His shout started a chain reaction and soon, the entire hall was roaring Loki's name.
" LOKI!...LOKI!...LOKI!...LOKI!"
The roaring continued for what seemed like hours until the three Norns finally held up their hands for silence. A deathly hush fell over the great hall of Asgard, all eyes eagerly watching to see what the Norns would do.
" Your words fill us with cautious hope. Rest assured, you can keep your titles and powers, for such things matter not to us." Skuld said.
" Then... You will tell us where Loki is?" Thor asked with hope painfully clear in his voice.
" Would you be willing to traverse the whole of the nine realms?" Urd asked in challenge.
" Yes." Thor said without hesitation.
" While that won't be necessary, we shall not simply tell you where he is Thor Odinson. You are going to have to find you brother where he lies." Verdandi said.
" I'll search for the rest of my days if I must." Thor said with conviction as he, Odin, and Frigga all rose to their feet.
" Very well, we shall give you a clue as to where Loki is, it will be up to you whether you find him." Skuld said firmly.
" Tell me." Thor all but demanded.
" As we said before, we hid your brother away. He lies within the very heart of a mountain, that mountain is located in one of the other realms. Most certainly not Asgard, nor Midgard, nor Jotunheim, for that would be too easy. Fire was the key to Loki gaining his freedom from Niflheim, it shall be the key to yours in your quest to find him where he rests even at this very moment." The Norns said as one as they started to glow brightly, a tell-tale sign that they were taking their leave.
Thor opened his mouth to speak, but a warning look from the three sisters had him falling silent. As the three Norns began to dissipate back into the three glowing orbs, the three silvery voices sounded one last time.
" A parting warning to you Thunderer, for even though we hid him away, we would not leave Loki unguarded. Should you find the place, you will have to prove yourself to the sentinels we have appointed. Good luck to you, we wish you success, for Loki's sake if not your own."
With that the three Norns, so powerful in their gleaming armor and billowing white cape melted away into three glowing orbs that they rose up towards the ceiling and vanished with a flicker.
Thor and company all stood stunned by what they had just received from the Norns.
It was a test, a gauntlet thrown down by the sisters of fate.
One that Thor could not afford to fail if he wanted his brother back in his arms.