Summary: The war between Jotunheim and Asgard draws to a close, but thanks to a horrible twist of Fate (or perhaps not), the nameless runt of Laufey-King is not discovered by Odin and so begins a remarkable journey of life that should not have been. Jotun!Loki AU. Set pre-/during-/after Thor/Avengers Assemble. MCU-verse only.
Warnings: ANGST! Loki-whump! Language, adult situations, violence, child abuse, dub-con, sexual assault (also of a minor), substance abuse, one abortion scene (sort of), slavery, sex trade (maybe), some mild original character/Loki M/M pairings.
Comments: This is not a slash fic. Sorry. It's Loki-centric, although I definitely show the rest of the Avengers and etc. Please review! Constructive criticism welcome.
Disclaimer: I do not own Avengers. Marvel owns it. I do not get paid for this piece of work. Sadly, but understandably. LOL.
WOW! New people! New reviewers! New faces! I'm so glad you are enjoying this - I'm not alone anymore! YAY! Be sure to say hi! Don't be shy and drop a line!
Thanks to those who reviewed! As always, you guys are awesome. To: tinyBrocks (thanks for the love!), jai parker (I hope the extensive use of Norse is OK...), dairygirl (sorry for the angst - but don't worry! Loki will rock!), DragonsFlame117 (hold onto the happiness!), Double-Gemini (I hope my author's note will be of use to you), Immortal Sailor Cosmos (I'm joining you in your evil laugh as well), wbss21 (I hope that the answer to your speculation in this chapter will not disappoint) and Raven's Dusk (Welcome back... and I hope Heimsrsal doesn't kill me because of this chapter!).
LET THE GAMES... BEGIN~! Don't kill me! (runs away)
Distortions In Time
[Bitter Desolation, Incandescent Harmony]
Chapter 19
Nightfall
[… the skies are empty on Jotunheim…]
[… a harsh, grating hum fills the air…]
[… they have come…]
"Five. No more, no less. Final offer," the grimy miner grunted, shifting forward five dull discs of plated tin across the ice and sat back on his haunches, his gaze fixed on the smaller face contemplating the coinage silently. It was a fair bargain – and although the ulfrbarn could have tried for six or seven, the tiny Jotunn nodded, snatched the five pieces swiftly as if expecting them to disappear and edged back, allowing the miner to take the two snow fox pelts he had brought to market.
"Many thanks, lagreinn."
"Ulfrbarn," the wild child tossed a blunt ice dagger at the older Jotunn's head in correction before turning back to peer at the coins. Carefully, the slender hands stowed away his hard-earned profit in the badly sewn pouch which was bound tightly to the ulfrbarn's bony chest.
"Hmph," the miner said, thinking that the cursed dvegr was too prideful by half – but held his tongue lest something other than ice be tossed in his direction. Any sign of hostility drove the youngling wild.
Youngling, no longer surely, he sighed to himself. Some time has passed since first mention of its name in these parts… it is no longer a child, even if it shows no real signs of aging…
The two parted without further words. A regular day in Snjarhamr.
That was how it began.
-0-0-0-
The first sign was a distant hum. Elder Esaf raised his head and frowned – a distant memory of fear flashed before his eyes and he glanced at fellow Elder Skyne, who rose, strode to the council hall door and looked up into the dull late afternoon sky. Several of the villagers were also outside looking upwards curiously – and with some apprehension.
Traders often came to this part of Jotunheim – by astral travel, through Asgard's Bifrost or by the secret branches of Yggdrasil. Others landed in mechanical carriages which travelled the black spaces between stars, something which most Jotunn considered repulsive and unnatural. And, of course, these newcomers to Jotunheim had the habit of landing in these parts of Jotunheim – not in the too-distant Utanheim, but far enough away from the stern eye of Laufey-King and his protectionist policies. Here, on the borders of Utanheim, anything could happen.
Then, the hum grew and the mountain snows filled with light as through the dense clouds overhead, the landing gear of some massive vessel pierced through the grey and large round lights gleamed brilliantly – blindingly. A wind whipped up and for a moment, there was nothing but the sound of a thousand metal gears and venting and hissing and whooshing.
When the ulfrbarn opened his eyes, all he saw were the gigantic black-grey, meteor-pocked sides of a metallic wall that dwarfed even the council house. One wall slowly opened and it lowered downwards to meet the ground – and far away, a metal bell of warning from the miners rang out. Even then, he did not know enough to fear.
Not until Elder Skyne began to race forward into the village square bellowing like a wild boar, "GET THE YOUNGLINGS TO THE MINES! RUN!"
At that moment, the entire village sprang to life as trader-hunters grabbed their spears and formed ice daggers, as the jarnkottr sprang from their leashes and as the various house-mates grabbed the younglings up and began to sprint for the Offaerdalr's limited protection. The door had fallen opened and out thundered some creatures which the ulfrbarn had never seen before.
They were tall – tall as Jotunn – but wide and square with rounded edges where Jotunn were lean and rectangular. Yellow-white skin spoke of a long time spent in a land with no light, the ulfrbarn could guess – that or perhaps because they travelled the spaces between worlds… Hands the size of a large window, definitely the size of his tree home's wall, held long metallic things – weapons, he guessed, and gaping mouths revealed blunt, yellowed teeth. A gargling sound filled the air.
Laughter? No time to think on it, the ulfrbarn told himself and grabbing his pack, began to weave his way down the wide main street. It was not an easy task to avoid being stepped on – for chaos had erupted, with the Jotunn village scurrying about. Even the few dwarves and dark elves visiting had taken to arms and were busily engaging the enemy.
It was when one of the intruders grabbed a young, almost-adult Jotunn, stabbed it with the metallic object and put it to sleep that the ulfrbarn realized what they were.
Slave traders. He began to run in earnest.
And then paused.
-0-0-0-
They have no name, the tales say.
[... nameless horrors...]
They had no name. No known official name among the worlds they terrorized. They were known to others only as The Slavers, but amongst themselves, they called their peoples the Mahko'nai. It was a sacred number and the current count of moons they held within their stable empire. The Skrull, the Kree, the Phalanx and the variety of other races and species within the galaxy and the universe beyond shifted in an ever changing cycle whilst the Mahko'nai stood firm. They were a giant, stocky, strong race – the rhinoceroses of the galaxy and just as stolid.
Stability, however, depends on the little things – and each part of society had to be upheld by various trades, one of them, dealing with slaves. Across the galaxy, the Mahko'nai people roamed for treasures of great price – and passing by the Realm of Jotunheim, the captain of the Nu'Yulsa'ahlei had decided to increase his payload by ten Jotunn, since those creatures were rare and difficult to get otherwise and he was already in the quadrant for a rack of Terrans.
The first shuttle landed and the company of ten rushed out knowing that in this dark world, their landing lights had destroyed any element of surprise. However, luck seemed to be on their side, for the Jotunn appeared to be in an uproar and, judging by the size of the town, this was a smaller outpost and less protected than usual. Adjusting their suits, hefting their highly energized shiv-staves, the company split up in pairs, lumbering after the young adult Jotunn. Aged Jotunn were of no use to them and younglings were prone to die without their parents, but Jotunn between five centuries and a thousand years were worth the trouble. So, watching the information streaming past the high-def, IF data-goggles secured around their eyes, the Mahko'nai kept an eye out for the appropriately sized three meter tall Jotunn.
"Ten of 'em," grunted Green Leader. "In this crowd?"
"Got one in my sights, Cap'n," said Green Five (the usual overachiever). "Cover me, Green Six."
"Gotya," was the quick response, and the two darted sideways with Green Five taking the lead, spearing the young Jotunn in the side, breaking its tough skin easily with the diamond tip of the shiv-stave before juicing him. As the young Jotunn collapsed into sleep, Green Five hefted his burden easily over his shoulder and made his way back to carrier. Just as he threw down his burden on the ramp, something pricked him in the foot, right through his tough boot.
He looked down and blinked in surprise. A small Jotunn. Scratch that. A baby Jotunn, attempting to spear him through his foot.
"Uh, boss," Green Five lifted his boot, casually kicking the little Jotunn aside so that he could pulls his catch further up the ramp. Then he turned and peered down into the large snow drift to get a closer look at what looked to be a clear racial anamoly. "I've got some Jotunn kid runnin' around here. I mean, the size of a baby or just a bit larger – I thought you said they didn' walk –"
"Can your chatter, Green Five –"
"Boss! I'm not jokin' here – it's puny… it's like somethin' I never seen afore."
"Catch it," suggested Green Eight.
"Now, what would we do with a runty Jotunn?" asked Green Leader, exasperated as he fended off two Dark Elves and a Jotunn.
"Well… It's a pretty thing – could pass for an Aesir or somethin' like that – an exotic pet?"
"In a cage?" Green Ten quipped. "Seriously? Well… we've seen stranger."
"I'm getting' some strange readings off it," Green Six put in. Pause. "I can't believe it..." He gasped. "Switch to Sub-atomic Field – you seein' what I'm seein'?"
"By the Emperor…"
"What in the…"
"I thought you said Jotunn runts were mentally deficient - and weak -"
"Yeah, that's what the books say -"
"Didn't Jotunheim lose all its, um, magical users during the War?"
"Laufey-King has magic, right?"
"What are you talking about?" Green Leader roared over the intercom.
"Switch to the Sub-atomic Field, boss. You'll see what I mean."
Green Leader turned and looked back to the carrier where he saw that Green Five and Six were watching a small Jotunn stagger to its feet – except this time, in a world of monochrome, the puny being was lit with green fire.
"We've got a live one!" He hollered. "Catch it!"
With that, everything happened very quickly. Green Five reached for the dwarf Jotunn – but it slipped past his three fingered gloves easily and began to throw ice daggers at his legs and back as the small body skidded past him between his legs. The daggers splintered and broke against the All-Terrain suit – and Green Five laughed – for only a minute.
No sooner did realization that the suit would need something a bit stronger to penetrate, the young Jotunn had stooped down, put its blue hands flat on the ground and chanting something short, the ground began to build with ice – Green Five leaned forward – arm stretched out and then froze as a huge shaft of ice hit him from the side, stabbing through his armpit and up into his neck, chin and skull.
"Green Five terminated," the intercom intoned.
A chorus of invocations of the Emperor and his Spawn splattered over the comm.
"Grab that thing and neutralize it NOW, Green Six!" snapped Green Leader. "Green Two and I are on our way. Everyone else, stay calm, Gold Team is coming in –"
"Green Three terminated."
"By the Emperor," snapped Green Leader. "What now?"
"What are you doing over there, Green Four? You're supposed to be watching your partner's back!" yelled Green Seven. "Eight, cover me!"
With that that, the Green Company split up, while overhead, the landing lights of the Gold Company blinded everyone for a few seconds. Beyond the shuttle, Green Leader could see the dark shapes of the Jotunn mother-mates, as he called them, escaping to the hills with their small babes wailing in their arms. He shook his head. Those will be for another day, he grinned crookedly to himself. Another time, children, we will return.
And beyond the second shuttle now landing, a swelling tide of miners now streaming out, bearing picks and axes and shovels and spears. He sighed. Just our luck.
"Mop it up, boys," he bawled into the intercom. "We've got company!"
Gold Company landed. The high-powered landing gear beams powered down and night descended once again temporarily. Green Six took the chance to snatch the small Jotunn around the waist. However, no sooner had his left hand pinned the Jotunn, while his right hand searched his side satchel for some magic-restraints then the runty creature turned into a literal ball of fire. Flames erupted up his arms – and as Green Six yelled and dropped the magic-using Jotunn, the youngling took the opportunity to fling himself forward, clinging to his chest guard – and reaching up, heated the entire metallic piece – and setting fire to his face.
It was hell – if you believed in that sort of thing and all Green Six could thing was to scream and bellow. Somewhere far away someone was yelling at him to roll in the snow – and he fell – but already the jetpack on his back had begun to smoke and spark.
There was an explosion.
There was light.
So this chapter is gonna feel... alien toward the end - or strange or bizarre or like a piece of a puzzle that doesn't quite fit. Let me know if it's too jarring for you... but I want to have the idea of something completely foreign breaking through here. If that makes sense.
Since this chapter is shorter, I will update around... Hmmm... Thursday my time~.
XD
See you around! Don't be a stranger and send me a note!
-KI
Author's Note:
Double-Gemini asked a few great questions – and I was unsure if I had written of the matter within my author's notes, so I will address them here.
First, what is your take on Norse Mythology? I will answer this question as it pertains to my story. My story is an AU of an AU!reboot (MCU-verse) of an AU!reboot (Marvel Comic Verse) of a mythology. (read: the link to the original mythology is tenuous at best, sorry) I hope that answers the huge question. See below for more details. XD
Secondly, are the Avengers going to appear in your story? Yes. I believe I stated as much when I said that this story was set in MCU-verse and I also mention it in the section labeled "comments" towards the top.
For those who want a more detailed explanation:
First off, I need to say that I like Loki in his many forms of canon – but I hold to the fact that the canon of Loki is very much splintered at this point and any self-respecting fanfic author would recognize this after browsing the Net for a while. So almost any Marvel version of Loki, as it were, should NOT be presented as canon nor should any author assume that their version is the "right version" because it is based on Marvel Comics or the Norse Mythology. I have seen some of my favourite authors apologizing for not reading the comics... I was like, "Um, your fic is in the Avengers Assemble category – why should you be referencing the comics?" Like Loki himself, there is a marvellous amount of room for multiplicity and we should celebrate it – but also tag our fics appropriately.
That is to say, in my mind there are 2 major subdivisions related to this discussion here: Norse Mythology!Loki and Marvel!Loki. There is a difference between the two. That is the first important point to realize. And then, the second important point to come to grips with – is that within Marvel!Loki there are further VERSIONS of Loki all separate and distinct. My Loki is ONLY BASED ON the MCU-VERSE, TOM HIDDLESTON LOKI. You might think, um, what does THAT mean? That means I am extrapolating entirely from the scenes involving Loki and what the verse looks like from the movies.
There are actually a variety of sources to pull from: Norse, Marvel Earth-616 and other versions plus the movie-version (Earth-1999999), but as a fanfic writer I am more fond of sticking to the MCU-vere (Earth-1999999). As an author and critical reader, I have personally come to the conclusion that MCU-verse Loki has had no children, is rather quite young mentally and sincerely did NOT know of his Jotunn heritage before the vault scene. I have my reasons. That's just me. Don't get me started.
Marvel Comic Loki (and Norse too), depending on which version you look at, knows his heritage from the get go – but few comics show him with kids. I enjoy reading dad!Loki – to a certain extent, but have come a little disenchanted by the gratuitous use of his children to invoke sympathy or fluff. Just does not cut it for me. Once again, don't get me started. Still, I will read dad!Loki fics... but if you are reading this in hopes of seeing Hela or Fenrir or whatever as his kid and having some nice heat-warming parental chit-chat... ain't gonna happen. Yep.
On the other hand... BECAUSE this is strictly an MCU-verse fic, I have an imperative to bring in Thor and the Avengers... and so, they will be brought in. Also, I love writing them too much.
I hope this clears up any confusion. If you have read my Christmas Magic fic, then you know that I have a great interest in writing detailed Avenger dialogues – but the Distortions in Time Avengers will have a different slant.
- KI
p.s. Also, in Christmas Magic, the scene in which Loki helps with a homebirth is used as a way for him to understand why Odin did what he did – because in my mind, Loki can't understand Odin's need to save a child on a battlefield – because he's never had a child of his own or brought life/helped bring life into the world before.
Glossary:
Aldinn Stathr – Ancient Place
Atfirth – energies
blakkrbjorr – black beer
Blakkrbjorn – black bear
blakkrgras – black grass
blargras – blue grass
Dagaheim
dvegr – dwarf
dyrspeki – zoologist
Eybjarg (Chasms of Forever)
fauld – a part of armour around the lower midsection
Flara River – Treacherous River
For-Eldra – Ancestors
Forn Vegr – Old Ways
Gastropnir
Gnottvatn (Lake of Abundance)
Gothahus – temple
Grarfjall – Grey Mountains
grarulfr – grey wolves
Griotunagardar
hafnathr – sea serpents
heillgrjot – healing stones
Heimsrsal – Soul of the Realm
heithrsker – crystal flowers
Holdra River – Hero's River
holkimurtr – small flat fish
Holkn Vollr – Flat Plains
holmganga – a method of ending feuds/disagreements
hota-eik – white oak
hvaeta – wheat
Innaheim – Inner Realm
jarnkottr – iron cat (beast which Laufey released in Thor)
jarnvithr – iron wood
Kaldrfjall (Cold Mountains)
Kero Fornvetr – Casket of Ancient Winters
kostrboth – a method of proving virility for the purpose of marriage
lagreinn – small one (epithet)
Lengi Ofrithr – Long War
luthrblom – trumpet flower
manisilfr – moonsilver
melrakki – white fox
Myrkr Skogr – shadow forest
Nattura – spirits
Northri Stjarna – North Star
silvralmr – silver elm
silvrfiskr – silver fish
Sithr Efingi – True Heir
Skalldi
skordyr – Jotunheim goat
snaerharra – snow rabbit
Storrholl – Great Hall
thurblakulfr – giant black wolves
tunglbom (moonflower)
ulfrbarn - wolf child
Utanheim – Outer Realm
Utgard
vaetki – nothing
ventrmellin – winter melon
villrkyr – wild ox
Virtha Aevi – Coming of Age
Vollrvatn – Lake of the Plains