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.
HAHAHAHA! YES! A VAULT SCENE! Not THE vault scene, but a vault scene... We're entering familiar territory for a bit. Ehehehe.
So, I've achieved emotional equilibrium thanks to spoiling myself re Thor 2's ending. My sanity has returned and I'm all fired up to watch the newest pixellated version of Thor 2. Bring it on! Or maybe I should just fly to Singapore or Hong Kong for the weekend... Hmmm... Seriously. I can't afford the money, but Loki... and I want to put money into the franchise and support Hiddles.
Anyways, onto thanking people who review and who rant about Hiddles and Loki and other stuff. You guys are awesome!
To Reader: I am so sorry to say this but... but... the format isn't off. It's my format. Frankly, I hate spacing between dialogue lines and I know it may feel heavy, but that's just my style and as such, I won't change it... unless, there is a general hue and cry about it. After all, if you open any published book, there is no spacing between dialogue and paragraphs even. Still, one thing that MAY work is the awesome little button at the top of the chapter, where if you hover your mouse over, it says 'expand'. Click that 3 or 4 times and you may be good to go.
Thanks to: InsolentKatt, acidburned, DragonsFlame117, Windschatten, ClaMiAl, The Psychotic Queen, Chiharu-Angel, soupcan! You guys rock!
A special shoutout to InsolentKatt who totes went back and reviewed every chapter. . I thought my email had broken when I got the updates. LOL. Really floored and very honoured. How can I express... hmmm... Just imagine Hiddles blowing you a kiss.
AND THOR 2 ISN'T BEING RELEASED IN MY COUNTRY SO BE SURE TO LEAVE A RANT AFTER YOU WATCH IT - COMPLETE WITH YOUR REACTIONS (since I spoiled myself) BECAUSE I WANT TO HEAR IF IT WAS AWESOME... OR NOT...
Distortions In Time
[Bitter Desolation, Incandescent Harmony]
Chapter 47
Hidden Worth, Uncertain Destinies
The Royal Palace of Asgard, embellished with gold and marbling and intricate carvings, is a grand place ever blessed with sunlight and the clean breezes which sweep up off the Asgarthaharr or down from the perpetually snow-tipped Sky-Thurs. A regular visitor to the King's Court or the other various government offices is usually overwhelmed by the grandiose nature of the great building and its massive halls and endless passages and corridors and hallways, never seeing the plain stone walls of the servants' quarters, the prisons and dungeons – or the other mysterious rooms which are only available for the Royal Family and the responsible few of the King's Court.
The Weapons Vault of Asgard, built by one of Odin All-Father's forebears, was a plain bronzed room with light traceries along the walls of ancient runes and the lines of the stars' courses. A long, rectangular quiet place, it glowed with dim light. One end ran up to a steeper set of stairs which rose to meet a pair of taller, yet less wide, doors which opened to one of the many halls running within the further reaches of Gladsheim. On the other end of the quiet room, a grill, allowing a patterned flood of light into the room, rose before, as rumours said, an indestructible metallic creature who guarded the weapons of the All-Father with a sleepless eye.
Earlier during his years at the Mage's Academy, Loki, upon hearing Thor boast of its power, had researched the "Destroyer" as it was called, out of curiosity, and found very little on the subject other than the fact that it was composed of metal, blasted fire, obeyed the will of the King of Asgard and only activated at the removal of an object. There was nothing written about what the effect of placing an object within the Vault would be.
Upon entering the dimly lit room, there was no sign of Destroyer and Loki couldn't help but wonder what really activated it. Will my unauthorized entrance waken it? He suppressed a shiver. Or would stealing an artifact? Not that I intend to bear away any of these treasures... In such a quiet room, Loki felt as though his light footsteps sounded like the All-Father's Sleipnir's thundering hoofs. Behind him, the soldiers walked up the stairs and slipped out the great doors, standing on either side of the entrance.
Ignoring them and setting his shoulders stiffly as though Odin had allowed him to enter the dim room, Loki passed the guards and made his way down the stairs easily, striding past the various relics Odin had placed within the room. Relics – stolen relics from other Realms, Loki thought, but so much more than that. He counted off the powerful artifacts as he passed them. The Eternal Flame, the Warlock's Eye, the Orb of Agamatto, the Tablet of Life and the Infinity Gauntlet... The Infinity Gauntlet and further down... on a special podium of its own placed before the grill and the Destroyer, a blue box with metallic edging and mysterious swirls within. If rumours were correct, if Elska and Opna and the other Jotunn were correct, sat the famed Casket of Ancient Winters. The heart of Jotunheim stolen away.
...little one...
...at last, we meet...
...as we should have...
...so long ago...
Flinching at the whispers that suddenly seemed to flood the chamber, Loki turned away and then shifted a little as he twisted his hands, summoning from his magickal storage spot a red and gold box. The box which had been made by Thor's Great-Great-Great-Great-Grandfather, Virs, as a present for his wife. From generation to generation it had been passed down, until sometime during the Long War with Jotunheim –
...at last, little one...
...we meet...
...and Jotunheim's skies will be filled again...
...a Time of Renewal awaits...
...for all...
- sometime during the Long War with Jotunheim, Loki steered his thoughts and awareness away from the far end of the room and focused on the seemingly innocuous box within his hands. Sometime during the Long War, it disappeared... and it appears as though it had been with Nidhoggr all this time – and within it, a treasure of great price, a terrible weapon and best kept out of Thor's unwary hands.
A gem, Loki opened the box and looked at the small glittering thing, but no ordinary gem. Born with highly concentrated properties from the magical flow of the Tree itself, of Yggdrasil, it had once been set in the most powerful gauntlet of all Time. Wielded by the Titans and then Thanos the Terrible himself, the Infinity Gauntlet was captured and dismantled by Odin All-Father, or so the Saga-Vefr said, and the Gems were hidden by him for all Time, far from the grasp of the Death-Worshipper.
Closing the lid with a hard snap, Loki looked about, pursing his lips in thought as he considered where he could store it. Where could it- Loki froze as he realized that he was no longer alone. Odin now stood a few paces away, face blank, hands clasped behind his back.
"This is an auspicious day," Odin said softly.
Loki unstuck, coughed and suppressed a ridiculous urge to hide the box behind his back.
"My first son brings me rare treasures from a dragon's hoard and an absurd story of where he has been to attain such rarities. And my other – my other son," Odin added thoughtfully, "skulks with a worthy find of his own – not in front of crowds of admirers, but within my supposedly secure weapons vault. I hardly know what to make of it, but I would know the truth of the matter from you, Loki, wordsmith that you are."
"It is not..." Loki glared at the box in his hand. "It is not a tale worth telling," he finally admitted. "The tale is a poor one and speaks of nothing but foolhardiness and a distinct lack of discretion."
"So the two of you led your friends into a dragon's lair?"
"Not just any dragon's lair," Loki gestured at the box now cradled in his left arm. "The Hall of Dwinbbeleherest. The Hearth of Nidhoggr himself."
"Thor's idea," Odin guessed shrewdly.
"Indeed. I said I would not go. I did not go. At first."
"But you followed."
"I went ahead and took what Thor desired most."
"Because you could," Odin surmised, blue eyes showing the faintest twinkle.
"Perhaps," Loki admitted slowly. "Not only for that reason, but also because I knew – I had heard the rumours as a young – as a young man – and I had read of it in some book at the Archives when I was researching crystal-based energies. They said, the books... they spoke of the presence of King Virs's jewel box and the rumoured Mind Gem laid there by yourself."
"And you did not think to leave it there where I had put it?" Odin asked quietly.
"I considered – but Thor is nothing if not determined and would not listen to reason, and so I went ahead after ensuring that Asgard would be warned of Thor's intentions. I arrived, took the box and left as quickly and quietly as I came... then I waited for Thor to appear and then... and then I... I aided him to return safely home."
"That was all you took?"
Loki hesitated remembering the small nest of Dragon's eggs he had found as well further down the room. He had taken the three eggs in hand, after magically stowing away the box, and had gone in search of a Dragonfolk tribe. Thor would show no mercy to unhatched Dragon eggs, or even worse, attempt to smuggle them into Asgard. Loki had done his best to limit Thor's chances for misadventure.
"There were some Dragon's eggs which I took to a Dragonfolk tribe – a band of Elves – and gave them three yet unhatched... for care or proper disposal, as they saw fit."
Green eyes met blue defiantly.
"That was all I took," Loki ended a little lamely. Awkwardly, he shifted the box over to both hands and offered it to Odin. "I hoped to hide these in some safe place."
"This place is far from safe," Odin said a hint of a smile playing about his lips, at the sight of which Loki found himself able to relax a little. "It is best not to lay the Gems too close to their original Owner... nor place them in such proximity that the Gauntlet may gain power so easily after being found by those who seek Death."
"Then what shall you do with it?"
"We shall," here, Odin sighed, "we shall do as I had done before – lay it in a place no man nor being nor creature would think to look. Even better, in the care of one who Time has forgotten."
"Such as a Dragon."
"Yes, they are powerful Guardians and keep true to their posts and duties as Time-Keepers," Odin strode forward to look down at the now gem-less Infinity Gauntlet. "Highly intelligent, incredibly cultured – retaining sentience and self-awareness in more ways than their descendants could – the Grand Sires and their children are perfect candidates for such matters."
"So, you went to Nidhoggr."
"Once upon a time, war was so common, the battlefields never emptied and strife was rampant throughout the Realms, it seemed a natural state as breathing. In such conditions, a young lad grew, hating Asgard's enemies and willing to lay down his life for his future people... and so in the flower of his youth, he met the Mad Titan, the One Who Courted Death – Thanos. After long hard battle, in which many souls were lost and warriors left for the Halls of Valhalla in throngs, the young man prevailed, the Mad Titan cast down and the Gauntlet taken and dismantled for the good of the Cosmos. Hiding the gems was a difficult task, but it was done. It had to be done, for the war with Jotunheim still struggled onward and any sign of weakness was an opportunity for the Enemy."
Loki stared at the metallic, shining, now still and silent Gauntlet which sat innocently on its podium as if it had never been worn by the unspeakable, as if it had never brought death to thousands of lives.
...and thousands of lives...
...depend upon you, beloved...
...upon you, little one...
...upon us, Other-Soul...
"Thus, the gems were hidden and Nidhoggr gladly took the task in hand," Odin continued on. "It took a few days of pleading, but he too hated and feared Thanos - as all living things must - and in the end, accepted the burden – as do all of us who know the truth of the matter, which now includes yourself."
"You spoke to him? To Nidhoggr?"
"Well, yes," Odin smiled then, again. "It is no small matter, but no great one either. Nidhoggr is a gracious host – if you approach him with the right amount of gifts and with honesty and with no intention of taking from his hoard. He is no mindless beast as other dragons are – or as the sometimes foul, sometimes majestic creatures who roamed Midgard and other planets. No, no, Loki, Nidhoggr was born at the Dawn of Time and will be here long after we are gone."
"Then we must return this to him," Loki bit his lip, wincing. "I should not have taken it."
"You had to – and now you must bow to Fate again and find a new way of disposing of the Mind Gem."
"Perhaps another Grand Sire would accept the task..."
"Hm. Yes. A good thought – and," here, Odin glanced further down the way toward the Casket of Ancient Winters, "- and it brings to mind another one who would take heed of our words."
...Other-Soul...
...the one who called to me...
...the one Fate lays heavily upon...
...the one who battles Destiny itself...
Loki tore his eyes away from the mesmerizing swirl of deep and light blues which moved gently within the Jotunn artifact. The handles on either end, he supposed, would fit his hands easily – and the sides of the casket were etched with the swirls of Jotun art from long ago. A beautiful thing... so beautiful... to hold it... what would it feel like - but as if he were coming home... it was calling... so beautiful...
...as you are...
...as am I...
...I have been waiting...
...for so long...
...come, beloved...
...come...
"There is another," Odin's voice broke Loki's thoughts, causing him to twitch and nearly drop the Casket. "Another on Jotunheim, within the depths of the Lake Vithrvatn in the northern parts of Jotunheim, in the Utanheim, the Outer Realm, as it is called. Iormungand of Jotunheim still lives, they say, beneath Vithrvatn's icy shield and rules the Underseas of Jotunheim. He is a gentle spirit and would no doubt take care of such an artifact with ease – for no one travels in the Outer Realm of Jotunheim."
"Hm," Loki nodded, noncommittally, unwilling to speak of such things any further, but knowing he had no choice thanks to the problem at hand. "Jotunheim. That is... a dangerous realm for any Asgardian to visit."
"You are not just any Asgardian, Loki. My son, you, like no other, are best equipped for this quest – for you have the gift to walk without being seen, I have heard, and can scout an area with discretion and speed. Of course, you must hide your presence, for we must not break the Treaty or the peace which is tenuous at best between us."
"I have no wish to start another war," Loki shuddered.
"No one has that wish," agreed Odin. "Only those who court Death or lack sense... of which there are sadly many in these Realms... yet, this task falls to you – this is your burden, for you have taken a role in the Fate of the universe by attempting to rescue such artifacts."
"But I – I can hardly–"
"You can do this, Loki. I knew you had the ability since the first day I met you-"
...you are the Other-Soul...
...Destiny may yet bow its head to you...
"-the ability, the destiny, the power to – to change the Fates of many... and in so doing, bring forth a new kind of peace."
"By hiding the Gem and becoming another Guardian against the Titans and such dark things – by protecting Thor and aiding him in his duties?"
"Those are but a few of the many things you can achieve, Loki," Odin replied gravely. "Your ability to merge your magick with other Realms, the ability to not only shift your shape but the shape of your magick – that is a rare thing and speaks of a fundamental rooting within the very force of Yggdrasil itself. If you go to Jotunheim, you would be able to bend what little magick remains there to your will."
...we are the Heart...
...you are the Mind...
...together, Other-Soul...
...what might we accomplish...
This is too much, Loki stepped back, shaking his head slowly back and forth, uncertain of what to say – uncertain of what to think. The whisper of the Casket, the words of Odin, the tugging of his heart, the faith of Frigga, the belief of Thor – it was all too much to handle and for a moment, Loki's mind went blank as he attempted to corral his thoughts which whirled about.
...bring us back, little one...
...to the place where we must belong...
...truly be...
Loki shivered and then, recognizing his fears and remembering Frigga's words, stiffened his shoulders and nodded curtly. He would show them his loyalties and his worth, he would prove himself as a son of Odin.
"I do not fear Jotunheim," he finally said. "I will do this."
"Good," Odin nodded and then hesitated, eyes wandering the Vault. "It will be a difficult quest for you to achieve alone. Perhaps there is a way I may aid you..."
After Odin had so armed Loki, the two discussed in more detail what Loki would need to pack in order survive the trial set before him. Loki once again felt the pressures of expectation weight heavily upon him as Odin outlined Asgard's current policies concerning contact with the Frost Giants. Revealing his status in Asgard would no doubt be something close to a death sentence, or, Loki thought, even worse - to be made a hostage and bring shame to Asgard and create trouble for Odin All-Father... He sighed, eyeing the box in his hands. Absently, he twisted his hands and allowed it to disappear to his most secret place among his older and newest treasures.
Fifteen minutes later, Thor burst into the room, running down the stairs, blue eyes lighting up with relief and joy at the sight of his younger brother and his father standing together in the middle of the Vault, obviously deep in conference concerning some quest. Loki had often gone on small trips before, so Thor hung back for a short moment, impatiently pacing back and forth until Odin nodded at his oldest son in silent invitation.
"Did you speak with your Mother yet?" asked Odin.
"No..." Thor's natural jubilation died a little at Odin's unspoken warning and reminder. His parents were still not pleased, apparently, about Thor's short trip to Niflheim. Almost immediately, Thor's mind strayed back in time to that one quest he had disappeared on – regarding the Hordes of the Helheim. His mother had been livid. Glancing at Loki, Thor sensed that his younger brother was also wary about their reception. "Not yet," Thor shook his head, "but seeing as we are safe, surely there is no cause for worry. Loki took care of us – as always with his useful invisibility trick and we were able to transport ourselves to-"
"'Transport ourselves'?" Loki snorted, giving Thor an evil glance. "The five of you did nothing this time around. I was the one doing all the heavy lifting!"
"With magic and your workings!" Thor protested. "Which is... you know, cheating!"
"Cheating? Cheating?! It was cheating that saved our lives back there-"
"Boys!" Odin's voice silenced the two young men. "We will talk with your Mother later on – and no doubt there will be some kind of a feast in which the Court will want to hear all about your dangerous venture into Niflheim-"
"And the Hall of Dwinbbeleherest," Loki said.
"Although you did not get inside," Thor said smugly.
Loki moved as if to say something and then, catching Odin's warning eye, winced, nodded and shut his mouth.
"But you can describe Nidhoggr or show his power in one of those illusions of yours," Thor said cheerfully. "None can tell a story like you, Loki."
"Arrogant auzha..." mumbled Loki to himself.
"Ah, was Father showing you our treasures? These artifacts are rather dangerous," Thor gestured at the Casket which stood on its podium. "Some we cannot even think of touching, so dangerous are they to the mind as well as the body."
"Yes," Loki kept his distance from the simple stone post and its treasure. "I am aware."
Muted whispers still slunk about the edges of his mind, scrabbling for purchase and muttering promises. Empty promises, he thought, impossible dreams.
"Ah – such as the Casket of Ancient Winters," Thor said quietly. "A relic of the Long War against Jotunheim. Come, Father, you must tell it as you used to tell me when I was a boy... that speech you would always say when we walked here together."
"Speech?" Loki asked uneasily, while Odin chuckled.
"I thought you hated it, Thor, and I wonder how much you paid attention. Yet, it bears retelling."
"Tell Loki!"
"What was it?" Loki blinked at the old king, curiosity now kindled in his green eyes.
"Hmmm..." Odin stared down at the Casket, blue eyes vague with memory. "Once, mankind accepted a simple truth - that they were not alone in this universe. Some worlds, man believed to be home to their gods; others, they knew to fear."
Thor was smiling now, but Loki's gut clenched as Odin's words began to sink in, bringing to mind the world which had abandoned him, the Realm from which he had been ripped so violently, the home he no longer cared about nor considered.
"From a realm of cold and darkness came the Frost Giants," Odin continued on gravely, " threatening to plunge the world into a new Ice Age, but humanity would not face this threat alone. Our armies drove the Frost Giants back into the heart of their own world." Here, he sighed. "The cost was great. In the end, their King fell and the source of their power was taken from them."
At this, the elderly King glanced at the two young men who stood at his side, both of them staring down with trepidation and awe at the small, yet powerful weapon before them. More than weapon... The very heart of Jotunheim stolen from its home and taken captive at the great cost of lives and an entire civilization, perhaps. A hard necessity, Loki thought. Then he shrugged, for the good of many outweigh the needs of the few.
...but now we stand together...
...what great things can we do...
...you can do...
Odin's rough, slow timbre continued on unhindered, drowning out the mutterings of the Casket.
"With the last great war ended, we withdrew from the other worlds and returned home to the Realm Eternal - Asgard. Here," the King smiled, "we remain as a beacon of hope, shining out across the stars and although we have fallen into man's myths and legends and its warriors that brought peace to the universe. But the day will come when one of you will have to defend that peace."
One? Loki thought, but aloud he said, "Against whom? Surely not the Frost Giants. Since the taking of their Casket, they have become crippled."
"Crippled they may be," Thor grunted, "but a threat they remain. When I'm King, should they give me cause, I will hunt the monsters down and slay them all." Here, he met Odin's hard gaze and grinned. "Just as you did, Father."
"A wise King never seeks out war, but..." Odin paused for a few beats before turning and moving away, "he must always be ready for it."
"You always say that," Thor complained.
Loki agreed privately but held his tongue.
"You always say that," Thor repeated with a sigh. "And I say I will always be ready for war. I am ready for anything."
"As am I," Loki agreed quickly. "Even more so, since I think ahead and have plans for any and every eventuality."
"Really," Thor said, nettled. "No one can be prepared for everything, right, Father?"
"That is true, Thor, but a King must be more ready than most, due to the burden of the responsibility he bears toward his people. This burden, the both of you may bear," Odin nodded slowly, leading them away from the artifacts and toward the stairs. "For... only one of you can ascend to the Throne, but both of you were born to be Kings."
Mulling over Odin's cryptic words, Loki wondered if Odin really believed that his second son, his adopted son would really be able to take the Throne of Asgard. Thor would. Thor always was going to take the throne, Loki thought. It is his by right – surely... and Odin would never let a no name, however adopted, take such an important responsibility. To care for Asgard as a King... to take on such a burden... is that really what I want? is that something he would want?
It was a daunting prospect, and although Odin made no mention of it again and turned the conversation toward Loki's upcoming birthday feast, for which Frigga was now beginning to prepare in earnest, Loki found it difficult to forget. For the rest of the evening and many weeks after, it haunted his thoughts as unrelentingly as the call of the Casket, drowning out the voices of the Deep.
Ha! A lot of talking. But very plotty and trez important. We can see some juxtaposition with the Thor film now for sure! Hope it is believable! Yes, that's right folks. We've finally arrived to what I'd call the "Thor" arc. Ha! Finally! But don't expect it to be ALL the same... but don't expect it to be ALL different. XP
OK, guys. From now on, things might be a bit slower - thanks to NaNoWriMo. If any are interested, visit my profile to follow the links therein in order to check out my original fic. XD I've put up links to some original fics, which you can look at... I will also post my NaNoWriMo story on a regular basis on my "kakashidiot" Fictionpress account.
I hope I can update again on Mondays or Wednesdays... We'll see. XD
Reviews are carbs for my writing, for realz!
Let me know what you think - or just rant about the Thor 2 film!
SERIOUSLY! CHAT AND RANT!
-KI
Alien Glossary:
'auzha – fucker
Dou'ma – idiot
r'senk'ne – a kind of deer/cow hybrid
n'ch'nka – a kind of cow
chi'iano – a radioactive piece of rock similar to uranium
cho'ai - lover
kol-sava'atha – a titanium-rich ore
Morning-star - a mace.
oma'auzha – mother-effer
oto'oa - big sister
udji'oo – a drug, like opium
Asgardian Glossary:
bikkja – bitch
Brenna-Fir – the Immolation
Drakka Thyod – Dragon Race
ergi - womanly, weak, "gay"
Fiendfyre – a phoenix-firebird
Flauguna – flying feet/teleportation
Ginnung – the Void
Hiti-mothr – Flame Fury (also known as Lachruth)
Kaesia-Seithr – Spirit-Spear style
Koma a Aldr – Coming of Age
Kveykva-herklaethi – Light Armoured style
Laegja – the Immersion
Ofolr Leith – Dark Paths, Other Ways (crossing the Void)
Ominni-tith - the Forgotten Times
Rikr-Hringraevi – Grand Cycles of Time
Runa a Fyrsta – Rites of Initiation
Runa a Kelda – Rites of Spring
Runa'a'vetr – Winter Solstice
Saga-Vefr – Story-weavers
seithr - magic
seithrmaster - mage, sorceror
Skjald-borhyrr – Wall of Flame
Skipa – the Infusion
Skokkr-a-Mir – concealment skills, Box of Mirrors (also known as Col'ca-cenedril)
stormerki – mysteria
Tveir-Andlit – illusionary skills, Double Face
Velspara-Speki – the Well (of Wisdom)
Elvish Glossary:
skreyppa – slippery one
gargani – snake
fintalenir – trickster
vanwa – defeated one, impolite term for "loser"
caitahto – liar
curunar – fiery one
Lachruth – Flame Fury
Col'ca-cenedril – Box of Mirrors
Cebir-Gondlug – Spike-Stone Dragon
Am'loce Norie – Dragon Race