Asgard

It was a long, silent walk from the throne room to the library and it made Thor anxious. He knew that his father would be angry with him but Odin was being a mixed bag of emotions and Thor couldn't read him like Loki used to be able to.

Heimdall knew that Volla had told the All-Father something but Heimdall always kept his vision clear of his King and the old seer when they were talking. Heimdall never spied on his King, that was his duty and he understood it. Odin usually came away from meeting with Volla in a different mood but Heimdall could tell that this was very different from usual. Odin was angry but also trying to move past that anger much faster than he normally would, he was moving with more of a urgency as opposed to the usual slow purpose that Odin attempted to use especially with Thor.

The trio entered the library and Odin pointed Thor to the center table and nodded to the door at Heimdall instructing the gatekeeper to keep their conversation private. Thor stood at the center table leaving Mjolnir at the door. Odin went to one of the book shelves and pulled out a volume, quickly turning and making his way towards the God of Thunder. "Do you remember the Olympians?" asked Odin setting the book down and opening its pages.

Thor nodded "They roamed the Earth like we did many centuries ago, they left the Earth behind when they grew tired of it" he explained trying to remember his studies that he usually day dreamed his way through.

Odin smiled noting that Thor remembered the fake history he was told by baby sitters and maids and not the one that he should have been reading as a child with Loki. Odin turned the book towards Thor and began the story of the Olympians.

"The Olympians were beings from the planet Olympus, a planet very similar to Asgard. The structure of the royal family, how they ruled. You could call Olympus and Asgard sister civilizations, however Olympus had a dark past long before the days of our two civilizations playing around on Earth. The first Olympians were the second race to rule Olympus, the Titans were in charge before them. They were led by Kronos, who of course wished for a son to pass his rule onto upon his death. He had a child but it was deformed, Kronos was a giant of a creature standing larger than even the Frost Giants and his child was small and feeble so he sent the child to a prison to rot away. However, Kronos continued to have children and they were all the same until finally he stopped trying and simply buried his shame on a mountain where his children resided."

Thor was lost as to why his father was telling him a history lesson about a group of people who had little to do with Asgard or him. He looked to Heimdall who maintained his stoic expression while Odin continued.

"Eventually, the children of Kronos not only survived but grew up and flourished, they discovered that they were different from their father and his kind. They had abilities that the Titans could not match and so…they rose up and destroyed the Titans. Zeus was the youngest child and his power was greater than any other Olympians and therefore he was named their King. The story should end there but it does not, Zeus killed all the Titans except one…his father Kronos. He decided to punish Kronos by forcing him to live on a desolate planet far from any civilizations and forced him to walk the planet for the rest of time. So, year after year, decade after decade, Kronos walked and walked until Zeus stopped paying attention to his father's torture."

Thor looked around at the various books that were laid out around the table as Odin continued the story of the Olympians.

"Kronos eventually broke from his bonds and escaped his torture, and soon returned to Olympus more powerful than he ever had been. He had grown so powerful that Zeus and the other Olympians stood no chance against his power. He massacred most of the Olympians and soon only Zeus stood in his way of exacting his vengeance…Zeus failed. Kronos killed Zeus and would have continued his rampage across the cosmos if not for the combined efforts of myself and many other powerful beings."

Odin looked into Thor's eyes and could see that the story had captured his son's interest but also could see that Thor was missing the point of the story. "How did Kronos grow so powerful?" Thor asked seeing the immediate disappointment on his father's face.

"How Kronos grew powerful is not the point of this story Thor. The point of this story is Zeus's mistake. He made the selfish decision to torture and make Kronos pay for what he had done as opposed to finishing what he started and protecting his kingdom. He got not only his people killed but also himself. All kings make mistakes and kings should not take these mistakes lightly" explained Odin.

"Why are you telling me this? To make me feel like I made the wrong call letting Loki go on Earth? That I should have let you hand him over to the Frost Giants or maybe even just killed him myself just to be sure" responded Thor shaking his head.

"Of course, you should have. You allowing Loki to live could cost the lives of the people of Asgard and countless other innocents that are about to be caught in the crossfire of a war the scale of which the Nine Realms have not seen for ages." Odin was beginning to lose his patience again, he did not have time for Thor to be childish in his understanding. "Loki surviving your encounter on Earth was a mistake Thor." He said as he turned to leave the library.

"Easy for you to say" replied Thor as Odin neared the door to leave.

Odin stopped in his tracks "It's not easy Thor. I have made plenty mistakes as King of Asgard. Some have cost me and the Asgardian people, others have simply cost me nights of rest. Unfortunately, saving Loki on the Raven's Spire when he was a baby has come to cost me and the Asgardian people quite a lot. I know now that I should have left him to die on that mountain no matter my personal feelings about him." Odin stated as he exited the library leaving Thor and Heimdall alone.

Thor shook his head and looked at Heimdall who showed no emotion at all, "Is he right Heimdall? Should I have killed Loki on Earth?"

Heimdall spoke, "The All-Father feels that is the case."

"What do you think?" asked Thor hoping he could find someone who was on his side.

Heimdall sighed approaching Thor with a slow precise walk, "I cannot say for sure if it was the right or wrong move. However, only your heart can tell you if letting Loki go was a mistake or not." Thor dropped his gaze, Heimdall's answer had not helped him in the slightest. "I wish I could be of more help Odinson" Heimdall stated before turning to head back to his post on the Observatory, he was to be watching all of Jotunheim until he was told otherwise.

"Heimdall, there is one thing I would like to know." Heimdall turned at Thor's beckoning, "Do you know what Kronos used to destroy Olympus?"

Heimdall thought for a moment "Ancient relics called Infinity Stones, I do not know much about them and most of what was written has been lost or destroyed over history. However, Loki studied their history intimately as a child so I suppose he may be the closest thing to an expert on the topic" Heimdall explained before bowing and leaving Thor to think.