The night sky covered the entire realm in a blanket of darkness, lulling creatures to sleep and creating a calm atmosphere. Any nocturnal animals who looked up at the stars would see only vast blackness dotted with light, a familiar sight that gave one a sense of serenity. However, the view was not quite as comforting when one was looking down at the sky from above.

Such was the case with the Dwarven Prince Thor Odinson. Thor's kingdom, Asgard, lay high above the stars that could be seen from earth- and as he looked down into the inky depths he saw no light despite the swirling galaxies beneath. He only saw the abyss in which his brother Loki had fallen.

Thor was on his knees, peering over the edge of the Rainbow Bridge, remembering the events that had unfolded there almost a year ago. He had been confronting his brother- which is an entirely different story altogether- when they had both fallen over the edge. The king of Asgard and the boys' father, Odin- had arrived and grabbed Thor just in time, leaving him dangling over the edge with Loki clinging onto his staff below him. Thor had tried to save him, oh- how he had tried, but in the end it had been Loki's choice to release his hold on his staff. He had tumbled into darkness, followed only by Thor's incredulous scream.

The memory of what had happened remained fresh in Thor's mind, and it was on restless nights such as this one that he would wander the kingdom, reliving it over and over. Those kinds of nights were becoming more and more frequent lately, for reasons Thor did not know. He had been feeling a tug in the pit of his stomach lately every time he looked down at where Earth, or Midgard, was.

As he knelt on the bridge, meditating in his thoughts, Thor heard the sound of weighty footsteps approaching behind him. He immediately recognized the gait of the man whom he had followed like an admiring shadow for his entire childhood. His father. In retrospect, Thor should have realized his odd behavior as of late would have attracted attention and concern. Odin stood behind his son, and for a moment an understanding silence hung in the air between the two. Thor didn't turn around, but he heard Odin draw in a breath to speak.

"Son," the King spoke, his voice solemn but wavering. He placed a hand on Thor's shoulder, "If there was anything I could have done I would have seen it through, but I fear that any efforts would have been for naught."

Day began to break, and the warm light spilling over the horizon began to wash away the dark. Thor clenched his hands into fists and pressed them against the smooth surface of the bridge. "I know, Father," he said, resigned. "Loki's choice was his own, and no matter how much I wish things were different, I cannot change that."

A grimace passed over the king's face, "It will do you well to remember that. The time is coming when the weight of the realm will be shed from my shoulders onto yours, and you cannot rule with the past clouding your mind."

Thor gave a serious nod, standing up from his kneeling position and turning around to face his father. "I understand," he replied tersely. "But these past few nights I have been feeling drawn to this place, as if there is something missing for me to find- my mind will not be at peace until I know what it is. I cannot know the reasons behind Loki's actions- I'm searching for an answer that I know isn't there." Mjolnir hung from Thor's belt, and he twisted the handle in aggravation as he tried to explain himself to his father.

"Your mother and I shall take a portion of the blame for that, my son. If you return to the palace with me, we may be able to grant you some peace of mind and enable you to move forward," Odin sighed. He had known the time would come when they would all have to face the truth, but he felt as though he would never be ready.

Intrigued, Thor followed his father back to the palace. They walked in silence, only nodding to guards on patrol in the hallways as they made their way to the palace throne room. Once inside, Thor was surprised to see his mother, Queen Frigga, waiting for them. She smiled warmly at the pair as they entered the room, but her eyes reflected her inner concern. "Good morning, my son," she greeted Thor, crossing the room and wrapping her right arm around his left. "Your father and I have noticed how troubled you've been lately- have you come to discuss it?"

Thor smiled back at her. "Yes, mother- but I have been told that you and father have more to tell me than I you." he said. Frigga looked over at Odin, a strange look flashing in her eyes before he gave her a knowing nod. Frigga let out a breath. "Come," she said to Thor, leading him towards the cushioned seats that sat against the wall nearest them. "Let us sit down and be more comfortable."

Odin paced uncomfortably in front of his wife and son; he had practiced this speech over and over in his mind for the past year, but never could find the right words. "You have heard the tale of our triumph against dark elves of Jotunheim so many times you can tell it better than I," The king let out a deep breath and steeled his nerves as he pushed forward, "Yet that day was fateful in more ways than you know, as I have never told you of what happened after the Jotuns' defeat."

Thor sidled his arm out of his mother's grasp and leaned forward, curious. "What do you mean?" he inquired.

"After the battle was won and the Casket was removed, I found a Jotun infant cast out into the cold, completely alone. He was extremely small for a dark elf, and after committing so many heartless acts in the name of war, I could not find the will to commit one more. I took the babe for my own and raised him along with you, never telling either of you his true heritage, until the events of late forced it upon me," Odin paused and met Thor's eyes. "I ask not for your forgiveness of my deceit, my son, but for your acceptance."

Dropping his father's stare, Thor clasped his hands together and brought them to his lips. He balanced his elbows on his knees and stayed silent in this thoughtful position for a few moments. When he spoke again, his gaze alternated between both of his parents- addressing them both equally. "Loki was… a dark elf," he said slowly. "Yet we grew up together- all those years had meaning. Despite his secret past, was he not still my brother?"

A smile tugged at the corners of Frigga's mouth as she ran a hand through Thor's blonde hair. "You're right. This revelation changes nothing between you two and all that you have shared." she said. Thor gave her a small smile, but then his complexion darkened in thought. "If I had known before… I could have reasoned with him…" he began, before Frigga cut him off. "Do not grieve yourself over what might have been, my son." she soothed. "Besides- there may still be hope…"

Thor stood up and went to his father's side, and they both stared at Frigga in curiosity. She let out a breath before continuing. "These past few nights, I have felt Thor's uneasiness. My dreams have grown increasingly troubled, and I couldn't make sense of them- until last night." she explained.

Odin's look was concerned, and Thor's intrigued, yet they both stayed silent-waiting for her to continue. Frigga stood up from the seat, facing her husband and her son. "Last night, I had a vision," she continued. "It was more than a dream- I was able to use my powers of projection to feel myself in the place I saw." Her eyes met Odin's. "The place I saw was Midgard," she explained. "Loki was there. He's alive."

"Midgard?" Odin repeated in disbelief. "What business does he think he has there? This is serious, Frigga. You should have warned me earlier!" he exclaimed, becoming more aggressive as his mind raced with the worst possible consequences.

Frigga regarded her husband calmly. "I was waiting for the right moment," she said. "And what better sign did I have than you deciding it was time to tell our son the truth about his brother?"

Able to stay silent no longer, Thor interjected. "It matters not where Loki is, nor why," he stressed. "What's important is that he's alive! Father- I must go down to Midgard. Immediately." Thor began pacing, thoughts swarming around in his head. His anxiousness to find his brother and talk to him was accompanied by a warm feeling in his chest as he realized that he could.

"Thor, you know our bridge was destroyed, making travel to the other realms nearly impossible," the king spoke as he rubbed his temples. "Still perhaps… no, it would be far too dangerous." He stroked his thick beard in thought, "But what choice have we? We have been able to maintain peace with the Midgardians, but if Loki walks among them I know not what he will do. I believe I can conjure enough of my powers to send you down to Midgard, but it will be perilous for us both and your safe return cannot be guaranteed."

Excitement surged through Thor, and he gave his parents a wide smile. "I am willing to do anything, father," he said, his eager tone highlighted with seriousness. "Send me to Midgard! I will find Loki and convince him to return home."

Frigga raised a hand to her son's face, stroking his cheek. "Be careful," she warned gently. Thor reached up and held her hand against his face, closing his eyes at her touch. "I will, mother," he assured her. "And when I return I shall bring your other son home to you." Releasing her hand, Thor turned to Odin and nodded, gripping Mjolnir's hilt tightly. "I am prepared, whenever you are." he said.

Odin motioned for Thor to follow him, and once outside the palace he held his son's shoulder and spoke. "Do what you see fit, my brave son. I place my trust in your judgement. But remember this: though you still see Loki as your brother, he may not see you as his. If the worst of situations arise, you must not treat him as your flesh and blood, but for what he truly is." And with that the wind swirled as lightning lit the sky and a boom of thunder shook the ground. With a tremendous crash, the dwarf prince was sent hurtling to Midgard far below, unaware of what waited for him there.