Chapter 18: The Stolen Relic

Loki approached the artifact. He could feel his heart racing and his jaw muscles clenching as he reached for its handles. The casket hummed when it sensed a presence. The volume increased, expressing its final warning to Loki as he approached.

Once he touched the Casket of Winters, there was no turning back. He could still walk away from this; there was still time. In truth, Loki wanted to walk away from all this and lock his fears away for good, branding it as a meaningless nightmare. However, he was obsessed at this point. He had no emergency exit, despite the double doors behind him. He may be the god of mischief - a talented pretender - but he required the truth. He deserved to know.

For that, he grasped the handles. The artifact buzzed under his touch. The process was numbing. He couldn't feel the change but could see it with his own eyes - the answer to his most devastating question.

He gasped for air, struggling to breathe. His teary eyes darted side to side - hand to hand, almost as if he was shaking his head. His parted mouth was dry from the lack of moisture.

"Stop!"

The door silently opened and shut, which created a breeze through the back of Loki's head. It should've made a noise, assuming Loki was too involved in his thoughts to hear the king's entrance. Odin's one-word attempt couldn't prevent the inevitable, and they both knew it.

"Am I cursed?" Loki remained still, his hands still holding the artifact.

"No," Odin assured.

"What am I?" Loki challenged in a whisper, slowly placing the casket back into place.

"You're my son."

Loki finally turned around to face his father. Much to Loki's horror, his color changed. His skin was dark blue, revealing patterned lines around his forehead, across his cheeks, and chin. His eyes were bloody red, identical to a beast.

"What more than that?" Loki hissed as the paleness masked his skin, returning to his Asgardian form. He approached his father, who averted his son's narrowed stare, "The casket wasn't the only thing you took from the Jotunheim that day, was it?"

Odin paused for a minute as his son reached the bottom step, waiting for an answer.

"...No," Odin admitted quietly. Taking a deep breath, his eyes hesitantly met his youngest as he began his tale, "In the aftermath of the battle, I went into the temple and found a baby. Small, for a giant's offspring. Abandoned, suffering, left to die. Laufey's son."

"Laufey's son?" Loki choked out.

"Yes," Odin confirmed.

Loki looked away from his father. He couldn't begin to express how he felt: hurt, angry, betrayed - all mixed in one emotion. Questions slipped through his silver tongue without thought. He knew the answers already but required confirmation from the king himself.

"Why? You were knee-deep in Jotun blood. Why would you take me?"

"You were an innocent child."

"No," Loki shook his head, catching Odin's lie instantly, "you took me for a purpose. What was it?" Odin didn't answer. Odin was wearing a layer of Loki's patience with every passing second of silence, crippling his sanity. Loki couldn't take the suspense—no more games.

"Tell me!" He cried with pain and desperation in his voice.

"I thought I could unite our kingdoms one day," Odin admitted, "bring about an alliance, bring about a permanent peace through you."

"What?" Loki breathed. He knew the truth, but it was still painful to hear it.

"But those plans no longer matter," the king dismissed.

Loki scoffed, shaking his head. Tears leaked down his cheeks. Did the king try to excuse his actions? Deceive Loki into believing he was loved as a person and not property? Odin Allfather, the king who claimed to be Loki's parentage, had lied to him - all those years of masking the boy's true self. He claimed that both Loki and Thor were born to be kings; that was indeed the twisted truth.

Loki was born to be a king of monsters. But now, he played a far more degrading role. He became a puppet on a string—a captive trapped in a spacious prison of light.

"So I am no more than another stolen relic! Locked up here until you might have use of me!" Loki stated instead of asking.

"Why do you twist my words?"

"You could've told me what I was from the beginning! Why didn't you?!"

"You're my son," Odin declared calmly. "I wanted only to protect you from the truth."

"What?! Because I-I-I'm the monster who parents tell their children about at night?!" Loki asked in disgust.

"No..." Odin shook his head, repeating the word as his legs weakened.

Loki ignored his father's denial as he continued ranting while climbing the stairs, "You know, it all makes sense now! Why you favored Thor all these years!" Loki towered over his father, who lay on his back, reaching his hand out for his son - pleading for his aid.

"Because no matter how much you claim to love me," the son yelled, gesturing to himself, "you could never have a frost giant sitting on the throne of Asgard!"

Odin dropped his hand onto his chest; his eyes drifted shut.

Loki waited for a rebuttal that didn't come. His anger melted away when he realized his father's state.

"Father?" he kneeled beside the king, examining the body. "Father, can you hear me?" Odin wasn't dead, for he was still breathing. Loki could see the wrinkled hand on Odin's abdomen rise and descend steadily. The prince's tears ceased when he concluded what was happening to the king. He hesitantly placed his shaky hand on top of his father's. What had he done?

Loki yelled again, only this time calling for the guards.

"Guards, please! Help!"

Two soldiers didn't hesitate to storm inside the vault and carry the Allfather out. As he followed them out the door, Loki heard a cry behind them - not the kind that was a call for help. It sounded like a surprised yelp after receiving a dose of pain followed by a shifting object. The soldiers failed to notice because the metallic stomps from their boots overpowered the sound. They didn't realize that Loki had stayed behind to investigate as they journeyed to the king's chambers.

Loki could've sworn somebody had followed him to the vault previously, yet he dismissed it as his imagination when he found nobody around. He didn't hear anyone enter the vault; then again, he didn't hear his father enter.

"Who's there?" he called. "I order you to show yourself." Loki knew better than to believe the culprit would cooperate; it didn't mean the search was automatically difficult. The process would be amusing yet exhausting. He didn't have time to fool around with this nonsense.

As he explored the area and checked around each artifact, Loki jumped when the gauntlet, decorated with a rainbow color of gemstones, fell from its display. He put it back, not bothering to see the damage. He continued his search to find no one there as if he imagined the noise. Loki growled and hit the wall behind the Tuning Fork artifact in frustration, clenching fists into his hair and burning tears threatening to fall. This was madness. This couldn't be his imagination. He couldn't have gone off the deep end already.

His breath hitched when his watery eyes set on a torn grey patch of clothing sticking on a spike from a hanging torch. The material was different from Asgard's usual silk. It was soft to the touch but strong when he stretched it. He was crying. Only this time, they were tears of joy and anxiety. He held proof that someone was here, listening in and witnessing him transform into the enemy before her eyes. She knew who he was and was deluded into thinking she could disobey him and get away with it. She forgot that he was Loki, the god of mischief. He won't be played for a fool. A crime like that would not go unpunished.

...

Kelsey was outside the balcony to breathe in the chilly fresh air, yet she was wrapped in blankets. Her mind couldn't wrap around what she had witnessed earlier. She tried to suppress the panic attack unsuccessfully - it was a neverending, losing battle with her disorder. The tears couldn't stop flowing down her cheeks, her stomach wouldn't cease the somersaults, and the tightness in her chest increased along with the beating pulse in her ears.

"Please, God, please make it stop," she prayed quietly between sobs. "I want it to stop. Please, help me sleep... Please, keep me safe - keep everyone safe. Please... In Jesus's name, Amen."

It took a minute for her to gain some composure, finally. Her eyes were red and full, but the crying ceased. No doubt, she'll wake up with puffy lids. A cold washrag could help the swelling, but she won't do it now. She was shivering despite the blanket warming her body.

As she returned to her room to sleep, Kelsey didn't expect someone to take her spot on the chaise, waiting for her with a smug look on his face.

"Holy sh..." she covered her mouth, breathing heavily.

"Hello, Kelsey," he greeted her as if walking into a woman's bedroom without knocking and acknowledging his presence was normal. He knew she might be jumpy after what happened in the forest - this was intentional.

Uneased by his creepy behavior, Kelsey played along.

"Hello," she whispered, taking a deep breath to calm her heart rate. Kelsey withheld more words; she feared Loki would snap at her for asking stupid questions.

"Having trouble sleeping?" the conversation between them was quiet. No one wished to disturb the sleeping beauty on a nearby chair, which was odd for Sif to do as a night guard.

"Yeah, I'm good. I was just getting fresh air," Kelsey allowed a sheepish smile to cross her face, hoping it would sway him to accept her word for it and move on.

"Really?" the trickster challenged with a raising brow and that light-hearted teasing tone. "Are you sure there is nothing wrong, my dear? Because you seem upset about... something."

"Um..." Kelsey bit her lip to hold back a snappy remark before nodding in agreement. "Yeah, you could say that, Loki." To think that she was the only one asking stupid questions.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. Did you forget what happened earlier? My injuries?" she waved her free arm underneath the blanket to prove a point.

"How could I forget?" the trickster breathed. Kelsey rewrapped the blanket around her, waiting for him to explain his purpose that didn't come. There was something not right about her friend. Loki was under much stress earlier, which was understandable, but now Kelsey sensed something sinister was happening. She could tell by his tone, the creepy entrance, and that grin. Instead of confronting him directly, she allowed him to take the helm. The sooner he spoke his peace, the sooner he could leave her be.

"Are you cold?" he asked.

"Mm-hm," Kelsey bounced her feet, pulling the blanket over her head as a hood to keep warm.

"Maybe this will help," Loki lifted his extended finger carrying a hooded grey jacket. "Figure you might be missing this."

Another part of her guarded wall collapsed as she dropped the blanket to take the jacket from him, "I was. Thank you." She looped her arms through the sleeves and put the hood on before wrapping herself in the blanket. "Where did you find it?" She followed her friend's gaze and finger to the floor, indicating where he had found it. All this time, it was hidden underneath her chaise.

"Huh..." Kelsey narrowed her eyes in deep thought, "That's weird. I thought I looked under there - three times."

"I am certain you did," Loki sighed, gazing at sleeping Sif. "It is a good thing I returned to check on you. It pains me to think that Sif would dare sleep on the job and leave you defenseless and unprotected. You never know if a monster lurks in the shadows, waiting..." Kelsey deepened her frown and crossed her arms at that statement.

That's not creepy at all. "Hey, everyone is having a rough night, especially you; it's okay. I'm sure she'll wake up if there is-"

"No, it's not," Loki disagreed, not allowing Kelsey to make up excuses for the sleeping goddess. "This is unacceptable. Remind me to relieve Sif from her nightly duties."

Kelsey doubted she would remember it, "Loki, don't forget to fire her tomorrow." Loki raised a scolding brow at her. "What?" Kelsey shrugged, and the corner of her lips twitched. "You told me to remind you."

"I don't mean now."

"I know," Kelsey chuckled to herself. She didn't care if Loki thought the joke was stupid. This was a brief reprieve from all the chaos and fears she had to endure earlier. "Well... I appreciate you finding it and checking up-"

"I don't mean to interject," Loki cut her off, earning a confused blinking reaction from her. He didn't care if she minded, for he had important matters to discuss. "Forgive me, but... Would you mind removing your jacket for me?" When she asked why while gripping her blanket tighter, he shrugged and said, "Humor me."

Kelsey huffed, dropping the blanket to take off her jacket, not happy to feel the breeze, "You know, you should've asked me before I put this on."

"I know. I apologize for that," Loki reached for the jacket. She, once more, asked why he needed it, only to hear a dismissive hush in return. He promised to borrow it only briefly; she reluctantly allowed him to have it. He examined the jacket for possible holes; the material did match the patch he found in the vault. Kelsey picked up the blanket to warm her shivering arms.

"Well. Well," he sang song. "What do we have here?" He smirked triumphantly as his fingers slipped through a hole in her hood, not bothering to see her friend's reaction. His suspicions had been confirmed. Kelsey said nothing as she watched him magically piece her ripped coat together.

"There you are. Good as new," his lighthearted words didn't match his aggressive toss of her jacket back to her. Kelsey examined the hood, running her thumb on the fixed patch. No stitch out of place as if it had never been ripped. Kelsey opened her mouth to express her appreciation without taking her eyes off the hood, but again, he interrupted her. "No appreciation is necessary, love, not even an apology."

"What?" Kelsey lifted her head to meet his face.

"As I said, your apologies are unnecessary. I simply do not wish to hear your pathetic excuses for disobeying me."

"Oh..." Kelsey drawled, nodding her head towards the balcony, "that."

"Yes, that. Tell me, my dear friend," Loki folded his arms and narrowed his eyes at her challengingly, "what do you have to say for yourself?"

"I'm sorry I got out of bed," Kelsey apologized. Meanwhile, Loki's face slackened at her response. "but I did have to pee, and I was having a panic attack, so I went out-"

"Kelsey," he snarled; his patience was wearing thin. The girl closed her mouth and instinctively stepped back as he towered her height by standing up. "Kelsey, I do not wish to harm you." Kelsey blinked rapidly and jerked back, silently questioning his words. Loki being volatile was the last thing on her mind. Her eyes lingered on Sif, debating whether to call for help.

"Kelsey," he warned, catching onto her plan quickly. "If you so much as look at Sif or dare think about waking her, I will be very angry."

"Loki, you're scaring me," she admitted, eyeing the door instead of Sif. "What's going on?"

"Oh-ho," Loki chuckled, shaking his head, "We are playing that game, are we, my dear? Good. Continue the act in front of our... friends," he spat the word in disgust as he was hatefully eyeing Sif. Kelsey limped behind the chaise, ready to run for the door; unfortunately, Loki blocked her way.

"Now. Now," He tsked and wagged his finger like a father playfully scolding a child. "Kelsey, you should know by now that you can't get past the god of mischief. You want to know why?"

"Because you're the God of Mischief?" she offered.

"Yes, but there is one other reason why. You see, we have a saying in Asgard, 'Where there are wolf's ears, wolf's teeth are near.' It means to be aware of your surroundings. Which is absurd because the people are, by nature, gullible fools."

"Mm-hm," Kelsey tried her best not to react or express her disagreement with the last bit he said. Everyone in the universe had been played occasionally, even Loki, who was too prideful to admit it. Kelsey and her mother had seen plenty of backstabbing and betrayal on Survivor.

"A trait that I, the god of mischief," he backed her into a pillar, not caring about her cowardly expression, "exploited time and time again simply by listening." His voice lowered almost identically to a wolf's growl, sending shivers down Kelsey's spine, "My teeth are sharp, but my ears are even sharper."

"Loki, seriously," Kelsey defensively extended her arms for protection as he closed the distance. He didn't touch her, yet he was close enough to intimidate her with his steel eyes, height, and even his chilly breath (or the breeze) against her face as he threatened her. "I don't know what you're talking about. I mean, the line about the wolf, I got that. I just - I just don't know what you think I did. I only-"

"That's it, darling," he praised. Kelsey leaned her head back and breathed out her frustration. "Lie to me. You are getting better at it - almost believable."

"I'm not lying about anything!" she matched the trickster's snarl earlier.

"I am afraid the evidence I presented earlier said otherwise," Loki gestured to her jacket. Kelsey glanced at it before giving Loki a questionable look, silently asking him to elaborate. Loki huffed and rolled his eyes in boredom, "Darling, if you wish to follow me to the vault, be wary about leaving a trail. There are not many people who can sneak up on me. You are no exception. Now, if-"

"What?" she repeated, her face contorted. "Loki, I never followed you anywhere. I was here all night with Sif and-"

"I am speaking," he cut her off, a finalized warning tone to keep quiet.

"Okay!" she harshly whispered and lifted her hands in surrender. To think Loki was rude during their last meeting.

"As I was saying, if you so much repeat what you have witnessed to anyone, it is not Odin you should fear but the monster you are acquainted with."

"What monster? The frost giant? I already suffered enough from it, thank you very much!" She lost the lid to her tone, not caring about Sif's sleep anymore. Part of her hoped Sif would wake up to kick Loki out for her. "You are my friend, remember? I don't appreciate you coming in here and accusing me of something I didn't-"

"Enough," he hushed her, much to her frustration. Her bad foot bounced rapidly; her pouty lips quivered, and her watery red eyes were about to burst. "There is no need to deny what you saw. You do not have to lie. I only wish you not to say a word at all. That would make my life so much simpler."

"Wow..." Kelsey mouthed out, averting her eyes from him, stubbornly wiping the tears down her cheeks. So much for him being her friend. A lot of insults and scenarios were coursing through the girl's brain. She closed her eyes and leaned back against the pillar, completely zoned out in her little world, oblivious to his speech. She waited for him to leave and never speak to her again. That would make her life simpler.

"Kelsey," he pressed when his friend didn't answer him the first time. "Do I need to repeat myself?"

Kelsey breathed a quiet but shaky "No" - anything to get him out of the room quicker.

"Very good," he nodded. "Now, will you do as I command this time? Hmm?"

"Yes."

"Excellent," Loki smirked with satisfaction, "Now I shall leave you to rest. We both have a challenging day tomorrow."

Finally.

Loki walked away as if nothing had happened. Kelsey was no psychiatrist, but she believed Loki was suffering a bipolar disorder or something. She needed to ask Darcy for her dad was a licensed psychiatrist. Loki didn't leave without checking the goddess, which was decent of him. Sif had been sleeping through the argument. There were some points in the conversation that should've woken her. Loki didn't check for her pulse but made sure he saw Sif's chest rise and fall steadily. Sif was fortunately not dead, only a heavy sleeper. First, Heimdall had gone blind. Now his sister was sleeping on the job. Was it time for the siblings to retire?

"Pleasant dreams, my friend, and never forget." As soon as her friend left, Kelsey collapsed onto the floor, hugging her knees against her chest and wrapping her blanket tighter. What she wanted now more than anything in the world was no longer a free trip to Neverland. She should know that place wasn't all it's cracked up to be.

"M-Mom. Mom, I need you," she pleaded in muffled sobs, resting her head on her knees. Having a decent night's sleep was no longer an option. She thanked her so-called friend for that.

...

Loki wasn't surprised to be greeted by two soldiers instructed to escort the prince into the king's chambers. Loki knew this was coming. It was time to face the music he dreaded to hear. Embrace the dim-lighted dome with only torches as its light and a shimmery gold aura surround the king's bed.

He didn't expect to resume crying when he saw Frigga by the bed nor repeatedly apologize for putting Odin to sleep. The queen approached her son to hug him and assure him with the words he wished to be true.

"This is not your doing, my son. Your father and I love you very much."

"How is he?" Loki questioned, dodging his mother's arms. He didn't bother to see Frigga's hurt expression, keeping his eyes locked on the fallen king.

"Would you like to see him?" she offered.

Did Loki have a choice? His guilt reeled him in like a worm on a hook. He settled on a chair on the opposite side of his mother, with Odin sleeping between them. With everything going on, there was no telling how long this would last. Even the queen wasn't sure when Loki asked the question.

"This time is different," Frigga whispered, taking Odin's hand to caress it. "We were unprepared."

"And I did not help matters when I acted in-"

"Loki," she interrupted scoldingly, earning his eye contact, "this is not your doing. He has put it off for so long now that I fear... I asked him to be honest with you from the beginning. There should be no secrets in the family."

"You are not ashamed of me," Loki began with hesitation, "for being... what I am?"

"Loki, my son," her eyes watered, "do not let doubt poison your mind. I shall never be ashamed of you. I love you for you, as do your father."

The prince scoffed, "Love. Is that why he lied to me?"

"He kept the truth from you so that you would never feel different."

Loki bitterly laughed, "I am afraid that was inevitable, Mother. We knew that right from the start. Mother, he manipulated me into believing I was Asgardian when I was the enemy all this time. He told me he loved me and that I was his second-born son, born to rule, and I believed him. Me. The god of mischief who can easily exploit one's tales, capable of separating reality from an illusion. Now here we are. Here I sit before you as the god of fools..." he stopped himself to keep his voice from cracking with emotion. He refused to break in front of the sleeping king.

"You are still the god of mischief, my son," his adopted mother assured him. "Yes, you did believe your father's claims. You want to know why?" Loki narrowed his gaze intently, yet he didn't deny his mother from speaking her mind. "Because it was the truth," she declared without shame, "all of it, and you know it as well as I. You are our son, Loki, and we, your family."

Loki stayed quiet, not sure how to respond to the sentiment.

"We mustn't lose hope that your father will return to us... and your brother."

Loki tilted his head in slight disbelief.

"What hope is there for Thor?" he asked.

"There's always a purpose to everything your father does, even if it's not in our favor. Thor may find his way home."

Loki clenched his jaw and closed his eyes, wishing to change the subject.

"And you will find your place here with us - whether in court or perhaps on a baseball field," Frigga smiled at the latter. Loki couldn't help but stifle a laugh. "Had you not noticed your father watching you play from a distance?"

"No," he uttered gravely. How could he notice anything when he was too busy striking his people out? Although Loki did hear the crowd cheering for him. Oh, how he longed to hear Asgard chant his name. It was exhilarating and rare at the same time. What did Father make of the game and Loki's performance?

"Well, he did. I am certain, in his unspoken way, he is very proud of you."

Sentiment. Loki's lips involuntarily twitched. Those words could be music to his ears, how he longed to have Odin's approval and love. Despite the secrets and lies, Loki still wished to prove his worth. He was born not only as a weapon but as a king.

"I doubt we can play again," Loki admitted, standing up and smoothing the wrinkles of his clothing. "Until the threat is eliminated," he semi-circled the king's bed, close to his mother. "Until Asgard is safe again."

Frigga smiled, reaching her hand out for his, "It will, son. With your mind and-"

"No, don't touch me!" Loki flinched from his mother's touch, quickly stepping away from her reach. "I cannot hurt you too."

Frigga, again, took note of his choice of words. Was he referring to Odin or someone else? "Loki, since you were an infant, I have held you in my arms and kissed you many times before, yet I lived to tell about it."

"That was before I found out..." Loki trailed off, refusing to say the name.

"Loki," Frigga proceeded to reach out to him, "I know you would never hurt anyone. You are a good son. What happened to Odin was not your doing."

Loki shook his head in denial, releasing a shaky breath, "No. It's not just that. Kelsey. I burned her. I didn't mean to, but I did!"

"Loki-"

"Maybe it was intentional. I don't know. It's in my nature, is it not? A monster that destroys everything in its path?"

"Loki Odinson," Frigga was able to touch her son's shoulder, ignoring his protests, "never repeat that word about yourself. Do you understand?"

"But Mother-"

"Of course, you did not mean to hurt her. And yes, you can control it. I know you can."

"She knows," he declared in a harsh whisper.

Frigga raised her brows at that surprising revelation, "You told her?"

"No. She followed me to the vault - she witnessed the whole thing! How I..." Loki ran his fingers through his hair while he yelled in frustration. Meanwhile, the queen was processing his words, creasing her brows, now confused.

"You saw her in the vault?"

"Well... No, not exactly," he admitted, "but I found her jacket - well, a patch of it. I pieced it together. I knew she was there. She thought she could get away with it, but I put her in her place."

"How can you have seen her in the vault, my dear son? That is not possible."

"Oh really? And what makes you think otherwise?" he challenged.

"Because I accompanied Lady Kelsey and Lady Sif around that time." His mother's declaration added weight to the man's chest. His stomach dropped along with his jaw.

"What?" he pinched his brows.

"After attending to the people, I checked on our patient. The girl was in distress, which was understandable considering what happened-"

"You... You were there with her the whole time?" Loki didn't think he could feel any more stupid; he was nearly there.

"If you allow me to finish, Loki, I shall tell you," Frigga scolded. Loki withdrew his lips inside his mouth. He didn't apologize, only allowed the woman to finish her story. "Anyway, I stayed with the women through the night, enjoying a nice cup of tea brewed by Nanna until a guard summoned me here. I did not feel right about leaving the poor child, but Lady Sif assured me she is well protected."

Loki wouldn't say the latter after witnessing Sif sleep on the job. Although, he couldn't help himself but ask, "Are you certain Kelsey was in the room and not someone else pretending to be her?"

"Loki!" she scolded.

"I know, Mother. I know..." Loki tilted his head back, allowing a groan to escape his lips. He didn't wish to admit it out loud, but he had made a grave error in judgment. What's worse was that somebody else was there, and he couldn't say who. Somebody in the castle knew his secret and had been taunting him tonight. The worst part of the night was that the individual planted the so-called evidence against his friend, and Loki blatantly took the bait without question. His mind wandered back to everything he had said to his friend while Kelsey claimed her innocence. He knew she was telling the truth but didn't know for sure after the confrontation with Father. He should've known better. He could apologize and beg for forgiveness, but how could Kelsey accept it after what he said to her? It was inexcusable. Loki sure wouldn't forgive anyone if somebody dared spat insults at him.

"You know what you must do, son," Frigga declared as if she had read his mind. "Make amends. Explain yourself, and in due time, Kelsey shall forgive you."

"Trust me, Mother. It is better for Kelsey to return home to Midguard where she belongs - far away from here." From me.

"We cannot send her away, not without Eir's approval. You must not worry, for Kelsey is under our protection. You shall see that no harm will come to her and this realm."

"How do you know?"

"Because I have faith in you. You have the power, my son," she uttered quietly. "You can choose to do what you wish with it. It is alright to admit that you're afraid of monsters, but it is not alright to let them win."

Loki sighed heavily, looking down at his mother's opened palms. He hesitated, debating whether to accept her loving touch or not. His mind wandered off all the possible consequences, flashing back to the battle and Kelsey's injuries. Frigga was willing and unafraid didn't mean the same for Loki.

"Don't be afraid," Frigga soothed.

Loki closed his eyes as he raised his hands, ready to set them upon hers.

The doors opened with a bang, startling the prince. He opened his eyes and whirled to face a row of guards waiting outside. They drew their arms across their chest and respectfully bowed to the rulers.

Loki slacked his jaw and turned to his mother in confusion. Frigga looked up at him with a knowing smile. A man dressed in golden robes approached the prince and queen, kneeling while presenting Odin's gungir to them.

"Thor is banished," Frigga explained. "The line of succession falls to you until Odin awakens. Asgard is yours."

Loki's mouth was agape at the sudden news. His eyes remained on the gungir. He reluctantly touched the staff and lifted it from the man's hands by his fingertips. He wrapped his hands around the metal, feeling the staff's power radiating throughout his arms. Loki debated whether this was his reality or a fantasy. Suppose this was a dream; somebody better not wake him. He slowly spun in his mother's direction, asking her silently once more.

'Is this a trick?'

"Make your father proud," Frigga whispered as she bowed her head in her son's direction, "my king."

Loki grinned.

This wasn't a dream. It's official. After waiting a thousand years, Loki was now the ruler of Asgard and the protector of all nine realms. Every living person and thing was under his command.

Glorious.