Helloo! Welcome back, not much to say so I hope you enjoy!
Shout Outs!:
SmolAvidReader
Nope, I feel terrible for him-I keep putting him through stuff! Keep hoping. Thank you, it was fun imagining them.
CHSHiccstrid
It is isn't it? I thought it would be fun, and we had to have a happy reunion between the two of them. Someway somehow. Welcome!
Journal 2, Entry 4: "Memories Bring Back You"
Loki holed himself either in his rooms or the library—anywhere where people were not present. Very few had tried to bother him after his—revelation. Thank the Norns, Odin and Amora were among those avoiding him—he hadn't seen either of them in months.
Thor, bless his bumbling heart, had tried to coax him out of his rooms, swearing that he would not see Loki as less. When Loki remained silent behind closed doors, he'd started rambling about little things that made more sense from their childhood, how Loki always had been and will be his brother, how he wouldn't be startled by his new appearance provided he didn't spring it on him without warning. Everything was still too new for him to be jumped like that without falling back onto previous prejudices.
After an hour of no response, he finally left dejected. He wandered the palace until he came to the dining hall where his mother and father were still eating breakfast and sat down with a tired huff.
Frigga took his hand with a small, comforting smile.
Thor nodded his thanks and took a little food, not overly hungry. He had not been since the revelation of Loki's origins, which still had yet to be fully explained to him. He stared at his food, asking without looking up, "Why is Loki a Jötunn? I mean, why? You-you lied to us for so long."
Odin's face hardened and ignored his wife's glare. "He was but an innocent babe when I found him. It was a good way to instigate further peace between the realms."
Thor's expression twisted. "Is that all?"
Odin blinked. "What more do you wish me to say, my son? I took in a casted out runt and raised him, gave him a place of royal standing. I treated him as if he was my own blood-"
Frigga laughed dryly, staring at him in disbelief.
Odin's eyebrows rose. "You argue otherwise, Frigga?"
She snorted with as much dignity as possible. "From your son's own mouth he called out your favoritism. Why do you think he hid Hiccup from us? If it had been Thor, you might have given him a scolding but that would be the end of it—mortals die soon enough, do they not? That is what you would have said if it had been Thor with a mortal Chosen, no? I agree with Loki that you would have tried to keep them apart."
Odin's face burned in anger that she would say something so blunt and in the presence of others and also at the fact that it was indeed true. "I have been trying to teach him to lead, to find strength outside of magic-"
Frigga's eyes darkened. "And in turn deny him his nature. You claim grand things for him but would you deny Thor his element, take away his physical strength?"
"Strength is what Loki needs. Magic makes him weak, as does having a Midgardian as a Chosen."
Thor stared at his father, shocked at his outburst. Sure, he often considered magic cheating when he and Loki sparred but he could not deny its upsides when truly fighting.
Frigga's chest shook, one hand clutching her skirt tightly. "If his Chosen was so weak then tell me, how many Dýrsvells have you beaten on your own? You were only able to banish them because of the power Asgard gives you. If Loki was so weak, how could his Chosen manage that?"
She stood with a scathing look. "You may be Asgard's King and father of Thor, but you have done a woeful job with the child you took in to raise as your own." She glanced at her food, lips upturned. "I seem to have lost my appetite."
She left without another word, the doors slamming shut behind her.
Both men winced, though for different reasons. Odin sighed heavily, resting his head in a hand. Thor sat awkwardly, meager appetite gone but didn't have the courage yet to leave. After some silence Odin looked up at Thor. "What of you, my son? Have I failed you as well?"
Thor shifted unsurely, before speaking. "I believe you are wrong about Loki and I do not know why you told us such stories of Jötunheim when Loki is nothing like them…"
Odin looked away for a moment then sat back. "I was afraid of Loki turning and becoming like them despite his upbringing."
Thor frowned deeply, thinking back before Hiccup and after him. "If he had never met Hiccup, I believe you. I and all of Asgard would have driven him to that." He looked his father in the eye, pain and regret in his own.
He stood and nodded to his father before leaving the All-Father with his thoughts. He paused outside of the dining hall momentarily, wondering if he should try and reach out to Loki again. He banished the idea. Loki refused to acknowledge him and would continue to do so until he managed to catch him in the library or in the halls when he could force a conversation.
He turned for the training grounds, meeting with his friends who were grinning like their world had not changed—which it hadn't, other than their royal friend becoming more moody and reserved.
*O*
Loki ignored Thor until he left, then continued to ignore the door for quite a while afterwards just in case he had feinted leaving. He breathed deeply, covering his face with a pillow. His sleep had been disturbed by dreams turned to nightmares every night for the past few weeks. Always the same dream, always the same nightmare.
He would be flying with Hiccup on Toothless' back, enjoying the freedom the emptiness of a blue sky permitted. Hiccup would be laughing without a care in the world, Toothless shrieking below them—echoing his joy. He would be laughing behind them, Hiccup's joy filling him. He would grip Hiccup around his middle as Toothless pulls up and loops before burying his nose in Hiccup's whipping locks.
Out of nowhere, a Death Gripper snags Hiccup off the saddle and Toothless would fall. He would fight to bring the unresponsive tailfin back under control, Toothless would roar in fury at Hiccup's kidnapping. Where there had once been nothing but sky, cruel, grey, rocky ground would meet them, tearing into his side and throwing him off of Toothless. Then, suddenly, he would be alone.
He would search through the crags until he hears a scream and runs around a large outcropping to find Hiccup standing unsteadily, holding a dripping dagger with a matching hole in his stomach. Grimmel would grin then laugh triumphantly. He would attack the man in pure anger as he rushed to Hiccup's side and his laughing would turn cruel.
Every time, Hiccup collapses in his arms and he would try everything in his power to save him—but it was always for naught. Hiccup would still, eyes staring into his own with hurt and confusion—his voice whispering in his mind, "Why did you abandon me in this prison?"
Hiccup would vanish from his arms, leaving him in a panic and stumbling as the world suddenly shifts into a place darker than that island. It's cruel and cold in a way that makes even his Jötunn blood uncomfortable.
He would whirl around when he hears Hiccup screaming again but this time it never ceased, prompting him to run blindly through the blackness until he spots Hiccup curled up on the ground, bleeding and crying, with a woman standing over him. He would stumble as the black haired, malevolent grey-eyed woman turned to face him—an obsidian blade in her hand.
Without fail, he tries to draw a blade or summon his magic—anything to drive the goddess of death away from his child! But he would be yanked back, hands bound behind him with Grimmel once again cackling in his ear.
"I told you, he would meet Hela one way or another. If only you had freed her, you could have saved him from this eternal agony."
Hiccup would scream again and before he could turn around to see his new affliction—his mind would not be able to take another horror stricken upon his precious Chosen.
Every night he woke up in a cold sweat, breathing rapidly and screaming—begging them to spare Hiccup and take him instead—sticking in his throat. It never takes long to remember what truly happened, that Hiccup was in Valhalla and not Helheim or even Niflheim—he was somewhere where Hela held no power. It was a small, bitter comfort but one of the only ones he had.
Sleep was impossible afterwards but his energy was gone, drained from the awful dream so he lay in bed for hours until it was an acceptable time to rise for yet another miserable day.
He finally dressed and sat at his desk, grabbing a book from his shelf, absently attempting to read. He'd read through most of his books, new and old, this way—anything to distract his mind from the torment it liked to put him through.
This book was particularly mind-numbing. It was an old book from his childhood about the various beasts and creatures of the realms. He read it again, nonetheless. He laughed dryly to himself as he read through Midgard—it had nearly nothing on their dragons, barely had anything about it at all, let alone the dragons that inhabited the Barbaric Archipelago and surrounding area.
He hesitated when he came to the creatures of Niflheim and Helheim, the book combining the two for how few creatures 'lived' in the realms. He drew a breath and glared at the pages, deciding to read them just to see what fate and creatures Hiccup had been spared of seeing.
It mostly mentioned wandering or tormented souls—he nearly threw the book across the room in disgust, mostly at himself. He flipped the page quickly and read the next page with simmering rage. It discussed draugrs. This one was a little less unintentionally offensive so he read it more carefully, though still with skimming boredom—despite the task only there to distract himself from his thoughts.
"Often created either by souls escaping from Niflheim or Helheim or by the overseer of those realms—currently Hela—releasing the souls to torment the land of the living. It has been mentioned in myth older than even All-Father Buri's time that a soul had been brought back without becoming a draugr—a Ljosalfar brought his wife back without the dreadful consequence but it is merely that. A myth to comfort saddened children. Draugrs are difficult to 'kill'-"
Loki lost interest after that, instead, focusing his whole attention to the briefly mentioned myth. He thought back to Hiccup, when he first learned that he had shared his magic with a mortal—how that had been so far lost into myth it too was thought to be impossible. If there's even a chance…
He looked away, was it worth the risk? If he found the way—if it was possible. Would Hiccup even want it? If it was possible, he at least deserved the choice.
A new purpose filled him and for the first time in nearly three months. His listlessness and mourning finally broke as new energy filled him. He quickly searched his shelves for any similar books, or books mentioning anything to do with death or its realms.
When his search came up with nothing he grabbed the lone book and ran out of the room. He made sure to avoid people, but he never broke step as he hurried to the library. He stopped across its threshold, staring at the many rows of books and scrolls. Where to begin…?
Hiccup wandered around Valhalla, aimless for the most part. When he wasn't wandering he was in the fields with the horses practicing his magic—he could now shift the entirety of his top half for almost a full minute. It was a small victory that never failed to remind him of his isolation, only about half self-induced.
He'd tried mingling with the gods. Eating in the Hall with them and listening to their stories but he always ended up alone or pushed to the very back and forgotten. It didn't necessarily hurt, it's hard to be hurt when you never felt truly welcomed to begin with, but it didn't make Valhalla any more pleasant for him.
He finally relented and sparred with a warrior just a few days ago…that would be the last time he did that.
He was leaving the Great Hall after another round of tales and finally growing tired of doing nothing but sitting and listening to people talk for hours on end. His entire body twitched when he stepped out and a bright, beautifully blue sky greeted him before all else.
He almost whined like Toothless at the sudden, relentless desire to fly again. To feel Toothless' powerful body under him and the wind whipping around them as they split the wind. He stared at the sky, lost in the memories.
He jumped when an unfamiliar, large yet not beefy hand grabbed his shoulder. Instinctively, he summoned his dagger and ducked out of their grip, spinning around so that the dagger was between them with its tip pointed up at his 'attacker's' throat.
The god stared at him with surprised eyes, mouth open in slight shock while his companions openly snickered at him but also shared his surprise. The one who'd grabbed him took a step back. "Peace, Lokison. We merely came to extend an invitation to spar—though after that show, I say you should come regardless. You have good reflexes. Though, I suppose if a Prince of Asgard taught you—it should be expected."
Hiccup wrinkled his nose and sheathed his dagger, turning away. "Thanks but nah."
One of his companions came forward. "Come now, it is clear you are tense—this is Valhalla, one should not be so here. Come and spar with us, it will do wonders for those nerves."
Hiccup shook his head. "Still have to decline. I'm not the biggest fan of fighting for the heck of it and these 'nerves' aren't for a lack of it."
He yelped when one of them grabbed his arm and started to pull away in the opposite direction only for another to come along his other side and pin him between them. He squirmed in their grasp but they held him too tightly. "Guys, come on."
"Nay!" Yelled the first, the one who grabbed him initially. "A good spar will do wonders for your sullen mood, do not think we have been oblivious to it!"
Hiccup arched an eyebrow. "Really? You honestly could have fooled me."
The first god snorted but the man holding his right arm cuffed their 'leader'. "You did. This bloke didn't realize anything until Hildagard mentioned something to him."
Hiccup recognized the name as one of the older women often in the Hall—she had magic as well if he remembered correctly.
The ringleader rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes, fine. But we are still the ones to finally convince you to spar with us."
Hiccup lightly glared at him. "I don't think kidnapping someone is considered 'convincing' someone."
The man on his left laughed. "But you are coming with us, no?"
Hiccup huffed and resigned himself to his fate.
They entered the sparring grounds and were easily lost again amongst the throng of other groups. They stopped at a ring, two of them standing outside of it while Hiccup and the leader were left inside. He grabbed a sword from a weapons rack and waited for Hiccup to do likewise.
He glanced at the myriad of weapons sitting nicely on it and bit his lip, turning his back to it and grabbing the Dragon Blade from his leg, but did not activate it.
His sparring partner frowned, head tilting at the hilt in his hand. "Little mortal, you may want an actual weapon."
Hiccup scowled at him for the nickname, it twanging uncomfortable memories of Grimmel. He ignored him otherwise and took his stance, grabbing the hilt with both hands.
The god shrugged and lifted his own sword, waiting for only a moment before charging with a mighty yell.
Hiccup ducked and rolled away from the attack before springing his own. He activated the blade as the Asgardian was correcting himself, startling him more as fire seemingly leapt from his hands and sprung, swiping at the hand holding the sword.
The god yelped when flames licked his hand and dropped the sword, quickly catching it with his other and retreating a step.
Hiccup followed him, slipping the Dragon Blade fully into his left hand, connecting it with the Asgardian's blade and temporarily holding it away from their bodies while swiping with his dagger.
The god's eyes widened, finally recognizing Hiccup as a true challenge, and stopped holding so much back. He snatched Hiccup's wrist, but before he could do anything with it, Hiccup relented on his blade, making him lose balance, and twisted his arm around so that he stumbled away and tripped on his prosthetic.
He grunted and turned to Hiccup, grinning. He charged and feinted.
Hiccup swept his sword out to block the attack only to realize the true intention. He almost lost his balance as he twisted and quickly danced away from the striking blade—lashing out for the god's side and for him to swiftly evade.
They both picked up the pace the longer Hiccup continued without a scratch and very nearly gave the Asgardian a few for his carelessness of fighting a mortal.
Hiccup grunted as the pommel of his opponent's managed to finally connect with his side and sent him stumbling away, trying to catch his failing breath. He couldn't carry on at this pace for much longer.
The Asgardian, however, was becoming more ruthless the longer he lasted and only seemed to draw more strength the longer the fight went on. The god attacked again and he was just barely able to block the strike and not fall back on his butt. He nimbly danced away from the next couple swipes and jabs, mildly irritating the god when he didn't fight back.
He gripped the Dragon Blade and eyed his opponent, trying to find his weak spot to finally end the battle—or at least draw a longer pause as they both recuperated.
The Asgardian didn't give him time to find it and attacked, lashing out with his sword while slipping out a smaller dagger—if the mortal was going to fight with two, he might as well make it fair.
Hiccup saw the metal glint, aiming for his stomach and while the logical part of his brain told him it was a spar and that it would stop before it could do any damage—the far more emotional and traumatized portion of his mind panicked.
He dropped the Dragon Blade, knowing he couldn't maneuver it fast enough to intercept the dagger, and thrust his hand out—creating a green shield. The dagger and the god hit it with such force that it trembled, the unpleasant sound of something crunching with the impact ringing in the air as well.
The Asgardian quickly regained himself and stared at Hiccup in surprise and mild fury. He started to yell at the mortal—magic while sparring was cheating!—and charged him. His dagger forgotten and holding his sword with only his right hand, his left being held close to his body in a way that suggested it was in pain.
Hiccup's eyes were wide with terror as the god attacked again with speed he couldn't hope to match, let alone in his tiring state. He threw a wave of magic at his attacker, throwing him back, then created an illusionary duplicate while making himself invisible.
Predictably, the now infuriated Asgardian attacked the illusion. He reached out to grab the mortal with his injured hand and hold his sword in a definitive 'I win' stance but it disappeared. He whirled around, the veins in his eyes bright red.
Hiccup dropped his 'invisibility' just before he slammed the pommel of his blade onto the god's good hand.
He shouted in pain and dropped the sword, glaring at Hiccup who'd retreated several steps back, holding his own sword defensively. They glared at each other for several moments before Hiccup retracted his blade and stepped out of the circle. "I-I'm done."
He left without another word, hands shaking. Gods, I just screwed up big time…
He retreated to the fields for several days after that, or maybe it was months. He didn't care and nobody bothered him about sparring again, which suited him just fine.
The horses continued to graze and ignore him as he played with his magic. Occasionally he would wander into the Hall, just to taste food again or see if there were any new stories being told. He always stayed well away from the warriors and slipped into the shadows, but still felt the eyes of many of the mages on him—though he could never tell if they were approving or disapproving stares. He decided he didn't really care since they let him be.
Every time he entered the Hall and stayed for any time, he always found himself drawn to the door—always wondering if he could find his way back to Fólkvangr. It was rather dubious in his mind, they had flown through darkness for enough time for him to lose direction—that and the door just seemed to float without any kind of path…And what would happen to him should he fail to find it?
That uncertainty kept him in Valhalla more than anything else—he'd grown up with the horror stories. They had scared him and many other children when they had been young…he wasn't sure he was willing to risk it, yet.
Frigga watched as Thor ran after Loki, the pair just catching sight of him rounding the corner. It has been half a year now, and this was the first time anyone has seen the younger prince since he attacked Amora—and she kept well away from Loki. Half naturally afraid of him and half afraid of Thor and the not so subtle warning Odin had later given her about spreading rumors.
Frigga sighed as Thor also disappeared around the corner, still calling for his brother. She prayed he would catch him, that they would talk. Loki had been beginning to worry her, shutting himself away as he had—but he needed time and for an Asgardian, six months was nothing.
Thor raced to catch Loki. He trailed him on the familiar path to the library but lost him at its doors. He tried to explore the aisles but nearly became lost among them, forcing him to reluctantly give up for today.
Weeks passed of this routine. He would catch a glimpse of Loki and chase him to the library only to lose him. Sometimes he would wait at the library door for hours, hoping to either catch Loki coming in or out but he never did.
After three months of this, he finally gave up. Loki would come to one of them in his own time—he could only hope and pray to the Norns that it would be sooner than a century.
Today, nine months after the fateful day, Thor finished a grueling spar—just barely being named the victor. He knew by glancing at the sky that supper would not be for many hours still, so he made his way to the kitchens where he could swipe something. Swipe being a loose term. They always knew he was there, the older ladies playfully scolding him for trying to sneak a snack as if he was still but a century and half old while the younger ladies would smile and bat their eyes at him.
He approached the kitchens, ready to flirt with a few ladies as he took his snack, only to draw short in shock when he spotted Loki gratefully taking a plate from the head cook. He couldn't help his enthusiasm when he yelled, "Loki!"
Loki's pleasant demeanor dropped immediately. "Thor."
He turned to leave, spurring Thor into action. "Brother, wait!"
Loki did not wait, but Thor was near enough this time to catch up with him before he lost him around a corner for the thousandth time. Thor grabbed his shoulder, halting his walk. Loki turned with mild irritation. "Yes, brother?"
Thor smiled a bit, elated that Loki still considered them so—oblivious to the fact that it might have been a sarcastic remark. "Come and spend the day with me or with mother. You've barred yourself away now for so long…I know you hurt but we want to be with you through it."
Loki's eyebrow rose. "Odin did not poison your mind against me?"
Thor frowned. "No—never! I think father feels badly ab-"
Loki's lip curled and glared at the floor. "He is not my father and if he truly felt badly about it he never would have hidden the truth from me to begin with."
Thor withheld a grunt of frustration, biting his lip to keep it in. "Be that as it may—Loki-"
He paused looking at his brother, noting for the first time the determination in them—which was an odd light for them to hold.
"Yes?" Loki drawled, wishing Thor would release him so he could go back to researching—he was finally making headway! It only took digging through tomes and scrolls so old he was fearful that merely touching them would send them to the dust that surrounded them—as well as translating text so ancient even All-speak had issues with much of it.
He realized that Thor was still yammering on about something and paused with an expectant expression. He nodded as he tried to pull away. "It truly sounds fascinating, Thor, but I am a bit indisposed at the moment."
Thor's shoulders fell, Loki hated how much he looked like a kicked Toothless. He sighed loudly. "If you insist on staying in my company, I am returning to the library. You may assist me if you wish."
Thor lit up and almost started dragging him along.
Loki led him to the corner and chair that he had claimed long ago—now books were piled around it creating a nest-like shape.
Thor paused, unsure of what to do to help his brother with—well, whatever this new project was that held his attention.
Loki gestured to a table and set a thick tome on it along with some parchment and quills. He gestured to the book with a knowing look. "Since you wish to help, find any warding spells in here, write them down along with anything else that is mentioned that might be useful."
Thor stared at the book in disbelief. Books were never his thing and though he wished to be with Loki so he was no longer hiding himself away, he was beginning to question the firmness of that resolution.
Loki smirked and walked away to the chair he had claimed and lifted a scroll. He guessed Thor would last three hours, five at the most.
At the three hour mark, after Thor's hand was well and truly stiff and unable to write anything more so he sat back with a sigh. "Brother, why are you delving so deeply into these spells? Your shields and wards are strong, some of the strongest I've ever seen on the battlefield."
"Not strong enough," Loki muttered before answering, never taking his eyes off of his notes. "If you must know, I am searching for a way to protect the tribe and dragons Hiccup… left behind. I may have failed him, but I will ensure that his legacy remains safe. He died for them…it is the least I can do."
Thor nodded, but wasn't entirely convinced, staring at Loki's pinched face. "Is that all? It seems a bit… underwhelming. You have locked yourself away for-"
Loki's head shot up, eyes narrowed in warning. "I thought you didn't want me becoming overwhelmed with Hiccup's death."
Thor's shoulders fell. "I don't. But is this any better?"
Loki snorted. "I am doing for him what I did for you. He deserves no less."
Thor sighed and dropped the subject for now, staring forlornly at the book and his messy notes. He grabbed the quill again and flipped the page. He lasted for nearly another half hour, but his attention was slowly drifting away from him.
He stared at the stack of books surrounding his brother, tilting his head slightly to read some of their titles. Some of them were wardings, others were about creatures but many of them held darker titles—some about death and others about binding and mind magic.
"Loki, what are these for?"
Loki glanced up with no-little irritation which quickly turned into a warry glare. "They are my business."
Thor stood and grabbed one of the books, one on mind magic, his brow dipping dangerously. "Brother, this is dark magic—where did you even find this!?"
Loki ripped the book away from him. "Get out."
Thor stood firmly, face now fixed in a scowl and grabbed the book again but Loki did not release it. "No, brother if you are caught with this…any number of these books…"
"Are you going to tell Odin?" Loki snapped.
Thor grimaced at Loki's drastic change. "Brother, I care for you and I do not wish to see you in more trouble than you now are."
Loki yanked the book towards himself but Thor refused to release it. "I will only be in trouble if you tell someone. Look around you, Thor, you alone care about me or what I do. Whatever I am doing now, it is to protect Hiccup and what is left of him. I refused to let that… madman live for a moment longer and endanger-"
He cut himself off with a snarl, glaring at Thor. "Leave me."
Thor's grip tightened around the book. "Brother-"
Red started creeping into Loki's eyes and the room dropped several degrees. "I said leave!"
Thor stepped back in shock, one hand reaching up to grip Mjolnir that always hung at his waist.
Loki's empty hand twitched, ready to summon a dagger or throw a ball of magic…
Thor relaxed his stance and started to turn away, downcast. "Brother—please don't take things too far. Do not lose yourself."
Loki's eyes narrowed but he could not bring himself to give Thor a response. He remained poised for an attack until he felt Thor's magic leave the library and turn in the direction of the practice fields.
He let out a shuddering sigh, placing the book on the small pile and bending over to grasp the back of the chair until the nerves passed.
He lifted his head again and stared at the myriad of books. He still had quite a bit of work to finish, but he still had at least three months before he could do anything to set it into motion. He glanced in the direction Thor left with narrowed and slightly worried eyes until he could focus again on his work—more than determined now. He wasn't sure how long Thor's anger against Odin would hold. He needed to know everything he could before Thor realigned his loyalties.
Loki paced his room. Three months, three months of scouring Asgard and preparing everything he could possibly need…Now all that was required was for Yggdrasil to finally let him walk its limbs again.
The morning passed by in agonizing slowness until he finally felt it click. His magic was fully unbound and Yggdrasil sang to him once again. He smiled and listened to it for a moment before closing his eyes and mentally preparing himself once again.
He had to try, to at least see if Hiccup was happy. He had to know.
He grabbed the Apple, casting it away to his magic pocket, and stared at the picture for one more moment. He set it high on a shelf then proceeded to lock his rooms so that even the All-Father and all his magic would struggle to enter. Once complete, he cloaked himself and teleported away.
A part of his numerous researches had been to find the Niflheim branch of Yggdrasil. It, like anything mentioning death, had barely survived being shoved and left to rot in corners for untold millennia…though that probably was the reason they survived Odin's, no doubt, purging of anything Hela or death related after her banishment.
It was rather unfortunate that there was no direct link from Asgard to Valhalla which made his trek far more dangerous. He would have to walk the furthest reaches of Niflheim to reach the doorway. It was questionable if Hela's powers reached or if she herself could wander so far—Norns, he hoped not.
He stared into the black cave mouth, trepidation in his chest but he refused to heed its call and summoned his magic—finally entering Yggdrasil again. As he carefully walked along this new branch, he noticed that the light grew dimmer—not from the branch being misplaced on Niflheim but from some outside source drawing its light away, making the connection unstable.
His eyes widened as he realized why the scroll had been hidden away to rot and be forgotten. He ran along the branch until he stumbled out the end, eyes wide and scanning his new surroundings. His magic tingled in discomfort as Niflheim felt him out, its magic sliding off of him like oil. He shivered and placed a magical marker at the sight of the branch—hoping and praying that Hela was not so advanced in overall magic to notice its presence immediately.
Once confident he could find his way back, he began his task of searching Niflheim for the gateway to Valhalla.
He was on high alert as he carefully traversed the rocky but otherwise barren land. The first time something wailed, he almost teleported into the sky. He berated himself after the fact that of course he would hear souls. They may not be tormented as they would be in Helheim, but they certainly felt sorrow and loss.
He wandered over Niflheim until he lost track of time and what the concept even meant—an easy thing to do when it did not seem to exist. He grew far too comfortable seeing souls and even passing so closely by them that they would graze his clothing. He grew frustrated when every crag, cave or anything yielded nothing.
Trepidation and dismay began filling his chest as an ugly thought struck him; what if only the dead can see the door? What if he had passed by it time and time again, never noticing it?
He fought back the thought and the new surge of anger and resentment at the thought. No, he wouldn't give up until he found it, until he found Hiccup and offered him the choice—until he knew Hiccup was happy.
Despair only grew, however, the longer he stayed and found nothing—not even a sign that he was thinking in the right direction. He wanted to scream in frustration but was afraid of alerting Hela to his presence. It was a miracle they hadn't run into each other already…Maybe she's tormenting some unfortunate soul in Helheim. I hope it's Viggo or one of his ilk—any of the Warlords would suit just as well.
He paused and fisted his hands, mentally screaming—how much time has passed? Have I scoured every inch of Niflheim thrice or have I barely touched a corner of it?! Am I walking closer to Hiccup or away from him?
He was so lost in thought and raging at himself that he missed a distinct lack of souls that had been almost always surrounding him from some distance or another. It wasn't until there was a cruel chuckle that he finally snapped out of his mind.
"Well, well—a visitor. This is a first. Have you so angered Odin that he would send you to me alive to torment in life and death?"
Loki's eyes widened, barely controlling his gasp of fear, and twirled around—fingers twitching for his daggers.
Standing less than ten feet from him was the goddess of death in the flesh, clothes torn and hair wild—as if she'd just been banished instead of being here over a millennia. But there she stood, smirking at him like a cat who's caught the mouse—and Loki hated feeling like the mouse.
Gathering what anger he still could to combat the fear, he stood straight and forced his arms to his sides. "Odin did not send me—if he knew I was here I would be locked away on Asgard until I died of old age." He couldn't keep the bite out of his voice.
Hela's eyebrows rose, interest peaked. "So you come on your own? How either incredibly brave or foolish."
He kept his face blank, barely. "Perhaps a bit of both."
She smiled, more genuinely. "And cheek too. I might not let you return. It is rather boring here."
He arched an eyebrow now. "You were planning on letting me return?"
"Maybe," She smirked. "Or maybe I say so to give you false hope."
He snorted quietly. "You can give me no such hope when the only hope I have hangs on something not within your power."
"Oh?" She sauntered closer to him, playfully flicking out a dagger and twirling it around. "And what might that be if you search for it in the realm of the dead?"
Loki shot her a flat look. "A soul, what else?"
"But one not in my control?" She grinned, stepping back with a shake of her head. "You seek someone in Valhalla. I do have to commend you, you learned secrets that Odin burned—how much dark magic did you have to call upon to learn those mysteries?" She leaned close to his ear. "Are you prepared to lose your soul for them?"
Loki turned, not quickly but with careful control. "If it means I succeed, yes."
She looked impressed and dismissed the dagger and crossed her arms. "I see. You will most likely fail—but tell me, who are you? You dress regally but clearly hold no love for Odin."
He thought carefully about his words before answering. "I am Loki of Asgard, once I was called an Odinson."
Her eyes widened then narrowed with hatred. "Once?"
"I am a runt that Odin… took pity upon—yet he hated me as a son every moment of my life. I am nothing but a pawn to him. Thor is his only son." His lips curled as he spoke.
Hela thought for a moment, watching him carefully. "And this soul is in Valhalla—that is brave to defy Odin thus."
Loki scowled at the rocks on the ground, just barely managing to keep his gaze from aiming at her—she was the reason- "Yes. Though I do not care, I need to know his choice, not that Odin simply commanded it to save face."
She nodded and after a long moment of careful thought she finally turned away, signaling for him to follow. "I will help you then."
He followed her but wariness plagued his steps and thoughts. "Why?"
It was her turn to sneer now. "Anything to spite Odin."
He nodded but was not fully convinced. "What price must I pay?"
She paused momentarily and carefully regarded him. "Consider this a gift—brother—so long as it goes against Odin's ruling."
He stumbled, surprised with the sudden familiarity though he was certain it was only in jest.
She laughed dryly. "He has not told you?"
He looked unimpressed at her. "With how much work I had to do to find anything about Niflheim and Valhalla? I'm lucky to find what I did-"
"And you are lucky I found you before you found Valhalla," She coolly remarked.
He frowned and kept just a pace behind her—he noted with some annoyance that it was the same position he would take with Thor. "Why is that?"
She didn't look at him but her voice was deadly serious. "Because you would have taken a soul and tried to bring it back to the living without the permission of its guardian."
His furrowed brow deepened. "You are not his guardian—I am the father of his magic and the All-Father oversees Valhalla."
She nodded. "Exactly. You would need his permission lest you wish the soul you seek to become a draugr."
Loki stopped, a new horror burning in him—there was no way he would be granted such permission, least of all from Odin. She stopped walking and waited for him to regather himself and when he did he asked, "Then why lead me to the door if my quest is already for not?"
She smirked again, it wasn't cruel this time but it was wicked. "Because you can still succeed."
Silence hung in the air and he hated that he had to ask. "How?"
She grinned with false joy. "So glad you asked, brother. You must deliver his soul to me and allow me to become his guardian."
Loki's suspiciously narrowed eyes widened, taking a step back so he wouldn't fall. "You jest and lie."
Her humor was gone. "I do no such thing, trickster—yes, I have heard quite a few tales the mortals have recently started spreading of you and the boy you Claimed. Odin must have been furious."
She chuckled in far too much amusement while Loki froze in fear—does she know why Hiccup died? She didn't say anything, waiting for a response from Loki. "Yes, he was rather, upset."
She nodded and started walking again. "I will give his soul to you—you will be his watcher and so may do with it what you please. But he needs to be in Niflheim for me to do so—he must reject Valhalla."
Loki's shoulders fell along with some of his anger and suspicion but not much. "How can I trust you to uphold this promise?"
She walked out onto a plateau and stopped at its center. "Trust my hatred. I despise Odin more than I care about tricking you—if this will in any way anger or spite him while I am still banished, I will do so. Just make sure you raise Helheim for him when you return."
Loki smiled for the first time. "That I can promise I will do."
She nodded. "Good. We are here."
He looked around, eyes narrowing again. "Where is it?"
She said nothing but pointed up.
He looked up and grunted, several hundred feet above them, floated the doorway. Great, just great.
She smiled at his frustration and took a seat on some jutting rocks. "I will wait here for you then. Oh, and one more word of warning."
Loki's head rolled over, what more could she add?!
She nodded at the golden door. "You cannot enter without explicit permission of the All-Father. Good luck." She finished merrily.
Loki bristled as she sat back, content to watch him struggle, before tearing his gaze away to glare at the door. He shifted into a hawk and flew up, circling it once and finding no footholds so he had to construct one before shifting back. He stood with his nose almost through the buzzing doorway and reached up—a wall of magic that felt like solid water met his hand and refused entry.
The entire doorway rippled from his touch and the once transparent doorway changed into a view of a magnificent feast—though the barrier still remained unyielding. His heart soared as he peeked into Valhalla and searched for the face of his precious child. As time went by and he did not see Hiccup, his heart grew heavier—where can he be?
He reached inside his magic, recalling the lessons in the books of mind magic. Hiccup? Hiccup?!
It was dreadfully silent and he cursed Valhalla twice over. He resigned himself to watch the feast closely until he inevitably spotted Hiccup—then came the question of how to-
Loki?
Scene! Well, thank you for reading and see you next time, leave your thoughts!