A/N: Okay, it's going to flow weird at first, but bear with me, it will make sense. I hope. Anyway, that's for two reasons. One because I am horrible at writing where I want it to go, so this is better. If anyone wants to see my original chapter, I can post it at the very end, but if I try to post it now, it'll be forever before I update. Two, I'm starting to feel redundant with the stone collecting, so this'll break that up a bit. It's also the Time stone... So, it works. That's enough of that. Enjoy!
Thor stared at the cave, relieved to be out of it. He shuddered, turning back to Loki. Thank the Allfathers his brother was still alive. Whether or not he was well was another story entirely.
"Loki?" He reached out, praying he wouldn't be thrust into pure darkness when he made contact. Loki slapped his hand away, holding a knife to his throat.
"I am fine, brother." A tight smile appeared on his face as he lowered the dagger. His brother started walking, likely so that when Thor called the Bifrost, it wouldn't destroy the cave. Thor grabbed his brothers shoulder, turning him around.
"What happened in that cave?" Annoyance flashed over his brothers features, mixed with what appeared to be wariness.
"I already told you, the Useriøs seidr would manipulate us into seeing our worst fears."
"I know you did. Yet, when I touched you, it didn't make sense. It was utter darkness and you were king, standing over my dead body. I do not fear those things. In fact, I yearn for them. You would be a much better king than I and I have wished to join those I love in Valhalla for years now. I was simply to cowardly to ever go through with it. Not that a worthless piece of lard like me would get into Valhalla anyway." Loki was staring at him like he was a stranger. Then he said in a very soft voice,
"They were not your fears." Thor cocked his head, looking at his brother curiously.
"You no longer yearn for the throne?" A bitter laugh escaped his brothers mouth.
"I never did."
"Then why? I know you had reasons, if askew, for attacking Jötunheim and Earth, but why impersonate father? That was voluntary."
"Research. I needed to learn all I could of the Infinity stones so that I could keep them away from Thanos. Impersonating our father, not only did I have access to his private libraries, but I could openly go to the other Nine Realms if needed. Plus, if I'm being honest, I was still angry at him. I thought banishing him to Earth was just as well as harmless. Our dear sister was an... unexpected variable." Thor smiled.
"You called him father." Annoyance flashed over his brothers face.
"Really? That's what you take away from that?"
"It's an important fact."
"You're a sentimental oaf." The words didn't hold the bite that they used to and they took Thor back to when they were mere boys.
"I still don't understand why I saw you as king when I touched you. Perhaps you never wanted it, but why do you fear it?" Loki turned and walked a few paces away.
"I cannot be trusted with power. I believe there is a saying on Earth; that the ends justify the means. I've used this kind of thinking quite a lot in my life, especially in the past decade and a half." Loki took a deep breath before continuing.
"I interrupted your coronation because you weren't ready for the throne. I also got soldiers- both Jötun and Asgardian- killed. Those soldiers took oaths to defend their realms, but they still had families that mourned them. I may not have killed them, but their blood is on my hands. When I turned the Bifrost onto Jötunheim, because I thought that it would prove that I was loyal to Asgard. I attacked Midgard because I thought that I could double cross Thanos. I told Kurse where to go because I knew that you'd come to the dungeons. I sent father to Earth so that I could prepare for Thanos. I called for the Bifrost to get you away from Hela. I tried to keep you on Sakaar because I thought you'd be safer there. I brought the Tessaract to the Statesmen because I thought I could keep it away from Thanos. I fear it because I cannot be trusted. Anyone who did would be a fool." His brother was shaking now, drawing uneven breaths. Thor walked up to him, planting himself in front of him.
"Perhaps what you say is true, but I do not believe it to be so. It is that fear of power that makes you a good ruler. Though I did not want to admit it at the time, Asgard was prosperous under your rule. 'Twould be again, if you only had faith in yourself. Besides, I would be there at your side." Loki merely shook his head.
"You don't get it. How can I possibly ask the people to trust me when I don't trust myself?"
"I trust you."
"Which is why I stand by my earlier statement, you are a sentimental oaf."
"It worked, didn't it? You wouldn't have said anything of this a decade ago."
"I've only spoken as a I have because I've had time to think."
"While I thought you were dead." Loki looked down, refusing to meet his gaze.
"I thought you'd be better off without me."
"When did I ever give you that idea?!"
"Simple. Thanos would have used me to hurt you, so I took myself out of the equation."
"Thanos has been dead for five years!" Loki flinched slightly at his outburst and thunder crackled above them. Then he matched Thor's temper, throwing his hands up towards the nearing storm.
"This is why I didn't come back. You aren't exactly happy to see me when I come back from the dead."
"You want to know why I'm angry? It's not because you're back. It's because you wait too long. Do you know what it's like, watching you die, over and over again?! It's worse than having the Power stone pressed against my temple."
"I do know! I know from watching it for a year while Thanos tried to break me with the Mind stone! You don't know that madman like I do. You don't k is what I've done to protect you! Don't you dare act like I don't know the meaning of pain!" His brother drew in a sharp breath, a mask of calm and indifference covering his face. His hands, Thor noticed, remained clenched.
"That's my point! You shouldn't have to protect me. I am the elder!" Loki only shook his head as the rain started falling.
"That's not your choice. We're wasting our time here. Call the Bifrost." Thor did not move. Loki cursed under his breath, grabbing Stormbreaker before Thor had time to react.
The Bifrost engulfed them, landing them on Nidavellir. As soon as the starlines disappeared, a light green came over them. Loki had cast an illusion. Dwarves surrounded them almost instantly, parting to make a path for King Brokkr. A much younger, happier Eitri stood behind his father.
"Princes of Asgard. To what do we owe the honor?" Loki shot him a look, clearly telling him to let his silver-tongued brother handle this.
"I fear that we are in need of assistance. There is a titan who lives. He claims that he alone can save the universe. He yearns to claim all of the Infinity Stones for himself. With this power, he will wipe out half of existence. The only way to defeat him would be to harness the Infinity Stones ourselves." Before Brokkr had a chance to rebut, a document appeared in Loki's hand.
Brokkr took the document, looking it over. Thor recognized his father's script, complete with his signature and emblem at the bottom.
"Why didn't Odin Allfather come himself? Surely this is of great importance."
"Our father is tied up in battle at the moment. However, he thought this too critical to send even his most trusted general, Tyr. That is why he sent us in his stead. Now, will you make the gauntlet, or do you believe your cousins would be better suited for it? I'm sure they would not hesitate to be considered better than you as they were written in the history books."
"Your Silvertongue serves you well, but it does not work on me. I have already made Mjölnir and Gungnir. I will not make you, or anyone else an Infinity gauntlet."
"Then the death of half of existence lies on your head and the wrath of Odin Allfather will fall upon you."
"So be it. I will not make a vessel to focus the power of the Infinity Stones. No one being should have that much power."
"Then I apologize in advance." Before anyone could react, green seidr shot out in all directions, green tendrils attaching themselves to the Dwarves temples. Loki's eyes glowed a bright, sickly green. Thor found himself backing away and for the first time in his life, he was afraid of his brother. Loki spoke his voice seeming to come not only from him, but from the Dwarves as well.
"Make a gauntlet strong enough to focus all of the Infinity Stones." The Dwarves dispersed, seidr extending to keep Loki and the Dwarves connected. Not sure what to do, Thor sat down and watched his brother carefully.
It wasn't more than fifteen minutes when Loki started shaking. Half an hour passed and Loki's legs nearly buckled under him. Thor went to try to talk him out of it or at least do something to help, but a weak blast of seidr hit him. He could have easily pushed passed it, but the message was clear.
Two hours later, when Loki looked half dead, Brokkr brought the finished gauntlet. His brother's seidr dissipated, the energy absorbing back into Loki. His brother immediately collapsed, panting and shaking violently. The Dwarves, especially Brokkr, were shaking as well.
"That sort of seidr is forbidden and far beyond your skill." Brokkr's voice was angry, but even Thor could hear the underlying fear.
Loki answered in a weak, wavering voice.
"I. I did. Apologize in. In advance."
"What sort of demon are you?" Thor was almost glad that his brother was shaking, otherwise he was sure his brother would have flinched back at the words.
"One that says the ends justify the means when it comes to protecting those I love." He reached for the gauntlet, nodding at Thor. They both plugged in the time coordinates, getting sucked into the Quantum Realm.
A/N: Okay, a few things. One, I feel like I've been kinda painting Loki as a Saint, which he is not. Perhaps what he did was the best option, but that doesn't exactly make it right. If that makes sense. I don't think I'm really making sense. Anyway, Two, those of you that know Norse mythology might recognize the name Brokkr. In Norse mythology, Brokkr is Eitri's brother. Eitri and Brokkr did make Mjölnir, but not Gungnir, at least from what I read. Anyway, I couldn't find Eitri's father, so I used his brother's name. Which works, because Marvel messes up relations anyway. In Norse mythology, Loki is like a brother to Odin and Hela is one of Loki's children. Three, I know I said I'd probably post the six Infinity Stone collecting chapters at the same time, but obviously that didn't happen. This one is a regular chapter length, hence why I posted it alone. As for the next two, I'm going to watch Guardians of the Galaxy to refresh my memory on the details. Rocket will likely be a little out of character because I don't swear, so, just a heads up. I have no idea what I'm updating next.
Translations: Useriøs was meant to mean rogue. However, when I put it back through, it came back as frivolous. If you speak Norwegian, I was going for rogue.
I might just post the other chapter later anyway, because it'll explain things a little better. I was going for Useriøs seidr being a wild, bitter seidr that doesn't have a vessel because it's user died and the energy never found a new user. If that makes sense. As for Loki's control stunt that he pulled on the Dwarves, it's a little like Enchanting? Sort of like a mix of Enchanting and the Mind Stone, because with enchanting, the victim is more of a mindless vessel. With the Mind Stone, the victim still does actions with a little freedom because they do it to the best of their ability, not the user's best ability. If that makes sense.
Have a great day and/or night! Thanks for reading!
