Threats
The room was quiet except for the hum of Asgardian instruments monitoring Harry's condition. Loki sat at the edge of the healing table, his sharp eyes fixed on his son’s chest as it rose and fell steadily. It was the only sign of normalcy in an otherwise inexplicable situation.
Harry’s red eyes, though now closed in sleep, had left an unsettling mark on everyone present. They were no longer the innocent emeralds Loki cherished but seemed to hold something deeper, almost ancient. The faint crimson glow around his veins had faded, but Loki couldn’t ignore how Harry’s skin occasionally pulsed with a faint, ethereal shimmer.
Healer Eir approached quietly, a scroll of data in hand. “Prince Loki,” she began, her tone hesitant, “there are no immediate threats to his life, but…” She trailed off, her gaze flickering to the sleeping child.
“But?” Loki’s voice was sharp, betraying the storm of emotions he kept bottled beneath his composed exterior.
Eir hesitated before continuing, “The Aether is not acting as it did with Lady Jane. It’s… integrating with him. Dormant, yes, but it’s as if it recognizes him as a suitable host.”
Loki's grip on the table tightened, leaving marks behind. He couldn't allow himself to lose Harry, not to the Aether or anyone. "What does that mean? What's happening to him?"
The healer sighed. "I need more time to study the connection, but one thing is certain; the Aether is adapting to him and influencing his magical core. He may begin to exhibit...changes."
Meanwhile, deep within the void of Svartalfheim, shadows writhed like living things around the Dark Elf's throne. The air was thick with the weight of the old magic, the kind that seeped into one's very soul. Malekith sat motionless, his pale face illuminated by the dull glow of a hovering dark crystal, his eyes gleaming with malice.
A subordinate approached cautiously, bowing low before speaking. "My lord, the Aether...it has moved."
Malekith’s gaze snapped toward the elf, his voice a sharp hiss. “Moved? Explain.”
“The mortal woman who once bore it is now free. The Aether has found a new host—a child,” the elf explained, his tone trembling slightly under the weight of Malekith’s growing rage.
“A child?” Malekith’s voice was laced with contempt, but beneath it lay curiosity. “The Aether, the very essence of primordial chaos, has bonded with one so weak? Impossible.”
The crystal in his hand flickered, and Malekith focused his energy on it. Images began to swirl—a faint vision of the boy, red light coursing through his veins. Malekith’s lips curled into a smile, cold and calculated.
“The Aether knows what it needs,” he murmured to himself, standing from his throne. “Perhaps the boy is not as weak as he seems. A vessel so young, so malleable… the perfect host for true power.”
He turned to his generals, his voice now commanding. “Prepare the fleet. We march on Asgard. If they have hidden the child, then they know his importance. We will take him, and with him, the Aether will be ours again.”
The room erupted into motion as his army began their preparations. Malekith stood still, gazing into the crystal. His smile grew darker.
“Soon, the Nine Realms will bow to the Aether’s true master.”
The golden hues of Asgard’s setting sun bathed the royal chambers in a warm glow. Loki sat by the edge of a plush bed, Harry nestled in his lap. The boy’s tiny hands fiddled with the soft fabric of Loki’s tunic, his once emerald is now glowing red.
“Dad?” Harry’s voice was small, uncertain.
Loki looked down, his heart aching at the fear in his son’s expression. “What is it, my little one?”
“Why… why does this happen to me?” Harry’s voice wavered, his fingers clenching Loki’s sleeve. “Why do bad things keep happening?”
Loki’s breath caught. He wrapped his arms protectively around Harry, pulling him close. “It’s not your fault, Harry,” he said softly, brushing the boy’s unruly hair away from his face. “You have endured so much, more than anyone your age should. But know this—you are strong. Stronger than even you realize.”
Harry looked up at him, his gaze steady despite the faint glow. “But I don’t feel strong. I feel… different. Like something’s wrong with me.”
Loki cupped Harry’s face, his expression fierce. “Listen to me. There is nothing wrong with you. Different does not mean broken. You are my son, and I will move the very realms themselves to keep you safe.”
Harry’s lip trembled, but he managed a small smile. “Promise?”
“On my life,” Loki whispered, pressing a kiss to his forehead.
The tender moment was interrupted by a sharp knock at the door. Before Loki could respond, it swung open to reveal Odin, Frigga and Thor.
“We need to speak,” the Allfather said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Loki carefully set Harry down, his protective instincts flaring. “What is it now, Father?”
Odin’s gaze flickered to Harry before focusing on Loki. “The boy’s condition is unstable. The Aether’s presence within him makes him a danger—to himself and to Asgard.”
Loki’s eyes narrowed. “He is no danger. He is my son.”
“That is precisely the problem,” Odin shot back. “Your attachment clouds your judgment. If the Aether cannot be removed, he must be contained—for his safety and ours.”
“Contained?” Loki’s voice rose, a sharp edge to it. “You mean imprisoned. You would lock him away like some beast, as you once did to me!”
Odin’s expression hardened, but there was a flicker of guilt in his eyes. “It is not the same. The Aether is a force we barely understand. Malekith will come for it—and for him. Keeping him hidden may not be enough.”
Loki stepped closer, his anger barely restrained. “You will not take him from me. I will protect him—we will protect him. He is not a weapon or a liability; he is a child. My child.”
Odin’s voice softened, but his words remained firm. “You must think of the greater good, Loki. Your love for him does not change the reality of the threat he poses.”
“Then you underestimate the lengths I will go to for him,” Loki replied coldly. “He is mine, and I will not let you—or anyone—take him from me.”
Harry's grip on Loki's cloak tightened, and Frigga stepped forward, her presence a soothing balm against the rising tension. "Loki," she said gently, "Odin only wishes to protect our realm. Perhaps there's a way to achieve both goals to keep Harry safe while countering Malekith."
Thor, silent until now, crossed his arms. “Father, Loki is right. Harry is a child, not a pawn. We must find another way.”
Odin’s stern facade wavered for a moment, a flicker of doubt in his eyes. But it was gone as quickly as it came. “Then you have until tomorrow to propose a viable alternative. If you fail, I will act as I see fit.”
Loki’s fists clenched, but he held his tongue. As Odin swept from the room, the tension lingered like a storm cloud. Loki knelt at Harry’s level, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside him. “Don’t worry, my little gem. I won’t let him hurt you. Not now, not ever.”
Harry nodded, his trust in Loki unwavering. But even as father and son shared a moment of quiet reassurance, the looming shadow of Malekith’s threat grew ever darker.
Later, as Harry rested in Loki's chambers, Loki and Thor stood a few feet away, observing the boy.
“He’s stronger than he looks,” Thor remarked, his voice thoughtful.
Loki glanced at him, his usual sarcasm replaced by a rare vulnerability. “He’s been through too much already. I don’t want him to bear any more burdens.”
Thor placed a reassuring hand on Loki’s shoulder. “You’re doing well with him, brother. Better than I expected, honestly.”
Loki scoffed but didn’t pull away. “Your expectations were never particularly high.”
Thor chuckled. “Perhaps. But I mean it, Loki. You’ve given him something I didn’t think you’d ever embrace: family.”
For a moment, Loki didn’t reply, his gaze fixed on Harry. Finally, he spoke, his voice barely audible. “He’s not just family, Thor. He’s... my redemption.”
Thor’s expression softened, and he clapped Loki’s shoulder. “Then you’ll fight for him as fiercely as he deserves.”
“I would burn the Nine Realms for him,” Loki said simply, his tone carrying a quiet but unshakable resolve.