Theta
[Pandora – Northern Mountains]
The ocean was frozen and vast. Wearing nothing but ripped black and green Jeans, Loki swayed across the frozen ocean.
“Ironic,” he murmured. “The very race I grew to hate… Their environment is my only solace.”
Those scars… Thanos? Eywa asked.
Looking down at his body and arms, he could see adhesion scars. “Yes,” he added mildly. “Scars that would never heal… to remind me of my place.”
Loki, Eywa mused.
“It matters not,” Loki growled as found himself sitting down on what was a flattened iceberg with his legs crossed.
But it does, Eywa mused.
“I was weak,” Loki murmured. “I was too weak to defend myself… to defend my mind. I had no choice, but to conduct matters… in the way they occurred.”
Weak? Eywa asked.
“But it makes sense,” Loki murmured grimly as his skin turned blue. “Born as a defective cretin to a weaker race… it would have been different if I was Asgard.”
Is that what you see? Eywa asked.
“What else is there to see?” Loki asked as he laid back. The sky seemed beautiful, while the ocean seemed gentle.
Someone… who made the best decision possible, Eywa mused. You used your brain, where others would have used their brawn… now, do I agree with your taste for revenge? No, but am I glad that you have reached this moment in time? Yes.
“Maybe,” Loki murmured as he raised his hand into the sky. He watched, as the blue skin flickered like diamonds against the shining rays being emitted from the sun.
You are strong Loki, Eywa continued. You are strong.
“Am I?” Loki murmured quietly. “You’ve seen my memories… you’ve seen what I’ve had to endure at Thanos’ hands… can you still say I am strong?”
You survived, Ewya said. You took matters into your own hands… you did your best in that given situation.
“Maybe,” Loki answered as he intently stared at Laufey’s markings etched on his skin.
You are wondering, why are the markings gold? Eywa asked.
“I remember seeing Laufey… I remember seeing myself. They were grey,” Loki hummed.
Because you did not know, Eywa answered.
“Go on,” Loki answered dryly as he sat back up. The breeze was gentle and calming, Loki couldn’t help but stretch his arms as his hair began to flutter.
What do you know about the story of Ymir? Eywa asked.
“I should be asking how you know the story when you are out of the nine,” Loki murmured dryly.
Loki, Eywa admonished.
“The warm temperatures of Muspelheim had travelled across the dark paths and entered Niflheim. It mixed with the ice,” Loki answered. “A rare occurrence… purely coincidental as it was never meant to happen. A planet of fire and heat and a planet that of ice and cold… they were never meant to touch.”
Yes… but it wasn’t coincidental. Without that one moment, you would not live… nor would the Asgardians… as well as many races, Eywa answered. The Norns made it be.
“The Norns?” Loki murmured with a chuckle. “Weavers of time and strings… nothing more than childish rumours.”
Rumours… maybe, but even you, the mighty sorcerer knows and acknowledges… rumours start with truths,“ Eywa answered.
“And this… is related to these markings, how?” Loki asked dryly.
His blood flows through you Loki, Eywa said.
“Every descendent has his blood flowing through them,” Loki answered dryly.
No Loki… I mean, you are his direct descendent. The genetic makeup, it’s all you, Eywa answered as Loki’s eyes widened. You are him.
-
[Pandora – Northern Mountains]
When Sif thought about it, Pandora was different to Asgard. It seemed freer, when compared to Asgard, like it was a dream holiday destination with a carefree breeze, ocean, and frosty mountains while the sun would gaze from the heavenly skies.
“Are you okay?” Spider asked as he turned and faced her.
“Yes,” Sif answered with a short smile. “This… Pandora is very different. Just amazes me as to how different it is when compared to Asgard… or even the other realms that I have visited.”
“Realms?” Spider questioned.
“Planets,” Sif answered while mentally noting that she should be more wary of her choice of words. It was then that she realised that while Spider was talking to her, his focus was entirely locked on the ocean. “You miss your family,” she murmured.
It wasn’t a question but a statement of fact, and Spider found the approach to be more calming. “I do,” he answered with a smile. “I know I shouldn’t,” he added ever so quickly as he moved away from Sif. “But I do… because regardless of what has happened… They are the only people I can call family.”
“You have Loki,” Sif murmured as she placed a hand on Spider’s shoulders.
“But he won’t stay here forever,” Spider answered. “Plus… with the way he talks and moves, I can tell that he’s different. That he’s older than he looks, that he has something more in life than me.”
“You should be careful with your choice of words, Spider,” Sif said with a small smile as she stepped around to face the boy. “Loki and I are no friends… maybe not even acquaintances… he probably sees me as the enemy, which is a fair point… because at one point I was. But I know this… Loki is the most loyal Asgardian I have come across. There was a time in the past when he and Thor were inseparable. They were hailed as heroes of Asgard… but as stories go, neither could share the spotlight. One was seen as the sun, the other was seen as the moon… an eternal cascade of darkness.” Her voice was quiet as she shook her head silently before fixing her gaze on Spider. “He is loyal to those who are worthy… and you are worthy.”
He couldn’t stop his lip curling upward. He’s always yearned for acceptance, and knowing that he’s found it in someone, felt heart-warming. “Thank you, Sif,” Spider murmured greatly in a gentler tone.
Immediately, a gust of wind flickered into existence. The ocean, that was meant to be ice that never melted, had crackled and flickered into a thousand tiny shards. Spider could do nothing but cower as Sif shrouded him in a bellowing hug as she pushed him to the ground.
The ground trembled and hummed as snow eclipsed on branches would shudder and fall. Even the sand beneath them rumbled and bellowed.
“What’s happening?” Spider screamed.
“I do not know,” Sif murmured grimly. She waited a moment in case there were any aftershocks. Satisfied that the ordeal was over she pushed herself off Spider and stood. Cautiously she watched Spider standing and quickly checked over the boy. “You are not harmed.”
“No,” Spider answered as he checked over his Exopack. Suddenly, in the corner of his eye, he could see a beam of white and blue funnelling into the sky. “Didn’t Loki go in that direction?”
“Come,” Sif said immediately.
-
[Pandora – Northern Mountains]
He could feel the cold within scorching to the surface. Yet, the burning sensation was non-existent.
It was strange when he thought about it.
Destined to have his powers… you are the most complete being, Eywa murmured.
He could see the air around him freezing as clumps of ice formed and began descending.
Ymir was no intelligent being, he wasn’t as cunning as you… but you are. A frost giant abandoned by Jotunheim who was raised by Asgard… the simplest of methods to unlock your true potential… and now that is done, no one else can, Eywa answered.
Immediately, his bluish hands were covered in a wave of green. His fingers began to dance as his lips curled upward. Using a combination of his natural abilities to make ice and his seidr to make different types of ice. Loki found himself looking at the glaze of transparent ice. Then, he found himself making ice pellets and hail.
He couldn’t help but laugh.
Do you see… Loki Odinson… you were made for a purpose, and never let anyone say otherwise, Eywa murmured.
That smile immediately turned into a frown as he pondered Eywa’s words.
“Loki,” Sif screamed from behind.
Turning around, he could see Sif and Spider staring at him.
His piercing red eyes were filled with hate as he gave into his Frost Giant abilities. With his hands at his side, he rose them above his head.
Water, beneath the ice, shot up like a volcano was erupting. Yet, unlike a volcano, it was controlled. The rising water was frozen as it formed an arched bridge for him to walk under.
His golden markings shone brighter and brighter.
Yes, Loki murmured silently. He could feel the power gushing through his blood.
Scars that had formed as scabs began opening as a stream of blueish blood would flow freely.
“Loki,” Sif screamed once more.
“Tell me now… tell me now, that I am not a monster,” Loki sneered while he continued stepping forward.
Occasionally, Sif and Spider would get concerned that Loki would fall into the crackled ice, but they noticed that with every step the ice around him would harden.
“Do you fear me Sif?” Loki gargled as he couldn’t stop his mechanical laughter. “Do you see me Asgard?” he continued as his gaze turned to the sky. “Do you see me, Odin?”
She had seen Loki in his Jotun form before, and then, he still looked like the innocent boy he was before their falling out. Yet, the more she watched she couldn’t help but gawk.
She had faced Jotuns, but this was different. This was an Asgardian wielding his Jotun form to his beckoning. Yet, even as her breathing grew erratic, she couldn’t shake the fact that something more was going on, like he had unlocked something.
“I see the fear within you Sif,” Loki chanted melancholically. “Your blood reeks of fear.”
“Sif,” Spider screamed.
She didn’t know how, but she found herself slowly hunching forward with her sword in hand. Her quaking mind screamed that she should cut and slay the beast. And she would have, had she not seen the fear in Loki’s eyes. Darkened red, changed green momentarily.
It was a test, she mused silently.
Loki isn’t one to waste words. It’s in his nature to taunt and pester, but logical deduction told her that nothing would come out of this. Jotunheim had abandoned him, and if he truly wanted to abandon Asgard he would have left.
It was a mind game and she couldn’t help but let her lip curl upward.
Loki, who would be the bearer and controller of his own fate, had simply disregarded Asgard.
And when she thought about it, it made sense as memories of Spider’s conversation flourished into existence.
I know I shouldn’t.
But I do… because regardless of what has happened… They are the only people I can call family.
It was selfish, but at that moment, she knew that it was Loki’s nature to be selfish.
He is loyal to those who are worthy, she mused silently as she dropped her sword to the side. “Stay here,” she told Spider as she stepped forward.
With every step, her confidence grew. Crackled ice trembled beneath her quaking steps. She wasn’t sure if the ice would hold, but upon closer inspection, she could see waves of green creeping between the cracked ice.
He was holding the ice in place, she mused silently as her eyes widened in surprise. Once a trickster, always a trickster.
“You forgot your sword,” Loki murmured with a gleaming smile. “You must be mistaken…if you think that a monster can be slayed without a weapon.”
Within moments, Sif found herself standing in front of Loki while shaking her head. The world around her seemed to freeze as she stared at his torso. So, the rumours were true, she mused silently as she stared at his many scars.
“What?” Loki taunted.
“You’re an idiot,” Sif answered. A moment had passed, and Sif couldn’t help but smirk as Loki struggled to come up with a response. “After a lifetime… the trickster’s tongue is silenced.”
A sense of déjà vu crossed Loki’s mind as he remembered a similar conversation with Thor. “I’m losing my touch,” he sauntered meekly as his lip curled upward.
Immediately, Sif pulled Loki into a hug. “You’re an idiot,” she murmured.
“Owww,” Loki scowled. “Get off me.”
“Why would I do that?” she asked with a peal of bellowing laughter. “This is your punishment for making me worried,” she continued while pivoting, so she could see Spider. “Spider… tickle him.”
“No,” Loki screamed horrifically as he venomously tried breaking through Sif’s tightening arms while Spider simply laughed cheerfully while running towards them with his dancing fingers at the ready.