Chapter 21
Loki's eyes fluttered, vaguely he thought he could hear the call of someone trying to reach him drift through the mental maze, but it fell away just as soon as he heard it, his mind drifting back into the realm of unconscious torment something which he could never escape from. His memories of just before the fall drifting through his mind as he fell into such a state of sleep. Restless agony forcing itself through him as the painful memories filled him, as his state of realization came to him, and once more he could not escape. Not in life, not in sleep, what hope was there, when his memories turned to dreams, and his dreams turned on him ever always in his sleep. Continuing to plague him constantly.
"I am just speaking the truth!" Loki attempted to reason, yet his father was having none of it.
"Enough, I am tried of hearing you, leave me now."
"Father..."
"I SAID! Leave. Now!" Loki straightened himself, tears filling his eyes, as hurt and anger once more warred within him, yet he refused to allow such a weakness display itself before the man whom he called father. He would not allow it. Weakness was to be destroyed whilst within Odin's presence.
"As you wish," Loki said, delivering a mocking bow, before turning on his heel and walking straight out of the throne room.
At this point Loki was not even entirely certain why he bothered attempting to reason with his father. His words were never heeded or even considered, he did not understand why he thought that they would be this time. His father was about as stubborn as Thor, and it was not entirely surprising that the Asgardian refused to admit that his older brother was unfit. After all, how could he not be? His sole heir. Loki never understood why it was that the king always seemed to be completely blinded when it came to Thor. Never once did he even entertain the thought that perhaps Thor was simply not ready. Asgard would see ruin the moment he stepped up to the Throne. Something apparently only Loki saw. For the rest of the Asgardians were busy celebrating his imminent crowning.
Loki walked straight to his room, finally allowing his magic to lash out, almost destroying everything within it. He dropped to the floor, fear filling him as he began to come to terms with what was about to happen the next morn. Thor was about to take the mantle of King. Thor. The one person who was most certainly not ready for anything nearly close to something with such power. A person who still revealed in the humiliation of those weaker then him. It would be a horror should he actively take the throne. There was no way that such a thing...
Loki stood suddenly, eyes widening. He had an idea. A drastic...horribly wonderful idea...but it was the only way to truly stop the coronation in its tracks. If Odin would not bother to listen to his second more worthless son, he would have to take the words of his golden son at face value.
He softly breathed out, resolve returning. He would do this. He could not allow Thor to just throw the realm into ruin. He knew that he would, he just had to think about how exactly to...yes...that was perfect. He was not entirely certain how comfortable that he felt about going..but it wast he best option that he had.
The day it happened, it was stressful for him. He had thought, for a sheer moment, that they would not make it on time, and he was cursing himself for risking the entire fate of the realm on the naive belief of the...
then the bells flashed, the alarms rang out and Loki could not help but breathe out an utterly silent sigh of relief.
The continuing chaos happened just as he thought it would. Odin, finally, finally saw how incompetent the oaf was. Yet, the sheet anger that he felt towards his eldest son was palpable, and his stare at Loki made him want to bow his head and submit to the fury, as he usually did, but this time, he refused. He would not allow such things to ruin this. He knew that he was more then capable, but standing up to Odin had never been his strong suit.
He could not account for just how badly Thor would take it though. His desperate attempts at keeping Thor from marching straight to the land of Ice failed. Rather spectacularly. Stupid oaf. Risking their lives for some stupid slight. He supposed he should have accounted for such a possibility. Yet, such obvious treason?
"We will take your most gracious offer." Loki said, drawing Laufey's eyes onto him, ignoring the sting of his brother's words. 'Know your place' as though he had not been shown his place plenty of times, this included. This time, he would not cower down, though. Not with such a dangerous situation that they were in. Too risky. He gently persuaded his brother to come with him, but the King, he just had to...
Loki knew that it would be too much to hope that the guard would alert Odin right away, and with Heimdell obviously taking Thor's side over the King's it was inane to even contemplate that this situation would be forced upon him.
Fighting? He hated it, and even more so when technically they were not even supposed to be here. He could not speak to Thor now, not with blood lust filling his mind. Loki tried not to resort to killing. It was already bad enough that Volstagg was stuck with a useless arm, and Sif and Fandral trying to help him towards the Bi-Frost sight. Thor was fully enjoying the battle, his brain too useless to notice his friends and brother in trouble, nor the peril of their situation.
The Bi-Frost would not open. Yet, Loki had assumed the case. They were at war now, battling the Frost Giants and helplessly outnumbered. Such a thing...risking bringing a Frost Giant within the blast of the bi-frost? Never.
Turning Loki saw it. His arm...within the grasp of a Frost-Giant, red eyes watching curiously as his armor melted, and Loki...paralyzed as his arm began to turn...not black, but the blue hue of the creature before him. A detached feeling of horror began to descend on him...what was this...
Loki jerked upwards, breathing heavy, watching as tears fell from his eyes, keeping them closed too frightened to look around him. Water would not stop falling from his eyes as his worst memory flooded his mind and the emotions of his hurt and betrayal made everything all the more painful.
"Loki," He heard the voice, and it was Legolas, Haldir standing nearby. "We heard screaming." Loki coughed, of course he would have called out whilst dreaming.
"The Lady is ready for you." Haldir spoke softly. "If you are capable."
"Of course," Loki said instantly, perhaps a bit too hastily.