Prologue
Prologue
It was a chilly, silent night in Asgard as everyone settled in. The palace was quiet. Thor had retired to his chambers, fast asleep. Loki, on the other hand, was still sitting on his window, skimming through an old leather-bound book and sometimes glancing up the night sky.
It was getting late and he didn’t notice it. Sleep hadn’t come so he closed the book and got off the window to get another book from the table in the middle of his room. With only his reading lamp perched on a hook by the window to illuminate the whole room, Loki used his hands to feel the book he was looking for. He didn’t even bother to use his magic to light up his room; he just wanted to have a peaceful and normal night to calm himself down after a full day of running around the palace and doing princely work shoved to him by Odin and his council. As he picked up his second book, his arm was grabbed from behind, folded and pinned it to his back. He grunted, tried to yank his arm free but a knife’s blade rested on his neck. The grip on his arm was strong and he could feel a large hand encircling his thin arm.
“Where’s the mind crystal?” the perpetrator asked in a hushed tone. It was a man’s voice, deeper than Odin or Thor.
With all his might, Loki made a step back, pushing the man with him, and managed to kick the heavy, wooden table to cause an alarm. From his room, Thor heard the loud bang and he immediately got up, extending his hand for the Mjölnir. He rounded up the guards as they ran to Loki’s room.
Loki managed to free himself by replacing himself with an illusion and conjured his knives, defending himself from the unknown man. Loki assessed the stranger in his room. The man was taller and more muscular than Thor. His body was covered in a brass chest plate. His wrists also had brass bracers. On his left shoulder was a lion’s faceplate made of brass. A sword was attached on his back, covered with a red, circular shield with gold margins covering most of his back - chipped, dented, and holed, remnants of the battle this man has been on. The man was bald, save for a row of hair that remained at the center of his head. The rest of the man’s attire was familiar for Loki: black combat boots, black combat trousers, black shirt. The man’s outfit was something Loki has never seen before. This man is too big for a Midgardian and his armors are definitely not Asgardian or from anywhere under Asgard’s jurisdiction.
Loki was dodging every stab the man threw until their knives clashed and the man unarmed him. With one knife left, Loki used his magic to create multiple copies of himself so he could attack from different directions, scratching the man. “What mind crystal?” he replied even though he knows exactly what the man was talking about.
“Brother!” Thor bellowed as he entered the room with the guards. Suddenly, multiple shadow people appeared and started attacking the newcomers. The man seemed to summon the beings while he was busy fighting Loki.
Loki suddenly felt a shift in the air that ended his illusion. He looked at his enemy and his hands were already glowing yellow. Loki hid his knife and started to envelope himself in a force field as the man blasted him with his power but it backfired, throwing the attacker to the stone wall.
“Who are you?!” Loki asked angrily as he tried to paralyze the man with his sorcery.
The man whipped his hand, knocking Loki off his feet with magic, pulled him, and picked him up by the neck. “I am Ares, the god of war. Now, where is the mind crystal?”
Loki grasped the arm sustaining Ares’ chokehold and blasted his energy on the bracers, causing the latter to scream and drop him. "Oh, about that, you’re two years too late,” he replied as he bound Ares with his magic, "and who are you to enter Asgard?”
Ares managed to bust himself out of Loki’s binding. Loki looked at him, surprised. Ares was stronger than him. He looked at his brother and the guards who were still busy. With all his might, Loki ran towards the man and he threw them out his window, landing in a roll on the Palace grounds.
“Everyone, move!” Thor commanded as they scrambled out of Loki’s room. On the way, Odin collided with Thor. “Someone has attacked Loki,” he informed his father. Odin grabbed his Gungnir and ran after him.
As Loki and Ares were fighting, a loud boom was heard from a distance and a bright white light flashed before the two gods’ eyes. Loki put up his arm to shield his eyes from the blinding light and felt the god was being grabbed from him.
True enough, someone from out of nowhere kicked Ares to the ground. He adjusted his eyes and he heard the Allfather yell “Stand down! Stand down! No one attacks the woman!”
The...woman?
Loki ran towards his brother, who had smashed his hammer to the shadow warrior, which was surprisingly as solid as the god of thunder himself. They both watched what was happening before them.
“You pesky mortal!” They heard Ares bellow as he swung his sword to the woman.
"Mortal? You know what I am," she retorted. She pulled her sword from her back and clashed onto Ares’. Ares pulled his shield from behind but a blue light flashed from the woman’s hands. It wrapped around the shield like a rope. The woman tugged on the light rope and yanked the shield from Ares.
“How dare you!” Cried Ares.
“Too dependent on your shield? I thought you’re the god of war?” The woman taunted. Ares was looking like a giant in front of her. The woman was also shorter than the Asgardians around them but Loki didn’t think she was an Asgardian. “You shouldn’t be here in the first place!”
Ares’ nose flared and he charged at the woman. She blocked his blows until the blue light appeared and coiled around the god like a snake. The woman returned her sword on her back and conjured blue light on her hands, restricting Ares further as he struggled.
“Is that a Valkyrie?” Loki pondered.
“No. I don’t think so. Valkyries don’t have sorcery. She looks like a sorcerer.” Thor glances at his younger brother. “Do you happen to know her?” Loki shook his head. “How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine,” he replied as the woman clasped brass cuffs on Ares’ wrists, making him scream in pain and drop to his knees. She then bound him with her magic and placed a mask on his mouth. “She’s a sorcerer. But how can she be so strong?”
“You’re strong yourself,” Thor muttered.
He looked at him. "Naturally."
“Your highness." She dropped to her knees. “On behalf of all the Olympians, I greatly apologize for this inconvenience,” she said, eyes trained on the ground.
“Olympians?” Loki muttered. Thor just gave him a shrug.
The brothers observed their father. Odin was not pissed whatsoever. There’s a pleasant look on his face, in fact. “Child of Zeus, rise,” Odin said, gesturing for her to stand.
She stood up. Loki studied her attire. No, she isn’t a Valkyrie. Her armor’s gold plated, with accents of white. She has two swords attached, crossing her back. Each sword is about 3 inches wide and 3 feet long. She looks sleek, definitely born for precision and speed like him. Could be a worthy opponent.
“You do not need to apologize for your brother’s behavior.”
“With all due respect, your majesty, he isn’t my brother.” she interrupted. Ares made a muffled disagreement behind her and she extended her right hand to his direction, creating small lightning bolts from her fingertips, sending spasms all over him.
“Ah,” Odin said and gave her an empathetic smile. “I have been in communication with Athena regarding the safety of our realms but I did not expect there will be an immediate show of force from an Olympian.”
The woman dropped her gaze in embarrassment. “If I may, I would like to bring him back to Zeus for his trial, considering that this is a family affair.”
“Child,” Odin approached her, “it would be ideal if he should be tried here -” he paused and peered at Ares “-but, it would be the best since Asgard also has numerous matters to attend to.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” she bowed once more. “If there is anything else you would need for the damages done by Ares, any reparations, please do not hesitate to send a message to Athena.”
“Very well.” The woman turned to walk to Ares. Odin was about to rejoin his soldiers when he stopped and called for the woman. The woman faced him. “Thank you for saving my son.” he sincerely declared. Loki felt his insides melt when he heard Odin call him ‘his son’, though he did not let his expression betray him.
The woman gave Loki a once over and he felt something swell inside him, a feeling he couldn’t describe. “You’re welcome. It is my pleasure,” she smirked and she walked to her prisoner. She gave Odin a small nod, then she moved her hands and blue wisps appeared around her and Ares. A blinding blue light bursts around them and they are gone, like a star’s death.
Odin approached Loki and held him by his arms. “How are you feeling?” Loki was surprised the Allfather did this. He never was affectionate towards him but here he was, asking him how he was feeling.
Loki placed his hand on his chest, still feeling that unknown, swelling sensation inside mixed with surprise and confusion. “I’m not quite sure what to think,” he replied.
“It’s alright.” Odin patted Loki’s shoulder.
“Who was that?” he inquired.
Odin turned to look at the spot where the woman and Ares were last seen. “Our allies from another realm.”
“Including the man who attacked?”
He thought for a moment. “An ally, then.” he slightly bowed his head and left him with Thor.
“What did the man want from you, brother?” Thor probed Loki when they reunited.
“He said he wanted the mind crystal, the scepter.” Loki dropped his voice when he said the last words.
Thor nodded thoughtfully. “And who did he say he was?”
“Ares. He claims he is the god of war.” he paused. “Did the Allfather say ‘Olympians’? Zeus?” Loki whispered as they walked.
“Yes. I suppose so.”
“The young gods. Did he say ‘child of Zeus’?” Thor nodded. “Explains the magic and her power. But there’s something else. Something else in her that I can’t pinpoint.”
“Who’s Zeus?”
“I beg your pardon?” Loki said in disbelief. “Is that a jest?”
“No. I’m afraid I am serious.”
“What…” Loki stopped and folded his arms, shifted his weight to his right leg, away from Thor. “We have a multitude of books about other realms, surely you have encountered Zeus?” Thor just gave him an apologetic smile. “By the gods…” he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, thinking. “Fine. Zeus, he’s like you. He wields the power of the sky and thunder.”
“And he has a child?”
“Those two are his children. Athena as well, the other one she mentioned. I wonder why the woman denied her affinity to him.” Thor chuckled. Loki looked back. “I swear if you say another unintelligible thing -”
“Sounds familiar.”
Loki rolled his eyes. “Whatever,” he muttered and they parted ways.