"Loki, what are you doing here?" Thor asked, stunned.
"I wanted to see you," Loki replied, a flicker of emotion in his voice. Though he hadn't seen his foolish brother for some time, a mixture of anger and frustration boiled within him—rage that was still far from settled.
"What happened? Tell me—is it the Frost Titans of Jotunheim? I'll explain everything to Father!" Thor said quickly, seizing on Loki's sudden appearance as an opportunity. If Loki had come all this way, maybe he could deliver a message to Odin, explain things, clear the misunderstanding.
In the past few days, Thor had cooled off. He was no longer as angry as he had been at the beginning. Back then, his argument with his father, the God-King Odin, had nearly erupted into a full-blown confrontation. There was no time to defuse the tension. The conflict had exploded—and before he knew it, his powers were sealed, and he was cast down to Earth.
But now… now there was a chance.
"Father is dead," Loki said coldly, barely able to conceal the pain behind his words.
In truth, Odin wasn't entirely dead. But he had fallen into the Odinsleep—a deep, deathlike slumber. And there was no telling when, or if, he would ever wake.
Thor froze. Disbelief washed over his face. It took him several seconds before he could speak.
"What…?"
Loki's face twisted with grief, but he pressed on. "You were banished. A new war with the Frost Giants looms. He couldn't bear it all… Don't blame yourself. I know you loved him. I tried to tell him. But he wouldn't listen."
He paused, then added, "To place Mjolnir so close to you, yet out of reach—that was cruel. But now, with Father gone, the crown naturally falls to me, as second in line."
It was a calm, almost regal declaration.
Loki was now King of Asgard.
Thor, meanwhile, was devastated. Tears welled in his eyes.
"Then… can I go home?" he asked softly, as though afraid of the answer.
"Our truce with the Frost Giants of Jotunheim came at a cost—your exile was the price," Loki said, lying without hesitation. After all, lying to his idiot brother was practically second nature. He'd been doing it since they were children.
It was almost too easy.
"But I can still—"
"And Mother," Loki interrupted, twisting the knife, "Mother blames you for Father's death. She refuses to allow you to return."
He took a breath, pretending to be solemn. "Brother… I came only to say goodbye. I'm truly sorry."
"No…" Thor's voice cracked as despair washed over him. His mind spun. Only moments ago, he had been trying to decode Rowan's diary, trying to figure out whether his exile was some kind of test from his father.
Now, all he could feel was sorrow.
His father had died because of him. Odin had held on for his sake—for years, trying to guide him, to shape him into someone worthy of ruling Asgard. But in the end, he had let him down.
Thor suddenly realized that Rowan's diary hadn't meant the future—Odin had already been fighting to hold on for years. The time had already passed.
It all made sense now. Odin had suddenly declared he would pass the throne to Thor—an announcement that shocked everyone, even Thor himself.
Thor had thought he still had time. Time to be a carefree prince. Time to train, to drink, to fight, to live. But all of that had ended in a flash. His father was gone. His king was gone.
Grief overwhelmed him.
"No… I should be the one saying I'm sorry," Thor murmured. "Thank you for coming to see me."
"Farewell," Loki said, and turned to leave, a cold sneer forming on his face.
Thor stood in silence, drowning in sorrow. It felt as if the entire world had turned its back on him.
His father was dead. The throne had passed to his younger brother. His mother had abandoned him. There was nothing left.
Everything he once held dear—everything he once took pride in—was gone.
"Farewell," Thor whispered.
"Farewell?" a voice said suddenly.
Nick Fury stepped through the doorway, having caught the tail end of Thor's words. "I just got here, and you're already kicking me out? That's no way to treat a guest."
Thor turned, startled. "Director Fury… I didn't mean you."
He quickly wiped the tears from his face. Even though he was a warrior, a god, he couldn't stop the tears from falling after hearing that his father had died.
"Then who were you talking to?" Fury asked, puzzled. "Has someone been here?"
No one had reported anyone visiting Thor.
And as far as Fury knew, no one could visit Thor—not under SHIELD's watch.
"It was my brother. Loki," Thor said, not bothering to hide it.
"What?" Fury's expression instantly tightened.
In his mind, Loki was already classified as a potential global threat.
A villain in the making.
Ambitious, cunning, and capable—especially of attacking Earth. It didn't matter that he was Thor's brother. Fury didn't trust him.
"Loki was here? Then why didn't I see him?" Fury pressed.
Thor thought for a moment, then explained, "He's a mage. The greatest sorcerer in the Nine Realms. His magic is powerful—his invisibility and disguise spells are second to none. He tricks me all the time. It's normal that ordinary people wouldn't see him."
"If he doesn't want to be seen, your eyes won't see him," Thor added.
"I see…" Fury kept his expression neutral but immediately filed that information away.
The strongest mage in the Nine Realms.
Whether or not that was just Thor exaggerating, it didn't matter—Loki was clearly dangerous. Skilled in concealment and illusion magic, able to bypass security unnoticed.
That was a serious problem.
Fury made a mental note: Install infrared surveillance at the facility immediately.
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