Wow. Not even a minute in and I was starting to second-guess myself about bringing Tony along. Then again, his chaotic nature might actually work to my advantage, if I manage to leverage it properly against Odin's Court, that is. If I've known him for close to three years now (disregarding the two decades that I knew him through comicbook pages and cinema screens) and still get baffled at what comes out of that madman's mouth at times, then I imagine the Asgardians will be even more flabbergasted.
A man can hope, after all.
Besides, taking only Thor would've left the rest of the Avengers feeling as if I'd sort of kidnapped their strongest member which might have led to friction further down the line, something that I just didn't want to deal with.
Stepping to the front of the group (shooting Tony a disapproving glance which he either didn't notice or simply disregarded completely), I look towards the golden-clad warrior who thankfully hadn't reacted to Tony's words beyond a slightly raised eyebrow.
I'm guessing he has watched enough of what has been going on on Midgard that this isn't the first time he's seen Tony's mind at work, though I imagine it's still somewhat different from actually experiencing the man's sheer personality in person.
"Greetings, Heimdall! Let us not waste any time then. Will you be leading the way?"
Swirling orange eyes slowly track towards my own, before Asgard's Watcher dips his head in agreement.
"No doubt my Prince still remembers the way, but it was deemed more… appropriate, if you were given a proper guide to the Palace." He rumbles.
From what I can pick up from the minds behind me, I'm not the only one who caught the information Heimdall slipped in that single sentence. Prince, singular, and I was willing to bet half of Othrys' vaults that he wasn't referring to Loki, making the Frost Giant's position within Asgard perfectly clear. However, that didn't mean that Odin's remaining recognized son wasn't in hot water himself either, considering that his father demanded an escort to bring us to his palace, despite it being both hard to miss and Thor's home for the past thousand years.
Thankfully, it seemed that Thor wasn't completely disgraced yet, considering only Heimdall was to escort us instead of an armed guard. What that meant for Loki though, I couldn't see. The fact that he would appear in Odin's Hall unshackled could mean that there was still a chance for redemption for him, or it could simply mean that Odin thought himself powerful enough clasping his youngest in irons was useless as he could simply smite him on the spot.
Considering Odin's pretty abysmal parenting record so far, it could go either way really.
Judging by the grimace on Loki's face, similar thoughts were going through his mind as well.
"I understand. My thanks. While I'm sure Asgard is a marvelous place, I wouldn't want to get lost in its beauty and risk keeping its ruler waiting." I say with a grin, though judging from Heimdall's unimpressed expression, my rather blunt attempt at flattery fell flat on its face.
"Indeed." The Watcher simply replied, casting one long look over everyone present, before turning on his heel and stalking down the long length of the remaining Bifrost, moving swiftly towards Asgard proper.
Without much of a choice, my group hurried after him, quickly catching up to the great warrior as it wasn't only Loki that was glad to put some more distance between the endless Ginnungagap and themselves. Thor of course still felt guilt over his own role in why the fabled Rainbow Bridge suddenly ended in jagged pieces, not to mention his own bad memories of what had gone down here just before and after the act. As for the rest of the group, while the starry night extending infinitely in all directions was admittedly awe-inspiring in its raw beauty, there's only so long you can stand on the edge of the world before you start to get nervous about falling off.
As the marred end of the Bifrost started to get further and further away, our group closed in on the home of the Norse gods with barely any talk save for some whispered comments amongst ourselves, often pointing out some fascinating feature of the Asgardian landscape (and including Thor softly muttering under his breath "Just… don't look down" to his brother, who merely grunted in response).
Heimdall, however, remained silent, merely looking straight ahead towards our destination, something that was steadily getting on Tony's nerves, judging by the gleam that was growing in his eye and the way his mind began racing.
I could feel before he moved to act and briefly debated on whether or not to stop him, before deciding to wait and see how this played out. It could give me some insight into what I should expect when we're faced with Odin's entourage and Heimdall, while highly respected, wasn't high up enough on Asgard's totem pole that if he were truly offended by Tony's words, we would get kicked back to Midgard immediately.
At least, I hope he isn't.
Besides, if Tony makes a fool of himself, then it wouldn't have to necessarily have to reflect negatively on me, considering that Othrys and Avengers, while allies (nominally at least), are two very different and distinct organizations. If anything, any cultural offence on Tony's part would badly reflect on Thor. His fondness for Midgard (and one Midgardian in particular) already wasn't exactly popular amongst his kind, meaning that Tony acting out would only reinforce his people's beliefs that the Prince's new circle of friends made for poor company.
Surprisingly, Thor proves himself savvy enough to have thought along the same lines, as his eyes go wide and he takes a step towards Tony, hand stretched out to pull the Iron Man back, but it's already to late as the genius inventor has sped up to where he's walking besides the stoic Heimdall.
"So… you're Heimdall?" he begins, sounding as nonchalant as can be.
As I'm walking directly behind him, I can't see Heimdall's expression, but his mind is far less shielded than Thor's and it isn't difficult to pick up his weary resignation.
"Indeed I am."
"Huh. You know, you're not what I expected."
Heimdall only barely manages to suppress a sigh.
"How so?"
"Well, I mean isn't it obvious? You do know we used to tell stories about you guys, right?"
"I have Seen the stories told from the time Sturluson first wrote them down, yes."
"Right. So, I have to ask… 'the whitest of all the gods'? What's up with that then?"
A shocked silence falls over our group, before a mortified Pepper (who rather interestingly seems to simultaneously turn as white as a sheet and as red as a tomato) hissed out a desperate "Tony!".
Looking over his shoulder with a barely suppressed grin, Tony adopts a painfully fake innocent expression.
"What? We were all thinking it, I'm just saying it."
"Oh my God Tony, you can't just ask people why they aren't white!"
As the exchange occurs, Thor's sadly outstretched hand is slowly retracted to rest over his face instead, as the Prince closes his eyes with a softly muttered "oh god." Loki, meanwhile, is grinning like a loon, probably the first genuine expression I've seen on him since I portalled him out of his SHIELD prison cell.
As our party has come to a halt, Heimdall slowly turns to face down Tony, who rather admirably manages to keep looking straight into the Watcher's heavy gaze. After a painfully long silence, Heimdall lets out a deep sigh.
"While your people have written much about my kin, these were not all fist hand accounts. Very few are, considering we often arrived in Midgard solely for war, in order to protect your kind when you lacked the strength to do so yourselves. As such, we did not interact much, most of us leaving as soon as the battle was won. Consequently, while your people might have known about me, no Midgardian had ever actually seen me."
"So then who told us about you… oh." Tony softly trails off as we all turn towards a now audibly snickering Loki.
"Apparently, someone thought it was funny to describe me rather… inaccurately." Heimdall says in a long suffering tone, though Loki merely grins back.
"It is funny." He smoothly responds back, smile still firmly on his face.
"No joke remains funny after you've heard it told for a thousand years." Heimdall responds somewhat irritated, though if Loki cares at all, he doesn't show it, merely shrugging nonchalantly.
"Wait, if Loki was the one who influenced the writing of the Edda… then why… I mean, with the… you know… birthing… stuff." Jane pipes up, though she slowly trails off as she glances at the scowling Frost Giant, embarrassment coloring her cheeks crimson.
"That I didn't come up with. Someone told those lies about me!" he says in an affronted tone.
Briefly, the group is silent, before we hear muffled laughter… coming from the god standing next to Loki, who turns to face his brother with wide open eyes.
"You know what? You're right: it is funny." Thor says with a big goofy grin as he looks at Loki, who's still looking at him in sheer disbelief.
"That… I… honestly, I would be proud if it weren't for all this unyielding indignation." The Frost Giant mutters.
There's some more banter, the mood now significantly lighter than before, with both Loki and even Heimdall looking less severe than they had before, making me shoot a thoughtful glance towards the grinning Tony, once again evaluating my somewhat impulsive decision to let him tag along.
Seems Iron Man's (in)famous personality might indeed end up working in my favor.
As for Loki's revelation that he has been feeding the Midgardians stories (or, rather, lies) about his people, it actually explains quite a lot. Most importantly, how humans knew about Hela's existence whereas her own younger brother was completely unaware of her existence.
Or even the fact that in this universe she was the firstborn daughter of Odin, whereas in the Edda she's Loki's daughter. It's not hard to picture a young Loki, out on exploration through all of Asgard's hidden nooks and crannies and stumbling across forbidden knowledge that Odin has kept locked away and suppressed for millennia. Considering how effective Hela had been purged from her own people's memories, there'd likely be very little left, probably not much more than just her name and domain. Perhaps some of her allies, such as the great wolf Fenrir.
And young Loki, probably already feeling out of place in his adopted home of burly warriors, feeling slighted or inadequate compared to his adored sibling, in an act of rebellion steals the scraps of knowledge he found and decides to stick it to his old man by utilizing them for one of his most daring pranks: to take this hidden knowledge and make it public to the world!
Except of course, he can't safely do that in Asgard itself. Aside from Heimdall's watchful gaze there's his own father's power to consider. Nothing in the realm of the Aesir occurs without its King knowing about it, in some cases even before it's happened. Not to mention by then Loki probably already has built a reputation for himself: once rumors start spreading containing knowledge that had been lost and locked away for millenia, it wouldn't be long before people would start pointing fingers. At him.
They so often did, after all.
The Vanir are close allies to Asgard and Thor and his companions visit there often as it is the home of Hogun the Grim, so that Realm is out as well. For much the same reason the Dwarves of Nidavellir are out and on Niflheim and Svartalfheim there simply isn't anyone to tell the stories to. And while he may be a rebellious teenager and a God of Lies, he isn't so far gone (yet) that he's willing to aid Asgard's enemies by giving them secret information so Muspelheim and Jotunheim are out as well.
And even Loki, who has traveled across nearly every branch of the Yggdrasil itself as if he were the next coming of Ratatoskr, couldn't find fabled Alfheim, which meant that one world, one people, were left.
The humans of Midgard.
And if these humans were to ask him about these mighty figures that he had found, this Goddess of Death and this great wolf said to eat the mountains and drink the seas, then why would he not claim them for his own? It wasn't as if they could call his bluff, so he made them his children and to further spite his father he told the mortals about Ragnarok, the end of Gods and how his son Fenrir would be the one to strike down Odin in Asgard's final moments.
By the time the stories had spread enough that they caught Heimdall's attention, enough time would have passed that Loki could make a fair argument that it wasn't him who had given them this knowledge, but that it must have evolved like this over time. Like a game of telephone but one spanning both countries and centuries. Besides, Odin was unlikely to order another large-scale expedition to Midgard solely to tell them to get their stories straight.
And even if he were, what could he possibly tell them? The truth? Then there would have been no point in keeping all that knowledge hidden for so long. And if he didn't give them an alternative to replace their apparently inaccurate stories with, then the humans would simply cling to that which they did know.
No, Odin would've been aggravated for sure, but would see that the best course was to simply ignore it, so as to draw as little attention to the Midgardian's tales about Asgard, its history and its future. At least that way, he could keep his own people from looking too deeply at the silly tales the humans were telling each other and starting to ask themselves (and him) some rather difficult questions.
I could find out for certain by using a similar method of simultaneous use of the Mind and Time Stone like I had done with Eitri to show him what I had seen in his future, but to be honest I was rather wary to try and attempt something like that for something so relatively minor as verifying the discrepancies in our Poetic and Prose Eddas. It wasn't just the fact that Loki was likely to be very adept at the Mind Arts himself (as they formed a pretty significant part of most Illusion Magic, not to mention his own status as a Prince of Asgard and student of Frigga herself, who taught Odin everything she knew), but rather…
Well, to be somewhat blunt about it, his mind was somewhat… messed up. Not to the likes of Captain Marvel, or Jessica's mother Aisha, but still.
Dude had been through a lot.
Best not to touch minds with someone like that when you've got a meeting with one of the most powerful beings in the Nine Realms coming up, who just so happens to be the (adopted) father of said someone.
Instead, I turned towards Heimdall, indicating the still far-off Palace with a slight nod of my head.
"Shall we continue?" I rumble.
Asgard's Watcher gives Loki one last exasperated look before turning towards me and nodding in return.
"Very well. Follow me."
And so we set off towards Asgard's Court.
Surprisingly, entering Valaskjálf (which roughly, and rather ominously, translates to Shelf of the Dead), the Hall where Odin resides on his throne Hliðskjálf from where Odin "looked out over the whole world and saw every man's acts, and knew all things which he saw" (Sturluson's words, not mine), was relatively easy.
In fact, entering Odin's personal Hall turned out to be an easier affair than actually getting to the Palace itself. Mostly this was due to the fact that Asgardians are apparently quite a nosey bunch and we had to go through several crowded areas on our way to the Royal Family's house as more and more civilians turned out to gawk at all these newcomers, to scowl at their traitorous Prince and to cheer for their heroic Crown Prince. This in turn meant that the Eihenjar were quickly assembled to clear a path for us, standing stoic and silent as they kept the swelling crowds at bay, allowing us free passage on the wide roads.
Which in the end didn't really improve our speed all that much, as Thor couldn't quite overcome his own homesickness and joyfully (and personally) addressed many of the onlookers, clasping hands or calling out greetings, smiling broadly the whole time.
Honestly, while Loki was somewhat justified in thinking the deck had been stacked against him from the start due to his skill in lying and focus on magic over martial arts and that it had been his heritage that had kept him back from ascending to the Throne, it wasn't difficult to see why the people (and Odin) preferred Thor as King over him.
You just needed to look at the tall blond recalling what must be hundreds of names and calling out a personal greeting to each and every single fan and even smiling and joyfully reciprocating well wishes and cheers from those who he didn't know and it became pretty clear that the Crown Prince was a natural at this.
While Loki could certainly act smooth and suave when he had a need to, he simply lacked the natural, easygoing charisma of his brother.
Unfortunately, said easygoing charisma meant that we were moving at a snail's pace, until we finally left the main roads of Asgard behind us as we began ascending the massive stairs of the palace itself.
Sadly, this wasn't without complications of its own, and what was worse was that this time the disturber of the peace wasn't someone out of the Avenger's camp for once.
"Hey Thor!"
"Yes, Darcy?"
"Why does your home look like a pipe organ? Does it make music? Cause, that'd be, like… really loud, probably. Cause that's a big as hell organ."
"... It is not an organ."
"Well, how would you know? You're an alien right, who knows if you know what a human organ looks like? I mean, a human made organ, pretty sure warrior-type guys like you know pretty well what us squishy people look like from the inside-"
Before the perky assistant can continue, Thor whirls around, bringing the party to a stop as he hastily, but firmly, cuts her babbling off.
"Yes, I do know what people's organs look like, though part of that is just basic biology classes from school. Yes, I know what a Midgardian pipe organ looks like, we have several such instruments on Asgard as well, though their use is not widespread."
Stepping closer and placing one massive hand on the short girl's shoulder, Thor's gaze and tone of voice become slightly desperate.
"And Darcy? Please don't tell my father, the Protector of the Nine Realms himself, ruler of all of Asgard and one of the most powerful beings in existence, that his home looks like an overgrown music instrument?"
"But it does!"
"Even if you think that, please just don't tell him." Thor asked in a pleading tone.
"Fine. Fine, because you're Jane's boy-toy and because you have weirdly effective puppy eyes."
"Thank you, Darcy-"
"So I'll promise to try and not mention the superobvious. But other than that, no promises."
"..."
"Honestly brother, I don't know why you expected anything else."
"Don't you dare start as well."
Thor looked between an innocent looking Darcy and a devilishly grinning Loki, before apparently recognizing when a battle is hopeless, judging by his deep sigh and the way he sadly shakes his head as he turns away from the two maniacs and looks towards his ancestral home again, preparing to lead us up the final flight of stairs.
Just as he makes the first step though, he completely freezes in his motions when from behind him pipes up a young voice in an innocent question.
"Hey, do you think your dad is overcompensating for something, building a massive organ like that?"
"Now there's a thought…" a cultured voice immediately answers in a considering tone.
I hide my smile as Thor seems to sink in on himself, his face drawn as he softly mutters under his strength.
"Ancestors, give me strength… and a bottle of apsirin, that'd be nice too."
But after all that, after we had finally left the crowds and the shenanigans behind us, we stood before the pearly gates. Or in this case, the platinum-gold alloy clad massive double doors inlaid with silver and precious gems and richly decorated with scenes of battle and scrolls of twisting runework.
Sheathing his golden sword, Heimdall nods to the two guards on either side of the door as he steps closer, placing his hands against the massive gate as he braces himself. Thick muscles bulge and with a show of strength, the enormous slabs of reinforced wood and metal smoothly swing open, creating a deep rumbling sound that I'm fairly sure is artificial.
I highly doubt Odin (or Frigga) would be content with a rusty/squeaky front door and despite the immense weight of each door, I don't think the hinges are even remotely strained. The same thing applies to the various gates and vault doors in Othrys, though they lack the complimentary soundtrack.
Hmm… something to keep in mind. Phineas would probably love to install something like that and it did add a certain ambiance to it all.
And then I had to disregard any thought towards home decorating, because while I had been musing, our party had been steadily moving forwards down the impressive length of the Hall, to where on a raised dais stood an immense throne seemingly made out of solid gold and the finest craftsmanship in the universe. More pressingly, however, was the man who sat on said throne, a cloak of sheer power and authority almost visibly settling heavily around still broad shoulders, even as a single blue eye gazed piercingly towards us from beneath a snow white mane of hair.
Odin All-Father, Gungir in hand, sits upon his throne as he stares us down, his face an impassive mask.
A stark contrast to the figure who's standing next to him, somehow managing to appear both regal and motherly at the same time, with a warm, lined face with eyes that seem to permanently smile.
Frigga, the Wisest of the Nine Realms, Queen of Asgard and all around badass lady, stands next to her husband watching the return of her sons, her hands clasped in front of her as bright blue eyes search us with curiosity clear to see.
I'm not the only one who notices that her eyes linger the longest on both her sons and a nervous looking Jane Foster, the Queen's smile widening as she glances at the scientist.
As we cross the last few dozen meters, I notice that the Hall is surprisingly empty, considering Asgard's Crown Prince, Most Wanted (and incidentally its second Prince) and a foreign King are visiting. The only other people present are the Warriors Three and Lady Sif, who are standing off to the side in one of the ante-chambers, whereas several other groups of Asgardians seem huddled together at random points throughout the massive hall.
Most likely nobles or officials in Asgard's government, here to oversee Loki's trial and write it down or something.
All in all, I'd reckon there's less than 50 people here, not counting the guards, who are in surprisingly small numbers as well. There's one every three columns the size of redwood trees on both sides of the aisle, coming up to roughly two dozen guards, if not less.
Then again, that's a bit more understandable, considering that between Odin and Frigga, the Warriors Three and Lady Sif and Heimdall, the strongest people in Asgard are already concentrated in one spot. And of that group, Odin probably accounts for half of its strength already, if not more, so an extensive squad of guards would just be a waste of manpower.
It's not like the Eihenjar really pose a threat to me at this point after all, even should they show up in full force (I'd likely be able to repeat Hela's wholesale slaughter upon her arrival back home, though with less swords and more punching), though the old King is probably keeping several cohorts on standby in order to throw at my companions as he deals with me personally.
Not that I'm willing to let it come to that. I'd rather prevent a confrontation from happening in the first place, but if the use of force turns out to be inevitable, then a Power Stone-enhanced Meteor Fist to the floor (probably destabilizing the entire Palace and likely throwing back Odin and his whole army) followed by a brisk Tesseract jump to Othrys with all my allies tucked safely underneath my arms would immediately follow.
I'm not fighting a man like the Allfather on his own turf, thankyouverymuch.
Before talks can begin however, introductions need to be made, which seems to be Heimdall's task as he has been appointed as our guide. Following Thor's lead, we all come to a halt as Heimdall walks a little bit further, bowing his head towards his King and Queen.
"Hail, King Odin! As requested, your guests have arrived! I present to you, Prince Thor Odinson and his allies, who call themselves the Avengers, a group of honorable warriors. I also present the Sorcerer Supreme of Midgard, King Hyperion of Othrys and his allies, citizens of his kingdom and staunch companions. They are accompanied by the wanted criminal Loki."
I once again note the rather ambiguous way he talks about the resident Frost Giant. No surname, meaning no Odinson like Thor, but no Laufeyson as well, and he wasn't explicitly referred to as our prisoner, merely a criminal.
Interesting.
Of course, I'm not the only one who picks up on this. I can see Odin narrowing his eye, though Frigga's smile widens minutely and she gives a barely perceptible nod towards Asgard's Watcher, who doesn't seem to outwardly react.
Apparently, Loki still has an ally in the Asgardian court it would seem.
Thor briefly looks to his fellow Avengers, muttering a soft "please, let me deal with my father", receiving a firm nod from Steve and (after a not too subtle elbow to the side) a reluctant one from Tony. Nodding in thanks, the prince steps forwards, holding his head high as he approaches the dais. Thor sinks to a knee as he places Mjolnir on the floor, bowing his head towards his parents. I allow him to go first for several reasons. The primary one being that, as he's the returning Prince, it's only proper decorum that he addresses the Royal Court first. Besides, the (relatively speaking) young man hasn't seen his parents in over a year, during which he almost died and they had to protect the peace in the Nine Realms without a way to efficiently transport their peacekeeping force.
It's no wonder he's eager to talk to them again.
Besides, by letting the Avengers play out their bit first, I can hopefully get more insight into Odin and Frigga and learn how to better influence them, since I can already tell from here their minds are impressively shielded, to the point it'd take the full might of the Mind Stone to look in on their thoughts.
So, it's information gathering the old fashioned way then.
"Hail father! I have returned from my quest to defend Midgard and capture Loki!" he begins, and though his voice is strong, he can't quite mask his nervousness.
"Hmm. It is good you tell me this, my son, or I would not have been sure. After all, despite claiming that he is now your prisoner, your charge is neither muzzled, nor is he in chains." Odin muses in a hard voice and though Frigga's lips thin at her husband's words, she doesn't go against them.
Thor visibly winces before looking his father in the eye.
"During my long absence, certain matters have come to light. I now feel it would have been unjust to constrain him so severely. Besides, uh, well, we left in a hurry so there wasn't really any time to pick up the muzzle and stuff…" Thor trails off, shooting a glance my way which I politely pretend not to see.
'Oh no, young man, you are not throwing me under the bus for this!' I think to myself as I look on with the others.
Odin leans back on his great throne, one hand coming up to briefly stroke his immaculate beard, before he fixes his son with a heavy look.
"New matters you say. Apparently of such a nature that you feel my orders, the orders of your father, of your King, are unjust? I would very much like to hear what these 'matters' are then." Odin eventually responds as a dangerous edge creeps into his voice.
Thor manages to maintain his composure this time, though he does look somewhat confused.
"Ah, forgive me, but I thought… I'd just assumed that Heimdall would've told you already. Considering… well, that's what he does, right?" the prince says haltingly, looking towards Asgard's Watcher, who in turn glances towards his King, apparently silently asking permission to speak.
Instead, Odin leans forwards on his throne again, the butt of Gugnir slamming against the tiled floor with a deafening sound that reverberates throughout every corner of Valaskjálf with an unnatural loudness and an unsettlingly deep echo.
Permission denied, it seems.
In the silence following the small display of power, Odin's strong voice is easily heard.
"I'd like to hear it from you."
Thor swallows nervously, before steeling himself and launching himself into a tale of what has happened since his father sent him down to Midgard. Finding Loki already beaten down and briefly clashing with the Avengers over the misunderstanding that they had been the ones to brutalize him so, before allying with them against the invasion of the Chitauri. How Loki had managed to escape SHIELD custody in order to lead the Invasion forces, leading to yet another beat down at the hands of the Hulk this time.
And his subsequent years spent in one of SHIELD's most secure cells as Thor tried to keep reaching out to his now utterly defeated brother. While the Frost Giant had been obstinate and taciturn, he had slowly, bit by bit, opened up to his adopted brother over the course of months, answering the most important question Thor just kept on asking him.
Why?
Why the attack on Midgard? Why work with the Chitauri, or for Thanos? And even further back, why his misguided attack on Jotunheim?
Why try to commit suicide by throwing himself into the endless depths of Ginnungagap?
When the Frost Giant had finally cracked and answered his brother's desperate questions, it had been quite an emotional moment between the two, with a lot of shouting and tears involved and I couldn't help but feel somewhat dirty as I looked on through SHIELD's cameras.
In front of the Court however, Thor was willing to protect what remained of Loki's dignity and merely tried to present Loki's answers and motivations to his parents.
Why attack Jotunheim? For the same reason that Thor had done so, to win their father's approval and their people's love. Loki simply would have been more effective at it than his brother (and in a way still was, as the damage done meant that Jotunheim was still recovering and probably would be for decades to come).
Why throw himself into Ginnnungagap? Where else could he go? He knew that only a lifetime imprisonment awaited him in Asgard now, and he adamantly refused to spend the next couple of thousand years merely staring at the same walls. If he were to meet his end, it would be on his terms.
Why ally himself with the Chitauri, or rather, with Thanos? Simple. When one comes across the likes of Thanos, one doesn't exactly get a choice in who they ally with. Which led to the most important reveal: that Loki had been manipulated into attacking Earth by the Mad Titan.
Part of it had been good old-fashioned torture, part of it had been Thanos talking in on the troubled Frost Giant's mind, fanning the flames of desperation and rage that had already steadily been growing. And part of that was simply chaining Loki's will to his own through the power of the Mind Stone.
Loki hadn't been a puppet like he had turned Selvig and Barton into, but an argument could be made that part of the blame for his invasion could be laid at the feet of Thanos who had pointed the troubled Prince in Midgard's direction.
As to why he continued with the Invasion even after his beatdown at my hands had broken Thanos' mental hold over him? The same reason why he had hurled himself into Ginnungagap instead of allowing himself to be taken prisoner. Succeeding in the Invasion, becoming King of Midgard, was the only course he felt he had left.
Additionally, if he did end up ruling Midgard, and ruled it well, then maybe it could accomplish what his destruction of Jotunheim couldn't: prove to his father that he was capable of ruling.
That he was worthy of Odin's respect.
After finally talking all of this out, Loki had slowly begun to open up to his brother, which included passing on what little he knew of Thanos and his forces to Thor and his allies. Sadly, as he had been locked up and tortured for most of his time in Sanctuary, Loki couldn't reveal anything that I didn't already know.
He couldn't even give an accurate location for Sanctuary, as he was transported from there to Earth through Tesseract-travel, meaning he had very little reference to go off.
And after all that, after having spent nearly a year in solitary confinement in a SHIELD blacksite that officially didn't even exist, Hell Week happened and he was conscripted to fight against devils and demons alongside his brother, though under constant supervision of the Ancient One.
Thor made sure to stress how valuable Loki had been in the fight, mentioning multiple times how his brother had saved his life by pushing him out of the way of a vaporizing beam. He also stressed that, after Hell Week had been ended thanks to mine and Sterns' efforts, Loki had returned to his cell with very little fuss and that as far as the Ancient One could tell when she took his magical monitoring bracelet, he hadn't attempted to tamper with the spell in any way beyond simple observation.
As suspected, Odin's face remained completely unreadably, and neither he nor the Queen showcased any surprise during Thor's lengthy tale (though Frigga did smile widely at her adopted son when Thor mentioned Loki saving his life), meaning that Heimdall had indeed told them most of this already.
Finally, Thor was done, slowly rising to his feet as he looked towards his parents.
"Odin… father. My brother has committed great crimes, that cannot be denied. But I feel that neither should the roles that others have played in these acts be denied as well! My brother has suffered much already, and risked more in aiding me in protecting Midgard from both Dormammu and Mephisto, saving my life! On his behalf… I would ask you for leniency. Please. Judge him mercifully." Thor says in a heartfelt plea.
Unable to keep quiet any longer, Steve Rogers steps forwards, fearlessly looking towards the Protector of the Nine Realms.
"King Odin. Yes, Loki was our enemy, bringing destruction to our world. But after his defeat he has been reasonably cooperative, neither attempting to escape or harm anyone else and if it weren't for his aid during Hell Week, Earth would have lost one of its greatest defenders, which might have meant the end of humanity altogether. That, as well as his trauma before his attack, is something that the Avengers feel cannot be overlooked. We too would petition for mercy, to give him a chance to redeem himself. Vengeance serves no one here." the soldier's voice called out, clear and unwavering.
Leave it to the man who was ready to give his life for his long lost brother to be willing to see the good in Loki of all people, the Frost Giant looking somewhat surprised at the Avenger's words and doing a surprisingly bad job of hiding it.
Either that, or I've just become more perceptive. Perhaps both.
"Well, I mean he did throw be through a window, but whatever apparently." Tony mutters under his breath, only placated by Pepper's hand softly resting on his arm.
There's a long, considering silence in Odin's Hall as he looks from his son, to Loki and finally his wife. An unspoken conversation occurs between the two of them, made possible through millennia of familiarity and I'm pretty sure they already know what the other is thinking before Odin turns back towards our group.
"By your own account, his crimes against Midgard might not have been committed entirely out of his own will, even though he chose to continue aiding his new master instead of surrendering. Even so, he acted honorably in defending Midgard in a later incursion and his deeds during this so-called "Hell Week" have been taken into consideration. However, Asgard still remembers the offences he has committed here, none of which can be considered light. And for those, as addled as it might have been, his mind was still his own."
"Father, I-!"
Thor is cut off when Gungnir once again slams into the palace floor, silencing the young prince as Odin fixes him in place with a stern look.
"I'm willing to let Midgard judge him on the acts committed against them. If the Avengers feel that a year of imprisonment and the aid against a common threat suffice as penance, then so be it. But Asgard has yet to enforce its own judgement against Loki. Had it not been for his acts on Midgard, and for certain kinder elements at court, that judgement would've been a lifetime imprisonment. As it stands…"
Odin slowly trails off, before his one-eyed glare slowly moves from Thor to Loki, for the first time since our group entered, truly looking at his second son. His gaze remains stern and forbidding, but as he looks at the lithe form of Loki, something else enters his eye.
A look of pain… and remorse.
"Tell me… what do you have to say for yourself? So many people have suffered… so many people have died… for what? Recognition? Respect? Was it worth it?" Odin slowly says and for the first time his voice shows his true age.
Loki is silent for a long moment, his lips thinning and face stormy.
"What was it for? The fact that you even need to ask shows how little you truly know me, oh Odin Allfather. How little you care." the prince spits mockingly and for the first time Odin shows true rage, his face taking on a dark expression.
"You think I do not care? It is because I care, that your betrayal has hurt Asgard so! Has hurt your mother, has hurt me! We gave you everything! Love! A home! And yet, it wasn't enough, for you needed a throne as well!"
Loki isn't one to back down though, both sides now releasing feelings that have been steadily building for more than a year as the Frost Giant steps forwards.
"And whose fault is that! Who told me that I had what it takes to become King?! Who raised two boys, brothers, to aspire for a single crown?! I was willing to do everything to prove you right! To win your respect, to show that I was worthy! Who was it who filled my head with those lies?! Who was it that pushed me to train until my magic was spent and my bones cracked?! And it wasn't enough! Never, not once, have you told me you were proud of me. Even when I did what Thor could not, when I did what you have done in all those stories we were raised on, you couldn't bring yourself to say it!" Loki screams, his eyes teary now and Odin springs to his feet, power welling like a massive wave around him.
The response of the others in the Hall to such a massive surge of sheer power is immediate. Tony's hands are covered in his Iron Man gloves similar to what he used against the Winter Soldier in but a flash as he pushes Pepper to stand behind him. Cap's shield falls into his hand with a smooth notion which goes fast enough I barely even manage to catch it. The Ancient One doesn't react but her eyes snap towards Odin's towering statue with unnatural focus as to her side Harper merely grips the futuristic handcannon tucked in the back of his belt, though thankfully he doesn't draw it yet. Sam's hand is in his pocket and through the outline of his faded jeans I can clearly see that he's grabbing his screwdriver in the right.
The only people in our group who don't outwardly react are Loki and I, albeit it for different reasons. Loki probably has simply given up entirely, whereas I... well, to be perfectly honest, I don't really care, considering I have more pressing matters to attend to than Asgardian family drama.
For a moment, it seems as if the King of Asgard is about to strike down his rebellious son right then and there, and I can see Thor move closer to Loki as he grabs Mjolnir tightly in his hand, a pained look of desperation on his face, just as Frigga moves swiftly towards her husband's side, moving through the well of power with startling ease.
Even Loki seems to grasp the full extent of Odin's wrath as the mighty King stares him down, but he instead merely closes his eyes and bows his head, waiting for that final blow… which never comes.
After a few long, tense moments, Odin's rage seems to leave him as the pressure we all felt recedes back again. His posture slumps somewhat and as he now stares at his youngest, the earlier rage is now replaced solely by regret.
"They were no lies, Loki. You were capable of being King. A throne awaited you, merely not the throne here on Asgard. It was my mistake, to not tell you of your true heritage sooner, to include you in my most ambitious plan for true, everlasting peace yet. Peace between the Kings of Asgard and Jotunheim, for they would see each other as kin. As brothers. You would have been a shining example for your people, Loki. You could have led them in one of the strongest alliances they have ever known, lead them out from their dying world and into a new Golden Age and ensure peace with Asgard for millennia to come. But… we couldn't. We loved you too much, saw you as our own flesh and blood, we couldn't tell you the truth, make you feel as if you were an outcast. And an outcast you would be if the other Asgardians knew a Frost Giant was being raised as a Prince at their own Royal Court. And then you grew older, and still realized that you were too different. You began acting out, yet still we loved you too much to see what you were becoming, what our own blindness was turning you into. How you could never be the instrument of peace and prosperity that I had destined you to be from the day that I found you."
Loki's jaw is clenched and a couple of tears are leaking down his cheeks as he stares at his now tired looking father, who slowly sinks back into his throne again, a teary-eyed Frigga placing a delicate hand on his broad shoulder.
"You had no need to make me proud, Loki. I have always been proud of you." Odin softly finishes.
Silence reigns over the Hall as we look in on the family drama playing out, though Odin is looking far off into the distance at something only he can see. He's shaken from his thoughts as Frigga softly squeezes his shoulder. As he looks up at her, she raises an eyebrow and after a moment deliberation, he gives her a slow nod, prompting a wide smile from his Queen.
Looking towards us, she takes a step forward, calling out in a clear voice.
"Let it be known that the fate of Loki shall be decided after further debate. In the interim, he shall be confined to his old quarters and placed under constant guard, though he may make requests for any amenities that he should require, within reason."
Here, the Queen sends a firm, knowing look towards her son, who's too busy looking absolutely baffled to really even notice it.
"The first day of his trial shall take place one week from now and Loki may either appoint a defendant or choose to defend himself. Until that time, he shall not be placed in chains, nor shall he be muzzled." she continues, shooting a disapproving look towards Odin, who merely looks away from her.
Turning back towards her sons, she smiles broadly as she gestures to the side of the massive hall, indicating the antechamber where the Warriors Three (and Lady Sif) have been watching the proceedings with rapt attention.
"Please, stand with your fellows as we continue with the Court proceedings. Tonight, there shall be a feast and we will speak more." the Queen says towards the Avengers, eyes once again lingering on Jane with a curious expression, making it clear just who Frigga wishes to discuss with her sons.
Honestly, this is probably the best outcome that Loki could've hoped for, considering until now he likely thought his chances were split between either being smote (smited?) on the spot or a lifelong imprisonment in Asgard's dungeons (not that the latter was completely off the table, but still).
As the group slowly walked off, Thor greeting his friends with a massive, seemingly permanent grin fixed on his face while his brother stands like a subdued shadow behind him, the Royal couple turned their attention towards my own group.
"Approach, Hyperion. You and I have much to discuss." Odin eventually says, his expression once again an inscrutable mask.
I take a step forward and though I offer the Allfather a respectful bow, I don't drop to a knee like Thor had done. I was King in my own right and Sorcerer Supreme to boot. While I acknowledged Odin's strength, that didn't mean I recognized him as my superior.
"Hail Odin! As you can see, upon receiving your gracious invitation, I came to Asgard with all due haste, even bringing both of your sons with me." I respond with an easy smile, trying to get things started off the right foot.
"Indeed. Though that begs the question as to why you have not returned them to me sooner, instead choosing to wait a full year in order to do so." Odin immediately shoots back.
So much for starting things well it seems.
Straightening and schooling my expression to be more determined and neutral, I respond in a strong voice, refusing to be intimidated.
"It is only because I recently discovered how to use this method of travel safely, King Odin. It wouldn't do to expose the Princes of Asgard to untested energies, now would it?"
"Yet your method of travel is hardly untested. You may have only recently incorporated the Tesseract into your own arsenal, Hyperion, but it has been in your possession for over a year now." Odin responds, his voice once again growing sterner.
"Indeed it has. It had to be kept safe, studied and utilized in the way that it would benefit humanity the most." I respond coolly.
"Hoarding objects of unimaginable power for yourself is the way humanity benefits most? Even if that were to be true, something that I severely doubt, then what of the fact that these objects do not belong to you? Or, what of the fact that the Bifrost has been broken for a year now, leaving Asgard unable to keep the peace in the Nine Realms, allowing chaos and war to come to our allies?" Odin shoots back, definitely frustrated now.
"Forgive me, King Odin, but since when has it been Midgard's task of fixing Asgard's mistake? For millennia you have defended those who could not do so themselves and for that Midgard is in your debt. However, the destruction of the Bifrost was your own sons' doing. I am more than willing to repair the Rainbow Bridge for you, but do not pretend that I had to drop everything I was doing in the defense of humanity to rush to your aid and undo the damage you yourself are responsible for."
"Take care of how you speak, Hyperion. You stand in my Hall and you are on thin ice already. The warnings King Eitri gave you were no idle threat: the power you have been hoarding could very well be your undoing and with it bring doom to your entire world." Odin cautions me with a dark expression on his face as his grip tightens around Gugnir.
"You caution me against the power of the Infinity Stones, yet you know what fate awaits all life in the universe if they were to fall in the wrong hands-"
"And how do you know your own hands are not the wrong ones themselves? If you truly wished to safeguard all life as you say, then gathering them all is not necessary, merely hiding them away would have sufficed-"
"What, and just leave them lying around for someone else to find? Because clearly, that policy has been working out so well for Asgard. Such as the Tesseract, oh, wait-"
"You dare mock me? What gives you the right? You have scored great victories against terrible evils, yes that cannot be denied, but do not pretend that you fought them for the sake of Good! Everything that you have done so far, all of this power that you have gathered and yet barely can control, all of it was for the selfish pursuit of power!"
"And who are you to judge me for it? I know Asgard's history, better even than your own people because I have seen that which you've made them forget. Do not pretend that you were any better than me in your youth!"
"Why is that I caution you now? It is because I acted as you do during my youth! I have seen the path you walk, Hyperion, and I have seen what awaits you at its end. You are still young, in a manner of speaking. It is not too late to abandon it: to discard this sick fever that has taken hold of your heart and mind and instead to become the hero that you merely pretend to be. Do not destroy yourself any more than you have."
My nostrils flare as my eyes begin burning with light and heat.
"I would not have a need to if you had acted sooner. How long have you known of Thanos' plans for the universe? How long have you known of the location of most, if not all, of the Infinity Stones? Let's face it, the only one that was properly hidden away is the Reality Stone and we both know that was your father Bor's doing, not yours. You must have known that an immortal like Thanos would find the others in time, yet you did nothing. You did not hide them better, nor did you take the fight to Thanos himself in order to stop him. Someone had to. You're simply angered that it had to be me."
"And you blame me for this? You've taken that which isn't yours, keeping my sons from me and forcing the Bifrost to remain broken, you've lied, cheated and manipulated those around you into giving you more power than any human can hope to control and it was by your actions that Shuri of Wakanda turned to the dark powers of Dormammu and Mephisto to enact her revenge on all of Midgard! And now that your own power has become your undoing, you look towards my allies, setting them against me! Against Asgard!"
Odin isn't shouting, not exactly, but the force in his words is undeniable as his voice echoes off the far walls of Valaskjálf. Taking a deep, calming breath, Odin focuses back on me, choosing to ignore the way that Jim and Sam have tensed up, or the way Phineas' Soter platform has not-so-subtle pushed Darcy to stand behind its large frame.
"You have risen to great heights Hyperion, greater than any human in history, but the cost has been far too great. Your predecessor holds great faith in you and Asgard values her judgement. As I said, you've stood valiantly against the forces of Darkness before, so Asgard will not act against you or yours. We'll even offer to lend our knowledge and magic to find a way to restore your body before you return to Midgard. But… you will not be returning with your Infinity Stones. To keep them so close together and without sufficient protection is to invite destruction to rain down upon your world. The Tesseract shall remain here, as it is Asgard's property and will be used to repair the Bifrost so that peace can be restored amongst the Nine Realms. The Mind Stone is far too dangerous and insidious to remain amongst your people, amongst any people, so Asgard shall hide it away in the dark forgotten corners of the universe, never to be found again. The Time Stone has been with your Order for centuries ever since Agamotto mastered its powers and had a containment unit made by the Dwarves, so that is your right to keep, as is the Power Stone." Odin decreed, as if he expected me to just roll over and agree.