Loki: The God of Magic

[Samael61]

Hello there,

If you enjoy my stories you can read advanced chapters in my patreon page

Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 15 chapters ahead

DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 15 chapters ahead,

Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low End Fantasy World, a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 14 chapters ahead,

Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 14 chapters ahead,

Loki: The God of Magic , is 1 chapter ahead for now.

By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.


Note: Apple store payments will be refunded, because of the company's 75 day hold policy.

—​

Asgard

973 A.D.

Loki held back a frown.

When his father said he would give both Loki and his brother, Thor, a personal lesson, he had hoped it would be about seidr.

But it was just about Asgard's history.

Nevertheless, it wasn't entirely useless. He just learned that the myths of Asgard had taken root on Earth when the Aesir were driving the invading Jotnar out.

Books were a constant companion while suffering from leukemia as a human, though of course none mentioned anything about the Frost Giants invading Earth.

He wondered about Earth and how the other children in the hospital were doing.

"When I'm king, I'll hunt the monsters down and slay them all," Thor said, swinging his arms wildly, as if he were a great warrior with an equally mighty weapon in his hands.

"They are not monsters, Thor; they just had a stupid king, that's all." Even half listening to the history lesson, Loki learned more than Thor.

Also, he did not share any features with Odin or Frigga and was pretty sure he too was a Jotun. The myths were clear on that, though on how they had gotten mixed to the point of depicting him as Odin's sworn brother when he was his son.

Even if adopted.

"Your brother is correct," Odin nodded. At least one child was listening to his words, "It was Laufey who started the war for glory and more land. Tradition dictated the Jotnar follow him. It did not matter if the war was foolish or just."

Undeterred, Thor pumped his fist up, shouting, "Then I'll just slay Laufey."

Loki rolled his eyes, "The lesson here, brother, is that there is peace, and Father wants the future king to keep it that way. Not to go and start a war."

He would not take the throne, as it seemed too tedious a task, so Thor naturally would be the king.

Not that the Allfather would give Asgard to him, being adopted and all.

It would be even more tedious if Thor started a war because he saw the Jotuns as monsters in need of slaying.

"Oh," his brother said, finally realizing the core of the lesson their father was trying to impart. Odin, in his attempt to make Thor realize the meaning behind his words, had just confused his oldest son.

"You should be more direct with Thor, Father; not everyone learns the same way," he said.

Odin raised his brow, amused.

—​

Thankfully, once the lesson was over, he was allowed to leave. His first stop was to find his mother, Frigga, and badger her for more lessons on seidr.

Blonde like Thor, dressed in a golden gown, her smile was radiant like the sun.

As a sickly mortal once, he was in love with tales of magic. Now, as a god, though that was debatable, he had seidr under his command. He was a novice but willing to learn more.

All thanks to her.

"Mother," he called out. Frigga's guests had just left the tea party, and the servants were taking the cups away.

Running her hand over her son's slicked-back hair, Frigga had him sit on the chair across from her, "Loki, how did the lesson with your father go?"

"Informative," he said, considering his next words, "even if Thor was more insistent on slaying the Jotnar than keeping the peace."

Frigga's smile wavered for a second.

"Where is your brother?" she asked. The brothers were inseparable most of the time, with Thor always dragging Loki to somewhere.

Loki rolled his shoulders, "Training."

As soon as the lesson was over, Thor rushed to find his instructors to swing his training hammer on a wooden post. He did see the appeal, as if a hero training to slay the evil dragon, but it could not compare to seidr.

"Did you not consider following him?"

"No," he shook his head, "I want to learn more seidr." Loki had his mandatory arms training, but he did not spend any more time on it than he had to.

"My boy," she pinched his cheek, "you cannot run before crawling."

"I know it is best to be patient while practicing seidr," as he had been warned many times, "but I am a fast learner."

"Indeed?" Frigga raised an eyebrow, challenging her son. "Show me your conjuration then."

"I am," he said, and the Loki before her faded away in green.

Frigga turned around, seeing her younger son leaning on a tree, his nose buried in a book.

"How did you?" A child of Loki's age, no matter how strong, should not have been able to deceive her so easily.

"Told you I am a fast learner. Now, can I learn more?" It was a matter of fine control and creating another Loki rather than just a mere illusion.

With no excuses left, Frigga agreed, "Very well, but after lunch."

—​

Loki raised his hand, surrounding the flying juice with seidr, before pushing it back into Thor's glass.

In his excitement to tell the grand tale of his training session, his brother had accidentally knocked the glass over. The juice inside, a rich red color, flew straight at him.

His brother was prone to breaking everything around, and Loki had quickly figured out creative ways to prevent the accidents from falling on him.

"Thank you, brother," Thor said.

At least he had enough manners to be grateful.

"Just be careful next time," he replied. Not that Thor would listen.

—​

"You have seen it too. What do you think?" Frigga asked. After lunch, she had given Loki his latest task and found her husband in his workroom.

"You are correct, my love," Odin said, grasping his wife's hand, "His affinity for seidr is incredible."

Their adopted child was talented in seidr beyond most and put in the hard work necessary to nurture it. Odin knew Loki would go even further if he was not paced.

"Are you still intent on your plan? When Thor claims he'll slay the Jotnar once he is king?" she asked.

The Jotnar were fierce enemies, and even the mighty legions of Asgard had suffered great losses. It was unavoidable for a deep sense of hatred to take place in the hearts of the Aesir, and the Jotuns were vilified as barbaric monsters.

Her husband's plan to ensure lasting peace between Asgard and Jotunheim by using Loki, a child born a Jotun yet raised as a prince of Asgard, would not work. Whether he was abandoned as they thought, or something else, the Jotnar would not accept one of their own raised among the Aesir.

"He is a boy," he excused, though it was a weak argument. "They are nothing more than flights of fancy."

Frigga knew otherwise: "They are whims, unless he is dissuaded. If not, it will be his way of life when he is grown."

"I believe Loki has done that," he smiled. Perhaps being more direct with Thor in important matters would work for the better.

She leaned her head on Odin's shoulder, "You haven't answered my first question."

Closing his one good eye, he took a deep breath and exhaled, "I am less sure about letting him go each day."

"Good."

—​

"Brother, come," Thor said, pulling Loki by the arm. His brother was strong for his age, and if Loki wasn't properly seated, he knew Thor would drag him behind.

He, however, wasn't going anywhere, "Where and why?"

"To an adventure," his brother declared. Loki fought the urge to snort. Of course his brother wanted to go on a mock adventure.

"We have lessons, Thor," he reminded, "and you will be punished should you run from them again." His brother had made it a habit to

"You never want to play with me," Thor crossed his arms, pouting.

"When you want to play something good, Thor, I will join you," he replied. Going around with toy weapons, slaying imaginary monsters, and finding equally fake treasure was not his idea of fun.

"Like what?"

There was one game he always wanted to play, and why not do it now? "How about a game of ball?"

"Sounds boring," Thor grumbled. How could a game of ball be better than swords?

"This is a different kind," because Loki was sure Asgard did not have football.

—​

In their lives so far, Loki had come to learn one thing.

Thor learned by doing. Teaching him history through the books was like convincing Sleipner to let someone other than Odin ride him.

Impossible.

He had suggested his father create enactments and have Thor be a part of it, but it fell on deaf ears. Sometimes, he wondered if the Allfather's ears were damaged too.

Loki, before he was Loki, wanted to play football, just like the kids outside. Most days, however, even getting out of the bed was a chore.

"How do we play this ball game of yours?" Thor asked. It was rare for his brother to play with him, and he wanted to learn the game quickly.

"First, we need more people to make teams," he explained, thinking on how to make football more appealing to Thor. "Think of this like a battle, only with a ball rather than weapons."

Thor dropped the ball in his hands, pushing it back and forth with his feet. "I prefer weapons."

"Oh, I see," Loki said, raising his shoulders and arms. "I suppose it is difficult for you."

Thor's face contorted to something ugly, "What?! Take that back," he demanded, getting into Loki's face.

"How about you prove me wrong?" He challenged.

"Fine," his brother agreed, "Let us find more companions for the teams then."

Finding companions to play football was easy. Every child wanted to be friends with the princes. Separated into two teams with Loki and Thor on each side, the day was mostly spent on how to play without breaking the rules.

Still, it was fun.

He only knew how to play from what he watched on television and wasn't any better than Thor with his natural affinity for sports. A guard had acted as a referee, and when their mother came to collect them for the lessons, she was delighted to see them all play.

The football matches would be a constant in their childhood, as it gave Thor a way to burn the energy he could not with training, and Loki actually enjoyed the sport.

Teams would differ each time, and more adults showed up to watch.

When he just wanted to play a game he longed for, Loki could not imagine the changes it would bring to Asgard.

—​

Fed, washed, and tucked by his parents into his princely bed, Loki closed his eyes.

Only long enough to ensure there would be no last-minute checks by Frigga. Every night, before he actually went to sleep, Loki wondered.

What was seidr?

It was an energy they all were born with to various degrees, at least by what his mother said. Thor, for example, had his seidr rooted in thunder and storms, while Loki's powers were more varied.

Allfather, on the other hand, was like an ocean without an end or an insurmountable mountain. Yet, his seidr was different, something more.

He had not asked why, preferring to discover the answer.

But how could his brother's seidr be so narrow when the very existence of their father kept the peace across the Nine Realms? When Loki's seidr was on a whole different branch of the same tree? Was it because he was a Jotun?

It made no sense to him, so he attempted to understand it each night.

What was seidr?

Easier than taking a breath, the energy flowed through his hands and coagulated into a green orb. It was pure seidr, and he focused, trying to pry its secrets.

What was this energy exactly? What were its building blocks? Something he did not know? Matter existed because countless atoms came together, so why did this green energy in his hands exist? Why did it vary from person to person?

The answer did not come to him tonight, as it had not since he started learning how to weave seidr a year ago.

He would not give up. Magic was too wild to be so constrained, and he had thousands of years to discover the answer.

—​

Between teaching Thor and the others how to play football and trying to discover the secrets of the power in his veins, his lessons in seidr continued with his mother, or with the talented sorcerers in the court when she wasn't available.

If he could have learned seidr forever, he would, but there were more subjects he had to learn as an eight-year-old than there should have been.

The downside of being a prince.

Mathematics, star charting, the workings of the universe, the history of Asgard and the Nine Realms, and more.

When he asked his teacher why they had to learn so much so early, the answer was unexpected. Once the books and the theories were finished, they would be expected to visit their allies across the Nine Realms, to enforce peace where necessary in Allfather's name, and so they could spend the rest of their lives outside the lecture halls.

In a way, it made sense too. Aesir lived for eight thousand years or so, and a couple centuries in the lecture halls was better than two millennia.

He guessed a longer life span did not mean they naturally had the patience to match it.

—​

"Father, who rules Niflheim?" Loki asked, and the table quieted down.

His mother and father shared a look, while Thor continued eating, unbothered by the question.

Odin lowered his spoon, and his gaze wavered. "What makes you ask that?"

"Every realm has its own people and rulers. Even Svártalfheim had the Svartálfar long ago with Malekith, but there is no mention of anyone ruling Niflheim." In truth, he knew that no one lived there, but he asked the question for a different answer.

An answer to a question he could not afford to ask directly.

The tension in his parents bled away, and Odin answered with a smile, "Niflheim is the primordial realm of mist, ice, and cold, but none live there."

If Niflheim was empty, they should not have reacted like that.

"How come?" he asked. Ymir was born from the ice of Niflheim and the heat of Muspelheim, but his descendants had settled in Jotunheim, and there was only one entity living—kind of—in that realm.

"That is a mystery people have long stopped seeking an answer for," was Odin's answer.

Loki nodded, "I see. Thank you, Father."

In the myths, Hela was his daughter with Angrboda, yet the life he lived was vastly different. Could she be in Helheim, the deepest part of Niflheim? Then whose child was she?

Or was she just a primordial force?

There were so many things he knew that were wrong, and unfortunately, the library did not provide the answers.

In the future, once he is strong enough, Loki will discover these answers by himself. For now, he had to finish his breakfast.

—​

In the next chapter:

Loki, having realized he had been in his room for too long, decided to take a stroll in the garden. The sunlight, the fresh air, and the scenery cleared his mind, but there was a problem.

There were intruders.

Covering himself in a reflective layer as he split his body into two, Loki watched.

"We can't find the anomaly. This is as close to it as we can get; even then, the radius of the area is two miles."

They were humans, speaking English, dressed in black form-fitting suits with helmets, and three orange letters on them.



Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me in Patreon.

 

[Samael61]

Hello there,

If you enjoy my stories you can read advanced chapters in my patreon page

Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 15 chapters ahead

DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 15 chapters ahead,

Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low End Fantasy World, a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 15 chapters ahead,

Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 15 chapters ahead,

Loki: The God of Magic , an OC-SI into Loki who is not aware of the MCU, is 3 chapters ahead.

By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.


Note: Apple store payments will be refunded, because of the company's 75 day hold policy.

—​

Asgard

975 A.D.

Loki did not hold his frown back.

For some reason, he was required to spar with Thor. Initially, he refused, too engrossed in his books, but it turned out to be a command from their father.

Odin wished to see how his sons were progressing in arms training.

He was also prohibited from using seidr for another incomprehensible reason. Odin wielded seidr in battle; the stories of his exploits attested to that. Yet, for this training session, he was limited to a blunt training blade.

It was stupid, but he did not voice his thoughts.

"Begin," their father started the bout.

Thor was stronger and faster than him and more talented with swords than Loki was.

The outcome was clear.

Still, he would give his best, if only so there would be no complaints that he wasn't taking this seriously.

He ducked beneath the first swing, but Thor was quick to turn around to stab at him, forcing Loki to roll forward. Raising his sword in a defensive position, Loki waited for his brother to attack.

Thor circled him, smirking, and bolted forward with a bellow. He raised the sword, blocking the downward slash and the one from the left. A step back saved his feet, but he stumbled to dodge the upward slash.

His brother took the opportunity, and he barely stopped the sword in his hand from flying away. Flipping back, he gained enough distance to dodge the thrust to his head and bring his sword up, forcing his brother back.

"Not bad, brother," Thor complimented, twirling his sword.

"You as well, brother."

Thor rushed again, and Loki was ready to block, though the swing was too strong. His sword flew up, falling on the stone ground, clanging uselessly.

Loki raised his hands, giving up.

"Good match, brother," he said. He believed the display was good enough.

"You could stand to be on the offensive more," Thor advised, patting him on the arm.

"Maybe."

Their father walked up to them, smiling, pleased with the spar. "My sons, both of you fought well," he praised, ruffling Thor's and then Loki's hair.

"Thank you, Father," he said. Thor was already off to the side of Sif, Fandral, and Volstagg to spar with them.

He was about to place the sword in its place and return to his room, but his father had a different idea: "You don't appear to be sad at your loss, Loki."

"Should I be, Father?" Was that an appropriate question to ask?

"No, but anyone your age would be," his father said. Loki knew his father didn't ask that question with bad intentions, but anyone else in his place would.

"Thor is better with arms, and I with seidr," he replied. "No use crying over it."

Why bother swinging around a sword if you can become strong enough to destroy your enemy from great distances with seidr?

"Indeed?" Odin asked, taking a step back, left hand behind his back, "Show me what you can do."

His words draw a crowd around them, as people wish to see the younger prince with

Loki took a position across from his father and brought his palms together. The seidr stuck between his hands was compressed and mutated, and once he thrust both palms to Odin, arcs of lightning followed.

Odin raised his spear, blocking the lightning and letting the weapon absorb it, even as Loki continued to feed into the magic, feeling his fingers tingle.

"Raw power alone will not be enough, my son," he said as the stream of lightning ended.

The lightning alone was fascinating, however.

"I know," he said. Loki snapped his fingers, and Gungnir wavered. Odin watched, wondering what his son had in mind.

The training arena had hundreds of weapons, all blunt, but still perfect for his plan.

One of the training swords was pulled out of its place in the rack, flying at Gungir, before more followed. Axes, maces, arrows, spears—every single weapon felt the pull of seidr and obeyed.

Weapons were not the only ones, however. Armor, tools, training posts—every metallic object took flight.

Odin raised an eyebrow as projectiles were coming at him from all around. Now that he realized it, his son had turned Gungir into a magnet, and a deadly storm of metal was upon him.

Deadly to an ordinary fighter, that is.

Loki knew the plan was ingenious, but against someone like his father, it was useless.

He was proven correct when the Allfather tapped his spear on the ground, dispelling Loki's spell. It wasn't over, as seidr turned to brute force at the point of contact, sending the objects back.

The Allfather's lips curved upwards, impressed.

"Ingenious. Inscribing a spell in Gungir by letting me absorb the lightning," his father said. The Allfather seemed to be in deep thoughts before he returned his attention to Loki once again.

"Anything else you would like to display today, my son?" he asked. Prodigies like Loki were rare, and Odin was sure his son would go a long way in his studies.

Loki considered whether to reveal more but decided against it. "No, that was all."

"Well done," the Allfather praised. "You are dismissed. I am confident you are eager to return to your lessons."

The crowd was watching him with open mouths and wide eyes, but thankfully, none approached to bother him.

—​

Loki entered his room, stretching.

"How did it go?" the original asked, a cupcake in his hand as he read on the bed.

"See for yourself," the shade replied, touching the arm of the original, merging back.

His jaw stopped mid-motion as Loki analyzed the memories flowing into his mind. Not only the memories, but also the physical strain of the spar flowed to him.

And he continued chewing, his attention once more on the pages. Except for the sudden interest Allfather had shown in his seidr, the spar was a waste of time.

Good thing he sent his shade in his stead.

Finished with the cake, he waved his hands, sending the crumbs flying out of the window to the birds.

"My prince, it is time for lunch."

"Very well, thank you."

—​

His parents and brother were already seated, waiting for him to arrive. He appreciated that they would wait for every member to arrive before starting.

"How was your spar today?" Frigga started the conversation, breaking the silence.

"It was great; I defeated everyone," Thor exclaimed, sending half-chewed food flying out.

"Good work, my son," Frigga praised, though her gaze was stern, "but what did we say about speaking while your mouth is full?"

His brother stopped, swallowing the food in his mouth before answering, "Not to."

"And you, Loki?" his mother asked. He loved her attention, but Thor answered in his stead.

Loki's lips thinned.

"You should have seen it, Mother," Thor raised his voice, rising from his seat in excitement. "Loki did something to Gungnir, and everything on the training field flew at Father."

"Is that so, husband?" Frigga turned to her husband for clarification.

"Indeed," Odin confirmed his son's tale, "He used lightning to inscribe a spell in Gungnir. Quite impressive and creative."

"I am proud of you both," she beamed, and Loki stood straighter.

Their parents then had a hushed conversation, sneaking glances at both siblings, before Odin cleared his throat.

"In one month's time, a delegation from Alfheim will visit. I expect both of you to represent Asgard in a manner befitting your stations," his father explained.

The orders were clear.

"Thor, no running around for adventure," Frigga warned Thor, though he was not spared either, "and Loki, you will not try to slip away to practice seidr."

"Yes, Mother," they replied at the same time.

—​

"I can't believe we have to sit and listen while Father and the Ljosalfar talk," Thor grumbled, not even acting like he was reading the assigned history book.

Loki turned a page. "Duties of a prince, brother."

"But you don't like it either," his brother added.

He rolled his shoulders. "I don't."

The meetings were the same as always, with smiles, laughter, tea parties, good wishes, and gifts. Sometimes, his father would throw a hunting party or something equally lavish.

And each time, both brothers found it boring, being there for appearances with nothing to do.

Thor closed the book. "Then why won't you say anything?" he asked.

How to explain this to his brother so he would stop bothering him?

"Thor, we are princes of Asgard, and just like everyone else, we have our duties too. If we don't carry out our duties, do we deserve to stay as princes?" Loki asked.

His brother's lips parted to answer, but he closed them. Loki finished two more pages before the internal struggle his brother was having ended. "No."

"No, we don't," he affirmed. "The food we eat, the clothes we wear, and the servants we command—it is all possible because Allfather is a good king. If he was not, then we would not have any of this."

The book assigned to them was about the subject he mentioned, a history of rebellions through the Nine Realms.

"Oh," Thor said, realization dawning on him.

"Just like him, we have to be good princes." Loki knew how much Thor adored their father.

"I suppose you are right," his brother agreed with a frown. Ugh, why was he, as a child, explaining these things to Thor? Couldn't their father do his duty so Loki could read in peace?

"And think about it, whenever you try to escape, Mother always catches you and you get punished." She actually had a tracking spell put on Thor, though he did not spoil it. "Just doing as you are told is less time-consuming," he advised.

Which was hypocritical of him, because Loki wouldn't be there either.

"But it's not fun," his brother said.

It appeared his complaints weren't over yet.

"If everything in life was fun, then it wouldn't have a meaning," Loki said. He took a deep breath, reading the passage again.

He had to focus.

"What do you mean?" Thor asked, waiting for an explanation.

"Think of it like this. Gold is valuable because it is rare. If every person on Asgard had a mountain of gold, would it still be valuable?" Loki asked, explaining as simply as possible.

"I understand now," Thor replied. "Thank you, brother." Finally he fell silent, and Loki could give his full attention to the book.

—​

Loki, having realized he had been in his room for too long, decided to take a stroll in the garden. The sunlight, the fresh air, and the scenery cleared his mind, but there was a problem.

There were intruders.

Covering himself in a reflective layer as he split his body into two, Loki watched.

"We can't find the anomaly. This is as close to it as we can get; even then, the radius of the area is two miles."

They were humans, speaking English, dressed in black form-fitting suits with helmets, and three orange letters on them.

TVA.

Loki did not know what it meant, but they were either some sort of police or soldiers.

"Could it be Loki?" The brown-skinned one with the tablet in his hand asked, and Loki's eyes widened. How did they know him?

"Maybe," the tall man, the most likely leader of the group, said, "He always causes trouble no matter the timeline. Can we locate him?"

Damn it, could they somehow track him now?

"No, the interference is messing with our systems," the blonde woman said, and Loki breathed out.

"What about the others?" The leader asked, "Thor, Odin? Can we locate them?"

"Yes," the man with the tablet said. "Actually, it seems the only one we can't find is Loki."

"It must be him then," the leader declared. "Spread out and apprehend the variant."

His eyes widened, and Loki almost turned around to call for help.

"Intruders! Halt in the name of the Allfather." Two guards passing through had seen the humans and drew their swords, ready to attack.

The TVA guys pulled out sticks with purple glowing tips and clashed with the swords of the guards.

His eyes widened more as the guards just slowed down, as if they were trying to move through a dense substance, and two more hits knocked them out.

Those sticks were dangerous.

Loki could choose to fight them or escape to call for help.

"Should we prune them?" the short, blonde female asked, pointing her stick at the guards.

"Do it," the leader said. "Best to have no witnesses before we finish. The whole branch will be pruned anyway," he added, touching the cylindrical object strapped to his belt.

The purple glow of the sticks turned to orange, and the TVA agents touched the guards, who promptly disintegrated into nothing.

Hiding behind the tree again, Loki was ready to run to find his father, but what the humans said stopped him.

Were they some sort of police? Here to arrest him for something he did? What could it be? What did the leader mean by pruning the branch? Could they be meaning to use that cylinder to destroy Asgard? If they were able to travel between timelines, did that mean they could do worse?

His mind raced with questions, but one thing was clear.

By the time he calls for help, it could be too late.

Commanding his shade to draw their attention, he started watching again.

"Looking for me?" his shade asked, standing out in the open with a smirk.

"There you are." The leader pointed his stick at the shade. "Surrender now and make this easy on yourself. We know all your tricks."

Loki prepared to attack since they were all kind enough to turn their backs but still wanted to learn more.

"My tricks?" The shade asked, arms crossed as the seidr began to flow.

"Your illusions can't fool us. Give up," the leader demanded as his subordinates spread out to surround the shade.

"Illusions? That's all?" the shade asked, and Loki raised an eyebrow. Did they think all he could do was illusions? Or rather, was that all his counterparts were capable of?

"Yeah," the blonde female said, bringing her stick higher, "what else?"

"Oh, I don't know," the shade said, bringing his palms together as his teeth flashed, one shared by the original, "something like this?"

The shade pushed the lightning through his fingers, and the time police did not have the time to react before the energy burned through their bodies.

All three fell down like puppets with their strings cut.

Loki commanded the shade to approach, watching for any sign to see if any survived the onslaught.

The leader twitched, somehow still alive, and muttered something.

"Go to hell."

An orange field began to spread beneath the man, and both Lokis stepped back as everything touched by the field disappeared.

He turned to run, but the line sped up, and the last thing he saw was the unknown energy consuming his body.

—​

Loki gasped, springing out of his bed, ready to attack.

His eyes flickered around, searching for any sign of danger, but he was in the safety of his room.

What had just happened?

"My prince, the Allfather summons you for the spar," the servant called from outside the door, just as she had done that morning.

He didn't think it was just a nightmare.

—​

In the next chapter:

Rather than shapeshift the lightning as a whole, he shapeshifted the building blocks one at a time, and the effects were not what he expected.

The white color of the lightning turned a vibrant blue, and the chaotic arcs straightened. Fascinated by what was happening, his control slipped. Having no choice but to expel the seidr, Loki held his hands out and pushed the volatile attack.

The results were catastrophic.



Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me in Patreon.

 

[Samael61]

Hello there,

If you enjoy my stories you can read advanced chapters in my patreon page

Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 15 chapters ahead

DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 15 chapters ahead,

Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low End Fantasy World, a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 15 chapters ahead,

Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 15 chapters ahead,

Loki: The God of Magic , an OC-SI into Loki who is not aware of the MCU, is 4 chapters ahead.

By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.


Note: Apple store payments will be refunded, because of the company's 75 day hold policy.

—
​

Asgard

Loki stood before his brother again on the morning of the same day.

"Begin," his father once again gave the order.

Thor's attacks were the same, just as everything had been so far, and knowing the pattern meant he could dodge them all, at least until Thor changed tactics.

It was best to let it progress the same way to avoid any accidents. Thor was known to abandon any restraint once frustrated, and he would rather not risk anything.

As the final swing came and his sword once again hit the ground, uselessly, Loki and Thor exchanged the same banter.

"My sons, both of you fought well," their father praised, his words and tone the same. The deja vu was jarring, especially since he knew he actually lived through this.

"Thank you, Father," both siblings said before Thor asked for permission to leave and spar with his friends.

"You have improved a lot, Loki," the Allfather praised, his words diverging from the first time, "as if you almost knew what Thor was going to do."

Loki guessed the God of War would easily figure that out, even if everything had played the same.

"I wouldn't have lost if I did," he excused himself. Winning was a hassle anyway.

"Perhaps, or perhaps you simply did not wish to be caught."

Ah, he was being accused of using seidr.

Looking at his father's one good eye, Loki wondered whether to tell him the truth or not. There was a chance the Allfather would think he was making excuses, and it would be even more troublesome than the truth.

"Would you believe me if I said I was living this day for the second time?" he asked. His father was old and had seen many things in his life.

He might have come across those TVA agents before.

"How so?" Odin asked, hand tightening around Gungnir.

Loki told him about his altercation with the TVA agents, how they erased two guards out of existence and were going to prune the whole branch, and their claims of knowing him in other timelines.

Whether Odin believed him or not wasn't clear, but he did seem to be taking the situation seriously.

"Did these intruders have a green gem with them?"

"Not that I could see." He shook his head, mentally writing down to look for a green gem related to time. "Their devices glowed purple and orange, however."

Odin stroked his beard, with a faraway look, "Perhaps you saw a vision of the future."

"Maybe, maybe not," he said.

It was unlikely, though; it was best to leave himself an opening to take in case this blew back.

"I shall have the gardens watched in any case," Odin said, leaving the training field without another word.

—
​

That day, Loki did not display his seidr again, as the Allfather was preoccupied with what he had told him. He didn't know anything about a green gem, but perhaps the library could shed a light on it while he waited for the time to see if those TVA agents would appear again.

The guards that were pruned, whatever that meant, were back in their post, unaware of anything, which meant the same could apply for the intruders.

He had so many questions and no answers or even a clue to track.

"My prince, it is time for lunch," the servant called once again just as Loki opened the door.

"Thank you," he said to the startled servant.

—
​

The lunch was the same, except for the conversation concerning his display of seidr. They were warned to take the visiting Ljosalfar seriously as princes of Asgard and were promptly sent to the library for their studies.

Which meant he had to repeat the same conversation to Thor so his brother would understand why they had to be there for the visiting envoys and leave him alone to study.

Though, as he had already read the book, Loki could afford to seek books on a green gem related to time.

"I can't believe we have to sit and listen while Father and the Ljosalfar talk," Thor grumbled, right on the clock.

Which meant it was time for Loki to give him the lesson on their station and the necessity to act in an appropriate manner.

Joy.

"Duties of a prince brother," he replied, going through the rows of books on anything related to a green gem that could potentially manipulate time.

"But you don't like it either."

"I don't. However, we are princes of Asgard, and just like everyone else, we have our duties. If we don't carry them out, do we deserve to be princes?" He asked, already knowing the answer Thor would reach.

"No?" his brother replied with the same wavering tone.

"We don't. The clothes we wear and the food we eat—it is all possible because our father is a good king. If he was not, then we wouldn't be here. Just as he is a good king, we must strive to be good princes," Loki summarized the previous incarnation of the speech to save himself time.

"I suppose you are right."

"Why are you not studying?" Thor asked, fiddling with the book in his hand, still stuck at the same page.

"I already read that book," Loki said, turning to his brother. "What about you?"

"It's boring."

Stopping himself from swearing, he just repeated himself again, "Just as gold would be worthless if everyone had a mountain of it, if everything in life was fun, then it wouldn't mean anything."

"Oh," Thor said in enlightenment, and Loki hoped that was the end of it.

"Is there a book you are searching for?"

"Not really, just looking for anything interesting," he waved Thor's concerns away.

He preferred to look through the books by himself.

—
​

The time had come, and Loki stood hidden in the garden, waiting to see if those intruders would show themselves once more.

Even his father had sent more than the usual number of guards to patrol the gardens, but by the time the sun set, there was no sign of the TVA.

Possibilities as to why they did not return eluded him, and he did not wish to stay there, conceiving theories. Leaving his shade to patrol the area, Loki returned to his room to sleep.

He wondered if the next day would come.

—
​

When his natural alarm clock woke him up, Loki was sure of it.

The day had not repeated itself again.

Meaning that the reset charge possibly was restricted to a single day, or the anomaly the agents mentioned had somehow disrupted it.

Remembering the conversation between the agents, it most likely meant that he was the anomaly. But exactly which part of him?

The mortal soul in the body of a Jotnar? Or the fact that his soul had been sent back in time?

He did not know, and not knowing made him restless.

—
​

Thor had proven to be better at football than expected. Brash or not, when it came to a competition and winning, his brother could actually create brilliant strategies to secure victory.

In fact, their football matches had become somewhat known among the people, and there were spectators in addition to new children looking to learn how to play football.

It had actually grown into a large enough community that Thor and Loki spent more time teaching others how to play than actually playing football.

Their father had even allocated them a field.

—
​

When the envoy of the Light Elves entered the golden halls of Asgard, there were three people.

Mekuta, the diplomat himself; his wife, Keleine; and their daughter, Runa, who was much older than Loki and Thor.

The diplomat and his family greeted the Allfather first, exchanging pleasantries and showing their respect as was custom, before moving to do the same to their mother, the Queen of Asgard, and lastly, the princes.

His brother had acted with the dignity and grace expected of him, and Loki assumed his words had had some effect.

The feast thrown for the arrival of the envoys was lavish, and as the Allfather conversed with Mekuta, Loki and Thor watched, learning.

He was there in person, having chosen to take the opportunity to mingle and clear his mind, rather than study more seidr. Loki had come to learn the importance of taking breaks and continuing his studies with a fresh perspective.

The Ljosalfar were not like the ethereal and graceful elves he had seen on television, though the memories were getting blurry these days. They were more like Asgardians, except for the long, pointy ears and the slender bodies.

So far, the conversation was about the usual relations between Asgard and Alfheim, trade, diplomatic exchanges, and recent events.

His brother was paying attention, though he had to stifle his yawns.

The Ljosalfar envoy introduced his daughter, Runa, who would learn diplomacy from him, and how talented she was in shapeshifting.

She had even demonstrated it, shapeshifting to her parents.

Loki did find it mildly interesting, mostly on how the Ljosalfar processed seidr.

"I heard Prince Thor is a prodigy with arms," Ambassador Mekuta said, finally turning the conversation around to include the siblings.

"Thank you for your kind words, Lord Mekuta," Thor replied, every word and act measured.

"They each master a core part of Asgard's existence," the Allfather explained, "Thor with his arms, and Loki with his seidr."

"Well, if the Allfather says so, I am sure both princes will make their names well known in the future," the ambassador said.

The rest of the feast thankfully did not include Loki or Thor, and the adults could carry on their business. They were not idle either, engaging in pointless conversations to pass the time.

Having sufficiently entertained, the Allfather gave one last speech, welcoming Metuka and his family to Asgard. Following the applause, the guests began to leave one by one.

Frigga ordered both boys to be taken to bed, and the day ended.

—
​

The following day, the Allfather called them to his workroom after breakfast, not that anyone except Thor was hungry from the feast the night before.

"My sons, you have both done well in greeting our guests," their father praised.

"Thor, I am gladdened to see you take your duties more seriously," Odin said, his tone warm but with an edge that carried a warning.

Thor bowed his head, a bright smile on his face. "Thank you, Father. Loki helped me understand why I need to carry out my duties more seriously."

"Is that so?" his father asked, but Loki shrugged. He just wanted Thor to stop bothering him, not earn praise.

He had more important things to do.

"What do you think about our new envoys?" the Allfather asked, showing that their test wasn't over yet.

"They are respectful and good at holding conversations," Thor said, adding the second part after thinking it over.

His father nodded, turning his head. "And you, Loki?"

"I think they will be here for a long time," Loki replied, which said all that needed to be said.

The reason the previous ambassador of Alfheim retired was due to old age, and this one would likely follow the same path.

"Good, you are dismissed; enjoy your day," he said, giving them the day off.

—
​

Loki looked at his reflection in the mirror. He had time to examine Runa's shapeshifting to see how other races of the Nine Realms used seidr. He could not examine the Jotnar, seeing as they refused to leave their world; the dwarves, while less isolationist, still did not leave Nidavellir unless it was important; the Midgardians did not have any individuals capable of using seidr; Muspelheim was out for obvious reasons; seidr practitioners of Vanaheim were similar to Asgard; and the rest of the realms were empty.

The worlds outside the Nine Realms did not present any options, so Alfheim and the Ljosalfar were his only options.

Runa's body was not set in one shape as theirs was; rather, she was like a fluid that could take many shapes with seidr. In that same vein, he should be able to replicate her shapeshifting to a degree.

His seidr spread to every inch of his body, matching the thrum of the seidr in Runa's body, and Loki felt it.

His bones, skin, and flesh stretched with a green light, and in his place stood the Allfather. Loki took a step back, realizing his right eye was blinded as well, and quickly dispelled the shapeshifting.

It was jarring to lose half his vision, but the shapeshifting was a success. Not that he would need it much, unless to prank or deceive someone.

Shapeshifting was niche, but he was more interested in the process than the ability.

Following that vein, perhaps the inner workings of shapeshifting could be used for more.

He could control lightning and was sure any seidr related to ice would come easily to him, but fire was not something he had any success in yet.

—
​

Finding an empty training ground was a simple matter of timing.

Standing before a training post, he created arcs of lighting between his palms, slowly applying the principles behind shapeshifting. He was too hasty, however, and the transmuted seidr destabilized, and the lightning fizzled to nothing.

Creating the arcs again, he applied shapeshifting, much slower this time. The lightning was in truth seidr manipulated to act like it. It was indistinguishable from real lightning, except for the components that created it.

Rather than shapeshift the lightning as a whole, he shapeshifted the building blocks one at a time, and the effects were not what he expected.

The white color of the lightning turned a vibrant blue, and the chaotic arcs straightened. Fascinated by what was happening, his control slipped. Having no choice but to expel the seidr, Loki held his hands out and pushed the volatile attack.

The results were catastrophic.

Several blue energy beams lashed out in straight lines, cutting the training post to smoldering pieces, and continued straight ahead, hitting the training armory. They were not deterred, cutting through the metal walls and the weapons inside, and would have done more damage had they not run out of power.

The armory shook for a second and came down with metal groaning in stress.

As if that wasn't enough, the flammable supplies inside caught fire, and Loki sighed.

He was in trouble.

Guards, having heard the commotion, came with weapons drawn, circling him to search for any potential intruders.

"My prince, are you well?" the captain asked, worried.

"Yes, yes, nothing to worry about," Loki waved his hand. "It's just a seidr training gone wrong. I am unharmed."

"That is relieving," the captain said, sheathing his sword. "However, we must inform the Allfather," he continued.

Loki nodded, knowing he had to take responsibility for his mishap. Even Thor hadn't done something as destructive as this, and he knew the Allfather would make him clean up the mess.

At least he could inspect the damage to see what his seidr had done, because that wasn't mere fire, but something more.

It excited him, and if he were able to control it, it would be quite the destructive spell.

—
​

In the next chapter:
Lying on his bed, Loki watched the ceiling of his room. The idea of having an overseer destroyed his will to practice seidr. Thor was off on another adventure, and he didn't have any friends.

Too bad Asgard didn't have gaming consoles or computer games to kill some time with.

Unless…




Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me in Patreon.

 

[Samael61]

Hello there,

If you enjoy my stories you can read advanced chapters in my patreon page

Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 15 chapters ahead

DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 15 chapters ahead,

Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low End Fantasy World, a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 15 chapters ahead,

Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 15 chapters ahead,

Loki: The God of Magic , an OC-SI into Loki who is not aware of the MCU, is 5 chapters ahead.

By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.


Note: Apple store payments will be refunded, because of the company's 75 day hold policy.

—
​

Asgard

Loki stood before the Allfather, head down.

"You destroyed an armory," his father said as a matter of fact, and he raised his head to look the Allfather in the eyes.

"By accident," he said, tone flat. It was not an excuse, and Loki would not lie about this matter.

His father harrumphed and said, "A costly one."

"I apologize." Loki bowed, not too deep, but not too light either. "It won't happen again," he promised. Next time, he would learn how to cast a barrier to avoid bringing down an armory, or worse.

"How did you even manage to cut through those walls?" Odin asked. Asgardian steel enchanted with seidr was not something a mere spell could harm, yet his son's accident had cut through those thick walls as if they didn't exist.

"I was trying to create fire but ended up with something more destructive," he explained. His father's eye became narrower at the mention of fire.

"Show me," Odin demanded, but his mother, who was watching so far away, intervened.

"Husband, are you sure? In your workroom?" Frigga queried.

Not that they couldn't contain Loki's magic.

"I am."

If his father wanted a demonstration, so be it. Lightning arcs flashed into life between his palms, and Loki applied the same principles. Once again, the arcs straightened, taking a vibrant blue color, though this time, he did not lose control.

"That is enough."

The beams lost their intensity and disappeared into nothingness as the seidr feed was cut off.

"While your seidr continues to impress, your destruction of an armory will not be ignored," Odin declared. "Your allowance will be cut in half to pay for the damages, and you are not allowed to practice seidr without oversight."

His punishment was decided, and this was rather light compared to what he expected, except for the overseer part.

"I understand, Father," he acknowledged. There was no sense in fighting it anyway.

"You may leave," the Allfather dismissed him, and Loki left without saying anything.

"Watch over him, my love, lest he cause more accidents," Odin requested after his son had closed the door.

Frigga smiled, grasping her husband's hand. "Loki is bright; he won't," she assured him.

—
​

Lying on his bed, Loki watched the ceiling of his room. The idea of having an overseer destroyed his will to practice seidr. Thor was off on another adventure, and he didn't have any friends.

Too bad Asgard didn't have gaming consoles or computer games to kill some time with.

Unless…

Asgard had computers, ones that worked with seidr, but they were mostly for business, whether medical or administrative. There were no video games or even any kind of entertainment on computers.

But he could change that with a computer.

—
​

As a prince, his every need was met. The allowance was just there if they ever wanted to visit the markets.

He had no reason to visit the markets, and his allowance so far had been gathering dust; losing half of the future amount for a couple of months would not affect him.

One problem he faced was that the computers could not be bought outright and had to be preordered since demand for them was low.

He splurged on it, requesting the best specifications for a computer that would easily fit in his room, and it would take two weeks for it to be ready.

To avoid having to explain the details of his ideas to his parents, he used the shapeshifting seidr he had acquired from watching the daughter of the Ljosalfar ambassador.

—
​

His overseer was none other than his mother, because their father did not trust the seidr practitioners in the court to be able to watch him.

He was flattered.

It gave him a chance to spend time with his mother, who usually was busy with courtly business, so he didn't have any complaints.

"Your affinity for seidr was great, but I will admit, I did not expect you to create something so destructive so young," Frigga said in that mixed way of hers, offering both praise and issuing a warning.

"Thank you, Mother."

"Care to teach your mother how you managed to create lightning so easily and your new spell?"

The corners of his lips lifted, and Loki nodded. The thought of teaching his mother made him feel something he could not explain.

"Creating lightning is simple," he started explaining, bringing his palms together. "When you compress seidr, the particles are forced together." With those words, he pulled his palms apart, and the lightning danced between his palms.

The rush it gave him would never fade.

"Would that not create fire?" Frigga asked. Unknown to her son, what he did was a known way to ignite seidr into flame.

Loki nodded. "That was my attempt as well, but it would not form for some reason," he explained.

His mother's smile wavered again. Really, if he did not know the truth, he might have misunderstood it as disapproval.

"I increased the amount, and the result was lightning," he continued the demonstration, making the lightning dance between his arms. As his control had increased, these parlor tricks became easier to perform.

"And your spell?" She asked to see how her son had created a dense plasma flow like that. Accident or not, it was a spell only a master of seidr could control.

Her son was not merely running through his education but had taken flight with wings of seidr.

"I applied the principles behind shapeshifting to the lightning to transform it to fire, but the particles reacted weirdly," he explained, transforming the lightning to blue beams. His current theory was that the energized particles broke into even smaller parts.

He created a sheath around the particles with the shapeshifting seidr, so to speak, and the particles stood together in a deadly beam rather than dispersing or exploding in his face.

That would have been horrible for him.

"I think my constitution makes me unable to create fire for some reason," he said, dismissing the beams. He was itching to test it on a target but was not allowed to for now.

"And I think your spell is more impressive than creating fire," she said, pinching his cheek, but another question raised its head: "How did you learn shapeshifting? Through experimenting again?"

Shapeshifting wasn't as dangerous as creating plasmic seidr, but it required greater understanding of the subject.

"No. I learned it after observing Runa, Ambassador Matuka's daughter."

Frigga's face betrayed her thoughts now, as she looked at her son with amused disbelief. To think he could replicate a complicated spell such as shapeshifting through mere observation.

—
​

"Brother, look what I have found," Thor exclaimed, thrusting his hand to Loki's face.

He couldn't even sit in his room without Thor barging in without permission.

"A garden snake, brother?" he huffed. It was amusing how his brother loved snakes when the myths claimed he would be killed by the largest of them all.

"At least it does not seem to be dangerous," he said. Not that any snake should have been close enough for his brother to find, but at least it was harmless.

Thor pulled his hand back, thankfully, rubbing the snake's head. "I am going to keep it in my room," he declared.

"Wonderful," he muttered. One of the servants would flip, and Thor would have to release the poor animal into the wild. Then, he would brood until the snake was forgotten.

Feeling the buzz over his wrist, Loki saw that it was time for him to go and take the computer and see what he could do with it.

"I shall leave you to your new pet, brother; I have an errand to run."

—
​

Shapeshifting to the form he had used to make the purchase, Loki covered it with a reflective layer and merely walked back to his room.

It was, of course, nothing like the computers of Earth. Two rods, curved in the middle, that when fed with seidr, created an orange holographic screen. Its specifications were off the charts compared to what Earth had, at least as far as he knew.

The device in his hands was advanced enough to do complex astrological calculations.

Placing it on his desk, Loki pushed the seidr into the device. A blank holographic screen appeared in the middle, ready for use.

Now, he needed to figure out how to create a video game.

—
​

It was harder than he thought and easier at the same time.

His seidr acted as a bridge, engraving his ideas into commands and imagination into images, creating a world inside the computer.

He started with something basic.

The Tetris.

When he created the image of a box in his head and fed the seidr to the computer, a box appeared on the screen. He continued by adding the timers, the score table, and the shapes, imagining how the squares disappeared once they formed a line, granting him a score.

A game like Tetris took him mere days to complete with the ease Asgardian computers provided.

Next, he wanted to create a shooter game.

Doom.

It proved to be problematic.

The commands were all over the place. When he switched weapons, the entire map switched. When one gun used bullets, all of them lost ammunition. His armor took the brunt of the damage, but it did not protect his health points.

Killing an enemy just made them invisible instead.

He quickly figured out imagining an enemy disappearing after its hit points were depleted did not read as nonfunctional.

Instead, the avatar was gone, but the enemy still remained.

Those parts required him to be more precise to avoid the confusion.

Between his lessons, tasks, and life, creating the pixelated Doom game took him months. Not a concern when your life span was around eight thousand years.

—
​

"Brother, what are you doing?" Thor, with a voice too loud for his age, entered his room without permission.

For the umpteenth time.

"Thor, remember to knock when you want to enter someone's room," he admonished, but it did not carry any heat. He didn't even turn to face his brother.

"But you are my brother," Thor whined.

"It does not mean you can just come in whenever you want," he said with a flat tone.

There was a dull thump, and Thor was sitting next to him, watching the screen. "What are you doing anyway?"

"Playing a game," he muttered.

Thor made a small sound of disapproval. "What game can you play on this machine?"

Loki's finger twitched, and he missed a shot as Fandral spoke, "I don't know, Thor; it does look interesting."

The level was nearing its end; the boss, a Baron of Hell, appeared on the screen as he rained fire on it.

"What is that?" Volstagg asked, leaning forward. Fandral and Sif followed him too, cluttering around Loki.

His eye twitched.

"It is called Doom, and I am controlling a fictional warrior to slay demons," he explained, almost cursing as his armor was gone.

"Can I try?" Thor requested, watching the blasts and explosions on the screen.

"Let me just finish this section," he grumbled, and the intruders in his room fell silent.

Giving his seat to Thor after killing the Baron, Loki proceeded to teach him how to play the game. Thor, however, with his lacking seidr knowledge, could not make use of the controls.

Considering proper seidr practitioners were rare, he didn't think many would be able to play games.

Unless he devised control mechanisms less reliant on seidr.

—
​

Going back to the place he bought the computer from, Loki met with the artisan to inquire if they possessed any devices that would allow a person who lacked the necessary seidr to control a computer.

They did not.

However, the artisan would be willing to fabricate a tool for it if Loki could bring him designs. He agreed, though he had no idea where to start.

—
​

While he was busy with the computer, Thor had managed to put together a tournament. There would be eight teams, and the victorious team would receive medals. Then, they would all come together in a feast.

His brother could achieve great things when he put his mind to it.

Loki would naturally play on his brother's team, because Thor wanted to win this tournament with him.

It had drawn a crowd larger than ever.

He suggested having seats built with their allowances so the spectators would have a place to sit. Each team would have their uniform with unique sigils and colors with names and numbers on the back.

His brother, in a moment of inspiration, suggested a uniform with a mix of gold and green. His ideas on sigils were less creative, leaving Loki to draw a white Valkyrie steed over the background.

Volstagg was on defense, Fandral was the right wing midfielder, Sif played with Thor as right and center strikers, and Loki was the center midfielder. A new friend they had found, Hogunn, was their goalkeeper, and the rest of the eleven-person team was filled with other Asgardians.

On the day of the first match, which would be him and Thor's team, the Valkyrie Strikers, against the Golden Guardsmen, a team brought together by the children of the palace guards.

Allfather had even brought the entire court to watch.

Healers stood on the side should it be necessary, neutral referees took their place, and with the king's encouragement of a fair game, the match started.

Their plan was simple. Loki was good at pinpoint shots, and Thor's speed was unmatched. Combined with Sif's agility, all he had to do was to time his shots to fall right on where his brother would be.

The opponent wasn't a slouch either, and they had a solid defense. The match took two hours since the Asgardians had more endurance than humans, and the score was three to two in their favor.

Three more matches were played, and in three days, Valkyrie Strikers would face Bifrost Runners.

—
​

The new friend Thor had made, Hogun, was a silent and contemplative individual, leading to him earning the nickname the Grim.

Loki found it quite senseless to give someone the alias "the Grim," but Hogun did not seem to mind. He was from Vanaheim and had arrived at the palace with his parents. It did not take Thor long to include the silent Vanir in his group and place him as their goalkeeper.

All in all, for someone that had mere days to learn how to play, he was good at football.

He did not particularly care beyond that.

The work on a control mechanism had to be postponed as Thor insisted they practice football, but every team had the same idea. In the interest of fairness, the field was divided into four sections with poles, giving four teams a day to train and a day to rest.

Their father, seeing how it was helping Thor take greater care in his studies to have more time to play, was quite lenient.

This was becoming a bigger event than what Loki had in mind.

An idea had been brought forward. The Bifrost Runners suggested that the teams be permitted to use seidr during the match. Their team consisted of Vanir members, who were well versed in seidr for their age.

Thor was hesitant at first since Loki was the only seidr practitioner, but he agreed once assured.

Rules were established to keep the match fair. Seidr could be used without harming or incapacitating the players. Illusions, boosts to strength and speed, and manipulating the ball's trajectory were accepted.

The Bifrost Runners were eager to play.

—

Fandral passed the ball to him, and Loki watched as three Vanir came at him. He smiled and split into three identical copies with three balls. All three ran, but two split to the left and right. Each Vanir player followed one, but to their surprise, all three Lokis disappeared.

He chuckled, alerting the goalkeeper to his presence, but before she could react, Loki kicked the ball in, scoring their first goal.

The Valkyrie Strikers' supporters cheered once they figured out how Loki tricked the opponents.

The Bifrost Runners realized this match wouldn't be so simple.

The Valkyrie Strikers won 5-2, and the final match against the Blue Dragons was just as easy, ending with a score of 3-0. The medals were given by the Allfather, and all eight teams came together for the feast.

---
​

Notes: I added the last part recently because there is going to be a time skip. There is a thousand year long timeframe until the coronation, and the whole matter with the football and the games were to give you the starting point which would change Asgard in the centuries to come. White I believe it is an interesting idea, not many would want to watch seidr football matches or e-sport in Asgard when Loki could be traversing the galaxy.

—
​

In the next chapter:

"I am Thor, son of Odin. In the name of the Allfather, surrender," his brother demanded, standing at the front of the soldiers.

The brigands, a mismatch of individuals dressed in coarse furs and leather, only gripped their weapons tighter. One of them, a rugged Nornheimer with a long, unkempt beard and hair, attacked Thor, brandishing a double-sided axe.

His brother blinked and slammed Mjolnir to the brigand's face. He went flying over the Einherjar, dead before impact.

"Or fight; that sounds more fun to me," Thor smirked, resting Mjolnir on his palm.

The brigands dropped their weapons one by one and knelt.



Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me in Patreon.

 

[Samael61]

Hello there,

If you enjoy my stories you can read advanced chapters in my patreon page

Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 15 chapters ahead

DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 15 chapters ahead,

Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low End Fantasy World, a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 15 chapters ahead,

Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 15 chapters ahead,

Loki: The God of Magic , an OC-SI into Loki who is not aware of the MCU, is 6 chapters ahead.

By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.


Note: Apple store payments will be refunded, because of the company's 75 day hold policy.

—
​

Asgard

1075 A.D.

Loki woke up with a yawn, stretching on his bed.

Today was a grand day. His brother would be receiving Mjolnir, the legendary hammer forged in the heart of Nidavellir from the equally legendary Uru metal. As the God of Thunder, Thor's control over his powers required a focus, and what better than Mjolnir?

He just wanted the ceremony to be over to continue his studies.

The bathtub was filled with warm water with the wave of a hand, and Loki sat down, enjoying the warmth it offered. A weird thing to say for a Jotun.

Clean and dried, clothes flowed out of the cabinet, and Loki was ready for the day. He didn't need any servants to do his chores, since it gave him small opportunities to practice seidr.

Walking through the halls, he finally found Thor, who was surrounded by Lady Sif and the Warriors Three.

"Brother, there you are," Thor greeted him, his heavy hand landing on his shoulder.

"Thor, ready for the big day?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"Of course I am."

"Just checking, brother."

"Loki, will the Allfather give you a weapon as well?" Sif opened her mouth. Loki didn't think she did it out of malice, but her intentions did not make her any less irritating.

"What for?" he said. "I don't need a focus for my seidr."

"It is a matter of prestige, brother, to have a weapon worthy of a warrior," his brother said. He could see that Thor was restless, as expected, and decided not to lower his morale with needling comments.

"If I ever need or want a weapon, I can always make one for myself," he said. "Though, I think it would just gather dust in my room." Loki had considered acquiring a weapon for himself, but his seidr was extremely deadly. A weapon would just be for show, not worth the trouble.

Thor shook his head. "You and your seidr."

"I am sorry, whose seidr was vital in winning twenty championships?" Loki asked, putting his open hand behind his ear to hear the amused responses of "yours."

"At any rate, there is only Mjolnir and Gungnir. A hammer isn't my style, and Gungnir is too seidr hungry for anyone else other than Father," he reasoned. The spear of Allfather was even better than Mjolnir, but ultimately unnecessary for him.

"I'll take your word on that," Thor said, patting him on the shoulder again.

Servants informed them it was time, and the group made their way to the throne room.

—
​

The ceremony would be taking place in the throne room. Warriors, ambassadors, and other people of great importance were gathered inside, waiting.

The Allfather was on his throne, with his queen waiting down at the stairs. Loki swiftly positioned himself beside her, accompanied by Lady Sif. The Warriors Three were arrayed on the opposite side, smiling.

Thor walked through the door, raising his fist to the applauding crowd. It devolved into a show, with him fanning the crowd's jubilation.

Loki's palms itched.

He was so close to creating a spell that would stop Bifrost from being a necessity for him. Each second Thor dragged out the ceremony, his considerable patience was waning.

The Allfather slammed his spear on the floor, silencing the whole room in an instant.

"My king," Thor said, kneeling before the throne, waiting.

"Rise, my son," Odin ordered, his voice carrying across the room. He got up, with his wife following, holding the cushion carrying the Mjolnir.

His father was dressed in his armor, a sight only possible in ceremonies and celebrations. His mother, on the other hand, was dazzling, dressed in a golden gown adorned with countless jewels fitting the most powerful female in the Nine Realms.

"You have proven to be a valiant and just warrior and must have a fitting weapon," his father declared. "Mjolnir has unmatched potential in destruction, as well as creation," he continued.

Though, the weapon's history confused Loki. It was locked away in the vaults but was mentioned in history texts. When he asked the Allfather if Mjolnir had a previous user, he had said no.

Then why did Odin see the need to have this weapon forged? Perhaps he had seen a vision of the future and knew it would fit his son and heir?

Over a century, he had come to understand that the Allfather hid a lot. Not because he discovered any secret knowledge, but due to the small discrepancies in history.

What they were, he could not be certain, however.

"Do you swear to use your strength to defend the Nine Realms?" the Allfather asked, all ceremonious now.

"I swear," Thor responded, waiting for the weight of the question to settle.

"Do you swear to carry this weapon with honor and pride?" his father asked once more, and Thor responded much the same, "I swear."

"Then, in my name as Odin Allfather, I grant you Mjolnir," Odin proclaimed.

Mjolnir rose from the cushion and floated to Thor. His brother raised his hand, deliberately slow, and grasped the handle, raising the mighty weapon up.

The silenced crowd cheered once again, chanting Thor's name.

He smiled, happy for his brother but also that this ordeal would be over quickly.

"Your first task is to travel to Nornheim," the Allfather informed Thor. "Brigands have been seen, threatening a world under Asgard's protection."

A weapon like Mjolnir and a first task outside Asgard on the same day? Their parents must have planned this in advance.

"You will be given the command of a company of Einherjar and may take any companion you wish," Odin added.

Given his first military command too? This was certainly a day of many firsts.

"My brother, Loki, along with Lady Sif and the Warriors Three," he said without asking for anyone's opinion.

His smile fell at being mentioned, and he looked at Thor, shaking his head. His research was already delayed because of the ceremony. A quest to defend Nornheim would only make it worse.

Thor had his new fancy weapon; he should be able to handle everything without him.

However, his brother only grinned, misunderstanding the urgency in his eyes.

Loki felt like face-palming.

—
​

"You don't seem happy, brother," Thor said to him.

Loki's flat smile and tight jaw must have given him away. "I was about to achieve something great, and now, I am being dragged to Nornheim," he said with an accusatory voice.

The first realm he wanted to visit certainly wouldn't be Nornheim.

"You can always achieve that great thing later, Loki, but I want to go and fight shoulder to shoulder with my brother," Thor said, giving his shoulder a squeeze.

The warmth in his brother's voice made him finally relent.

"Let us just finish this swiftly and return home," he said. The enemy were just brigands; they shouldn't take long to dispose of.

"Very well."

—
​

Thor, Loki, Lady Sif, and the Warriors Three gathered before Heimdall with a hundred of the finest Einherjar, ready to travel to Nornheim. The Allfather had already prepared supplies and the soldiers for ease of travel, and they could leave mere hours after the ceremony.

"Hail, Heimdall," Thor greeted the Gatekeeper of Asgard. Loki found him to be an intriguing person in lieu of his seidr.

The power to see and hear all that was happening across the Nine Realms, unless they were hidden with seidr, was one of the reasons Asgard reigned supreme.

"My prince, congratulations," the Gatekeeper said, bowing slightly. "Mjolnir is a weapon fit for a warrior like you."

"My thanks, Heimdall. The Allfather tasked me to put an end to the brigands in Nornheim."

"I am aware. Be on your guard, my prince; these brigands are numerous," Heimdall warned. They could ask for more information, but Thor had a different idea in mind.

His brother chuckled, palm on the handle of his new weapon. "You don't believe they are a match for us, do you?"

"Caution is never misplaced, my prince," Heimdal said, pressing his sword into the Bifrost, and the mechanism flared to life.

Gears shifted, and a portal glowing with the colors of a rainbow opened.

"Forward," Thor called out, gesturing with Mjolnir.

Loki followed him wordlessly, his face blank like the skies of Nornheim.

Sometimes, he hated how thoughtless Thor could be.

—
​

Nornheim, in his most royal opinion, sucked.

It was a medieval place, with towns and villages of wood and stone, inhabited by Asgardian-looking mortals. Their lives were usually peaceful under Asgard's protection, but every now and then, a band of brigands would appear.

The only good part he found was the scenery. Asgard, being a planetoid, was limited in size, but Nornheim had greenery as far as the eye could see.

They landed in the middle of the village, in an opening prepared specifically for Bifrost. A Nornheimer, dressed much cleaner than his guards and fellow villagers, rushed to greet them.

He was old, with graying hair, nut-brown eyes, and a wrinkled face.

"Hail, I am Thor, son of Odin," Thor declared, and the poor Nornheimer's eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

"My prince, you honor us," he said, attempting to bow deeply, but his brother stopped the old man.

"Rise and speak, good fellow."

"I am Chief Urd. Please, this way, we can speak inside," the chief gestured.

Thor nodded, ordering the Einherjar to disperse and assume defensive positions across the village.

During the short walk, he inspected the village. It was rather orderly, with a well-paved and wide road going through the middle. Side roads branched between houses, mostly two stories tall.

Going by the size, the population was at least half a thousand.

The longhouse of the chief, built over a small hill, was at the end of the road.

They were taken inside and seated before a map. The place reminded him of Viking halls, though, seeing as they saw Asgard as their protectors, it wasn't far off.

"The brigands have clashed with our guards at the north and the south," Urd said, pointing at the parts in the tattered brown map. "The attackers on the north were more numerous, and our scouts found trails. There is a clearing in the forest; we believe they might be camping there."

Thor looked at Loki, a silent request, and with a wave of his hand, a colored holographic map rose over the original. The chief was taken aback, as were the people around him, but they continued regardless.

Loki enlarged the map, creating axe-brandishing figurines to mark the brigands on the indicated parts in red color.

"What are their numbers?" Thor asked, examining the map. It wasn't very detailed, but it still gave him a general location of important places.

"We are unsure, but twenty on the south, twice on the north at the least," Urd responded.

The indicated numbers, with question marks on top, appeared over the hostile signs.

"Thor, what is our plan?" Sif asked.

"Brother, I want you to scout where those brigands have assaulted. Get a clearer sighting on their numbers and location," Thor said.

Two ravens were conjured on Loki's palms, flying out of the window to scout the locations. He watched through their eyes and touched the middle of the map. The rough images quickly became clearer, giving them a more precise map.

"I shall admit, brother, I kind of expected you to rush ahead and assault the brigands," he winked.

Though, perhaps it wasn't such a terrible idea to find and destroy the brigands immediately.

"Please, the last time I did that, we lost the quarter finals in Realms of Valor."

"Ah, yes, that was amusing," he said with a smile. Conjuring a small screen, he rewatched Thor's avatar being surrounded and destroyed by the enemy.

His brother huffed, not sharing Loki's feelings.

The map continued to expand as they waited, and when the ravens reached the enemy, he conjured two more screens. The visual was then relayed through him so everyone could watch.

"Your abilities never cease to amaze, brother," the God of Thunder said.

Down in the south, the enemy had camped around a cave at the base of the mountain. Their numbers were certainly much higher than a mere twenty. There were also the ones that entered and left the cave.

He counted close to a hundred brigands there.

The north was much worse. Fifty or so were camping in an opening across a wide and raging river, but there were four camps around it. They were far enough to be out of sight but close enough to surround the clearing from all sides.

The only option left for any attackers would be to take their chances with the river.

"A trap to surround any attacking force. These brigands are not fools," Fandral said, grinning. It would be no fun otherwise.

"But they are no match for us and a hundred Einherjar," declared Volstagg.

"Indeed."

"We should assault the southern encampment first," spoke Hogun, gesturing to the cave on the edge of the map. "Destroy the smaller force and turn our attention north."

"That was my thinking as well," Thor agreed. They could even take prisoners and learn where the brigands had arrived from.

Sif, however, raised an interesting point: "If the enemy retreats inside the cave, the battle could turn in their favor."

Assaulting a cave where the enemy had the advantage would most definitely result in unnecessary losses.

"We draw them all out then," said Thor, a growing smile on his face.

"How?" Hogun asked. The enemy

Thor turned to Loki and said, "Brother, do you remember how we fooled the Ljosalfar that visited Asgard for the festival?"

He snorted, remembering that day, "Ah, I see."

"Thor, please, that is not a proper battle plan," Sif begged. She too was a witness of that little incident and wanted to murder the siblings for it.

Thor and Loki just grinned more.

—
​

The cave was a day away from the village by foot. Some considered the idea of requesting horses, but Thor was all too happy to march.

The attack plan was simple. The brigands would be distracted and drawn out of the cave. The Einherjar would be waiting to surround them to demand surrender. If not, the warriors of Asgard were all too ready to solve the issue with force.

Before they left, the guards of the village were positioned to the north in case there was an attack; they would resist long enough.

Loki's surveillance of the brigands had shown that they were not gearing up for an assault, but it was best to be ready for anything.

He still had the conjured map, and they could take the straightest path.

There weren't proper roads to either of the camps, only to the west where a town lay. It made the march all the more challenging.

"Isn't this great, brother? You and I, fighting together," Thor said.

They were sitting near a lake while the Einherjar set up camp.

"It does feel relaxing to be out in nature like this," Loki admitted, throwing another piece of bread to the fish in the lake.

Tall, green trees, the chirping birds, the crystal-clear lake, and the soft grass—it all was very serene and helped him keep a clear mind.

Thor laid back down, watching the sky. "If only our enemy were more challenging," he said wistfully.

"Like?" Loki wondered which enemy his brother had in mind.

"Like the Jotnar."

"I thought we had this conversation about not starting a war with them?" he asked. They were, what, eight years old? He clearly remembered telling his brother the real reason behind the history lesson Odin had given that day.

"I am not saying we should go and fight the Jotnar," Thor clarified. "I only wish that our enemy could challenge us."

Of course Thor would want to fight an enemy worthy of Mjolnir.

"How about you take the brigands all by yourself? Would that be a challenge enough?" he offered. Thor could do that, he was sure, though there would be some scratches.

"And leave the rest of you out? I am not so selfish, brother," Thor replied.

Loki shook his head, though a smile crept on his face.

---

Notes: There is no information about Nornheim in the MCU, though it was mentioned a couple of times, especially between Thor and Loki about being surrounded by a large enemy force. As such, this is a rather unknown territory that I am adding as we go.

—
​

In the next chapter:
Their companions were about to leave to rest, but his brother saw Lady Sif's slumped shoulders. "Sif, don't tell me you are still sour over our tactics. It worked wonderfully," he said.

"I think she is angry for a different reason," Loki suggested, smirking.

This would be fun.

"What would it be?" his brother asked, head tilted.

He conjured the bait again, the one with milky skin and melon-sized assets. "I mean these conjurations, they are rather comely, aren't they? Lady Sif, for all that she is a great warrior, is rather lacking in certain areas," he said, winking at Thor.




Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me in Patreon.

 

[Samael61]

Hello there,

If you enjoy my stories you can read advanced chapters in my patreon page

Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 15 chapters ahead

DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 15 chapters ahead,

Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low End Fantasy World, a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 15 chapters ahead,

Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 15 chapters ahead,

Loki: The God of Magic , an OC-SI into Loki who is not aware of the MCU, is 7 chapters ahead.

You can also check my original story, Arrival, on my Patreon page, AO3, Royal Road, SpaceBattles, and Webnovel.

By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.


Note: Apple store payments will be refunded, because of the company's 75 day hold policy.

—
​

Nornheim

The ravens allowed him to do more than just surveil the enemy. He could, in a certain range, conjure anything as long as he had a line of sight.

The plan, one that Sif was vehemently opposing both as a warrior and a woman, was to conjure females with exaggerated assets. His illusions would act as if they had accidentally walked close to the brigands and run away while screaming.

Seeing as there were no females among the outlaws, he wagered they were rather pent up with stress.

He closed his eyes, only seeing through the raven, and let his seidr course through.

Twenty beauties, with varying looks and rather revealing clothing, appeared within an opening near the caves. The enemy scouts were already caught, so there was no chance of discovery.

The conjured females, singing and playing instruments, walked into the sight of the brigands and stopped. The outlaws erupted in cheer, pumping their weapons up and down. Without hesitation, they gave chase to catch the pretty females.

Screaming, his conjurations ran, oversized parts bouncing.

Loki raised his left arm, and the communicator bracelet glowed with a green light. "Brother, they took the bait," he said.

"Well done, brother. We are waiting at the ready. Come join us."

"I will be there shortly."

He still hadn't been able to discover how to negate gravity, not that he was working on it too much, but there was an alternative he discovered. A cloud gathered beneath his feet and lifted him up over the trees.

It was in truth a force field disguised as one.

Loki braced and accelerated the cloud. Thor and the company had already taken their places.

Landing next to his brother with a nod, he waited.

The sound of leaves rustling in the wind and the animals was more prevalent than the breathing of a hundred warriors.

The stillness was only disturbed when the screams of the conjured women reached their ears. Thor raised his hammer, signaling the soldiers to be ready.

As the first of the females arrived in the clearing, they began to disappear one by one. Loki dropped the camouflage screen covering the company, and the brigands stopped.

The Einherjar were agile and quickly surrounded the enemy. Spears pushed the brigands closer, and a wall of shields kept them imprisoned in the circle.

"I am Thor, son of Odin. In the name of the Allfather, surrender," his brother demanded, standing at the front of the soldiers.

The brigands, a mismatch of individuals dressed in coarse furs and leather, only gripped their weapons tighter. One of them, a rugged Nornheimer with a long, unkempt beard and hair, attacked Thor, brandishing a double-sided axe.

His brother blinked and slammed Mjolnir into the brigand's face. He went flying over the Einherjar, dead before impact.

"Or fight; that sounds more fun to me," Thor smirked, resting Mjolnir on his palm.

The brigands dropped their weapons one by one and knelt.

—
​

"That was easy," he commented, watching his brother rummage through the camp of the brigands.

"And boring," Thor said, taking a rough iron helmet as a trophy.

"We defeated the enemy without a single casualty," he added. It would make for a nice tale, taking down three times their number without a loss.

"I am grateful for it, yet I do wish I was allowed to fight," his brother complained, turning the helmet over.

Loki glanced at the scorched ground, the place where he turned the corpse to ashes. "With how easy that one fell, I doubt they would offer you any challenge."

"I suppose you are right," his brother admitted, throwing the helmet away.

"Round them up for marching. They will be imprisoned in the village while we assault the other camp," he called out to the soldiers.

The brigands were chained together, and surrounded by the Einherjar, they were marched back to the village.

—
​

The villagers were gleeful to see the brigands in chains, jeering and hurling insults.

"Chief Urd, as they were planning to assault and plunder your village, their fate is yours to decide."

"My prince, we are grateful," Urd bowed. The village guards quickly took the brigands to be imprisoned amid the cheers.

"For now, we rest and march again tomorrow," Thor declared, dismissing the Einherjar.

Their companions were about to leave to rest, but his brother saw Lady Sif's slumped shoulders. "Sif, don't tell me you are still sour over our tactics. It worked wonderfully," he said.

"I think she is angry for a different reason," Loki suggested, smirking.

This would be fun.

"What would it be?" his brother asked, head tilted.

He conjured the bait again, the one with milky skin and melon-sized assets. "I mean these conjurations, they are rather comely, aren't they? Lady Sif, for all that she is a great warrior, is rather lacking in certain areas," he said, winking at Thor.

Thor's eyes slightly widened before he slapped his palm to his forehead. "You are right, brother. How could I not see that?" He gasped.

Sif looked at them with a gaping mouth, still as a statue. Her eye twitched, and she screamed, charging at both.

Loki disappeared, and Thor ran, cackling.

Fandral and Volstagg were sniggering while Hogun was awkwardly coughing.

—
​

Chief Urd had thrown together a quick feast, and Thor, once he was reasonably sure Sif would not murder him, was delighted to attend.

She had calmed down after chasing his brother around for a while. Though, she was silent and frowning.

"Don't think I forgot about you, Loki," Sif muttered, eyes narrowed at him.

"Sif, learn to take a jest," his reply was tired. "Have you ever seen me chase someone around with a sword over words said in good fun?" Loki asked.

She parted her lips, raising her hand, but stopped. "No," she said, almost too low to hear.

"Of course not," he winked.

Thor quickly got into the mood, and after a couple of mugs of mead, he was singing.

Loudly.

He enjoyed the atmosphere as well, singing a song due to his brother's insistence.

—
​

At dawn, they marched again. Thor intended to discuss a plan the next time they set camp since the night before was rather busy.

Some of the men started to grumble in good humor about requesting horses as he just lay on a cloud platform, floating while the rest of the company had to walk. To their luck, it started raining, and Thor ordered a camp to be set up while Loki set up a barrier, blocking the rain and the wind.

"Thor, where do you think these brigands even come from in the first place?" Sif asked as she entered the tent.

"Perhaps we could question the prisoners once we return?" Fandral suggested. They should have done it the previous night, but the festivities took priority.

"They are Nornheimers. They might have been simply desperate enough to turn on their fellows," Loki added. That was one of the most common reasons for banditry among the worlds under Asgard's protection.

"You could be right, brother. Still, it is best to hear the truth from them," Thor said.

Loki conjured the screens, each one showing one of the five camps, along with the map.

"The northern camps haven't moved yet, but they are gathering, most likely to stage another attack," he said. The outlaws were sharpening their weapons, producing arrows, and polishing what armor they had.

"How will they inform the other camp?" Hogun queried. The brigands did not possess steeds, and sending a messenger on foot seemed inefficient.

The entrance of the tent flapped, and a raven came in. It was thrice the size of a normal one and carried a bird of prey in its claws.

Loki took the parchment wrapped around the bird's leg, handing it out to Thor. "They have trained hawks to carry messages."

"Well done, brother," Thor said, glancing at the message.

"Here is our plan. We will split into two groups and cross the river from here and here," he said, pointing at two locations. One was the bridge on the upper side of the river, close to the northwesternmost camp.

The other was on the opposite side, down the southeastern camps.

"Both forces will circle around and take out the outer camps first," Thor said, and Loki crossed out the camps. "If they surrender, bind them and leave them with a small guard force. We will then move on to the camps in the middle with the same purpose," he finished.

Loki crossed out the middle camps too, leaving only the closest one to the river.

"And we'll be in a position to surround the main camp. Their backs will be to the river, instead of ours," Sif summarized.

"Exactly," his brother said, slapping his hand on the small table.

"How will we split?" Fandral asked.

He knew they all wanted to go with Thor.

"Sif, Fandral, with me," Thor said, pointing at the two. "Loki, you will take Volstagg and Hogun."

The sole lady among them, as well as the self-proclaimed Fandral the Dashing, smiled.

Volstagg and Hogun merely tilted their heads.

"You will cross the river from the bridge here, and I can conjure a platform on our side," he added.

Loki did feel like this was a bit too much planning against mere brigands when both of them were technically gods, but at least they wouldn't have to carry the fallen back.

He did not buy into the whole dying in battle to reach the Valhalla belief. Loki did not think the promised warrior's rest could lessen the pain of loss.

"We have our battle plan then. Not that these brigands are a danger in the first place," Thor said flatly.

—
​

Thor watched, hidden in the foliage. The enemy had sentries keeping an eye on the bridge.

Itching to try a new move, he spun the hammer with the strap and launched himself upwards. Summoning thunder when the skies were clear would alarm the brigands, and the shockwave was enough to send both bandits flying.

Raising Mjolnir, he gestured for the company to move forward. Fifty Einherjar, along with Sif and Fandral, quickly crossed the bridge, following him to the camp.

The camp, if it could even be called that, had no defensive measures. Only a handful of tents and firepits; there weren't even guards around.

The enemy was preparing for an assault, but they were not expecting one.

Surrounding the enemy in a quick manner, the company waited for Thor's signal. He, on the other hand, just walked to the camp.

When he was noticed, the brigands were alarmed. Several rushed at him, but a swing of Mjolnir sent one flying like a ragdoll, and they stopped.

"I am Thor Odinson. You have disrupted the peace of Nornheim. Surrender," he ordered.

Their response was to laugh at his face.

"I was hoping you would say that." Thor grinned and threw Mjolnir. The legendary hammer slammed into the chest of one brigand, flying him forward, and picked up two more on the way. They hit the tree fast enough to break bones fatally.

Sif and Fandral bellowed out fierce war cries, charging at the enemy. The Einherjar followed from all directions.

With nowhere left to run, the brigands decided to fight, but by the time they raised weapons, it was too late.

—
​

Loki raised both hands, palms open, and the emerald shimmer sprang from their side of the river, creating a bridge. He took the first step, and the company followed, safely crossing the raging river.

He had already scouted the area just in case, and they were free to move.

The camp was fifteen minutes away on foot. Loki gave the order, and the company approached while he took to the skies. He raised his right hand, and his fingers glowed a vibrant blue, firing blue beams from each.

Each beam went through a target, the intense heat turning them to ashes, and curved, seeking new enemies.

He killed around ten of them in total, leaving the rest to the company. His fellow Asgardians tended to be cranky if they felt the victory was not earned.

"Thor," he said, raising the bracelet close to his face, "we cleared the outer camp."

"So did we. March to the next one, brother; let us finish this little quest," Thor said.

"See you soon, brother."

—
​

Thor swung his hammer, and the bone beneath gave way with an unpleasant crack. Just because it was his duty did not mean the fight itself was enjoyable.

Still, it was better than just sparring.

"Thor, one of them is escaping," Sif called out, running an enemy through with her sword.

Thor turned around, seeing the fleeing coward, and threw Mjolnir. He must have used more strength than intended because the brigand's head disappeared in a shower of blood and gore. Wincing, he summoned Mjolnir back.

Thankfully, the hammer had spells to keep it clean.

—
​

"Brother, just in time," Thor said as Loki and his company arrived through the trees.

"No need to delay anymore. Let us greet them," he said, tilting his head towards the camp.

Thor nodded, and Loki followed. The company once again surrounded the camp.

The brigands were quick to raise their weapons, pulling back, though with the river behind, they had nowhere to go.

"I am Thor Odinson," he said, and one of the brigands flinched. "You are outnumbered and outpowered. The other camps have already been defeated. Surrender."

"Why? Why would an Odinson come for us?" The brigand, most likely the leader from the way he dressed, asked, color drained from his face.

"You threaten the peace of Nornheim, a world under Asgard's protection. There is no other reason needed," Thor replied, though the usual passion for justice was absent in his voice.

The leader dropped his sword. His men's gaze flickered at the fallen blade, and they followed along, kneeling.

"What will happen to us?" the leader asked with a blank stare.

Thor gazed across the river. "That is for the village you intended to assault to decide," he explained.

"However, if you are helpful to us, I am sure my brother can put in a good word with the villagers to lessen your punishment," Loki chimed in, patting Thor on the shoulder.

His brother glanced at him and nodded.

"What do you want?"

"How did over three hundred of you gather? And from where do you hail?" Thor questioned the leader.

"We were prisoners in Skeld's Crossing, a town to the east. The warden of the town, Eirik, told us to attack Weftspire, and he would set us free. We don't know why," said the Nornheimer, shaking his head.

"I doubt this Eirik would use criminals to destroy the village just because. We should speak to Urd," Loki advised.

He was already writing down this little excursion of theirs to add a new quest to the story mode of Realms of Valor.

"Round them up; we leave at once," his brother ordered. This had just gotten more complicated.

—
​

In the next chapter:

Loki sat down on his chair, and the computer came to life. His brother took his place in the royal gaming room, right next to this desk.

"Brother, I was thinking. Why don't you make games out of Father's exploits? Slaying Surtr, the war against Jotunheim, and protecting the Nine Realms?" Thor asked. His brother was putting on his Virtual Realm goggles and control equipment.

He stopped, about to turn on the Realms of Valor, and decided it was the time.

"You know, Thor, even though I am a Jotun, I am not as obsessed with them as you are," he admitted.

Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me on Patreon.

 

[Samael61]

Hello there,

If you enjoy my stories, you can read advanced chapters on my patreon page

Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 15 chapters ahead

DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington-inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 15 chapters ahead,

Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low-End Fantasy World, a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 15 chapters ahead,

Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 15 chapters ahead,

Loki: The God of Magic , an OC-SI into Loki who is not aware of the MCU, is 8 chapters ahead.

If you enjoy sci-fi, action, politics, romance with an overpowered protagonist, you can check Arrival, my original story on my Patreon or my pages on the fanfiction sites. I intend to make this a long term project, if you wish to be with me in this journey from the very start, now is the time. Your review and likes are appreciated to keep up with the algorithm.

By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.


Note: Apple store payments will be refunded because of the company's 75-day hold policy.

—
​

Once back at the village, Thor had surrendered the custody of the brigands. He also implored Chief Urd to lessen the punishment.

Questioned on why Skeld's Crossing would wish harm on their village, the matter was revealed to be over gold. Weftspire had discovered traces of gold south of the village. The village did not have the means to build a proper mine, and their neighbors offered a deal.

Though, it was more like a demand.

Skeld's Crossing would build the mine, and in return, nine out of ten dregs' worth of gold would be theirs.

Urd was inclined to accept, only the Warden wanted the deal to stay as it is, forever. He had refused the offer, and the potential discovery was left to be. Until Eirik had a different idea on how to acquire the mine.

"Brother, what now?" he asked, though it was obvious.

"We pay Eirik a visit. Heimdall," Thor called out, and the Bifrost fell on them.

—
​

Asgard

"Prince Thor, Prince Loki, congratulations on your victory," Heimdall said as the two of them came out.

"Thank you, Heimdall, but it is not over yet."

"Indeed," he said, waiting for the Einherjar to pass through.

While waiting, Loki inspected the Bifrost, as he had hundreds of times before. The seidr and the machinery of the Bifrost were extremely complicated. It crossed thousands of light-years in the blink of an eye and, barring some exceptions, could transport the Aesir anywhere.

He could use it to travel anywhere in the Nine Realms, but then Heimdall would know which realm he intended to visit.

"Done with your musings, brother?" Thor asked as the Bifrost realigned.

"I am; let us leave."

—
​

Skeld's Crossing

The town did not have an opening like Weftspire, and Heimdall transported the company outside of the walls. The guards were alarmed by the sudden ray of light and gathered on a tower.

The brothers walked out first, surveying the town, and walked to the gates. The sight of the hundred Einherjar behind further worried them. Bows were drawn across the wall, though they did not heed them.

Crude, iron-tipped arrows wouldn't even scratch them.

"I am Thor Odinson of Asgard. I will speak to the Warden of the Skeld's Crossing, Eirik," he declared in his booming voice.

No sooner had he finished his words than the gates, which were about to be closed, pushed open again. A balding, fat Nornheimer, dressed in fine black hunting leathers, came running out. Loki chuckled at the sight of the warden's gut bouncing up and down.

"Prince Thor, welcome to our humble town. Please, allow me to greet you inside in a manner befitting you."

"I am not here for frivolities, Warden. You have commanded criminals to attack the village of Weftspire. You will answer for your crimes," his brother said, pointing Mjolnir at the corrupt warden.

"Slander. Urd is slandering me, my prince," Eirik cried out.

Thor took a step forward, forcing the warden to take one back and fall unceremoniously on his back.

"We have questioned the brigands assaulting the village and ascertained the truth of their words," his brother shouted for all to hear.

"My brother means to say you should have some dignity and confess before we make you," Loki added.

Eirik was about to open his mouth, to further deny the accusations perhaps, but he stopped, looking down to avoid the stares. The townspeople had gathered around him, muttering about the missing prisoners.

—
​

Left with no choice, and too scared to lie anymore to the princes of Asgard, Eirik confessed to his little scheme. Thor had declared that the townspeople would decide his fate and called for a new leader.

Some elders had approached, willing to take the position, and Thor left Loki to find the most sincere and capable one.

Ulfar, an old trader that had left the family business to his sons, had been chosen as the new warden.

They were planning to hang Eirik, but he suggested a more fitting punishment. The previous warden had gorged himself on the taxes of the people; it was only fair he was made to pay it all back.

A shovel was handed to him, and Eirik the Warden became Eirik the shit shoveler.

The townspeople wished to show their gratitude, but Thor wanted to return to Asgard. There was no glorious battle to be had here, and his slumped shoulders told him all he needed to know.

—
​

Asgard

The Einherjar were dismissed, while Thor and co. went to report to the Allfather. He was in the gardens with their mother, participating in a tea party.

"Father," both said at the same time, tilting their heads down.

"My sons," Odin said, spreading his arms out, "you have returned. How did your first task outside Asgard fare?"

"It went well, Father; we took most of the brigands prisoner. They were left to the village of Weftspire. We also found the mastermind behind it, the warden of a neighboring town, and he was punished accordingly."

"Was he imprisoned?" their father asked.

"The townsfolk wanted to hang him, but I suggested the warden should pay back to the people for all the privileges," he said, smiling.

"Oh?"

"He is busy shoveling excrement now," Loki admitted, smiling at the memory.

The Allfather chuckled, a sentiment shared by the occupants of the garden.

"Dear, we should celebrate this," their mother suggested.

Odin smiled, grasping her hand. "Indeed. What better way than a feast?"

"For now, you two are dismissed. Go and rest," the Allfather ordered, and Loki was all too grateful for it.

"Yes, Father."

—
​

Loki sat down on his chair, and the computer came to life. His brother took his place in the royal gaming room, right next to this desk.

"Brother, I was thinking. Why don't you make games out of Father's exploits? Slaying Surtr, the war against Jotunheim, and protecting the Nine Realms?" Thor asked. His brother was putting on his Virtual Realm goggles and control equipment.

He stopped, about to turn on the Realms of Valor, and decided it was the time.

"You know, Thor, even though I am a Jotun, I am not as obsessed with them as you are," he admitted.

"What are you talking about? You are not a Jotun; you are my brother," Thor chuckled, shaking his head at the silly joke.

"Adopted, actually," he clarified. It would take a while to convince his brother.

Good thing he was prepared.

The mirth in his brother's voice was gone now. "No, you're not."

"Thor, who do I look like? Mother or father?" he asked.

"Neither," Thor admitted, taken aback by the question.

"Why do you think that is?"

"Because you look like Grandfather Bor?" he said, scratching the back of his head.

"He and Father look the same. You would know if you read the history records properly," Loki admonished. A century of life, and his brother always found a way to ditch his classes.

His brother sat down, brows furrowed, "Then from Mother's side."

"Perhaps," he said. Their mother was raised by witches, and her birth family was unknown.

Rummaging through his drawer, he handed a datapad to Thor. "Here, read this."

"The infant's overall condition is good. There are signs of malnutrition, but he is healthy," Thor read aloud, seeing an image of his brother from when he was a baby.

"What is the date?" he said, stopping his brother from reading through the entire thing.

"Four months after my birth?" Thor tilted his head to the side. "There must be a mistake." Loki was born a year after him, around the first anniversary of the end of the last great war.

"Do you know what happened four months after your birth?" he asked. Even with his brother's penchant for ignoring his studies, he was still a well-learned person as a prince of Asgard and the Allfather's heir.

"The war against the Jotnar ended, and Father returned home for the final time," his brother explained, eyes widening.

"No, this must be a jest," Thor denied once more, putting the datapad aside.

Loki glanced at Thor with half-lidded eyes and sighed.

His skin morphed into a deep blue color, with eyes akin to bloody rubies. Shallow, branching lines appeared across his forehead, starting near the temples and drifting inward. Along with three parallel lines on each of his cheeks and chin, they signified his lineage.

"Ta-da," he said, wiggling his fingers halfheartedly.

Thor flinched, almost going down with the chair. He leaned forward, inspecting the blue, clearly Jotun face before him.

"I refuse to believe this. Father wouldn't just go and adopt a Jotnar," said the god of thunder.

His father was knee-deep in Jotun blood; why would he adopt one of them? Could his father have…

"He did, and Laufey's son to boot," he said, circling a finger over his lineage marks on his forehead.

"Laufey's son? I…" Thor exclaimed, lost for words. He combed a hand through his hair, mouth open in a silent O. It did not make any sense to him for his father to adopt a child of the Jotnar that took his eye.

"I'll speak to Father and learn the truth of this." He rose from the chair, but Loki stopped him.

"No, you won't," he said, holding a hand out.

"Why is that?" Thor asked, lips pursed.

"Because it is troublesome, and I don't want to explain how I even discovered this in the first place. And if you insist on going, I won't speak to you again," he threatened.

The drama that would ensue was not something he wanted to go through.

Thor looked at him with an unreadable expression and left the room without looking back.

Loki raised his shoulders and dropped them. Switching his form back, he turned his attention to the game.

—
​

It was dinner time, and the hall was loud. The people were conversing over Nornheim. It was a trivial matter, ensuring the safety of a small village, but one that was Asgard's duty.

Defeating a handful of brigands was nothing impressive, especially for Odinsons, but taking most of them prisoner without even fighting was. The punishment given to the schemer behind the disturbance was not forgotten either.

Thor, the hero of the hour, was silent.

He played with his food and did not engage in banter.

"Thor, we know you didn't get the glorious battle you wanted, but that is no reason to be so sullen," Sif said, holding out a mug of mead for him.

"It is not about Nornheim, Sif," he replied, taking the mug.

"Then what?"

"Something I have to deal with myself," Thor said, shoulders hunched, gaze fixed to his plate.

Unused to seeing her friend so sullen, Sif let him be.

Sitting on her husband's left, Frigga watched her eldest.

"Loki, did something happen between you two?" his mother asked, right on point.

A mother's intuition was a terrifying phenomenon.

"Nothing much. Just a small disagreement over the Jotnar," he answered. It was true, in a sense.

"Is that so?" she asked.

"What else would it be?" He smiled, pointing at the holovision. "Oh look, your favorite opera is starting."

His mother gave him a pointed stare and turned to the screen.

—
​

With Thor down in spirits, he was able to excuse himself. He returned to his room, deciding to sleep so he could continue his experiments with a clear head.

His brother, shaken by the revelation, avoided him for the following days. Lady Sif and the Warrior's Three followed Thor along, and without any other tasks, he was free to finish what he started.

—
​

Across the Nine Realms, the Bifrost was the greatest means of travel. It was instant, precise, and did not come with any downsides.

It wasn't the only method to travel, however. Due to the loose connection between the Nine Realms, there are cracks that could allow a person to travel to the other worlds. It was, according to his mother, akin to stepping through a door and finding yourself in a whole different realm.

They were rare and impossible to detect unless you came across them by chance.

Ships that could traverse the stars existed, but Asgard had no need for them. Dark magic was another method, but it was taxing on the body and mind.

If this worked, it would be an alternative that he could use to go wherever his heart desired.

Starting with Midgard.

His theory depended on increasing the density of the seidr particles to simulate an increase in gravity. Once the gravity reached a sufficient strength, he could bend space and time to a small degree.

That alone would just cause anomalies, and nothing more.

Bending the space, he would have to accelerate the dense seidr particles to faster-than-light speeds. The accelerated particles would tunnel through reality itself, reaching the target destination.

Anchored on both sides, the higher space tunnel would be compressed.

Then, he would truly have a door to step through.

The room he was in, his lab so to speak, was constructed for this purpose. Walls so thick and protected by the strongest enchantments he could produce, even his plasma beams would take hours to cut through.

Hidden from Heimdall's sight with seidr, it was the perfect place.

Two green and jagged beams struck a certain point in front of him. He continued to feed it, changing the composition of the particles, and the effects became noticeable immediately.

He felt heavy.

The point of contact became dense enough in seconds, and he proceeded with the second part. The space before him broke like glass, falling inside the white nothingness.

His eyes glowed green, and the particles accelerated, guided by the replicated all-seeing vision.

Heimdall would either be impressed or furious.

Ten seconds, he counted inside his head. The walls wavered, his knees buckled, and the tear in reality glowed to blinding proportions.

Loki could feel the strain, both on his body and seidr, but pushed through.

And in a split second, it was all over. The glow disappeared, the tear repaired itself, and the sole occupant of the room was nowhere to be seen.

—
​

Midgard

He coughed, stepping out of the gate, and looked around.

It was a wilderness.

The replicated vision was nowhere near as strong or precise as the original, and he couldn't see more than the planet itself.

He had no idea what Earth was like now.

Conjuring the cloud platform, Loki rose above the trees, invisible. All he could see, however, was a forest with no end.

Where could he be?

His musing was interrupted when an animal flew by his head, narrowly missing him. A black-feathered body with a white head—it was a bald eagle.

He was in America, probably before it was even discovered by anyone. Loki felt like laughing.

He had done it. A method to travel thousands of light-years that did not require the Bifrost or dangerous seidr.

Now, he just had to perfect the all-seeing vision.

—
​

In the next chapter:

"Loki, are you ready?" His mother called from outside the door.

"For what?" he asked, trying to remember anything of importance she might have said.

"A member of the Crimson Hawks is to wed. Your father wants both his sons there," she chided.

"I'll be there in a minute," he shouted back. He remembered his mother mentioning something about a wedding, but he stopped listening after that.

Guess he had to go and be the gracious prince.



Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me on Patreon.

 

[Samael61]

Hello there,

If you enjoy my stories, you can read advanced chapters on my patreon page

Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 15 chapters ahead

DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington-inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 15 chapters ahead,

Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low-End Fantasy World, a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 15 chapters ahead,

Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 15 chapters ahead,

Loki: The God of Magic , an OC-SI into Loki who is not aware of the MCU, is 9 chapters ahead.

If you enjoy sci-fi, action, politics, romance with an overpowered protagonist, you can check Arrival, my original story on my Patreon or my pages on the fanfiction sites. I intend to make this a long term project, if you wish to be with me in this journey from the very start, now is the time. Your review and likes are appreciated to keep up with the algorithm.

By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.


Note: Apple store payments will be refunded because of the company's 75-day hold policy.

—
​

Midgard

Loki sat down on the branch of a tree, watching a tribe of Native Americans. Usually, the Aesir was not allowed on Midgard unless it was a matter of importance due to his father's decree. Short-lived and disunited, the humans would be affected too much by any Asgardian interference.

Which is why he was just watching and taking photos, of course.

A collection for the future, when the settlers and the American forces would eradicate them. He could intervene in the future, but the Allfather's decree was absolute, and even his sons were not above it.

Also, he had no idea what changing the timeline would do.

So he would observe, record, and move on. He also enjoyed the untouched nature, happy to just gaze at a meadow.

The night fell, and a tribe elder was telling stories to the gathered crowd. It was about the nature of creation, though he couldn't listen anymore. Dinner would be served soon, and it was not appreciated for any member to miss it without a good reason.

Away from the tribe, he gathered his seidr. The beams struck the fabric of space again, and familiar with the sensation, the second attempt was easier. The gravity increased on the point of contact, he accelerated the particles, and he passed through the gate.

—
​

Asgard

He had left a beacon on the laboratory to create a familiar cluster of seidr to track with his replicated vision.

It allowed him to exit right on the exact location he had left.

Dusting his clothes, he made a note to fix the walls and headed to dinner. This experiment was a massive success. He no longer had to answer to anyone to travel to whichever realm he desired to see.

He entered the hall, glancing at the head of the table where his family was. Thor was still sullen and did not seem to have much of an appetite. Their mother kept discreetly glancing at him between her conversations with the ladies.

"Loki, there you are," his mother said, watching him sit down.

"I am not late, am I?" he asked. The dinner seemed to have recently begun, and a couple of minutes of tardiness could be excused.

"No, you are not," she replied, glancing at Thor.

"Brother, eat up now. Your face is already gaunt." Loki teased his brother to keep up appearances.

"I am not in the mood," the God of Thunder said.

"If you say so."

As he ate, Loki considered the next step in his research. His mastery over gravity had reached a sufficient point. If he could reverse the effects of gravity, he should be able to fly without the need for the cloud platform.

It was easier said than done. Replicating gravity was simple, since he had ample time to observe, yet the same could not be said for antigravity.

—
​

It took three days to fix the walls, and Loki sat in the middle of his experiment site, notes strewn around. He had to change the effects of the seidr particles replicating gravity, but how?

The gravity was a result of mass curving spacetime, the same way a heavy ball would bend a sheet held from all ends. Asgard, despite not being an actual planet, had gravity created through seidr.

Reversing the curve upwards would mean he could create anti-gravity.

Creating a visual representation of the curvature, he considered how to press the space so up would mean down.

This would take some time.

—
​

Days blended together for Loki. Thor was still sulking, his mother was getting worried, and he was too engrossed in his research.

Bending spacetime began with infusing his seidr into the fabric to create an echo. He would understand the properties that governed the fabric of spacetime and how to manipulate them.

Creating a gravity well with accelerated particles to break into the higher dimensions he used to travel, his seidr-based scans brought forth a lot of data that he transferred to the computers.

God or not, he could not keep all that information in mind.

There was already a mountain of data to go through, theories to be created, and tests to be conducted.

Should this succeed, the gains would be enormous. Unassisted flight was a mere afterthought. With enough seidr, he could reverse gravity on a massive scale, break the hydrostatic balance of a star, and even move Asgard should it be necessary.

The applications were endless.

"Loki, are you ready?" His mother called from outside the door.

"For what?" he asked, trying to remember anything of importance she might have said.

"A member of the Crimson Hawks is to wed. Your father wants both his sons there," she chided.

"I'll be there in a minute," he shouted back. He remembered his mother mentioning something about a wedding, but he stopped listening after that.

Guess he had to go and be the gracious prince.

—
​

His father had personal guards, named the Crimson Hawks, dedicated to giving their lives for the Allfather should it be necessary.

One of their members, Theoric, was to wed Lady Sigyn.

His wife in the human myths.

Assuming that the original Loki was the kind of person depicted in the legends, he might have become jealous and killed this Theoric in order to wed Sigyn.

He, on the other hand, was not interested in her in the slightest.

"I can't wait for the day you two find lovers and wed as well," his mother said. The bride and the groom were approaching the Allfather now.

He didn't even glance long enough to remember their appearances.

"Us? Wed? Unless my brother finds a woman that is basically a female version of himself, I don't see it happening," he said, imagining a maiden with raging muscles, carrying an oversized weapon.

"As for me, I have yet to see any female that could match me when it comes to seidr. Chances are, we'll both be single for life."

Not that he was against romance, but there was too much to do for him to consider pursuing a woman.

"You are barely a century old, Loki; you cannot know what the future will bring," said his mother.

"I wager I can create a method to view the future," he retorted. "However, that would make life boring, so I shall refrain."

What was the purpose of life if you knew how it would play out?

His mother lifted a single eyebrow before turning her attention to her husband.

Now that the wedding was starting and he had to be silent, he could ignore the entire thing.

He understood and appreciated the sacrifices that were expected of the Crimson Hawks, but their sole duty was to his father. What happened to them didn't really concern Loki or anyone else except the Allfather.

Alas, that is not how the Allfather saw it, and here he was.

At least the original was continuing the research.

Odin wed the couple with grand promises, along with blessings for a happy and prosperous life. He clapped politely, a courtly smile plastered on his face, and took part in the feast.

He offered his congratulations, filled his stomach, and excused himself.

"Brother, may we speak?"

"Very well, meet me in my room."

—
​

His shade fused with him, and Loki took a couple of seconds to assimilate the memories. With a wave of his hand, the room put itself back in order.

The bed was made, his notes arranged themselves, the floor was swept, and the windows were opened to air the place.

Thor had finally made up his mind.

There was a knock on the door, a first for his brother. "Come in."

His brother entered, giving him a shallow nod before closing the door and taking a seat across from him.

Uncharacteristically silent, he just sat there. Loki summoned a mug, filling it with mead. He always made sure to keep around a casket or two for his brother.

Handing the mug, he waited.

"I don't know why Father brought you home, or why he never told us the truth. But know this, even if we do not share blood, you are my brother, now and forever," Thor declared, holding his arm out.

Loki took it, smiling, "Brothers forever."

He knew that his true parentage would not matter to his brother. Thor just needed time to figure it out for himself.

"Still, I don't understand. Why didn't he just tell us?" His brother wondered. Did his father think he would not see Loki as a brother anymore?

Remembering how he declared to slay all the Jotuns, calling them monsters, Thor's shoulders slumped.

"Most likely because he didn't want me to feel like an outsider," he said. That was the only reason that made sense.

He simply did not know enough to extrapolate.

"Are you certain about not asking him?" Thor said. He wanted to go and confront Odin on why he kept this a secret for so long, but Loki's words had stopped him.

"I am," he nodded, "because I don't think my origins are the only great secret he keeps."

His brother looked at him with a weary gaze before finishing the mug and leaning back. "What do you mean?"

"Thor, who do you think used Mjolnir before you?" he asked. The first time they were taken to the vault, just at eight years old, he remembered seeing Mjolnir sitting in the vault.

"No one," his brother replied.

The God of Thunder did not like where this was going.

"Then why was it in the vault? No one, not even our father, commissions a weapon like Mjolnir from Nidavellir and puts it in a vault for no reason," he explained. The only prophetic visions his father ever had concerned Ragnarok, and unless he somehow planned to have a son that would have powers over thunder, it made no sense for Mjolnir to exist.

Thor dragged his palms over his face with a long sigh. "You think there was someone else before me?"

His brother was right. The weapons forged by the dwarves were highly sought after, and seeing as the hammer lacked any prior history that they knew of, his father wouldn't just commission it to be a decorative piece.

"Most likely. One that Father keeps a secret," he said. Who, though? He had no idea.

"What else?" Thor asked, a mirthless chuckle leaving his lips.

"Valkyries. The great heroes of Asgard that fell in a battle long ago. Do you know which battle it was?" Loki queried. While Thor did not care much for books, he absolutely was a fan of the Valkyries, so much so he wanted to be one until learning they were all females.

"No."

"Neither do I because it is not stated anywhere. It just says a battle that took place long ago. Yet we know they existed in our father's time. Then why aren't there more details? How could Odin Allfather not know who or what killed the Valkyries?" he asked in a rapid order.

There were hundreds of battles where the Valkyries had won great victories, all meticulously detailed, yet their death was hidden? When did Asgard pride itself on martial capabilities and honoring those that fell on the battlefield?

Either their father had made a monumental mistake that led to the death of the entire order and was keeping it a secret out of shame, or something else.

Loki did not know which option was more worrying.

"He keeps it vague on purpose," his brother realized.

"Exactly."

"Why though? What could he possibly gain from all those secrets?"

"That is a question we are not strong enough to answer yet," he replied.

They were silent after that while Thor tried to make sense of everything.

"You know what? Let's play some games and clear our heads."

"Fine."

—
​

Loki sat on his game chair, leaning back and relaxing. The system, created through mastery of seidr, scanned him. The neural links were connected, and when he opened his eyes, he stood in a great clearing.

The wind caressed his face, and the sunlight warmed him. Everything inside the digital world was so realistic, even the Allfather had a hard time discerning it from the truth.

Thor materialized next to him as orange cubits built his avatar.

They looked the same as they did outside, except for their gear. He was dressed in overflowing green robes as a sorcerer, carrying a simplistic staff he absolutely did not need.

His brother wore armor similar to his real-world one, though this one was forged by the dwarves of the Realms of Valor with the materials acquired from Fafnir, the Gold Hoarder, whom Thor had wrestled down single-handedly.

Carrying an oversized hammer that he had named Mjolnir, his brother was a warrior through and through.

"I was thinking, why don't we go fight Surtur?" Thor proposed. Created from what little they knew of the Fire Demon and King of Musphelheim, Surtur was a boss that required at least a fifteen-person raid team to kill.

Or if you can find the Allfather's Boon, you could summon Odin to watch an epic battle where their father killed Surtur.

"We'll most likely die," Loki said. He did, in fact, have the Allfather's Boon but wanted to keep it for a rainy day.

"Come on, you keep all those artifacts in your inventory," Thor whined. "They are just gathering digital dust. We can win if you use some of them."

He also did have other artifacts created through alchemy, blacksmithing, and seidr. Several were inspired from the vault, such as the Casket of Ancient Winters, while the rest were created through what he remembered from his past life.

The Golden Apple of Idunn, Skidblanir, Draupnir, and more were gathered in his inventory.

"Thor, it took me years to gather those items," he reminded, lips tight. Game or not, he had spent a lot of time in Realms of Valor.

"So?" his brother asked, and Loki did not have a good answer to give.

"Fine," he relented, "but I get the Eternal Flame."

Useful for many purposes, he had already acquired one from last year's great boss raid but had used it to fuel the shield of their home in this world.

"I just want to hang his crown on our guild base," Thor replied.

"Alright."

—
​

In truth, the Realms of Valor served a purpose no one else knew.

It wasn't so much a game as an extremely realistic simulation. All the pieces from the real world, such as the Eternal Flame, the Casket, and Bifrost, were scanned beforehand. Loki had claimed it was to have accurate representation in the game.

The world itself was a massive computer, connecting the thousands of game chairs across the Nine Realms so he could understand the seidr behind the artifacts.

It was slow work.

The Eternal Flame, for example, was inextinguishable and the source of Surtur's power. Understanding how exactly it worked could allow him to create a source of unlimited energy.

One that was solely his own.

He could forge weapons like Mjolnir and Gungnir and understand the seidr behind Bifrost, smoothing his interstellar gates.

Understanding, however, wasn't all.

With the tidbits of information he had, the artifacts that did not exist on Asgard were being simulated to see how they could work.

Could he create a golden apple to make people immortal? A ring that replicated itself constantly? To create a source of unlimited materials?

The entire world was working for that purpose, all behind the scenes.

It wasn't all schemes, however. He still enjoyed traveling and fighting in this digital world. They would never be allowed to travel to places like Musphelheim.

Yet here, they could do whatever they wanted.

—
​

In the next chapter:
"Why are you even trying to fish in this empty lake?" his brother said, waving his hand at the fishing pole.

"I am not trying to fish, Thor; I am resting near the lake. The pole is just to confuse the people," he said. He had, in either life, never gone fishing.

Though there was nothing to catch, he still could live the experience.

Thor chuckled, "Sometimes, I think you are just too old for your age."

"I was a mortal before being reincarnated. Could be because of it," he admitted, swirling the mug of mead in his hand. He knew Thor would not believe it, which would make it even sweeter should it ever be necessary for him to admit.

His brother shook his head. "Just speak to Amora, will you?"

"Fine," he agreed, and summoned another chair. "In the meantime, why don't you sit down and enjoy the scenery?"

He was sure he could knock some sense into Amora and save his brother from this menace.

"Alright." Thor took a seat with another chilled mead casket to enjoy the day.




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[Samael61]

Hello there,

If you enjoy my stories, you can read advanced chapters on my patreon page

Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 15 chapters ahead

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Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low-End Fantasy World, a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 15 chapters ahead,

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—
​

Midgard

Loki had done it.

Or at least, he was mostly certain that he discovered a way to reverse the gravitational curve. Now, it was time for a test.

Conducting it in Asgard was not advisable. The seidr of the planetoid could be affected in unknown ways. Midgard did not share that issue, and he was far from any settlement.

Starting with tearing small openings, his seidr flooded into the higher dimensions. Bonding with the particles that were curved, he began to change their polarity.

It was akin to changing a single word in a book to its antonym.

He felt light, as the gravity lost its hold on him. His feet left the ground, and Loki grinned.

Then he shot up to the sky, feeling the wind racing across his skin. He had changed too much at once, and rather than simply negate gravity, his body had become a conduit for anti-gravity.

Gradually, he slowed as the reversed curve began to settle into a line with a slight bump. He came to a full stop and opened his eyes.

He was near the edge of space.

The white sea of clouds floated beneath, and he could see the moon, the stars, and the sun.

Loki felt like laughing, but there was no air for him to do so.

He bent the curve again, shooting down to the planet, just above the clouds. The sunlight shone through, giving the great white expanse before him a warm, orange hue.

As he soared through the charming scenery before him, Loki finally laughed, as freely as he felt now.

He propelled himself forward, increasing the speed to test his limits. A layer of seidr covered his body against the air resistance.

Inadvertently, he went over Europe, and more than one kingdom saw a falling star skimming the clouds.

All too soon, he had to return home.

—
​

Asgard

"Guests?" he asked. Thor had been waiting for him outside the palace to inform him of recent visitors to Asgard.

"Karnilla, the Queen of Nornheim, and her apprentice, Lady Amora," his brother said.

Loki knew of Queen Karnilla as part of their studies into the Nine Realms, but it was mostly through word of mouth.

"Wonderful." More guests for them to entertain.

"Mother and Father expect us to be in attendance," Thor reminded, quite unnecessarily. If the guests were important enough for the Allfather to receive, then the princes were expected to be there.

"Are they ever not?" he muttered to himself.

"You seem happy. Do you know Queen Karnilla?"

Loki touched his lips, realizing that he was smiling unconsciously. "No. I am happy for a different reason."

"Ah, you succeeded in another seidr experiment," he realized. Loki tended to be unaware of his expressions whenever he was delighted with the results of his work or too concentrated.

"I did."

"Will you tell me what it is?" Thor asked. As a child, he had considered seidr mere tricks, until Loki showed him that without seidr, they were no different than ordinary Midgardians.

It was a sobering lesson.

"Perhaps later." He wanted to keep some of his capabilities secret. Not that he didn't trust Thor, he just didn't want attention.

His father had accepted the guests in his workroom, which meant it was business-related rather than a diplomatic visit.

"Queen Karnilla, welcome to Asgard," Thor greeted, and both siblings gave shallow bows. While technically under Asgard's protection, Nornheim was allowed to govern itself, and except in rare cases, the Allfather did not interfere.

"Thank you, Prince Thor, Prince Loki," Karnilla replied, giving an equally shallow bow.

"This is my apprentice, Amora." She gestured with her hand to the blonde female waiting on her left.

"I am sure my sons can keep your apprentice company as we speak," his father decreed, which meant this business did not concern them.

"As you wish, Father."

—
​

"I must say, I heard great things about you both, my princes," Amora said once they were out of the room.

"Thank you, my lady," Thor nodded.

"A mighty warrior armed with Mjolnir and a master of seidr unlike any before him," she added, all the while her eyes were glued on Thor.

"Anything in particular you wish to see, Lady Amora?" his brother asked, playing the perfect guest.

"Please," she hooked her arm around Thor's, "just call me Amora, my prince."

"Then you may call me Thor," his brother offered in return.

Loki glanced at Amora and shook his head. She looked at Thor like a starving bilge snipe would look at a herd of cattle.

And his brother was clueless.

Per the Allfather's orders, they had to keep the lady company, which included sightseeing across Asgard. He was fortunate, as Amora preferred Thor's company, so he could sneak away.

His brother would have to take this one.

The test results would have to be entered into the system, and then he could rest before starting his next project.

Svartalfheim.

Heimdall would never, under any circumstance, allow him passage to the home of the Dark Elves. Fortunately, he did not need the Bifrost anymore.

The Aether was an object of immense power that Malekith, the leader of the Dark Elves, tried to use in an attempt to revert the universe into a state of total darkness. King Bor, his grandfather, had defeated the Dokkalfar around four thousand years ago and hid the Aether away.

The Dark Elves were destroyed when Malekith apparently ordered a suicide charge to take out as many of Asgard's armies as possible, leaving Svartalfheim an empty world, with plenty of ruins that were forbidden to all.

The chance to explore the ruins of a dead alien civilization was too exciting to pass up.

For now, he intended to rest.

—
​

"Loki, you must help me," his brother pleaded. Loki lowered his sunglasses, levitating the lounge chair to face Thor.

"With what?" Seeing his brother's face, he could guess.

Three days, and Amora had already tired Thor with her constant flirting.

"Lady Amora. She won't leave me be," Thor complained. Amora was a lovely lady, with blonde hair, a beautiful face, and comely assets, and she knew how to dress to impress.

She just wasn't what Thor sought.

"Have you told her you are not interested in a romantic relationship?" he asked to be sure. They were too young to be interested in a long-term partnership or marriage. Thor could have forgotten to mention that part.

"I have. She just won't listen," his brother grunted.

"Downside of being so handsome, brother," Loki winked," You were bound to have crazy admirers."

He took out a small casket of mead from his pocket dimension, using his Jotun constitution to chill it.

"Please do not jest," Thor said. He took the flask and downed the entire thing in one go.

"I'll talk with her after I am done here." He had already removed the tracking spell on Thor, sending it to the other side of Asgard.

Amora would be on a wild chase for a while.

"Why are you even trying to fish in this empty lake?" his brother said, waving his hand at the fishing pole.

"I am not trying to fish, Thor; I am resting near the lake. The pole is just to confuse the people," he said. He had, in either life, never gone fishing.

Though there was nothing to catch, he still could live the experience.

Thor chuckled, "Sometimes, I think you are just too old for your age."

"I was a mortal before being reincarnated. Could be because of it," he admitted, swirling the mug of mead in his hand. He knew Thor would not believe it, which would make it even sweeter should it ever be necessary for him to admit.

His brother shook his head. "Just speak to Amora, will you?"

"Fine," he agreed, and summoned another chair. "In the meantime, why don't you sit down and enjoy the scenery?"

He was sure he could knock some sense into Amora and save his brother from this menace.

"Alright." Thor took a seat with another chilled mead casket to enjoy the day.

—
​

Come morning, Loki went to find Amora after breakfast. She was in the gardens with her master, Queen Karmilla, and his mother.

"Mother, Queen Karmilla, my lady," he greeted them.

His mother beamed at him, while Karmilla gave a shallow nod. "Ah, the newest master of seidr. Asgard is certainly fortunate to possess such a gem like you."

Karmilla was ancient; he could feel it, yet she somehow kept a youthful appearance. Her hair was a rich brown color, and her blue eyes that carried so much history were still glinting with strength.

"Thank you, Queen Karmilla. May I borrow your apprentice for a couple of minutes? There is something I'd like to ask her," he said with a smile that did not quite reach his eyes.

"Of course," Karmilla said, gesturing to her apprentice.

The two moved away from the gardens and from any prying eyes into an empty training ground.

"How can I be of assistance, my prince?" Amora wondered what the second prince of Asgard could want from her.

"I assume you are smitten with my brother, seeing how you went as far as to put a tracker spell on him," he said. It would be troublesome for everyone if that ever got revealed.

Being in love was no excuse to cast a spell on a son of Odin Allfather.

"So?" She crossed her arms.

"My lady, did he not tell you that he was not interested?" Loki was not really in the mood to play games.

"He did. However, I am certain I can change his mind," said the sorceress.

Now it was Loki's turn to cross his arms. "Take it from someone that has been with Thor his entire life, you won't."

Thor needed a wall to withstand his thunder, a shelter for his rain. Amora was neither of these.

"What is it to you?" she glared. He could see that she was getting irritated.

"I usually wouldn't interfere, but my brother asked for my help since you would not listen to him. Have some pride, Lady Amora, and don't chase after someone that doesn't want you," he advised.

No meant no.

"It sounds like you are jealous," Amora said. Loki shook his head, disappointed at her illogical attempt at changing the subject.

"That someone whose only trick is enchantment is chasing my brother? You would have to do a lot more than that to earn my interest. Even then, I would never pursue a woman that does not wish for it," he winked.

Amora was, by all records, a good sorceress, but not enough that he would have any interest in her.

"I understand; he is handsome, gallant, strong, and has many more desirable qualities," he said. "It's just, chasing after someone that is not interested in you is just pathetic, especially when you have so much talent in seidr."

The Allfather knew just how much the females swooned for Thor, praising his martial might, muscles, golden hair, and almost every other part.

"What would you know of my capabilities in seidr?"

Loki gathered an orb of plasma in his hands, smirking at Amora, "I know a lot more about seidr than people think."

"I am trying to understand your feelings, but there can't be a more miserable life than being wed to someone that does not want you," he warned.

Not that her infatuation would ever go that far.

"I…" she began, lost for words. "Fine, I won't pursue Thor anymore. Happy?"

"Me? No. My brother, on the other hand, definitely will be."

"And as I said before, you have potential; don't waste it."

—
​

"I solved your little problem," he whispered to Thor during lunch.

"Truly?" his brother turned to him, spoon halfway to his mouth, "Thank you, brother; I don't know what I would have done."

"This must be what they call suffering from success," he grinned.

"Just wait until we find a female that wants to chase you," Thor smirked. Unlike him, Loki was not interested in flirting with the ladies.

"I am a recluse, Thor; that won't happen."

"We shall see."

—
​

Once the relationship between Thor and Amora had turned to one of guest and host, he was free to study more on the Dokkalfar.

The records were sparse, more focused on battle tactics, technological capabilities, and the state of the war than on their culture, seidr, or beliefs.

There were also a lot of inconsistencies.

For example, it is said that Malekith was destroyed when he ordered the suicide attack, yet the only evidence was that he was not seen again.

How could Bor be certain of the fall of the Dokkalfar when Malekith's body was not retrieved? Would someone that wanted to plunge the Nine Realms into a state where only his kind could live be so mad as to order his people to their total deaths?

Long before the birth of life, there was darkness, and from that darkness came the Dark Elves.

That was what the books said.

If the Aether was strong enough to transform the Nine Realms into that darkness out of which the Dokkalfar were born, could that mean if the plan succeeded, Malekith could have restored his dead kin?

Putting himself in Malekith's place, Loki considered what he would do.

There wasn't enough information, and assumptions were dangerous to make at the best of times, but if he knew his kin could be restored, sacrificing enough of them to create a distraction for the rest to escape was a sound strategy.

Especially with how many losses Asgard had suffered when the Dark Elves used their ships as improvised explosives.

They would be in no position to track any missing ships.

Another part, they also did not have an individual like Heimdall, who could see and hear all that was happening in the Nine Realms, barring if someone was strong enough to hide from his absolute senses.

Meaning, if there were Dark Elves hiding out there, waiting for an opportunity to strike back, such as Ragnarok, there would be no way for Asgard to know.

But that alone wasn't enough.

To transform the entirety of the Nine Realms into darkness, the Dark Elves needed to use the Aether during the Convergence, when the worlds aligned and the dimensional boundaries between the planets weakened.

And the last Convergence happened around four thousand years ago.

Should the Dark Elves be in hiding, then they would be waiting for another millennium.

His father was born shortly after the war and did not have any firsthand information to give. Reports on Malekith, mostly concerning his battle tactics, did show that he was not some berserker striking out at the universe.

He was calculative enough to make sacrifices and smart enough to retreat when necessary, as well as brutal to the end.

There was one person who had clashed blades with him and survived, but he was in Valhalla right now.

Meaning, if he wanted to learn more, he would have to be creative.

—
​

In the next chapter:

"I'll admit, you caught my handsomeness well," his brother said, thinking it was just another conjuration.

"That's not all," the simulated Thor replied and threw a haymaker at the real one.

"What the?" Thor exclaimed, his voice rising an octave. That punch was almost as fast as his.

The copy grinned, stretching his arms.

His brother realized that this was not a mere projection. Walking around his copy, Thor began to inspect it with parted lips.

"He is as durable and strong as you," Loki said.



Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me on Patreon.

 

[Samael61]

Hello there,

If you enjoy my stories, you can read up to 15 chapters in advance per story on my Patreon page / patreon.com/Samael61.

—
​

Svartalfheim

The world of the Dark Elves was dark. The only source of light was a black hole of all celestial objects.

His first target for investigation was the battlefield where the air fleet of the Dokkalfar had destroyed itself, inflicting grievous casualties on Asgard. It was also supposed to have exterminated their entire race.

The remains of the fallen Asgardians have been recovered after the battle. Everything else has been left to rot.

Including the ships.

There wasn't much left of the vessels in the first place, but samples, no matter how small, were better than nothing.

Because there was one glaring lack of information regarding the Dokkalfar. They had ships capable of traversing the stars, black hole grenades, and advanced energy weapons. Yet, the location where they had produced any of these in the first place was unknown.

The Dark Elves must have a city somewhere.

Either King Bor had not ordered any searches, or he had, but nothing was discovered.

Sending several shades, he began to comb the battlefield in an organized manner. He, on the other hand, sat down in a comfortable position. Laying his hands on the soil, he sent out pulses of seidr.

It went straight through for several seconds. He tilted his head, not because he found something, but rather a nothingness among the soil.

An object caused his seidr to morph around it, creating a glaring emptiness in the otherwise perfect scan.

He conjured the scans in a cubic form. The dark spot was almost as tall as him and had a triangular, jagged shape.

Pushing a higher amount of seidr into the soil, he raised his hands. The ground rumbled, and the area he had scanned began to float. He launched the cube at the rock hill behind him.

There was a distinctive sound of metal hitting stone. Summoning fierce winds, he blew the dust away, clearing the area.

He found nothing.

Another seidr pulse revealed that the object was in front of him. He crouched, touching the invisible object to get a feel of it.

It was smooth and metallic, with no difference in temperature. The seidr covering the metal plate turned it invisible, but not through the usual methods. The source of this seidr created a field that blended the ships with the fabric of space.

Similar to painting something black and then releasing it to space.

When Malekith sacrificed his people, this piece of the ship must have been exposed to a concentration of Aether, which turned it invisible in this manner.

It also confirmed his theories that there might be Dark Elves waiting out there in hiding. In fact, they might even be hiding in Svartalfheim.

A seidr pulse massive enough to cover the entire planet could, in theory, reveal every dark spot and lead him to any possible hidden settlements.

He did not have enough seidr for that purpose. In fact, no one except his father could possibly do it. Preparations would be necessary.

Summoning his shades, he took the plate and left the planet with other samples.

He would definitely return.

—
​

Asgard

1200 A.D.

"Explain to me again. What will this machine of yours do?" Thor asked for the third time, and he had had enough.

Better to show than explain.

"Simulate Thor, hundred percent power," he ordered to the consciousness of the room.

In the sterile white room they were in, the lines between the panels glowed golden. Right next to Loki and Thor, a figure began to emerge. Starting from the head, a perfect replica of his brother was created in seconds.

"I'll admit, you caught my handsomeness well," his brother said, thinking it was just another conjuration.

"That's not all," the simulated Thor replied and threw a haymaker at the real one.

"What the?" Thor exclaimed, his voice rising an octave. That punch was almost as fast as his.

The copy grinned, stretching his arms.

His brother realized that this was not a mere projection. Walking around his copy, Thor began to inspect it with parted lips.

"He is as durable and strong as you," Loki said.

Simulating an Asgardian god like himself, Thor, or their father was impossible without a sufficient energy source. Even then, giving seidr to the projections could be problematic, so he had left that out.

The trick was to concentrate that energy into an extremely dense form, one that could be interacted with. The rest was just making it look and act like the original.

"So I can fight him all I want," his brother said, grinning.

"Indeed you can," the simulated Thor replied, raising his arms in a fighting stance.

His brother grinned and dropped Mjolnir before launching himself at his replica with a hearty laugh.

—
​

"Thor," Frigga called out. She knew her sons were testing something out again, and she wished to ensure it was nothing dangerous.

"Thor, there you are." She saw her eldest fighting with himself?

"What is happening here?" she raised her voice. Which seidr had her youngest cast to create this mirage image?

"Mother, come in," Thor, the tired one that just sat down on the ground, invited. She did not remember the last time her son was so exhausted.

"Thor Odinson, explain yourself," she demanded. The mirage was full of energy compared to the real one and waved at her.

Thor laughed, throwing his head back, "You won't believe what Loki has built."

"I am listening."

"This room can simulate almost anything, including living beings," her youngest's voice came from the door. "This Thor has the physical capabilities of the real one, but not his affinity for thunder. Or seidr in general."

Frigga slowly turned to appraise the mirage. It looked exactly like Thor and, true to Loki's words, did not possess any seidr.

Still, replicating the physical capabilities of an Aesir like Thor through seidr was…

"Incredible."

"Thor was always complaining about lacking a good fight. Now, he can fight himself to his heart's content," Loki said.

She smiled. Beneath his aloof and uncaring exterior, she knew her son still loved his brother. Enough to create something as wonderful as this room.

Of course he had also intended to use it for his studies, she was sure.

"I am sure your father would also like to try this. And every other warrior in Asgard," she added as an afterthought.

The chance to fight oneself without the consequences of battle? Her husband preached that to fight for the sake of it was wrong, but even he would be willing to give this contraption a try.

"There is still work to be done." Her youngest dispersed the mirage and shooed them out of the room. Thor had to go and bathe, while she would consider this development.

The stress test for the simulation room revealed the need for a sturdier construction. Both Thors had thrown the other to several of the plates hard enough to damage the rune arrays behind them.

A force field that could absorb energy to maintain itself could save him a lot of repair time.

He had also gathered a trove of data on how to improve the system. Once ready, the simulation room would make the perfect place to continue his studies.

—
​

When the idea to create this simulator came to him, it was to listen as his brother complained about the lack of a proper opponent.

Who could be a worthier opponent to Thor than himself?

The force field was simple to create, and he dove into his first task, a device to store enormous amounts of seidr.

He would take those devices to Svartalfheim, placing them in certain locations to trigger a staggered pulse release. It would create a constructive wave interference, amplifying the power of each pulse, and map most of the planet.

Storing seidr was more difficult than it sounded. Asgard itself was a conduit of Yggdrasil, the cosmic phenomenon that bound the Nine Realms together. Through that force, they powered everything.

Yet, there has never been a need to store it.

Certain materials possessed seidr, such as the Uru metal. Not only was it rare, but it was also impossible for anyone except the dwarves to process.

He required a large enough source of seidr, and a field capable of holding it.

—

"Brother, it has been weeks. Aren't you done with the room?" Thor complained as soon as he was through the door.

"What?" Loki said, the words registering slowly as he was too focused, "Oh, that. No, I am not. Come back later."

"Why is this taking so long?" his brother asked.

It had taken him years to create the simulation room; he should be allowed to use it without any interruptions.

Alas, Thor was too battle-hungry.

"Thor, do you have any idea how difficult it is to create a device that could simulate existences such as ours?" Replicating the finer details was the work of future Loki, but the system worked excellently for the purposes it was built for.

"Too difficult?" Thor said, his voice wavering.

"Yes."

"I understand. Do let me know if there is anything I can assist with."

"Thank you."

He did feel bad for Thor, but his work was nearing completion. The prototype of his Seidr Pulse device was ready and only required a source of seidr to charge it.

—
​

"Heimdall," he greeted the gatekeeper.

Bifrost required immense energy to work, and he figured siphoning some of it would not be an issue for anyone.

"My prince," Heimdall greeted back with a small nod.

"Could I implore you to activate the Bifrost for a short while?" he requested. As long as it did not bring any harm to Asgard, Heimdall was rather liberal in who he allowed through.

"Just activate it? Do you not require passage, my prince?" Heimdall asked. The prince's words

"No, just testing a new device. I have created something monumental, but I need to see if it will work. You and everyone else will be free to use it once it's ready," he explained without giving anything away.

The simulation room was ready for use, but he could easily pass this seidr battery off as his attempt to create a force field to absorb the impact from battle.

Heimdall watched him, the orange eyes boring into his very soul, and pushed Hofund down. The gears of Bifrost began to turn, processing the seidr into a gate that could cross thousands of light-years in the blink of an eye.

Loki activated the device close to the edge of the portal. Instead of shooting out to the cosmos, the energy was drawn inside as the front of the cube slid open.

He monitored the energy levels so the battery would not be overloaded.

Once the battery reached one hundred percent, he nodded to Heimdall. The Gatekeeper shut the Bifrost, and he took the device away with a quick word of gratitude.

Heimdall watched the prince leave, wondering what he had in store for Asgard.

—
​

"Is it finally ready?" his brother asked, voice giddy through the comms.

"Yes, come in."

"Wait, I shall bring Lady Sif and the Warrior's Three."

"Hurry up; Father and Mother are already here."

"Your mother would not tell me of your latest creation, claiming it was a surprise. Hearing how excited your brother sounds, I wager you have outdone yourself again."

"When was the last time you crossed weapons for real with an opponent as strong as you, physically?"

"I believe it was Laufey," Odin replied.

Using his own life force to keep Hela imprisoned had consequences. One that had cost him an eye.

"Well, I don't have scans of Laufey, but I can do this." Loki snapped his fingers, and a perfect replica of his father appeared. Armored and armed, the simulated Allfather was ready for battle.

His father stroked his beard, gazing at the clone.

"Shall we test to see if your arms have grown weak?" The simulation replied, his tone matching the original, and lowered Gungnir. The weapon was simulated to be extremely durable, without the advantages of the real one.

His father raised a singular eyebrow as he was challenged to a fight by himself.

"It is a fight where you don't have to worry about consequences," Loki added.

Frigga gave her husband a nod, and he huffed in amusement. Tapping the ground with his spear, Odin manifested his armor.

Loki and Frigga moved back while he stretched to relax his aging joints.

Both spears struck each other faster than most Aesir could follow. The shockwave was absorbed by the force field, though the spectators still felt the displaced air.

Odin broke the deadlock by pulling Gungnir back and going for the feet of his doppelganger. Uploaded with all the fighting knowledge he had on his father, the simulant lowered his spear to block the attack.

His father grinned, and both Odins pulled their spears back. The following clash was a blur. Both spears were everywhere, trying to get past the guard of the other, only to be blocked.

Thor, followed by his friends, entered the room. Freezing in his steps, he watched the battle unfold.

Lady Sif and the Warrior's Three were stunned silent. The Allfather was the greatest living warrior of Asgard. To see him fight himself?

It was the stuff of legends.

His father brought Gungnir down on his simulant, sending out a shock wave that the other one dodged by rolling to the side. Dragging the spear forward with sparks flaring, the simulant brought his own down.

The clang of the weapons released another shockwave.

Both Odins spun around and stabbed the spears forward. The tips of the weapons touched for a mere moment before going through.

His father managed to stab the simulant through, while the security measures stopped the holographic creation's spear before it could find its mark.

The clone gave a small nod and disappeared.

His father's breath was slightly elevated, but he was smiling.

"Hah!" He laughed from the belly. Dispersing his armor, Odin clapped his youngest on the shoulder. "My son, it appears I was correct when I believed you had outdone yourself."

"Thank you, Father," Loki smiled. It was rare to see his father so delighted.

"If we can make more of these, the whole of Asgard will be grateful to you." Perhaps the idea of fighting without any repercussions had awakened something in his father.

"Honestly, this is just another step for something greater, but very well," he agreed. There was no harm in constructing more simulation rooms.

"Something greater?" His father chuckled, "Will you give your father a clue, or is it another surprise?"

The idea was nothing more than a stray thought at this point, and he didn't have any concrete information to share.

"It will take a long time to finish. Let's just count it as another surprise for now."

"Very well. We all will be waiting to see it." His father squeezed his shoulder before looping his arm around his wife's.

His mother smiled, pinching his cheek before following her husband out.

Thor and his friends swarmed him without waiting.

---

Notes: Another time skip, and another wonderful invention of Loki. We will be returning to Svartalfheim soon, and seeing as its lore is lacking, I'll have to get creative.

—
​

In the next chapter:

"Brother, you seem down in spirits," he said to Thor. His brother was lounging on a chair with a mug of mead.

At noon.

"The simulation room is occupied for the next month, and the new ones will take time," Thor drawled. He wasn't vain enough to use his princely privileges to get ahead of the queue, even though he wanted to.

"How would you like to go on an adventure?" he offered.

Thor swung his legs down and put his mug on the table, "To where?"

"Svartalfheim," Loki said, his lips curling upwards. Thor's eyes widened, and he looked around for any eavesdroppers.



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In addition, if you enjoy the premise of a genius protagonist, you can check Arrival : Ruptures, my original story for much of the same in sci-fi, action, technological wonders and romance.

 

[Samael61]

Hello there,

If you enjoy my stories, you can read up to 15 chapters in advance per story on my Patreon page / patreon.com/Samael61.

Double chapter post today in honor of releasing the tenth chapter of my original story, Arrival : Ruptures. With a genius protagonist of sci-fi, action, romance, and a touch of fantastic elements, I intend to make it into a long term project. If you like my writing and want to be with me the entire path forward, the time is now.

Here are the links for : AO3, Patreon, Spacebattles, Royal Road and Webnovel.

—
​

Svartalfheim

In the dead realm of an extinct species, Loki grinned. Seven pulse devices, placed in exact locations around the planet's surface areas, were connected to a computer. Once the devices were activated, the constructive wave interference would go through most of the crust.

If the Dokkalfar hid anything underground or on the surface with their space-blending technology, he would find it.

The first of the devices was next to him. He took great pleasure in pressing the holographic button. The lower half of the cube broke into square panels. The seidr inside spun and struck the ground. He shuddered as the emerald wave washed over him.

Exactly one minute later, the next device activated. The second pulse combined with the first one, creating a larger, stronger wave.

The blank holographic globe began to fill with the extremely detailed map of Svartalfheim. Six minutes after the first device was activated, the computer rendered the entire continent.

Loki chuckled.

—
​

The Dark Elves did have a hidden city, right on the eastern shore of the continent, far away from the battlefields.

Teleporting to the indicated location, Loki began to understand why no Aesir had ever approached this area. Not only did there not seem to be anything of value, but the sky over the city had a constant dark matter storm.

It was the equivalent of rain for the Dokkalfar, but deadly to everyone else. He, however, could create an anti-gravity field around himself to repel the dark matter.

The city stretched on for several miles. The size of it could explain how the Dark Elves had produced everything they had.

Disturbing the field could reveal the city to Heimdall. He wanted to be able to explore it without his father's ire for disobeying orders.

A short hop with his portal later, Loki was inside the settlement.

His first impression was that it was impressive. The buildings were uniform black metallic spires, built in blocks across the city. At the center where all roads converged lay a much larger building, most likely a palace or an administrative center.

What had his interest was the western side of the city. A half-built ship lay in a cradle. It was long and narrow, shaped like a throwing blade.

There were dozens more of these cradles, all empty.

His scans did not reveal any living being, though it could be because the Dokkalfar were creatures of darkness and were not detected.

Exploring this city by himself was tempting, but having his brother by his side was better.

—
​

Asgard

"Brother, you seem down in spirits," he said to Thor. His brother was lounging on a chair with a mug of mead.

At noon.

"The simulation room is occupied for the next month, and the new ones will take time," Thor drawled. He wasn't vain enough to use his princely privileges to get ahead of the queue, even though he wanted to.

"How would you like to go on an adventure?" he offered.

Thor swung his legs down and put his mug on the table, "To where?"

"Svartalfheim," Loki said, his lips curling upwards. Thor's eyes widened, and he looked around for any eavesdroppers.

"Brother, that is forbidden territory," his brother reminded him, as if he wasn't all too willing to break the rules he believed were stupid or wrong.

"Is that a no?" he raised an eyebrow.

"It is a how are we supposed to go there?" Thor said. The idea of an adventure in a realm where Asgard had won a great victory would taste sweeter than any ale.

"You leave that to me."

"What will this adventure entail?"

"I found the hidden city of the Dokkalfar."

"A hidden city?" Thor's eyes shone with the promise of unknown territory. "None of the stories mentioned anything like that."

Loki's eyelids dropped halfway down, "Because it was hidden."

"What are we waiting for? Let us leave," he said, shaking his head at Loki's answer.

"Before we leave, you cannot tell this to anyone; otherwise, we will be in trouble."

"My lips are sealed," he said, dragging his thumb and index finger across his lips. They both knew what the Allfather would do if he heard his sons went to Svartalfheim without permission.

—
​

Svartalfheim

"You can open portals to other realms, and you haven't told me?!" Thor laughed, his eyes lighting up as he came out of the portal.

This was as great as the simulation room. Now, they could go wherever they wanted, as long as he could convince his brother.

"I am telling you now," Loki answered, taking a slower step out of the portal.

"That's," Thor raised his voice but dropped whatever he was about to say, "Forget it. So this is their city? I cannot believe Grandfather Bor never discovered it."

It was massive, and the God of Thunder knew this adventure would be the greatest one they had embarked on yet.

"I doubt they were even searching."

"This will be glorious," Thor said, heading to see inside the closest building. The door did not have an obvious way to open. His brother's solution was to kick it in, but Loki stopped him.

If something was alive, they did not need to draw any attention. Gathering seidr, he created a plasma torch at the tip of his index finger. It cut through the metal like butter, and he levitated the door away.

The inside was dark and sparsely furnished. A white, blank mask hung on the wall, with decorative rifles on both sides. The first floor seemed to be the living area, with a kitchen and a communal space. The communal space had flat, cushioned seats placed in a crescent shape around a holoprojector. He didn't know what kind of entertainment the Dokkalfar had, but it most likely was Asgard's equivalent of holovision.

Thor went up to explore the second floor, finding the sleeping quarters and a small armory.

"Loki, look. Even after thousands of years, this works," Thor grinned, holding a rifle in his hand. It was short, with a wide barrel that had a long handgrip under it. He pulled the trigger halfway, and the weapon lit up. He handed it to Loki, who put it in his pocket dimension for later studies.

"Anything else there?" he asked. Dokkalfar technology in working condition would be extremely valuable in getting his hands on some other materials that had piqued his interest.

"Explosives, I think." His brother pulled out a cylindrical object with a stony appearance that narrowed towards the bottom.

"It could be a black hole grenade; be careful," he said, remembering mentions of these deadly weapons.

Thor winced and put the grenade down on the sofa gently, as if it might go off any second.

Beyond the weapons, there was nothing worthy of notice in the building. The brothers entered several more homes, once again only finding weapons.

So they decided to head to the palace.

"You know, you could add this place to Realms of Valor," Thor said. A hidden city on Svartalfheim, open to the exploration by any Asgardian that wished to live the glory of the old days, would be very enticing.

Loki combed his fingers through his hair, "I could claim I created this using the records on Dokkalfar."

Because their father would definitely be inquisitive.

"Good idea. A small army with a boss at the end, and the reward could be the Aether," his brother added, snapping his fingers.

"Then let's see what else we can learn here," he replied. Stopping before the gates of the palace, he gestured to his brother, "Go ahead."

Thor smiled and slammed Mjolnir into the large door. The first strike left a massive dent, and the second tore it off the walls.

Which apparently was a terrible idea, because something roared inside.

Thor turned to him sharply, his teeth shining, "You said there was nothing alive."

"I also said there was a chance I was simply unable to detect if there was something alive," he reminded, taking a

A creature stomped out of the building. Each step sent a small tremor, and what came out was something unnatural. Taller and buffer than Thor, the Dark Elf seemed more bestial than the records suggested.

"I can't believe one of them lives." His brother sounded way too excited to be fighting this creature.

"If you can call that living, then yes," he explained. He didn't know what held this monstrosity together, but its mind was long gone.

"Dodge, don't block," he advised, taking to the skies. He had already tried to bring it down by increasing the gravity, but it did not work. The dark matter of the elf might be negating the effects of the increased gravity.

Or it was strong enough to push through it.

His brother nodded, throwing the Mjolnir at the monster. The elf stumbled when the hammer struck his shoulder but did not stop charging at Thor. His brother rolled to the side, allowing Loki to blast the elf with plasma beams from both hands.

He roared in discomfort, but the beams did not go through.

Thor summoned Mjolnir back, bringing the Dark Elf to his knees when it struck his back. Lightning gathered at the hammer, and Thor brought it to the side of the elf's knee. There was a sickening crunch. The monster bellowed in pain, thrashing around.

Loki conjured dozens of seidr cords, binding the creature to the ground by the arms.

His brother began to beat the elf mercilessly, his hammer slamming into his face left and right.

"Thor, fly and don't miss," he shouted, straining to hold the creature down.

His brother didn't question it, spinning Mjolnir and taking off. Loki had reduced the gravity's effects on his brother, and he shot up to the sky at neck-breaking speeds.

"Now!" he screamed. Thor dove at the creature. The effect of the gravity was now reversed, pulling him down faster than ever.

The hammer struck the elf's head first, crushing it to a pulp. It continued down, tearing the creature in half. The resulting shockwave threw the rest of the corpse away and left a giant crater.

"Thor, are you alright?" he asked, creating a gust of wind to blow clear the area.

"Alright? I am great," his brother exclaimed, climbing out of the crater covered in dust and viscera. "I don't know what you did, but we'll definitely add it to our combination attack manual."

"I just increased gravity for you," he said. It was a simple but effective method to enhance Thor's strikes.

With a wave of his hand, his brother was as clean and pristine as before the fight.

"By Asgard. I can't believe there was a living Dokkalfar."

Seeing how delighted his brother was, Loki would add this creature to the simulation room.

"I think that was one of their cursed soldiers," he explained. Studying the Dokkalfar had revealed a trove of common knowledge that was not mentioned in the stories. "The thing is, the records say these transformations mean certain death."

"How long does it take for them to die?"

"A couple of years. The transformation burns their life force like an inferno in exchange for the increase in physical capabilities."

That one of them lived for thousands of years did not bode well.

"How do you think he survived?" Thor asked, pointing Mjolnir at the left half of the corpse.

Loki gazed at the other part. There wasn't much left of the body, but finding one in the first place was incredible. "The Dokkalfar may have been researching a way to keep the cursed soldiers alive. Perhaps his remains will tell us something"

Thor's eyes shifted to the entrance that he had opened, "Or an answer could be inside."

"Well, not like the body is going anywhere."

Thor stepped inside first, watching the dark corridors, and Loki followed him. Just like the houses they had explored, this palace had a very spartan and militaristic feel. The walls had white engravings of battles, mostly against Asgard. Weapons, either two swords or a sword and a shield, were kept in display cases.

The hallways were narrow, giving the defenders an advantage. Coupled with the weapon emplacements, this palace was built with the idea of being ready to repel invaders.

The Dokkalfar knew their plan would not go unopposed and had prepared accordingly.

The twisting hallways led to a large, ornamental door that Thor knocked down. The hall beyond it was the throne room. A white metallic seat, engraved with the image of weapons, stood at the back on an elevated platform. Climbing the steps, Thor sat down on it.

"This might have been Malektith's seat. Imagine if we can gift it to Father."

"Without revealing the truth? I'll leave that hurdle to you."

Thor smiled and rose from the seat. Loki placed it in his pocket dimension as well. If nothing else, it would make a good footrest.

Leaving it to Lady Luck, they took the door on the left. It led to another corridor that split into left, right, and down.

"We should go down. If the Dokkalfar had a vault, it would be underground."

"Fair enough."

Loki snapped his fingers, creating orbs of light that illuminated the dark stairs. It was deep enough that Thor chose to jump down rather than walk it.

A door thicker than any they had seen so far stood at the end of the stairs.

"How many hits do you think it would take me to knock this door off?" Thor challenged.

"Ten," Loki said after a quick calculation, "but perhaps I can help."

Grasping his brother's shoulder, he closed his eyes to focus.

"What are you doing?" Thor asked.

"Giving you a boost in strength," he explained. The seidr in his veins pulsed, and a white energy spread from Thor's shoulder. When it was done, his brother glowed like the second phase of the Enraged Phantoms of Niflheim.

Thor guffawed and motioned for him to stand back.

It took one hit that consumed the entire boost for Thor to knock the door off to the other side of the room. The noise of metal on metal caused their ears to ring, but his brother did not care.

"Look at all these weapons," his brother replied with a beat too late.

Racks full of rifles, swords, bladed gauntlets, shields, and black hole grenades were all in pristine condition. The armory was far larger than Asgard's vault, and the value of these weapons to the right people would be immense.

"It would be a shame to leave them all here," he muttered, and everything inside slowly sank into the dimensional gate opened beneath them.

"We should take the right side this time."

"I'll trust your instincts on this, Thor," Loki replied. The armory did not have anything extraordinary, such as the stones used to transform Dokkalfar into cursed soldiers. However, the number of items more than made up for it.

Leaving back the way they came, Loki followed Thor into the entrance on the right.

The sight in the room caused both brothers to seize up.

"I guess we know where that thing came from," he said, sharing a wide-eyed look with Thor.

Now, this was interesting.

—
​

In the next chapter:

"I am not here as a prince, but as an individual looking to make a trade," he explained. Uru was a vital strategic resource. One that they would never give away without the Allfather's express permission, even to his son.

"Trade? For Uru? It has never been done before," the dwarf replied, his eyes sharpening.

"But…" Loki started, letting Eitri continue.

"But if you could make an excellent offer, I can be persuaded to."



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