Loki: The God of Magic

[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.

Do you like Loki's creations, dangerous experiments, and willingness to challenge enemies that appear above his league? Then you will definitely like Thairon, the protagonist of my original story, Arrival : Ruptures. Comments, likes and reviews are appreciated. Here are the links for : AO3, Spacebattles, Royal Road and Webnovel.

—
​

The Citadel at the End of Time

Loki began to giggle. It quickly turned into full-blown, unrestrained laughter.

"You think he just went mad?" Sylvie asked her companion, watching their counterpart laugh like a madman.

"Oh," He Who Remains wagged his finger, grinning. "He knows what I am talking about. Come on, champ, don't keep us waiting. What is it?"

"Something I won't share with anyone," he explained. Except Thor when the time came, if it ever would.

"Come on, I've been dying to know it for centuries. At least give me a clue."

"No."

"Okay then."

"Why does TVA exist?" he asked once his laughter was under control.

Asgard was not unknown to his Earth, it just did not exist. Neither the Masters of the Mystical Arts nor the myriad of alien races out there.

He was from another universe.

"Ah, the crux of the matter," He Who Remains said, activating a device on his desk.

His explanation of a multiversal war, caused by his counterparts for dominance, sounded too insane, even by his standards. Yet, he could feel the truth in every word. The chaos caused by the variants was devastating. Even the Emergence of a Celestial seemed trivial in comparison.

"There it is. You kill me, and you set my variants free," he explained crudely.

"Your math is backwards. Humans, from what I have seen, justify killing millions to save billions. Not erasing entire timelines to stop a war," Loki commented.

His counterparts were still struggling to make sense of what they were watching.

"That's the thing. There is a way to stop all of this from happening. All the timelines stay, without the threat of a multiversal war."

"How?"

"Here, let me show you," he said, showing his timeline.

"Once I saw that your timeline could not be erased, I contained it in a finite curve. That way, the TVA did not have to worry about the branches while I continued to research," he said, displaying spiraling lines, each representing a timeline.

Next, he played a recording, showing him against a variant of He Who Remains. In the recording, he punched a hole through the human's chest, and in a second, most of the variants turned to dust.

More screens displayed an increasing amount of the human's variants. Most died, some were spared, and it all happened in an instant.

"Whatever you did to my counterpart there, it killed every single chaotic variant in an instant. A multiversal weapon aimed at a single person," he said, raising his index finger.

He Who Remains clapped his hands. "Here is the deal. We go back to the moment where the war started and you kill all my evil variants. No war means no TVA, and more importantly, none of this ever happens. Except for the ones stuck in the Void, they are going to stay there unless you send them back."

"Why though? You have all this power. You are fate itself," he said. Power was not alluring to him. He wondered if it was the same for the human in front of him.

"I have been doing this for a long time, champ. I am tired. The only company I have is a holographic clock. I want to retire in peace."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

He turned to the variants in love. "As for you two, you will never have been taken by the TVA. You can live your childhood as if you never left," he said, pointing at Sylvie and then to Loki next to her, "and you can go back to escaping."

His mirror counterpart turned to Sylvie, eyes downcast. "Wait, then we'll never have known each other."

"Sorry champ, can't have everything." He Who Remains shrugged.

"Sylvie…"

"I don't think she'll take that offer," Loki said. His female counterpart was still itching to kill the human, and he could not blame her.

"You don't want everything you lost back?" his male counterpart asked.

"She has been seeking revenge longer than she has lived in Asgard. It is all she knows. Throwing it away for a life she does not remember is difficult, almost impossible."

"You think I should just give up?" she scoffed.

He glanced at her for the briefest of moments and reached for his tea. "All I know is you won't be able to kill him."

Sylvie leaped from her chair, a blade in her hand. Before she could get to the desk, He Who Remains held the device on his left wrist up and flicked a hologram. Sylvie was rewound back to her chair, eyes wide.

She slouched on her chair, dropping the blade. "That's it? He does all this and gets his happy ending."

"You can kill him, can't you?" she asked the strongest Loki, but it was her target who answered.

"He can," the sole human in the room said, too giddy for the words he uttered.

He put down the cup. "You have been very forthcoming."

"Consider it my apology for the trouble TVA caused you and the whole mess with Laufey."

"Why not send me a message? I would have come," he said. An invitation would have gone a long way to keep him from resorting to violence.

"You consumed a planet and two Celestials. Trying to open a Timedoor in Asgard was like trying to pierce through a steel block with a wooden needle."

"And now," he spread his hands, "is the time to make a decision. Your temporal manipulation is beyond mine on a personal scale; you can kill me. Alternatively, we shake hands. You two can return to the moments you were taken; you kill my variants, and everyone gets a happy ending."

"Except for the lover boy," he added, winking at the mirror Loki.

"Or you three leave and things continue as they were," he offered as a final option.

He glanced at Sylvie and the counterpart next to her. "You will have to choose. Peace or revenge."

He couldn't imagine himself in her place, no matter the fact they were the same person.

"If you kill him and every other variant, then I won't have to."

He Who Remains raised a hand, displaying more screens. "But not all of my variants are evil. Some have done great things, saving lives, being heroes, and all that glamorous philanthropism."

Loki crossed his arms, eyes locked on the table.

—
​

Midgard

Thor opened his eyes, taking in his surroundings. The memories of the last couple of hours rushed to his mind. The face he saw brought him to reality.

"Hi. Just taking a little blood."

"I would prefer it if you did not," he said, stopping the human gently. He needed to leave immediately.

"It's just a routine procedure."

"I am well. Where are my clothes?" The gown he was wearing revealed too much for his liking.

"Sir, you were hit by a car and were tased afterwards. You really should lay down."

"I would like to leave now."

"Well, we can't keep you if you are insistent. I will give you privacy to dress."

Once the healer left, he rolled out of the bed, quickly dressing to find a way back home. Heimdall was unlikely to respond to him in his current state as an exile. His parents did not know that Midgard had progressed much since the time the Aesir were last on the planet.

He would not have known it either had Loki not informed him of his travels.

His mother would have found a way, but she must believe he is not in danger. Which only left his brother to help him, and he had no idea where he was.

He had to return to the location where the Bifrost had deposited him.

His musings stopped when he saw the female that had assaulted him with a strange weapon. Any other time, he would have made an issue out of it, but now, he had to avoid attention.

—
​

Sneaking out of the healing hall was all the more difficult since he could not read the language. Once he followed other Midgardians and left the building, he felt like cursing.

He had no idea where to go.

Tall structures as far as he could see with no idea where he might have landed. His only option was to ask the group that had brought him to the hall, but the idea soured his tongue.

He remembered Loki's words on seidr. It was a natural part of him, like another muscle. His father was mighty enough to strip that part off of him but not enough to transform him into a Midgardian.

He just had to rebuild that muscle or find a way to reclaim Mjolnir. Even if his powers had not been taken away, he could not summon it realms apart.

A plan formed in his mind. He had to be away from the Midgardians to call for Loki and hope his brother hears. If not, make a camp and survive until Loki discovers he was exiled. Making camp in this desolate biome was not easy, but he would make do.

He left the town, searching for shelter. All those days spent in the Tenth Realm's survival areas would come in handy. At least he hoped.

"I should stop hoping and start doing," he grumbled to himself.

As the sun set, he felt the temperature drop sharply. If he had his powers, it would not have affected him, but now, he was vulnerable to the elements. His choice of shelter was a hole in the ground. He checked the inside with a makeshift torch for venomous creatures. Closing the entrance with foliage to keep the cold out, he settled in for the night.

—
​

His hunger woke him up.

Crawling out of the hole, he dusted his clothes. The sun was rising, warming the air once more. He searched the area for water and anything he could hunt for food. There was no water in sight, but he saw an animal on the ground, running. It almost looked like a bird.

Choosing a sharp, flat stone, he launched it at where the bird would be. His aim proved correct, and the animal went down. It was small but would be enough for now.

He had to pluck and clean the animal with his bare hands. Cooking it over the rolling weeds he caught, Thor ate the tasteless meat.

Admittedly, he should have had better self-control, but his father could not handle the truth either.

Leaving the thought of Asgard aside, he decided to seek water. There was green foliage across the road paved with black stone. Taking his chances, he crossed it, finding a small puddle. He drank first and cleaned his hands second before washing his face.

Sated, he thought about what to do. Lost in thoughts, he barely heard a loud, ear-scratching sound, followed by something impacting him at great speeds. Just like the previous day. Getting to his feet with a snarl, Thor was about to give whomever it was a piece of his mind.

"Oh my god, I am so sorry. I swear I am not doing this on purpose," the Midgardian female said, her eyes wide.

The same Midgardian female who had struck him with her vehicle and taken him to the healing hall, along with her companions.

She was earnest in her apology, and his fury washed away. He sighed, rolled his left shoulder, and walked away.

"Wait, wait, please." She ran in front of him, raising her hands. "Can we talk? You came out of the Einstein Rosen Bridge, right?"

He considered keeping silent, but if his father did not want him to give clues to the Midgardians, he should have not sent him to this realm.

"If by an Einstein-Rosen bridge you mean the Bifrost, then yes," he said.

"Bifrost?" She froze for a second, trying to remember where she had heard the word from. "The one in the Scandinavian myths? Asgard, Odin, Thor, and all that?"

"I am that Thor."

The older male shook his head. "He is obviously out of his mind. We should take him back to the hospital."

"I am quite sane, Midgardian." Though, without any way to prove it, he knew coming across as mad was inevitable.

"Can you do magic?" the female wearing glasses asked, hand still on the weapon she had used on him.

"I can not. My father stripped me of my powers and banished me to this realm."

"You know what, why don't you be our guest? Consider it an apology for, you know, hitting you with our car. Twice," the redheaded female said, raising two fingers at the end.

"That is awfully trusting of you."

—
​

"So, Asgard is real," Jane said with a flat tone. He did not need to be wise to know she did not believe it.

She had immediately launched a series of queries as to the nature of his arrival on this world, and he was hard pressed to answer.

"Yes."

"And you were banished to Earth because you and your father had a fight?"

"Basically."

The other female, Darcy, snorted. "Why Earth, though?"

"I don't think he is aware this realm has developed so much." And Midgard was the only realm that did not know his status as a prince of Asgard.

"That sounds extremely irresponsible," Selvig said, rubbing his temples.

"Believe me, it is nothing compared to half the things he has done in the past."

"Like what?" Jane asked.

"Going on a conquest of the Nine Realms and beyond. Turning our sister into a bloodthirsty warrior bent on continuing where he left off. Hiding my brother's true parentage. Trying to gather six of the most devastating artifacts in the universe. And of course, his willingness to let Ragnarok happen rather than do something about Hela."

"Wait, Hela is your sister?" Darcy said, reading something off the device in her hand.

"Your beliefs concerning Asgard are extremely wrong. As my brother, Loki, explained it, the Midgardian seers ingested too many magical mushrooms. I heard some of it. The part concerning Sleipnir was especially amusing."

He had teased his brother so much that one day he had woken up with horse ears and a tail, courtesy of a very persistent spell.

"He is not your brother's, you know…" Darcy said, trying not to sound insulting.

"That horse is older than both of us combined."

The man, Erik Selvig, muttered something to the female, Jane, while the two kept glancing at him. He could guess what it was about. They had no reason to believe his claims. He must appear like a madman to them.

He squeezed his fist, focusing to draw out any sliver of seidr left in his body. It was akin to squeezing blood out of Uru ore. Yet, he succeeded.

A bolt of lightning, one that wouldn't kill anything larger than the bird he had hunted this morning, flew out of his hand, going through the open window. His hosts saw the bolt clearly, turning to him with wide eyes.

He felt something trickling down his nose.

His fingers came back bloody. His head ached and the world spun once more.

—
​

In the next chapter:

He came into existence in his room, tired. While he could never be physically tired unless his enormous reserves somehow ran out, the ordeal weighed heavily on his mind. He left the room to join the lunch. He had time traveled to three days after he had left just to not have to deal with Laufey.

With the TVA gone, everything should be fine now.

"Loki? You returned?!" Sif exclaimed, stopping her pacing.

"Yes, Sif, I have."

"Quick. You must convince the Allfather to lift Thor's exile."

He blinked, eyebrows rising to his forehead. "I am sorry, what?"



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.

Do you like Loki's creations, dangerous experiments, and willingness to challenge enemies that appear above his league? Then you will definitely like Thairon, the protagonist of my original story, Arrival : Ruptures. Comments, likes and reviews are appreciated. Here are the links for : AO3, Spacebattles, Royal Road and Webnovel.

—
​

The Citadel at the End of Time

"Still haven't decided?"

"It's not just revenge, is it?" He Who Remains grinned. It only served to make Sylvie scowl. "You are afraid of losing who you are. If none of this happens, you will become a Loki, and Sylvie will never have existed."

She averted her eyes.

"No worries, I got you two covered," the human said, opening a time door.

Mirror Loki leaped out of his chair, blinking at the person on the other end. "Is that Thor? What happened to him?"

His brother was sitting on a hill, hair unkempt, overweight, and stance sunken. The God of Thunder that stood for peace was gone. What remained was a shadow.

"Depression. He lost his mother first, then his father, then Asgard, then half of the population of Asgard, and finally, his brother. They also lost the war against Thanos, who shattered the stones to subatomic particles."

He blinked. The Titan was going to die, or worse, but he had to resolve the mess here first.

"Thor…" his mirror counterpart whispered, torn between two impossible choices.

"Here is another option, just for you two. Go to that timeline," He Who Remains offered.

Sylvie looked at the Timedoor, watching Thor, whose face she had begun to forget, sit there silently. "Be a sister to a Thor I never knew?"

"You have the rest of your life to know him and the lover boy here."

"Sylvie, I know you want revenge," his mirror counterpart began. She turned sharply to him with a scowl. "But I can't kill him, can I? I literally can't because he'd see it all coming."

"True," He Who Remains said with a chuckle, fanning the flames.

"What about you, oh so superior Loki? Are you just going to ignore the fact that TVA tried to prune your timeline?" she said, trying to convince him to do what she could not.

The human was ready for this apparently, since his answer was immediate. "What better way to take revenge than ensure the TVA never exists in the first place?"

He frowned. "I accept your offer. A pulse specifically targeting your counterparts across the timelines while drawing power from the said timelines should ensure they all die for all of eternity."

"Just what I like to hear."

"And you two? Hurry up now, before the opportunity is gone."

Sylvie scowled and threw a knife at the smug human. He held the device on his wrist out, rewinding the attack back. The conjured knife was gone while she sunk into her chair.

"Fine," she conceded. The idea of trying to kill the human responsible for all that she had gone through for eternity, and failing each time, sounded tiring.

"Really?"

"Yes. The more I stay here, the more I hate myself. Let's just go."

He Who Remains opened the Timedoor again, holding his hand out. Loki got up first, holding his hand out for Sylvie. She took it, still glaring at He Who Remains. She turned around sharply, stepping through the portal with Loki into New Asgard.

"Look at the love birds go," He Who Remains said, shaking his head. "Come on, champ, the Council of Kang's await."

"Kang. Is that your name?"

"Nope."

—
​

The Council of Kangs

Loki stepped out of the Timedoor into an arena of all places.

One full of variants of He Who Remains. Thousands crowded the seats, with gigantic statues on all sides. The said human was quick to raise his hands, announcing himself to his counterparts. "Hey, hey, hey. Miss me, guys?"

"The Exiled One. You dare return?!" One Kang, with blue skin and ostentatious clothing, rasped out.

"Yeah, Papa Smurf, and look who I brought with me."

"A Loki? You brought a clown to amuse us?" Another Kang, donning high-tech armor, snorted, firing a blue beam out of his hand.

Loki let the shot impact his chest, breaking down and absorbing the energy. The Kangs looked at one another, reconsidering.

"More like your demise," He Who Remains chuckled. Loki disappeared from his spot, appearing behind the Kang who had attacked him. His arm pierced through the arrogant mortal's chest through and through. He held a piece of the spine in his hand.

Kang froze on the spot, the light in his eyes dimming. The remaining counterparts were quick to act, but so was Loki.

"Cease."

That one word was an order of multiversal magnitude. The cheering Kangs on the seats, the ones about to attack him—they all ceased all movement, standing still like statues. Everyone except Loki and He Who Remains had just been covered with a dense layer of seidr, forcibly stopping their movements.

He Who Remains began to cackle, pulling the blue Kang's long mustache. "Ever since I saw what you could do, I dreamt of this moment. It is even better than I could imagine."

Loki ignored the human's ramblings, focusing on his work.

A pulse, one meant to consume to fuel itself and continue its eternal mission, was released, using the Kang he had just killed as the anchor point. All variants of a person shared a quantum wavelength that the kill pulse would track. The pulse was sentient in a manner meant to ascertain whether the Kang was good or a genocidal, multiverse-level threat and kill them.

All in an instant.

Each frozen Kang began to crumble to ashes.

He Who Remains' laughter turned to howling like a beast, dancing through the ash raining on him. Ashes of thousands of Kangs, his counterparts that he had spent so long trying to stop. When only he and Loki were left in a sea of ashes, he stopped, breath ragged from the physical exertion.

Loki shook his hand, clearing the ash.

"I can't believe it's over," he muttered with a distant tone. All those eons, and he was finally free.

The last Kang clapped his hands. "Welp, I'll go deal with the TVA. You won't see it ever again, or me for that matter."

"What will you do now?"

"Find a little resort and retire. Thanks for everything, champ." He Who Remains gave a two-finger salute. He opened a time door and left.

Loki had no reason to stay, but there was still something else to do.

—
​

The Void

He appeared in the bunker. His child and old alligator counterparts were still in there, lazing around the room.

"You are back," his older-looking counterpart said.

"Yes. The TVA is no more. They will not hunt any variants any more. You three can stay here, or I can send you to the moments you were taken," he offered. He wasn't going to care, but at least these two seemed to regret their actions. They deserved a chance.

Unlike the boastful version.

As for the alligator, he did not care enough to consider the downsides.

"May I ask how you managed it?" the older Loki asked.

"No," he said with half-lidded eyes. The situation with Kang was already a mess. He was not going to waste time explaining it.

"I see."

"Quickly now, I still have much to do."

"I... I killed Thor. I can't go back," the child Loki said, eyes cast down.

"I'll send you to the day before, then."

"Oh."

"I'll accept that most gracious offer."

The alligator growled, low and pleased.

The child Loki hiccuped but nodded.

"Great, off you three go," he muttered, flicking his hand forward, fingers spreading. All three Lokis became transparent, slowly phasing back into the timelines he designated for them. He also made sure to leave a note to the kid.

Now, only one person left.

—
​

He had felt the variant of Thor, who had been transformed into a frog, left locked in a jar right above the bunker.

Breaking the curse, he flicked him back to the moment he was taken, ignoring the accusations that spilled out of his lips.

As Alioth began to collapse, he left the Void to return home.

—
​

Asgard

He came into existence in his room, tired. While he could never be physically tired unless his enormous reserves somehow ran out, the ordeal weighed heavily on his mind. He left the room to join the lunch. He had time traveled to three days after he had left just to not have to deal with Laufey.

With the TVA gone, everything should be fine now.

"Loki? You returned?!" Sif exclaimed, stopping her pacing.

"Yes, Sif, I have."

"Quick. You must convince the Allfather to lift Thor's exile."

He blinked, eyebrows rising to his forehead. "I am sorry, what?"

—
​

He rubbed his temples. The physical action did nothing to soothe his mind in turmoil, but there was nothing to do. His brother had attacked Laufey, breaking the king of Jotunheim's jaw, and was exiled after another heated argument with his father.

"I will go and deal with this mess." First, he had to see his father.

—
​

"Father," he greeted Odin. The aging king was on his throne, wearing his armor, looking like the glorious warrior king he was. A sight that did not bode well.

He tapped Gungnir on the ground twice, dismissing everyone in the throne room. "My wayward son. Where have you been?"

"Long story."

"Tell me, boy, when did you two learn about Hela?" he asked with a low voice, fingers tightening around the spear.

"A century ago or so. We discovered her prison and spoke to her for a bit. I actually regularly visit her to change her mind, though it has been difficult so far."

"You never thought to mention this? To reveal the truth?" he raised his voice, shaking the throne room. Old or not, he was still mighty.

"Thor did the very first day we met Hela. I convinced him otherwise, as it would put you in a difficult situation."

"How considerate."

"Anyway, I will deal with Laufey first, then visit Thor," he said. He would not allow a war. Not because the Jotnar could hope to win, but because it was a waste of time.

"You will do neither."

"I was not really asking."

"Do not think I won't exile you as well," he said, pointing at him with Gungnir.

"Why are you so bitter? Because we weren't willing to let our home be destroyed? So you could be absolved of everything you did to build Asgard's empire?"

"Enough. You know not what you speak of."

"Odin Allfather. The conqueror who tried to gather the Infinity Stones, only to stop because he could not sacrifice the daughter he locked away for millennia."

His father's hand slackened and he dropped the spear. "How do you?"

He grinned. "I will let you discover that for yourself." With those words, he disappeared.

—
​

Jotunheim

He had gazed at Jotunheim before, out of curiosity as to what his birth place looked like. Cold and dark with no sunlight, it certainly was a world uninhabitable to anyone else but the Jotnar.

Laufey was at his throne, his jaw healed, planning war with his generals.

He phased into the same wavelength, appearing out of thin air to the Jotnar.

"You!" His birth father screamed. Dozens of Jotnar turned to him, weapons bared. He raised two fingers and flicked them down. All the Jotnar except Laufey slammed to the ground face down, struggling to rise to no avail.

"Yes, me."

"What do you want?" Laufey demanded. He knew the boy's powers outstripped his, and perhaps even the Allfather's. Even the King of Asgard could not stop time so whimsically.

Which is why the threat of war was just that.

"I want you to abdicate," Loki said. Peace between Jotunheim and Asgard was not possible while Laufey was king.

"Your brother started this. Do not think I will be cowed into submission."

Loki huffed. He spread his arms, uttering four words that all in the palace heard.

"Let there be light."

The darkness of the realm of the Frost Giant was abolished. The sun blazed into existence, high above the clouds, yet clearly visible. It was small in comparison to a real star since he did not wish to waste all that power. He had also dimmed the heat to not set the atmosphere on fire.

Still, the football-field-sized burning ball of gas was more than enough.

Laufer screamed.

The infrared and ultraviolet radiations, extremely dangerous to a being of cold who had never been exposed to them in such a raw form, burned him alive. The remaining Jotnar were not spared either, shrieking.

Laufey began to claw at his skin, thrashing on the ground like a worm, having fallen out of his throne. The palace, all constructed out of ice, began to melt.

"Please, stop!" Laufey's ragged cries cracked the melting ice blocks.

He raised a hand to his ear, leaning forward. "I am sorry, I can't hear you over the sound of your arrogance. Can you repeat that?"

"I will abdicate," he declared, rolling on the ground.

"Immediately?"

"Yes!"

He snapped his fingers and the star disappeared, absorbed back. He flicked Laufey back to his throne, all wounds gone. He had even repaired the melting slabs of ice.

"See? That wasn't so hard now, was it?" he asked, healing him and the remaining Jotnar. It wouldn't do if they appeared in the peace talks wounded.

"Helblindi, I believe?" he asked the heir to Jotunheim's throne.

"Yes," his half-brother stuttered, rising to his feet as allowed.

"I am certain you, as the new King of Jotunheim, will pursue peace with Asgard. My father knows my brother is in the wrong, and if you are smart, there can be a beneficial peace between Asgard and Jotunheim," he said. This was the perfect opportunity for both sides to sit down and hammer an agreement.

"Most certainly, Prince Loki."

"Excellent, because next time, Jotunheim will have a permanent, true star," he warned, there one second, gone the next.

—
​

He Who Remains activated his contingency plan, stopping the TVA from ever coming into existence. All the variants taken to work in the organization, and the ones pruned, never went through any of these ordeals. An infinite amount of timelines burst into existence, sending quakes through the multiverse.

In each timeline, the moment any version of Nathaniel Richards began to plan for domination of the timelines, they crumbled into ashes with their ambitions. The timelines were spared the chaotic war.

In one timeline Loki and Sylvie met a version of Thor. Spared from nonexistence, they explained the situation. Thor, who had lost all hope, had suddenly gained two siblings, relighting a fire that had died in his heart.

The old Loki, who had missed his brother, made his way to New Asgard once more. The child Loki woke up the day before he had murdered his brother during a prank gone wrong. He wondered if it was all a dream, but a sticky, green paper fell to his face, telling him it was not.

He abandoned any idea of the prank, rushing to find his brother.

As for alligator Loki, he swore to be careful with what he ate from now on.

—
​

In the next chapter:

"You told them everything?" he asked. Not that Thor was too interested in the inner workings of Bifrost; what he told them would be the bare bones.

His brother crossed his arms, a lopsided grin on his face as he looked up. "If Father didn't want me to, he should not have exiled me here."

"Fair," Loki said. A green wave washed over him, transmuting the suit into his green and dark robes.



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.

Do you like Loki's creations, dangerous experiments, and willingness to challenge enemies that appear above his league? Then you will definitely like Thairon, the protagonist of my original story, Arrival : Ruptures. Comments, likes and reviews are appreciated. Here are the links for : AO3, Spacebattles, Royal Road and Webnovel.

—
​

Midgard

Loki pressed the doorbell, waiting.

He was dressed in a suit to not arouse suspicion. His brother was staying with three humans, and he didn't know how much Thor had told them. He could have learned, but life was no fun when you knew everything.

A brown-haired female wearing glasses opened the door.

"Excuse me miss, I am looking for my brother. Tall, golden hair, big," he said, describing his brother. It would be difficult for him to be ignored by the Midgardians.

"Oh my god, you are Loki," she said, opening the door wider. "Come in; the big guy is in the kitchen."

He blinked and took a step inside. "Thank you." It appears Thor's ability to make quick friends had worked to his advantage once more.

"Guys, Thor's brother is here," she shouted, alerting the remaining residents of the house.

"Brother," Thor said, rushing out of the kitchen. He gathered Loki in a bear hug. Stripped of his powers or not, he was still physically strong.

Loki returned the hug, patting him on the back.

"Where have you been these last days?" Thor asked.

"It is a long, long story."

"Ah, right. These are Jane, Erik, and Darcy, my new friends. I have been helping Jane with her work while they allowed me to stay here," he said, introducing each of the humans.

It was not lost on him how his brother's voice softened upon gesturing to Jane.

"With her work?" he asked.

Jane held her hand out, and he took it, gently shaking. "I am an astrophysicist. Thor has been telling me about Bifrost and the Nine Realms."

"You told them everything?" he asked. Not that Thor was too interested in the inner workings of Bifrost; what he told them would be the bare bones.

His brother crossed his arms, a lopsided grin on his face as he looked up. "If Father didn't want me to, he should not have exiled me here."

"Fair," Loki said. A green wave washed over him, transmuting the suit into his green and dark robes.

"Oh my god," Jane breathed out while Erik and Darcy watched the magic with bulging eyes.

"How exactly did you manage to get yourself exiled in the first place?" he asked. Sif didn't know beyond that Thor had attacked the Jotnar envoys.

"Father didn't tell you?"

"He wasn't in a very talkative mood. I left quickly to deal with Jotunheim before finding you."

"Why don't you join us for breakfast while we talk?" Jane offered, gesturing to the kitchen.

"Thank you," Loki said, following along.

The kitchen was cozy, something you wouldn't find in Asgard's grand feast hall. He was familiar with Midgardian cuisine enough to know his way around.

Thor was quick to launch into the tale of his exile. Laufey, defeated and humiliated, was leaving Asgard. Thor, in a moment of spite, decided to taunt the King of Jotunheim. His birth father had responded by calling him a monster. In a moment of weakness, it brought Hela to Thor's mind. His brother lost control, and the next thing he knew, Mjolnir was escorting Laufey through the Bifrost by his jaw.

He and Father had gotten into a fight, which ended with Thor calling him a fool and a liar, which ended with Odin banishing his eldest son because he started a war with the Jotnar over an insult.

"You will be happy to know I convinced Laufey to abdicate in favor of his son, Helblindi. He is more inclined for a peaceful resolution compared to his father. I don't believe there will be a war," he explained.

Not unless Helblindi was a fool.

"I am sorry. You had to go through all that because of me," Thor apologized. He knew he and Loki could have handled the situation with the Jotnar, but because of their father, it had all fallen onto his brother's shoulders.

"Oh stop. I never needed a reason to put Laufey down," he said. His lips twitched at the memory of how easily the previous King of Jotunheim had folded.

"Since we have time, why don't you tell your long story?" Thor asked, pouring him a cup of coffee.

He took the cup, glancing at their host.

"If it's something you can't tell us, there is a room upstairs," Jane said, pointing to the hallway.

"I can tell you, I am just afraid doing so might give you an existential crisis," he warned. Knowing TVA, which technically was fate itself, existed would be difficult for them to swallow.

Thor winced. "That bad?"

"Yes."

"Then let's leave it aside for now. Father apparently sent Mjolnir after me, but the government built a facility around it. I can't summon it, and they won't just let me stroll in," Thor said.

Loki waved his hand, teleporting Mjolnir to the middle of the room.

Their hosts flinched at the sudden appearance of a hammer on the empty chair. Thor leaped to his feet, trying to lift the hammer, but it wouldn't budge no matter how hard he pulled.

"Don't bother. There is an enchantment around it," he said, waving his hand again.

"Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the powers of Thor," their father's voice rang out of the hammer.

"That's your dad? Damn, he must be one hell of a storyteller with that voice," Darcy said, focusing on a completely different part.

"He actually is," Thor said. Whenever he had time, he would visit children in schools and tell stories.

"So, wait, whoever is worthy, they can just have his powers?" Erik finally spoke, having been a silent observer so far.

"Yes. A lesson intended for my brother, but anyone that can lift the hammer will indeed possess his command over lightning and the physical capabilities of an Aesir."

"No offense, but that sounds highly irresponsible," he said, looking at Darcy with a frown as she poked the hammer.

"Our father doesn't really know how much you have progressed. We have a policy of non-interference as long as there isn't an invasion. He must have chosen Midgard because he believes there would be nothing to present a danger to Thor nor worshippers to treat him like a prince," he explained the reasons why his father had chosen this realm but nodded at the end, "But yes, irresponsible."

Thor chuckled with a dry voice, looking at his hammer. "He lied, hid his past, and is willing to let Asgard be destroyed, yet decides I am not worthy."

"What does it even mean? To be worthy?" he asked with an amused edge at the last word.

"I assume it is about being selfless so you don't start a war over an insult," Loki said, making an educated guess.

"He should exile himself too, then, for all those wars of conquest."

Loki turned to the humans, giving a small bow with thin lips. "My apologies; we brought our family troubles to your home."

"Believe me, it is not a problem. Hearing all of this is so fascinating," Jane said. Knowing aliens had the same kind of problems, if only grander in scale, made them relatable.

"Not to sound condescending, but Thor said you were the greatest magician in Asgard. Can't you break the enchantment?" Erik asked.

"I can, but it would be like giving Jane all the knowledge on astrophysics," he said. He was all too willing to help his brother, but simply handing him his powers back wouldn't be helping.

She tilted her head back. "I wouldn't accomplish anything."

"Exactly."

"Even if he could, I wouldn't want him to. This is my mess to fix; you already did more than I could ask for," Thor said, glancing at his hammer.

"You are welcome."

"By the way, do you have mead with you?" his brother asked, rubbing his stomach.

"Of course you would ask for that." He snapped his fingers, summoning a synthesizer from his pocket dimension.

"What is that?" Jane asked, getting up to investigate the machine. It was a rectangular, golden box with three white circles at the top.

"A synthesizer. It creates material necessities out of energy," he said, ordering a mug of ale for Thor. The circles glowed as the energy flowed and a mug of cold ale appeared on top with a flash.

"Holy crap," Darcy said, attention suddenly turning on the new machine.

"Can it make anything?" Jane asked, watching Thor drink the mug in one go. Asgard was even more advanced than she had thought. They were basically a post-scarcity society.

"This one is for basic necessities such as food. There are industrial-grade synthesizers for more complex needs. Feel free to try whatever you want." It would be a way to show his gratitude for helping Thor. His brother would have managed on his own; he knew that much, but it was best not to draw too much attention.

"I suppose I should go and help those in need. It might yet break the enchantment."

"You don't have an ID; I don't think that's a good idea," Erik said. With the government sniffing around, an ID-less person acting as a hero would draw attention.

"Here," Loki said, a USA ID card appearing in between his fingers with a flourish.

"You can make fake IDs too? Cool."

"It is not fake. I added it to the local government archives."

Erik huffed. "Just with a wave of your hand?" He was taking these revelations relatively well, he knew, but each second things got more ridiculous.

"Yes. I am more accomplished than most others."

"Thor mentioned you were a scholar. How exactly does energy manipulation work?" Jane asked

Darcy, who had taken a sip from the watered-down mead she had synthesized, frowned. "Energy manipulation? He said magic, right?"

"I said 'seidr,'" he began, turning the Allspeak off for a moment. "My language, the Allspeak, makes you hear the words as their closest equivalent. Since Jane and Eric are more scientifically inclined, they understand it as energy manipulation, whereas Darcy picks it up as magic."

Darcy's head jerked back. "I feel like I was just called an idiot."

"You were not. It simply depends on how you see the world," he said.

He created an orb in his hand for demonstration. "As for what seidr is, it is a cosmic power that the Aesir and some of the other races in the Nine Realms have the genetic capability to utilize. It differs from race to race and person to person."

The orb transformed into a ball of lightning, turning to a small galaxy, an illusion replica of Odinforce, and finally, his mother's conjuration. "Thor's seidr manifests itself as thunder and lightning, while mine is wider in scope. Our father is a cosmic-level threat, while mother is extremely accomplished but the weakest when it comes to direct combat applications."

Their hosts watched without blinking, absorbing every moment.

"Do humans have that genetic capability?" Jane asked. Could the myriad of myths on Earth about magic and the supernatural be tied to this genetic variance?

"No. Asgard, Alfheim, Jotunheim, Muspelheim, Vanaheim, and Nornheim, to a much smaller degree, have that cosmic energy naturally found in the environment. Midgard and the rest do not; hence, you never evolved for it," he explained.

"Ah man, I wanted to be a magician too," Darcy said, deflating on her chair.

"Can I ask some questions about the Bifrost? Just enough to cover the basics?" Jane asked, her eyes shining.

Loki glanced at Thor, whose gaze softened upon looking at her once more. His brother nodded, and he shrugged.

"Ask away."

—
​

Jane Foster was quick to grasp the basics of how the Bifrost worked. Seeing as her people only had theories to work on, her understanding of the involved physics was advanced. He gave her enough to point her in the right direction but not enough to diminish her interest.

With Thor safe, he had no idea what else to do. He did not wish to return to Asgard until tempers cooled. Intruding on Jane Foster's hospitality anymore was not something he wanted either.

In truth, his mind was on a different matter.

Learning that other universes, so different from his own, existed out there had made him immensely curious. The knowledge that he had come from another Earth, an ordinary world without any of the supernatural and the extraterrestrial sights he had seen, explained everything.

He had thought places like Kamar-Taj, Asgard, and the myriad of alien races were simply hidden from the eyes of an ordinary human.

The facts were mindblowingly different.

A sense of wanderlust had taken him. He wished to travel and see what they had to offer. He had also considered traveling to his birth dimension but decided against it. There was nothing to see there except faded memories. His time could be spent better.

He could even take Cosmo. The mess with Laufey and the TVA meant he hadn't seen his faithful companion for the last few days. He could take her, travel, see, and discover.

Of course, there was something else he needed to do first.

Jane had gathered readings on the Bifrost during Thor's arrival, but her equipment and research data were seized by the government. She didn't think she would ever be able to get it back. Most of the devices were her creations.

The house and the occupants were already warded against danger. He just had to retrieve the seized property.

—
​

Coulson raised the phone to his ear, gazing at the sight of the foreign object with a tight look on his face. "Sir, we have a problem."

"What is it, Coulson?" the gruff voice on the other end asked.

"The hammer disappeared half an hour ago."

There was a brief silence as he prepared himself for what was to come. "Are you telling me it was stolen?"

"No sir. The scientists were getting some readings. It was there one second, gone the next. We don't know how," he said. It sounded like a blatant excuse, but the recipient knew Phil Coulson did not make excuses.

An even longer beat of silence stretched out. "Did they manage to learn something at least?"

"It's alien. The metal is nothing we have ever seen. Same for the energy signatures," he said. It all boiled down to the fact they knew nothing except it was not from Earth.

"Find the damn hammer, Coulson."

"Yes sir," he said to himself, pocketing the phone.

"Agent Coulson," a scientist approached, avoiding eye contact with him. It was either he made the man nervous or there was bad news coming.

"What is it?"

"The equipment we took from Jane Foster. They disappeared from the storage as well."

"Any leads on who?"

"No. Just like the hammer, they blinked out of existence."

Phil turned around, a small twitch in his eye.

Another visit to Miss Foster's house was in order. He would have to explain to the woman how her research and equipment had disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

He could feel the accounting and the legal teams grumbling over a settlement.

—
​

In the next chapter:

"You seem to be in a good mood," he commented, appearing behind the boy. He flinched, rolling away from the bench and conjuring a blade. He ignored it, sitting on the other end of the empty seat.

"What are you doing here?" "The child-Loki hissed, eyes darting around. Contrary to his worries, the garden was empty. If everyone kept to their schedule, Odin was listening to petitions, Frigga was entertaining guests in another section of the garden, and Thor was off on an adventure.



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.

Do you like Loki's creations, dangerous experiments, and willingness to challenge enemies that appear above his league? Then you will definitely like Thairon, the protagonist of my original story, Arrival : Ruptures. Comments, likes and reviews are appreciated. Here are the links for : AO3, Spacebattles, Royal Road and Webnovel.

—
​

Midgard

"Wait, but how?" Jane asked, rubbing her eyes. She wasn't sure if she was dreaming or her bleary eyes were making her see things due to lack of caffeine.

"Magic," he said, wiggling his fingers with green sparks bursting to life.

She took a notebook, flipping it open. "But won't those SHIELD agents know?"

"You do not have to worry. I placed a charm on this place. The agents will see nothing," he said. None of the objects he retrieved would be visible to the agents, nor could they touch any.

"I don't know how to thank you."

"It was kind of our fault, and you took my brother in. No thanks are necessary," he said, waving his hand.

"We did hit him with our car, twice," Darcy muttered, moving some papers away.

"And don't forget how you tased Thor," Erik reminded.

Loki's eyes widened and his grin reached his ears. "You tased the God of Thunder?"

"Yeah," Darcy winced, realizing how bad of an idea that was. "He just freaked me out."

"That will get you famous on Asgard. Taking down Thor with his own powers," he said, chuckling. Everyone would get a good laugh out of it.

"Hilarious," his brother drawled, crossing his arms.

He patted him on the shoulder, still smiling. "It is. I am glad you agree."

Thor shook his head. "So where are you off to?"

Loki glanced at him. It had become easier for Thor to read his intentions these last years. "I need to follow up on some people. Then I intend to take Cosmo with me for a short trip."

"Who is Cosmo?" Darcy asked.

"She is Loki's hound."

"Like the one the Soviets sent to space," Erik said, remembering the name.

"She is that Cosmo."

"But how? Did she somehow make it to Asgard?" Jane asked, looking at Thor expectantly. His brother turned to him. Cosmo did not care if her tale was told, but he still wanted to ask for permission.

Loki shrugged. If Thor wanted to spend more time with Jane, he wasn't going to begrudge him a story.

"No, her story is a bit more complicated," he said, gesturing for them to take a seat.

—
​

"Anything else from Earth alive out there?"

"None that I know of."

"Here," he said, holding out a green circlet of magic, intertwined together like vines. "If there is an emergency, call me."

"Thank you, brother; have a safe trip."

—
​

Timeline CL1

Slipping between timelines was like going through a pool of jello. He felt himself struggle to push through the barrier for a moment. When the feeling passed, he stood in Asgard.

One with skiffs in the sky.

Otherwise, it was identical to the one he knew. There were no grand differences he could see. The same golden towers, spires, houses, and, of course, the palace.

He sought his child's variant.

He was in the garden, simply sitting there.

"You seem to be in a good mood," he commented, appearing behind the boy. He flinched, rolling away from the bench and conjuring a blade. He ignored it, sitting on the other end of the empty seat.

"What are you doing here?" "The child-Loki hissed, eyes darting around. Contrary to his worries, the garden was empty. If everyone kept to their schedule, Odin was listening to petitions, Frigga was entertaining guests in another section of the garden, and Thor was off on an adventure.

"Checking to see how you are doing," he explained as the kid sat back.

"I am fine," he muttered, looking at the ground, his voice too low.

"You don't sound like it."

"It's nothing."

Loki huffed, watching his child variant sulk. "Come now, if you aren't going to be honest with yourself, who else would you be?"

"It's just…" he finally started to speak but fell silent again.

"Yes?"

"I can't speak to Thor. I can't even look him in the eyes."

"Ah."

Child Loki snorted, glaring at him. "That's your sagely advice?"

"No. My advice is for you to stop worrying over something that did not happen," he said. It wouldn't be that easy, but the kid would have to start somewhere.

His fingers dug into his palms, his lips wobbling. "But that's the thing. It did happen. I did it with my own hands," he said, screaming towards the end.

He didn't say anything, giving the kid time to calm down.

"You are focusing on the wrong part," he said as the boy's breathing returned to normal.

"And what should I focus on?"

"On the fact that you have your brother here, alive and well. You can sit here and wallow in your pity or make use of this opportunity."

His head snapped up, but his soft voice did not match the fire in his eyes. "I don't know how."

"Ever played football?" he asked, creating a football with gold and white hexagons.

"No."

He pulled out a paper book, one of the earliest versions he had written when the computers weren't so widespread. "Here is a rule book. In my Asgard, it is a favorite pastime of many. Since it is a team sport with plenty of rivalry, I wager everyone would love it."

"But…"

He smiled, putting a hand on his child's variant's shoulder. "The timelines stretch into infinity. It is inevitable that there is more than one Loki out there whose Thor is dead. They would give everything for this opportunity."

He looked down, silent while turning the ball between his hands. When he raised his head, his eyes were clear. "Okay, I'll go find him."

"Good. Take care, kid; this will probably be the last time we see each other."

"Thank you."

He slowly faded out of the timeline into the new one.

—
​

Timeline LB1

New Asgard did not live to its name. The golden realm eternal had been reduced to a village of stone and wood on Midgard. The population was a fraction of what it was. Still, they had survived. He saw what appeared to be the new palace and was about to walk towards the building when a voice, quite a bit drunk, called for him.

"Lackey, what are you doing here without your girlfriend?" An Aesir woman, dressed in Midgardian clothing, approached, a bottle of mead in her hand. Her dark, loose hair, sharp cheekbones, and determined gaze weren't features he would forget so easily.

"Who might you be?" he asked. She might be someone that did not exist in her timeline or someone whom he had yet to meet.

She stopped, bottle halfway to her lips, brows furrowing. "Did she hit you too hard?"

"I am from another timeline," he explained. If his counterparts knew her, then she might be aware of him.

Her droopy eyes widened and she went stiff. "Are you the one they call the superior Loki?"

"Yes."

"You don't look any different," she said.

Loki flicked his hand, sending her to Midgard's moon. Counting to five, he brought her back. She collapsed on her knees, heaving for breath.

Looks can be deceiving. "Who were you, again?" he asked her but turned back to face the new arrivals. His counterparts, who were dressed in similar human garbs, were approaching him.

"She is the King of New Asgard and the former Commander of the Valkyries," his male counterpart explained, helping the Valkyrie up.

"Brunnhilde," he snapped his fingers, realizing who she was. "I remember now, Sigrun had mentioned you," he said. He still remembered what he had promised to the deceased Valkyrie.

Brunnhilde pushed his counterpart aside, grasping him by the shoulders. Her eyes were wide and wavering. "Wait, is she alive in your timeline?"

"No. I spoke to her spirit," he said with a ghost of a smile, gently pulling her hands away.

"What did she say?"

"That it wasn't your fault." Valkyrie chuckled, though it was bitter and devoid of any humor. She walked away, snatching the bottle on the ground and sloshing the mead down.

"What are you doing here?" Sylvie asked. She certainly did not expect to see the strongest Loki again.

"Checking to see how you are doing."

"Did you kill them?" she asked, her eyes boring a hole into his head.

"The Kangs? Yes."

"Good. And He Who Remains?"

"I don't know, and I don't care. He claimed he would find a place to retire. I told him not to cross paths with me again."

She clicked her tongue, walking away.

"What about you two? How are things here?"

"Thor is happy to have two siblings. The humans are the opposite about having two Lokis," Valkyrie said from the rock she was sitting on.

He chuckled.

"Wait till we get this TemPad working and take the stones before Thanos destroys them. We'll see if they still think the same," his male counterpart said, wiggling a finger.

Sylvie slapped his finger down, her face scrunched. "That's the thing. You don't know the first thing about temporal physics to fix that, and you are not willing to give it to anyone else."

"And Stark knows about time travel?" he asked, getting into her face.

"No, but he knows more about machines than anyone else in this world."

"Are they always like this?" he asked Valkyrie as the love birds continued to argue.

She pursed her lips, raising and dropping her shoulders. "Not really. Just whenever that device comes up."

He rolled his eyes, holding his hand out. "Here, give it to me."

His counterparts stopped, heads slowly turning to him. They turned to each other again, nodding at the same time. His male counterpart handed the broken tempered glass to him without a word.

His magic washed over it. The circuits were fried, a result of too much temporal radiation. It was a simple fix, and the device came to life.

Valkyrie, suddenly intrigued, approached the device.

"What now?"

"Now, we gather the Avengers, go back before Thanos snaps half the galaxy away, and chop his head off."

"Would you like to stay?"

"Not particularly. I wish you good luck in your endeavor. There is still the fashion disaster Loki I have to visit."

"You know, you are a far better Loki than him. Any chance we can switch you two."

"No," both Lokis replied at the same time. He snickered at the Valkyrie before fading away.

—
​

Timeline OL1

It fascinated him how two timelines could diverge so much in appearances. Where the buildings in New Asgard of the lovebirds were simple in their design, this one was grander. Taller buildings with over-the-top decorations and braziers on tall platforms lighting up the night sky.

This time, he appeared near his counterpart by pure luck. He and Thor were sitting near the small lake, two tankards in hands, drinking.

"At least you seem to be in a better state than the rest."

Both leaped to their feet, with Thor, who was taller and broader than his brother, ripping the battle axe out of the ground. His blonde hair was more golden and his eyes a lighter shade of blue. His face, though, was angular, rather than oval.

"Who are you?"

"Calm down, brother, that's the variant I told you about."

"Ah, apologies."

"No harm done."

"Before you ask, I am simply checking to see how you all are doing."

"You already visited the rest, then."

"I have. The kid was afraid to talk to his Thor; the lovebirds were trying to fix the TemPad to time travel and stop Thanos."

"Pity we don't have one."

He rubbed his eyes. It definitely would make him feel guilty if the same choice was not offered to this counterpart. He closed his eyes, peering back in time to the moment where Thanos had destroyed the stones.

A portal opened, pulling the Mad Titan through time.

He did not waste a moment, immediately targeting the arm wearing the gauntlet. A plasma blade sprung forth from his hand, severing the limb from the elbow. Thanos screamed in pain before Loki flicked his wrist, launching him back.

It happened so fast that both his counterpart and this timeline's Thor were only able to watch with gaping mouths.

He turned the partially melted gauntlet in his hand, pulling out the limb inside. His nose crinkled, and he threw it away. He held the gauntlet to Thor. This version of his brother slowly raised his hand, fingers closing around the metal. He exhaled sharply once he pulled the gauntlet, with all six stones intact.

"I told you he was terrifying," his old counterpart muttered to Thor, who shook his head.

"Brother, Loki, I… I don't know what to say," he said, looking at him with misty eyes.

His lips tightened and he patted Thor on the shoulders. Their looks might differ, but this one could be just as emotional as his Thor. "You don't have to say anything. Thwarting fools like Thanos is reward enough for me."

"I owe you again," his counterpart said.

"Don't be a villain; we'll call it even."

"You don't have to worry; I had enough of it for ten lifetimes."

"Good luck to you both; it's time I was on my way," he said, locking on his timeline.

Thor put a hand on his shoulder, gesturing at the palace. "Would you like to stay at least for the celebrations?"

He patted the oversized hand. "There is something I have to do. My curiosity has been eating me."

His counterpart nodded, understanding in his eyes. "A pity. But know this, you are always welcome here."

"Thank you both," he said with a wave of his hand, disappearing back into his timeline.

—
​

Timeline Alpha

He arrived in his room, sending a mental message to Cosmo. He first found his mother, explaining to her that Thor was safe and in good hands. He also left a bracelet with her, saying he would be busy with something important.

He also sent a message to his father, saying no thanks were necessary for solving the diplomatic issues with the Jotnar. He still didn't want to talk to him. Perhaps the journey would clear his mind enough that he would want to.

Cosmo barged into the room, sitting on her hind legs before him. "Boss, where are we going?" she asked, her magical telepathy sounding more natural than the collar.

He knelt, giving her pets on her head and under her chin, smiling as he did so. "To another universe. My curiosity reached its peak, and I can't wait another second."

"Another universe? Cool. What are we waiting for?" she asked, her tail swinging wildly.

"Nothing. I prepared everything; let us go," he said.

Rising to his feet, he searched for the barriers that He Who Remains had discovered. His hands glowed a deep emerald color, and he grasped them, pulling apart. The barriers resisted the force, pushing back to maintain the universal cohesion. He pushed back even more, tearing open a pure white rift in the fabric of space.

He took a deep breath and stepped through, feeling his body buzz with excitement. Cosmo leaped inside, right behind him.

—
​

Notes: Loki's first trip will be to a DC Universe first, and then God of War Ragnarok, Stargate, Invincible, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Supernatural and Genshin Impact. As for Harry Potter, I need to work on it a bit more before saying anything concrete. See you guys next week.

—
​

In the next chapter:

"I have Asgard, my family, and my friends." Who else did he need to use his powers for?

"What would they want you to do? Ignoring your father, of course." He chuckled at her petulant tone. She never got along with his father, who merely found her to be a curiosity.

"I believe in letting them solve their own problems."

"Doesn't mean you can't lend a hand."

He threw his head back, groaning. "Maybe we can visit this Queen Bee and poke her hive a bit."

Time to play the hero.



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.

Do you like Loki's creations, dangerous experiments, and willingness to challenge enemies that appear above his league? Then you will definitely like Thairon, the protagonist of my original story, Arrival : Ruptures. Comments, likes and reviews are appreciated. Here are the links for : AO3, Spacebattles, Royal Road and Webnovel.

—
​

Midgard

Universe D1

He was in Midgard. One in a different reality altogether, but he was certain it was Earth. The language he saw was English; the people were humans, and it had the same polluted air.

"Is this another Earth? " she asked through the telepathic link between them.

"Appears so. Come, let's take a stroll," he said, creating an illusionary leash around her. His general location was the Middle East. Which country, he wasn't certain, since it did not match with the maps of the Earth he knew.

He approached a grocery stall, eyeing the apples. The owner, a man with a weary gaze and appearance, greeted him with a smile. He was way past the age to be working. Looking at the state of the stall, he guessed the man had no other choice.

He bought a bag full of different fruits, with several bananas at Cosmo's request. He peeled one, handing it over to her, and ate another himself. Walking through the city, he began to get a clearer picture of the situation.

The infrastructure wasn't in good condition. Potholes in the roads and bridges, peeling paints, slums, and a terrible urban design. Whoever ruled the country did not appear to care for the people.

"Boss, are we going to do something?" she asked, whimpering at the sight of the begging children.

Loki felt something hot and ugly stir inside him. "Perhaps."

"Come on. These people are in a terrible state. You can make a difference," she said, butting her head on his leg.

"If I save them, what will they do when faced with the next great threat to their nation? Pray to me?" He didn't want to hand the fish to them so easily, yet he wasn't going to spend time teaching them how to fish either.

She whined, giving him those sad eyes again. "You are smart, aren't you? You can figure something out."

He closed his eyes. "You weren't this willing to save the Earth we know."

"I didn't think it was this bad," she said, looking at the group again.

"Let's just walk and see more," he said, handing the bag to the children.

Listening to the Midgardians, he was able to gather quite a bit of knowledge about the nation, Bialya.

An elderly couple were grumbling about the city's state. The husband didn't like how his home, Karif, had fallen down so far. The wife cursed the Queen Bee, the ruler of Bialya, and the ministers. Several military officers had gathered together for dinner. One blurted out a possible war with another country, Qurac, and the military buildup in the capital, Al-Qawiya.

—
​

"So?"

"So what?" he asked, stroking the head on his lap.

"Aren't you going to do something?" He shrugged at the question, not sure what answer to give.

"Then what are you going to do with all that power? Just exist? What's the point of that?" She always helped around Asgard with her telekinesis whenever she could instead of just lazing around in her room.

"I have Asgard, my family, and my friends." Who else did he need to use his powers for?

"What would they want you to do? Ignoring your father, of course." He chuckled at her petulant tone. She never got along with his father, who merely found her to be a curiosity.

"I believe in letting them solve their own problems."

"Doesn't mean you can't lend a hand."

He threw his head back, groaning. "Maybe we can visit this Queen Bee and poke her hive a bit."

Time to play the hero.

—
​

Al-Qawiya

He could have simply teleported near Queen Bee and interrogated her. However, that would be as fun as catching fish in a barrel. So he decided to do something a bit more elaborate for amusement.

He switched places with the minister of defense.

According to the news, the six ministers of Bialya were gathering in the palace to report to the queen on the state of the nation. He walked in, third in line behind the ministers of economy and interior.

The palace was ostentatious. Pure, blinding white, it was a mix of native and European architecture. Tall, square towers; a dome large enough to rival Asgard's throne room—he rolled his eyes at it. Asgard's palace took thousands of years to be what it was now. This was barely a decade or so old.

Queen Bee's narcissistic nature showed itself in the form of statues and busts outside the palace. Passing through a path with three large bronze statues on each side, they finally entered the palace.

The inside was just as bad, with paintings, either expensive-looking ones or Queen Bee's portraits, along with more busts.

He turned his attention to the ministers. From the first second, he noticed the almost euphoric look in their eyes. They seemed to be getting more excited the closer they were to the throne room.

A cursory scan revealed the reason.

A chemical compound was bound to their brain, particularly to the section responsible for sexual attraction. The one responsible was obvious.

"Boss, there is a weird smell in the air," Cosmo said, walking a bit behind, invisible to all but him. He had put on layered protections on her long ago. There was nothing that could bend her mind or so much as ruffle her fur.

"Pheromone-based mind control, how cute. Let's see what this Queen Bee is about," he said through the mental connection. So far she appeared to be a narcissistic, power-hungry parasite. She reminded him of another parasite he had enjoyed terminating.

"All hail Her Majesty, Queen Bee, the ruler of Bialya," the crier announced. They all went down to their knees, except him. He simply made them believe he was kneeling. "Rise and take your seats," Queen Bee ordered.

He finally got a clear look at her. Brown-skinned, she wore a dark corset top and trousers, along with a silk shawl. Her golden headband must be the equivalent of a crown, matching the fang-shaped earrings. She was pretty as far as despots went, with a slender, diamond face and dark blue eyes and long, flowing hair.

As ordered, the ministers took their seats like drones.

The minister of economy was the first one to give his report. In the meantime, he inspected the queen to determine the source of her power. He disassociated his consciousness from his body, inspecting the full body scan. Her scent glands produced pheromones, while she had an innate low-level psychic ability.

Both were genetic.

And ever so easy to get rid of.

He returned to his body, satisfied with what he had learned, just in time for his turn to report. He started by snapping his fingers. Queen Bee raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.

The minister of economy frowned first, his face scrunching and relaxing, an act his comrades began to emulate. Her eyes widened as she realized what was happening.

"Why are we listening to her?" The Minister of Foreign Affairs asked, pinching the bridge of his nose. The rest of the cabinet looked at him, wondering the same.

Loki smiled, putting his feet on the table. "Simple pheromone- and psychic-based mind control. You all were her thralls for a long time."

Queen Bee tensed, eyes narrowing. "You are not Samir."

His shape changed, his face and clothes returning to normal, growing taller and more slender. "Bingo. I believe that's what you mortals use in these situations."

The minister of energy slammed his fist on the table, glaring at the queen. "I knew it. I knew something was wrong the day I took this position."

Bee tried to use her powers to take control of the situation again. Loki smirked, enjoying how her eyes widened with each failed attempt.

"Don't bother; you don't have your powers anymore. And the gentlemen here look like they are going to lynch you."

True to his words, the ministers turned to the queen, each waiting for another to move first.

Bee's eyes were burning with a look that would melt Uru. She pressed a hidden button on her throne. Several sections opened on the floor, deploying a thick layer of smoke. She managed to run just as the humans started coughing. They stumbled out of the room, giving her all the time she needed.

"Cosmo, if you would."

His canine companion growled with a light, pleased tone, running after the fleeing queen. She was fast, far faster than any of her kind. Bee had nowhere to go.

Loki got up, strolling towards his target.

—
​

"Please, resist. I am sure Cosmo would love the excuse to tear your throat out," he said, grinning at the downed former monarch. Cosmo was on her back, growling, while Bee begged for someone to get the dog off her.

Cosmo growled, her teeth leaning down to the left of Bee's throat, her saliva dripping. He whistled and she backed off, leaving the woman to scramble back. She hit a tree, stopping.

"Boss, we got incoming," Cosmo said, turning to the door.

"Don't kill them. They are being used."

The group of security guards suddenly found themselves floating, their guns torn out of their hands. Cosmo slammed them to the ground, hard enough to knock each one out.

"So much for your security," he said with a light tone, a smirk on his lips afterwards.

Bee wasn't ready to surrender yet. "You haven't killed me yet. You want something."

He shrugged, kneeling down to her level. "An answer."

He created a black hole in his hand, sucking all the light within visible range, turning day to night. "I have enough power to destroy this planet with a snap of my fingers, yet I never saw the point of this desire for power and control. What drove you to do any of this?"

Beads of sweat began to gather on her forehead. She realized this wasn't a mere assassination attempt by a hired gun.

"Humanity deserves to be at the top of the galactic food chain. Control is necessary to ensure order and progress," she said. It was the purpose of the light and something necessary to fulfill her vision.

He kept gazing at her, face hard as stone, before he snorted. "According to your narrow, narcissistic view, no doubt."

She snarled, still trying to use her pheromones. "I have the power. Why shouldn't I use it? Why shouldn't these lesser beings kneel before me?"

"You remind me of Rapu," he said, letting out a dry, humorless laugh as a ghostly image of the said worm appeared next to Bee.

"He was a god I met on another planet. Thought the natives of the planet should worship him because he is Rapu, not because he deserved it."

He knelt down again, glaring at her, his hatred drowning hers out. "I was going to let the mobs lynch you, but I believe I can yet make a lesson out of you."

For the first time in a long while, she felt terror.

—
​

All across Bialya, giant screens blinked into existence. Life came to a stop at the sight of Queen Bee, tied to a tree. A stranger stood before her, smiling.

"People of Bialya. Your parasitic queen has been mind-controlling people in positions of importance, which allowed her to rule this country as an unopposed despot. I give you the chance to take the reins into your hands; don't waste it."

With those words, the stranger snapped his fingers. A noose came down from the large branch of the tree, wrapping itself around Queen Bee's throat like a serpent, pulling. She began to struggle, trying to remove the noose to no effect. Her struggles were frantic at first. She clawed and shook, opening wounds on her throat.

Second after second, she slowed down, her eyes rolling to the back of her head, the gagging sound fading to nothing. Finally, her hands fell to her sides. She continued to slightly swing back and forth, motionless otherwise.

"There you have it," the stranger said, dismissing the screens.

—
​

Mount Justice

"Who the heck is that?" Kid Flash asked, his voice lacking the usual exuberance. He had just seen the gruesome image of Queen Bee's dead body hanging on a tree.

"No match on any databases. He is not a known villain or a vigilante," Robin said as the search results came up empty. Whoever the stranger was, the possibility that he was not from Earth remained.

"What about Bialya? What is happening there now?"

"Mass riots broke out following Queen Bee's death. The government is trying to control the situation, but no luck there. The military and the law enforcement are in a state of chaos and can't respond effectively."

"Is it just me who isn't sad about it?" Artemis asked, crossing her arms.

There was no response to her question.

—
​

The Watchtower

"You have nothing on him?" Superman asked, raising an eyebrow. All the founding members were in the meeting while the rest had matters to deal with.

Batman continued to work on the computer, not even turning around. "No. This is the first time he is seen. It is possible he is not from Earth."

"How many aliens are out there with this kind of tech or powers?" Flash asked the Green Lantern, who shrugged.

"Too many."

Martian Manhunter cleared his throat. "And Bialya?" The important matter was to help the nation stabilize itself. Bee's fate was already decided.

Flash read the latest message the League had received. "The cabinet reached the UN. They want our help to peacefully stop the protestors. I mean, we know Bee was mind-controlling them. There is no reason to say no."

"We could also contact this unknown individual if he is still in Bialya," Superman suggested. It was one thing for this man to kill Queen Bee. It was another matter for him to livestream it to the people of Bialya.

"What then? He hanged the internationally recognized ruler of the country, a despot or not. Do we try to arrest him?" Aquaman asked.

"They elected the minister of interior as the brand new prime minister with emergency powers. Legally, we can go after him should they make an official request," Manhunter summarized.

Flash crossed his arms. "Did he make a request?"

The green alien shook his head. "Just to mediate with the rioters."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

—
​

Unknown Location

"Who is this new enemy of the Light?" a rough, guttural voice growled. Of all the setbacks they faced, having one of their own executed on live TV was not one any had seen coming.

"He is dangerous," an almost childlike voice said. He had considered taking a glance at the unknown, but the mere feeling of his magic made him back off.

An older, calmer voice spoke next. "That is obvious. The real question is how do we respond?"

"From his little speech, it is evident he cannot be brought to our side. Yet, he is unlikely to be accepted by the heroes," a fourth, sophisticated male said. Bee's death and the following riots meant the Light would have to quickly retreat from Bialya before their efforts were discovered.

The rest of the meeting failed to reach any concrete objectives.

—
​

In the next chapter:

"We could invite him for a chat," Flash suggested, but their attention turned to the final teammate, who was trembling now.

"Fate, are you alright?" Lantern asked, raising a hand to shake the Lord of Order awake.

Dr. Fate, who was meditating, suddenly went stiff. His head snapped back. A torrent of green energy blasted out of his eyes and mouth, blinding them all. It abruptly stopped, and Fate fell forward, helmet and costume disintegrating, leaving Zatara's breathing form behind.



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.

Do you like Loki's creations, dangerous experiments, and willingness to challenge enemies that appear above his league? Then you will definitely like Thairon, the protagonist of my original story, Arrival : Ruptures. Comments, likes and reviews are appreciated. Here are the links for : AO3, Spacebattles, Royal Road and Webnovel.

—
​

Bialya

He was not about to abandon the country after setting it on fire, figuratively. Queen Bee's death had emboldened the population. With the upper management out of her control and the truth of her abilities revealed, the people were in a state of uproar.

He had done what he could. If the Bialyans wanted a better future, they would have to take it. He watched over the riots and the attempts to quell them. His interest was piqued when a man, one that wore his underwear over his blue spandex costume, landed gently in front of the crowd in the capital. He must have been a known figure because the masses stopped.

A closer look revealed he wasn't a human. The DNA had differences, but they were close enough he wagered the hero could have a child with a human.

He was negotiating, trying to peacefully end the protests. The people weren't so easily dissuaded, demanding all current ministers resign. They wanted free and fair elections to determine their future. It would not be left in the hands of the current administration, mind-controlled or not.

The administration was not so willing to relinquish its power.

The negotiator relayed the offer. The government would hold elections in one year after rooting out all of Queen Bee's accomplices.

The crowds marched once again. The superpowered individual did not attempt to stop them, merely calling for peace and reason.

His peace was disturbed by a chaotic feeling. Whatever approached felt like a mass of twisting, squirming strands of discord. He raised an eyebrow as the portal opened and something in the form of a child stepped out, holding an orange cat in his arms. He was dressed in a suit, with hair standing up like horns, a narrow, sharp face, and a grin.

"Well, well, if it isn't the one who killed the flightless pest. I have to admit, the chaos you spread in Bialya feels delectable."

Loki blinked at the words and turned ahead, continuing to stroke Cosmo's head.

"Are you ignoring me?!" the boy said, gritting his teeth. He did not answer, enjoying the moment. Whatever this creature was, he did not pose a threat to him. His chaotic nature wasn't something that piqued his interest.

"You are no fun," the boy said, pouting like a child. He opened a portal and left, knowing better than to start a fight he could not win.

—
​

Al-Qawiya

Superman's pleas fell on deaf ears. The massive crowd had no intention of stopping. He could not and would not use force. Batman suggested the man who executed Queen Bee might be able to influence the masses. The problem was finding him.

"Superman, I have him on satellite," Batman said. It was left to the world's greatest detective to track the unknown.

"What? Where?" he asked, rising above the crowd.

"He is resting in an oasis."

That couldn't have been so simple. "How did you find him so fast?"

"It wasn't there before."

"Who is going to speak to him?" he asked. Someone who could create an oasis noticeable on satellite wasn't an ordinary magician.

"I will," Wonder Woman said as she was closest to the oasis.

—
​

He was having another visitor, one who came by air this time. A demigod by the feeling of her, with half her DNA being pure energy.

"Greetings, stranger."

This Earth had quite the eccentric group of protectors. "Greetings."

"I am Diana of Themyscira."

"Loki of Asgard."

She crossed her arms, turning her head slightly to the side, narrowing her eyes. "Asgard? It has been a long time since a god from that realm was alive."

He raised an eyebrow. He had actually considered looking to see if Asgard existed in this dimension but had left it for later. She had answered his question. "In this universe perhaps."

"You are from another universe? What brought you here?" If he were telling the truth, which she had no reason to believe one way or the other, then what reason would there be for Loki the Trickster God to be here?

"Merely traveling to see what exists in the infinite," he explained, taking a sip from his mead.

She would take the trickster's words with a grain of salt. "You have caused quite a stir in this world."

"It is only natural that the death of a despot would ruffle many feathers." Who knew how many allies she had that feared they would be the next?

"It is the fact that there is a god who interferes in mortal affairs and executes someone." While the god part was new knowledge, someone of his strength overthrowing a government did indeed ruffle feathers.

He shrugged. She was not strong enough to pose a threat to him, and neither were her comrades. "These people were suffering, so I lent a hand. If you have an issue, you are free to try and fail to stop me."

"They are suffering now too. The riots are counterproductive to stabilizing the country," she said. There was truth to her words, for a state of order was necessary for Bialya to move forward. Yet, it would only come when the people were ready for it, not before.

"Then the government should give people what they want."

"You should know it's never that easy. The government is willing to..." she began, but he stopped her. "Hold elections in one year after clearing all of Queen Bee's followers in the administration?"

Her eyes widened for a fraction of a second. She realized he was actually watching the events that were unfolding across the country. Most likely the League too. "Yes. Bialya has already suffered too much. With all the different factions vying for power, there will only be chaos."

"I am sure the people will do what is best for them."

"Certainly. But they will need someone to calm them down first. They are too emotional to choose the best path."

"Well, far be it from me to interfere as long as the people aren't harmed in any way. Good luck to you with that," he said, shooing her away with his hand.

Diana rolled her eyes. "I meant you. You killed Queen Bee; they would listen to you."

Loki created a hat, putting it over his eyes. "I only meddled enough to give them a chance to fight back. They must work for the rest."

"Even if chaos grips this country?" she asked. He was willing to execute Queen Bee on live television, but telling people to calm down was too much?

"If I give them everything on a silver platter, it will not have a meaning. The people must fight, bleed, and die for what they want. Otherwise, when the next dictator wannabe comes along, they will be looking for someone to fight for them," he explained.

She fell silent, thinking and realizing the truth in his words. Her people had fought for the peace they currently enjoyed. She hesitated. Could they deprive the Bialyans of that chance?

"Wonder Woman, you can stop. The government just agreed to step down immediately," Batman explained.

She took a deep breath, her shoulders relaxing.

"Well, it appears your wishes have come true."

He huffed, a quiet, annoyed laugh escaping his lips. "This is not my home; my wishes mean nothing. This victory is people's and no one else's."

Diana smiled, gave a nod, and left.

—
​

The League's attempts to peacefully quell the riots poured gasoline into the fire. The palace was long surrounded. The government refused to meet their demands, and the Justice League's intervention was seen as support for the government.

The people climbed over the walls, broke down the doors, and prepared to tear the ministers apart. Only when the main building was covered by Green Lantern's light did the government fold. There was nowhere they could hide. If they left with the League, they would be exiles.

It left them only one option.

The Prime Minister announced the resignation of the cabinet. While the citizens rejoiced, the Green Lantern took them away so there wouldn't be bloodshed. The people were quick to elect an interim prime minister to lead the country until the elections.

Meanwhile, Loki watched everything with a smile.

—
​

Al-Qawiya

"The God of Mischief? That Loki? You didn't tell us about Asgard," Flash said, whispering. He knew a little bit about the Scandinavian myths. Loki wasn't looked at favorably in any way, shape, or form. He didn't know how many of the myths were true but wished they were not.

There definitely would be trouble if this got out. A god interfering so openly on Earth was not allowed due to many reasons, as Diana had said.

"Because they died a long time ago from what exists in Olympus' records. This Loki says he is from another dimension," she explained. The destruction of Asgard and many other pantheons wasn't detailed. The legends said that it had happened long, long ago.

Either they didn't know or it was kept a secret.

"Bialya just elected an exiled activist as the interim prime minister," Red Tornado reported.

Flash whistled. "They work really fast, don't they?" Barely a couple of hours and things seemed to be progressing well for the people.

Batman looked at him for a moment, his stone gaze not wavering. "Returning to the matter at hand, you said he seemed disinterested in doing more than he had?"

She nodded. "Correct. He seemed content to laze in the oasis with his dog." Whether it was out of laziness or actually the desire to let the people handle their problems, she wasn't certain.

"Assuming he doesn't suddenly decide there are more dictators to dispose of," Manhunter said. Queen Bee wasn't the only despot in the world. If Loki decided the rest had to be disposed of as well, they could not stop him in countries outside the League's jurisdiction.

"I honestly can't say anything about it."

"We could invite him for a chat," Flash suggested, but their attention turned to the final teammate, who was trembling now.

"Fate, are you alright?" Lantern asked, raising a hand to shake the Lord of Order awake.

Dr. Fate, who was meditating, suddenly went stiff. His head snapped back. A torrent of green energy blasted out of his eyes and mouth, blinding them all. It abruptly stopped, and Fate fell forward, helmet and costume disintegrating, leaving Zatara's breathing form behind.

"What the heck was that?" Green Lantern asked, rushing to the magician's side. He was alive and breathing but did not respond to him.

"What was he doing?" Batman asked.

Manhunter looked at the still form of Giovanni. "He said he would try to divine more about Loki."

"Giovanni, can you hear me?" Lantern asked, gently slapping him on the face. There was no reaction, not even a groan.

"Let's take him to the Tower first. We are done here anyway."

—
​

The Watchtower

The preliminary diagnosis showed that Giovanni was in a coma due to the magical backlash. They were assuming Loki did not like the fact he was being spied on and destroyed Nabu. Of course, there would be no action taken unless they were absolutely certain.

If they ever would.

There was a more important matter to handle first. Zatanna deserved to know her father was free, even if he was in a coma.

Diana left for Themyscira to find more about Loki and Asgard. The only knowledge they had came from the source god in question. With all that Loki was known for, the veracity of his words was nonexistent. Green Lantern left to search Oa's archives for the same reason, leaving Batman to reach out to the magical side of the world.

In truth, the Caped Crusader did not eliminate the information that Loki might be from another universe. Someone that strong did not lie hidden for so long, only to kill Queen Bee and then sleep in an oasis.

Him being from another dimension would explain it.

Superman contacted New Genesis, seeking answers. It was possible that the New Gods knew something about Loki and Asgard, perhaps more so than any other source. While they weren't a fan of interfering with Earth's matters, a god that was supposed to be dead would no doubt have their interest.

—
​

She barged into the medical room, ignoring the calls to slow down. She threw her arms around her father, sobbing. She already knew he was in a coma. Just being able to hug him like this was enough.

"How did Fate let him go?" she asked once her tears stopped. She hated that golden rust bucket of a helmet. She also knew it wouldn't let her father go so easily.

Manhunter's blank gaze looked at the still form of the man. "I am afraid the situation is too complicated."

Robin rolled his eyes. "Which means you are not going to tell us anything."

"When the right time comes, we will explain it to you. For now, Zatanna is excused from the team so she can be with her father," he said.

Displeased with the secrecy, the team left Zatanna with her father. They would find answers, one way or another.

—
​

Loki's Oasis

He scoffed, feeling the unwelcome eyes burn out of this realm. He was just about to fall asleep when he felt something try to gaze into his existence. He ignored it at first since he could not hope to succeed. However, the scrying got more intense and pushy.

As it had gazed at him, he gazed back, finding himself displeased with what he discovered. A self-proclaimed lord of order who was keeping his host a hostage after blackmailing him with his daughter. Disintegrating his connection to this realm was a far kinder fate, but outright destroying him would be too time-consuming.

For now, it would do.

—
​

Unknown Location

When Loki cut Nabu out of Earth, it had consequences. The Lords of Order were alarmed. It was not something any being, even if they were a god, could do so simply. Whatever had happened had greatly weakened their hand.

And strengthened the enemy's.

The Lords of Chaos were overjoyed, especially one Witch Boy. With Nabu gone, the Earth would be their playground. Once Earth was theirs, it would put the golden lords on the backfoot. The war that had been continuing for eons might finally have an end.

Klarion began to prepare, though he wondered what managed to banish Nabu from reality. The unknown god was a possibility, but if he was willing to kill that human for being evil, why would he vanquish Nabu? Someone else could be responsible, but he did not believe in coincidences.

Unaware, or rather, indifferent to the idea of learning dangers that were coming his way, Loki slept. Two superhero teams, an organization hellbent on domination, a group of beings who only cared to spread chaos, a multitude of governments, and, of course, the people of Bialya searched for him.

—
​

In the next chapter:

"Guess who just found out how your dad was freed?" Robin asked as he sat on his chair, taking his plate full of pancakes.

Zatanna sucked in a breath, coughing. "What? How?" she asked, gulping down a glass of water to soothe her throat.

The whole table stopped eating, turning to Robin.

The Boy Wonder smirked. "That new guy? His name is Loki, from the Scandinavian myths."

"Great, a trickster god was what we needed," Kid Flash said. Like New Genesis and Apokolips weren't enough, now they had the Scandinavians.

"Not only that," Robin continued, earning their attention once more, "he is also from another universe."

"What's he doing here?" She wanted to know everything.

"Traveling, apparently. I also learned where he currently is."

"Where?"



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.

Do you like Loki's creations, dangerous experiments, and willingness to challenge enemies that appear above his league? Then you will definitely like Thairon, the protagonist of my original story, Arrival : Ruptures. Comments, likes and reviews are appreciated. Here are the links for : AO3, Spacebattles, Royal Road and Webnovel.

—
​

Mount Justice

"Guess who just found out how your dad was freed?" Robin asked as he sat on his chair, taking his plate full of pancakes.

Zatanna sucked in a breath, coughing. "What? How?" she asked, gulping down a glass of water to soothe her throat.

The whole table stopped eating, turning to Robin.

The Boy Wonder smirked. "That new guy? His name is Loki, from the Scandinavian myths."

"Great, a trickster god was what we needed," Kid Flash said. Like New Genesis and Apokolips weren't enough, now they had the Scandinavians.

"Not only that," Robin continued, earning their attention once more, "he is also from another universe."

"What's he doing here?" She wanted to know everything.

"Traveling, apparently. I also learned where he currently is."

"Where?"

—
​

Bialya

He considered what to do.

The existence of Asgard, which had long been destroyed, intrigued him. He wanted to seek anything that might have remained. There was, however, a problem.

He only had one lead he could follow. The Greek demigod, Diana of Themyscira, was a hero. She worked with the Justice League against numerous villains. The difficult part was the league had a no-kill rule. They didn't play the judge, jury, and executioner, simply acting to arrest them.

She would have no reason to help him.

Neither would the Greek Pantheon. Beyond his dislike for Zeus in his universe, they too would have no reason to help a stranger. Not without something in return.

He would have to come up with a plan.

After he greeted his latest visitors.

A ship, invisible to the naked eye and most likely to many other detection methods, landed near him. Inside was quite the motley group of individuals, children mostly. One alien, one half-alien, a magician, an enhanced human, an aquatic humanoid, and two ordinary humans.

He rose from his beach chair, dismissing it. Cosmo landed on her feet, yawning and shaking her head.

"Hello."

"Greetings."

"I am Robin; these are Aqualad, Kid Flash, Superboy, Zatanna, Artemis, and Miss Martian." The boy with the domino mask said, pointing at each member as he went along.

"I'm Loki Odinson," he introduced himself. An awkward silence took hold. The teens didn't seem to have thought this out very well.

He smirked. All this stealth was unnecessary if they were going to show themselves. "You don't have the permission to be here, do you?"

"Are you going to tell?" the boy in a yellow suit with a crimson lightning bolt on his chest asked. Kid Flash didn't seem too worried, though.

He tilted his head, raising a single eyebrow. "Tell what?"

"Are you the one that destroyed Dr. Fate?" the black-haired young girl, Zatanna, asked. She seemed anxious. From her appearance and the magic she radiated, he could see why.

"If you mean that pest with a holier-than-thou attitude who was keeping your father prisoner, yes."

The blunt admission took the teens back. Their eyes searched each other for an answer, but none was to be found.

The young magician took her hat off, giving a deep bow. "Thank you."

"You are welcome. Though, is that the only reason you are here? To thank me?" They were still glancing at each other but now for a different reason.

"Why did you kill Queen Bee?" Superboy blurted out what they were all thinking.

"She deserved it."

The half-human raised an eyebrow. He seemed strangely angry or, rather, thought he should be angry. "So you can decide who deserves to die because you are a god?"

He rolled his eyes. "Goodness, no. The only one who decides whether a person has to die or not is the person themselves."

"Uhhh, what?" Kid Flash asked, slow on the uptake.

"I would love to get into a philosophical debate with you about whether killing Queen Bee was justified or not, but you are all too young and inexperienced compared to me."

"Can't argue with that."

"How is your traveling gig going so far?" Artemis was curious since he wasn't doing much traveling at all.

"Not bad. It is disheartening to hear that Asgard in this dimension has been destroyed. You wouldn't know anything about it, would you?"

"Not really. New Genesis might, though. It is the world of the New Gods," Kid Flash said with a shrug, only to freeze. His teammates glared at him. The sheepish look on the young hero's face told Loki he said something he should not have.

With a snap of his fingers, a table full of refreshments and snacks, along with eight chairs, appeared out of nothing. He took his seat, eyes glinting. "Do tell more."

—
​

Metropolis

If he wanted to ask questions to the New Genesians, he would have to be smart about it. In the place of their leader, he wouldn't appreciate a complete stranger asking questions about the past.

A gift would create a diplomatic atmosphere.

Integang, apparently, had stolen New Genesis tech. He would retrieve what he could, return the tech to its rightful owners, and ask some questions regarding Asgard and the fate of the Aesir.

"Intruder!" a gang member shouted, his voice echoing through the defunct, dimly lit metro tunnels. Humans, some carrying rifles, others wearing upper-body rigs with more weapons plastered on them. They opened fire. He felt the plasma strike his body to no effect and merely absorbed the attacks.

He raised his hand, palm toward the gangsters, and his fingers snapped open. The front lines simultaneously exploded into dust clouds. He floated forward, breaking each gang member apart one by one.

It broke their spirit quickly.

Cosmo leaped forward, going after the deserters. They needed at least one of them alive for questioning.

The plasma fire dwindled. He was an unstoppable force, cutting down each member without even any apparent attacks. He didn't carry any of Superman's heat beams or the Green Lantern's constructs or display Wonder Woman's combat capabilities.

He moved and they died.

When he landed, it was to the sound of one man sobbing, begging. Cosmo had him dangling in the air, his rig torn off, powerless.

"Are you intelligent enough to understand why I didn't kill you yet?" He asked the man, gesturing at Cosmo to drop him.

He fell on his face, cowering on his knees. "I'll tell you what you want, I swear."

"Good. I believe your organization has stolen tech belonging to New Genesis. Where are they?"

"Mannheim took them away. He didn't think this place was secure enough. I don't know where."

A spectral hand appeared over the gangster's head, tapping him twice. "Come now, use your head. You must have an idea."

He looked left and right, thinking. Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he looked up. "There is a hub in these tunnels, but I don't know the exact place. We are always taken there in the darkness for security."

"Well, since your cell is dead, I suggest you abandon this line of work."

"Yes, of course, whatever you say," the gangster said, scrambling away like a rat.

He turned to Cosmo, who was sniffing the air. She approached the tunnel on the left first and then on the right, nose to the work. He followed her as she dashed forward. He could have found their hideout by scanning the entirety of the underground, but it wouldn't be fun otherwise.

—
​

By the time he found the main hub, he had wiped out three smaller lairs.

When he turned the metal gate blocking his way to dust, the Intergang was waiting. There was a woman who seemed to be the leader. She stood among the gangsters, along with an alien, an ugly, old one with scarred tissue on the right side of his face.

"I don't know what brought you from Bialya to here, but you shouldn't have come."

The alien had a small device in his hand, which he held out towards Loki with a grin. He felt an intrusion on his mind. The device sent out telepathic waves, trying to access his mind, to control him.

Cute.

He ripped the device out of his hand, along with his soul. The Intergang watched as a green, transparent version of the dreaded servant of Darkseid left the body and was absorbed by the unknown.

Desaad fell, his gaze empty.

Loki closed his eyes for a moment amid the silence, going through the memories. "A god? This weakling was a god? How amusing."

He chuckled at first, turning his mind to other, more pressing matters, but he could not. Laughter ripped out of him, silent at first, before it echoed across the base. By the time the red-haired woman threw her hands up, he was done. The gangsters followed along, dropping their weapons. "We surrender!" she screamed, her voice shattering the silence.

"I don't have the means to arrest you, but I can't let you go either."

"How about you all go and surrender yourselves to the authorities?" He snapped his fingers. A green mark of an hourglass appeared on their foreheads, counting down from thirty minutes.

"If that timer hits zero before you are cuffed, your brains will melt out of your ears."

The gangsters froze once more. Several of them clawed at their forehead. One fell on his knees, begging. He didn't care one bit.

"What are you waiting for? Go!"

The gangsters scrambled, running for the nearest exit. He, though, was more intrigued by the crates containing tech.

Now to find New Genesis.

—
​

Metropolis Police Department

"They just came in and surrendered like that?"

"Yeah. That unknown in Bialya, the one who hanged Queen Bee? They say he was the culprit. Entered their base, turned most of Intergang to dust, and even killed someone named Desaad."

"Desaad? Are you certain?"

"Yeah. They said his body is down in the base. Hell, they even gave us the locations of all the hubs they had in the tunnels."

"Thank you, Commissioner, but I must go. This is important."

"Wait, do you know who Desaad is?"

"Can't speak about it."

—
​

The Watchtower

"Desaad is dead?" Batman asked for confirmation, blinking.

Superman nodded, floating through dimly lit tunnels. "That's what Whisper A'Daire said, as well as the rest. I am heading to the hub to check it out."

"Send us the location. We'll head there immediately." The coordinates were transmitted before his sentence was over.

"I'll see you guys there."

"If Desaad is dead, we can't know how Darkseid will respond," Diana said. While the God of Evil did not care about his subordinates beyond their worth, Desaad, as the God of Science, was valuable. No one who took someone so important from Darkseid would be left alone.

"It won't be good. This Loki is becoming too dangerous," Flash added. The stakes had just risen a lot higher.

"What would he even want with Intergang and Desaad?"

Batman closed his eyes, remembering the intrusion into the League's computers this morning. "I wonder."

—
​

New Genesis

Supertown

Finding the planet proved to be easy since the Father Box had the location.

He just had to pry it out of the living computer.

At first he thought the device was something simpler, meant to control the minds of organics. A deeper look showed that it was a living computer, an extremely advanced one. Portals, mind control, energy manipulation, and the ability to infect organics and other technological devices were among its capabilities.

When he tried to take the location from it, the Father Box responded by trying to infect him. Since he did not have any organic parts, it found nothing. In the same vein of progress, he infected the box with his magic, burning the malevolent will away.

The loyalty it had to its former master was gone, leaving behind an intelligence that was lost.

He simply took the location and left for the planet. The intelligence could decide what it wanted to do in the meantime.

He rubbed his chin, inspecting the floating town, which was named Supertown. Golden buildings surrounded by greenery, it reminded him of Asgard on a smaller scale. He waited until someone noticed his arrival, which didn't take long since he wasn't hiding.

"Halt. Identify yourself," said the New God. His choice of dress was practical: a full-body suit with a red top and black pants and a shiny, silver helmet. The harness he wore reminded him of what the Intergang had, though it was obviously more advanced.

"Loki of Asgard from another dimension. I am a traveler who was hoping to ask your leader some questions."

Orion tensed. That name, and the destruction it had caused, was known to him and all other New Gods.

He raised his hands to his sides. "Now I am aware that most of my counterparts are villains, which seems to be the case in this universe as well. I am simply here to learn about what exactly transpired and nothing else."

The New God continued to examine him. He was a warrior, one ready to reach out should he prove to be treacherous.

"The Highfather is too busy to entertain every guest personally," he said, gripping the handles of his harness tightly.

"Good thing I brought gifts," he said, taking the retrieved technological items from the pocket dimension. "Or rather, came to return what was already yours."

Orion approached the components, each one clearly produced in New Genesis. He turned to Loki sharply, eyes narrowed. "Where did you find these?"

"Intergang, a group of human criminals."

He took a deep breath. "I am Orion; welcome to New Genesis."

—
​

"You are Lokee?" Highfather, a New God, was aged considerably. His hair and beard were similar to his father's, as was the weary look in his eyes.

"Loki, with an i at the end," he clarified. The slight change in name was the least of his problems right now.

The Highfather's eyes hardened. "What brought you to this universe? The pain and destruction your counterpart has caused is well known to us."

Loki raised his shoulders slightly. "I met enough of my variants from different timelines that I can't disagree. As I said to Orion here, simply to learn what exactly my counterpart did."

Things looked worse than he assumed.

"Why? What would you do with that knowledge?"

"Curiosity. I am a scholar at heart. I simply want to know what kind of differences exist between universes when it comes to Asgard."

The leader of the New Gods continued to watch him, searching for something in his eyes. The tense silence dragged on, and he finally had enough.

"If you aren't going to say anything, I am leaving," he said, pointing back at the door with his thumb.

Iyaza sat back down, still watching him. "Tell me about your universe, and I will decide what to do."

He considered the counteroffer. Exchanging knowledge in this manner could prove beneficial in building trust. "Great, why don't we all lower our weapons then?" he said, glancing at all the New Gods pointing different kinds of weapons at him.

"You have no weapons," Orion said.

His eyes turned green, and all the gods shuddered, feeling the power wash over them. "I don't need them."

—
​

In the next chapter:

"What is the meaning of this?!" he bellowed, putting a stop to the chaos in the city. With a command that echoed through reality, the army of twisted animals rampaging through the city turned to dust.

A group of children, including one who had visited him before, seemed to be the perpetrators.

"If it isn't the trickster god," the boy, or rather, the entity posing as a boy, snickered.

"What do you worms think you are doing?"

"Once you got rid of that stuffy golden bag of no fun, we had free rein on this planet. This is all thanks to you," the impish boy said, twirling around with his hands spread out.



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.

Do you like Loki's creations, dangerous experiments, and willingness to challenge enemies that appear above his league? Then you will definitely like Thairon, the protagonist of my original story, Arrival : Ruptures. Comments, likes and reviews are appreciated. Here are the links for : AO3, Spacebattles, Royal Road and Webnovel.

—
​

Mount Justice

"What exactly did you all tell him?" Batman asked, arms crossed, eyes narrowed.

"Nothing." Kid Flash shook his head side to side in a blur. "Just about New Genesis and stuff. He wanted to know what happened to Asgard. We thought they might know."

Batman turned on the young speedster. "He killed Desaad and raided an Intergang depot. Footage shows he took Apokoliptian tech samples and destroyed the rest while making sure to retrieve everything from New Genesis."

Miss Martian gasped as her teammates entered different states of shock. Not out of anger but simply because the idea that someone like DeSaad could be killed at all, and so quickly at that, was not a thought that ever crossed their minds.

Robin smiled, realizing why. "He is bringing gifts."

—
​

New Genesis

"Are you certain there is no Darkseid in your universe?" The Highfather asked as their cups were refilled. Loki had explained the state of his universe, Asgard, and its place in the cosmos. The Highfather was naturally suspicious but was willing to at least hear him out.

He nodded, glancing around the room. Everyone was still on edge. "Yes. I know all the names worth knowing. Thanos the Mad Titan, the High Evolutionary, the Kangs, and the Kree Empire. I never came across Darkseid, Apokolips, or New Genesis."

The Highfather stroked his beard. "Quite interesting. You wished to know what had happened to your pantheon. It is a tragic tale."

"That seems to be the case most often," he said, though he certainly wasn't expecting the tale to be so wildly different.

GodWorld, where the Old Gods lived, was destroyed in a catastrophe caused by Lokee, God of Discord and Evil, who had triggered Ragnarok. The GodWorld was destroyed, which led to the creation of Apokolips and New Genesis. The details of what exactly had happened were lost to time.

So no Asgard, but his father and Thor existed as Wotan and Thorion. The former was actually a name some of the Germanic tribes in Europe used a thousand years ago. Thorion was self-explanatory enough.

"It appears, no matter the universe and the reason, I always cause Ragnarok," he smirked, leaning back and summoning himself a mug of mead. The New Gods tensed, hands twitching, but ultimately, no one acted.

Only the Highmother seemed to be at ease. Everyone except her was cautious of him. She was either too naive, which did not seem to be the case with the reverence she received, or she saw that he didn't mean any harm.

The Highfather's eyes hardened. "What is your reason for causing it in your universe?"

He conjured an image of Hela. "I have a sister. She is my father's firstborn and the Goddess of Death, Hela. Let's just say my father hasn't always been the kind, benevolent ruler he is now. In his younger days, he was a warlord who conquered countless realms. During the process, he molded Hela into his general executioner."

Iyaza leaned on his right arm, sighing with a forlorn tone. "That could not have ended well."

He huffed. Had his father known he would put his conquering days aside once, he would have seen that as well. "Once Father decided to settle down, she tried to kill him and take Asgard. He banished her to Niflheim. His lifeforce is what keeps her locked up. Once he is dead, however, she will be free."

"Which will lead to Ragnarok," the Highfather finished, easily connecting the dots. Odin's mistake in how he raised his daughter would bring down the empire he had created with her.

Ironic.

"Correct. She draws her power from Asgard, and as long as Asgard exists, she cannot be defeated. My counterparts, all without a change, enact Ragnarok along with Thor to destroy Asgard so she doesn't go on a bloody crusade on the galaxy with her army of the undead." To punctuate his explanation, he conjured the memories he had taken from several of his counterparts, displaying Asgard's destruction at the hands of Surtur.

"A noble reason for destruction. A rare prospect," he said with a somber tone, watching the planetoid detonate into micrometeoroids.

"This has been most educational. A pity I did not have the chance to see them," Loki said. Then again, meeting a truly evil version of himself, rather than the foolish, desperate variants, would probably end in blood.

"What would you have done if you had?" Iyaza asked, his tone lighter, more inquisitive.

He shrugged. At this point, he didn't really know what he would truly do. "Tell my counterpart to stop being a fool. Kill him, otherwise." Either that, or flat out destroy him.

"Just like that?"

"I already killed several, and they looked far more like me."

Iyaza closed his eyes. Perhaps his abrupt mention of how easily he had slain his counterparts was not a good idea. "You said I looked like your father. Can you…"

Loki already conjured an image of his father, cutting the Highfather's sentence. Two weathered faces with cotton-white hair and beards, one holding a spear, the other, a staff, both golden. The Highfather wore a purple cape while the Allfather wore a red one.

The similarities were striking.

"Interesting," Iyaza muttered. Someone who knew neither would easily think both gods were brothers.

"If there is nothing else, I believe it's time for me to leave. Thank you for your hospitality," he said with a flat tone, giving a small bow. He didn't feel the need to stick around any longer. The tea was good, but the reception soured the taste. He didn't blame them, however.

Who could?

Cosmo rose from her place and trotted next to him. The Highfather opened his mouth to speak, but Loki was already back on Earth.

"That could have gone better," his wife said.

Iyaza smiled at her, knowing she was correct.

—
​

Earth

Bialya

Al-Qawiya

The first thing he noticed upon returning to the oasis was the dark clouds over the country. That alone wouldn't have raised any suspicion. The dark crimson lightning strikes and the chaotic energies involved did, however.

"What is the meaning of this?!" he bellowed, putting a stop to the chaos in the city. With a command that echoed through reality, the army of twisted animals rampaging through the city turned to dust.

A group of children, including one who had visited him before, seemed to be the perpetrators.

"If it isn't the trickster god," the boy, or rather, the entity posing as a boy, snickered.

"What do you worms think you are doing?"

"Once you got rid of that stuffy golden bag of no fun, we had free rein on this planet. This is all thanks to you," the impish boy said, twirling around with his hands spread out.

He must have arrived early because while two blocks were on fire and there were dozens of dead strewn around, the damage wasn't widespread yet.

He closed his eyes, trembling. When his eyes snapped open, the green pupils and white sclera left their place to pure, glowing emeralds. He shed his form in a flash, towering over the city, shining as if he were an emerald star.

The grinning Lords of Chaos were suddenly frozen, their lips curving downwards.

Loki held his right palm out. The fire in the burning buildings went out. The missing parts reversed into existence. The corpses flew back to their feet, the light of life reigniting in their eyes.

All the damage was gone in an instant.

"We might have bitten off more than we can chew," one of the entities, who looked like a blonde child, said, turning around to leave.

"Not so fast," his voice rumbled in their minds, stopping them in their tracks. A glossy force field covered them, and all eight Lords of Chaos found themselves before the green titan.

"What to do with you now?" His voice was once again in their heads. It was loud, suppressing everything else. They could not think, only suffer.

Klarion felt tendrils slither into his mind, twisting into strands, searching. His muscles spasmed, eyes rolling to the back of his head. Loki didn't stop, tearing everything of value from the little imp's head.

He couldn't kill or imprison these little maggots because they were chaos incarnate. They would reform if killed and eventually dissolve from lack of discord if imprisoned.

That is, by the rules of this universe.

He could imprison them in a prison with no virtual exit. Even if they dissolved back into the primordial energies they were created from, it would still be within the container. New Lords of Chaos would take their places, but it would be a long while before that could happen.

A transparent orb shimmered around the parasites, taking the form of children. A glass dome materialized with a metal base. It shrunk along with him slowly until it fit the palm of his hand.

He shook the snow globe, ragdolling the outraged Lords of Chaos around. He smirked and threw it into his pocket dimension. A self-contained miniature universe would hold them forever.

Though, he had greater problems.

The people of the city were kneeling, and he could feel the energy generated by their prayers and words of gratitude. He repelled it, the very thought making him nauseated.

"You want to thank me; a simple 'thank you' will suffice. I detest words of prayer or worship directed at me," he said with a flat, cold tone, just about to return to the oasis.

"Please wait!" a human shouted to the top of his lungs as he doubled down, out of breath.

Seeing the man's state, he decided to at least hear him out.

—
​

The Watchtower

"Gods, look at him," Wonder Woman said with a breathy voice. Before the League could even act, Loki had imprisoned the Lords of Chaos, reversed the damage done to Al-Qawiya, and most importantly, had resurrected the dead.

While towering over the city like a titan.

Batman turned the video off. "Orion reached out to us. He says Loki returned stolen tech to New Genesis while asking about the fate of the Norse gods in return. Given there wasn't much to learn since it was ancient history even from the perspective of New Genesis, Loki had merely taken a short history lesson.

"As we expected," Manhunter said with a flat tone. Loki made no secret of his aims and desires.

"Comparing what we know and what Orion said, he left New Genesis less than a minute before he arrived back in Al-Qawiya," Batman explained. Either Loki had a Mother Box equivalent or the capabilities to not need one.

He was leaning on the latter.

"What about Klarion and the others? From what Fate said, they can't be imprisoned or killed," Green Lantern said. Zatara had woken up, but he was in no condition to be a part of the meeting, leaving them without an expert in arcane matters.

Wonder Woman restarted the video, bringing it to the moment Loki handled the eight Lords of Chaos as if they were actually children. "Seeing how easily Loki defeated them, I don't think we should be worried about him."

Superman frowned, reading through the inquiries pouring in to the League. "The world's governments are losing their collective minds. What he did scared the politics out of them. They are all wondering if we have any plan should Loki turn hostile."

"Yeah, like not making him an enemy in the first place," Flash muttered, looking out the window. On average, fighting a villain taller than skyscrapers, or one who could control time or matter, was difficult. Fighting a god who could do all three and more would be a nightmare.

"What about DeSaad?" Red Tornado asked. It was actually the matter they were supposed to be debating until Loki reappeared.

Superman sank into his seat. The shoulders that could carry the weight of the world seemed so unsteady now. "He is dead alright, but I couldn't retrieve the body."

—
​

Apokolips

"Master." Granny Goodness knelt before the throne, her eyes on the dark metal floor.

Darkseid turned to her with a smile that sent chills down her spine. "What is it, my faithful hound?"

She rose with his acknowledgment. "DeSaad has perished," she said, waiting. She knew what was to come. Reporting failure to her dark master was a dangerous prospect. To tell him one of his most valuable servants was dead was terrifying.

Even for one as loyal as her.

"What?" The air trembled before Darkseid's voice. She found it hard to breathe as her lungs refused to obey.

She steeled her nerves, standing straight. "He was on Earth to make the humans aware of how displeased you were. Someone killed him. We barely had time to retrieve his corpse before the Kryptonian arrived."

"Who dares to take what is mine?!" Darkseid's bellow sent a shockwave that caused her hair to flutter.

"We are striving to find out."

"Do more," he ordered. Granny was quick to leave the presence of her master to carry out the task.

With no idea how she was going to do it.

—
​

Earth

Bialya

Al-Qawiya

"You want me to give a speech? What for?" he asked Zaeed, the leader of Bialya until the elections.

The mayor of the town had almost gone on his knees to coax him into meeting the prime minister. He accepted, if only to see what they wanted.

Zaeed nodded, rubbing his freshly shaven beard. "The people see you as what you are, a true hero. When everyone else was content to ignore us or was under red tape to help us, you came out of nowhere. The gratitude we owe you cannot be conveyed with words," he said, giving a deep bow, his head barely below the desk.

He crossed his arms. If the man weren't so sincere, he would have left already. "That still doesn't explain why I should speak to the masses." He had done what he set out to do. There was no reason to stick around more.

"Would it be correct for me to assume you didn't show yourself because you wanted us to solve our own problem?"

He raised a brow at the sudden question. He understood now why the people had chosen him.

"Correct. I simply evened the playing field."

"Well, the people did it. They brought down the government. Some words of encouragement from you would go a long way in inspiring them that this will work," he explained. The citizens had faith that brighter days awaited them. Just not everyone. There were too many hopeless individuals.

Every single person was vital for Bialya's future.

"You have no reason to do it; I am just…" Loki raised a hand, stopping Zaeed. He didn't tolerate these kinds of emotional moments directed at him from anyone except his family.

"Alright, alright, cease your emotional display," he ordered. Some words to stoke the people's self-confidence wouldn't be difficult to utter.

Zaeed grinned sheepishly. "And perhaps a short interview?"

His face scrunched up. "Don't push it."

—
​

In the next chapter:

"Yes, first Queen Bee and now Klarion. We have certainly taken devastating blows," Lex said, elbows on the table, fingers interlaced in front of his lips.

"That you have," he said, patting the man on the shoulder.

Lex was startled, almost jumping out of his seat, but Loki's firm grip pushed him down. "What the?!"



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.

Do you like Loki's creations, dangerous experiments, and willingness to challenge enemies that appear above his league? Then you will definitely like Thairon, the protagonist of my original story, Arrival : Ruptures. Comments, likes and reviews are appreciated. Here are the links for : AO3, Spacebattles, Royal Road and Webnovel.

—
​

Bialya

Al-Qawiya

He stood before the flashing cameras and the press trying to ask everything at once. The cacophony was irritating, as were the lights. He raised his hand to the side, palm open. The flashes went out, and the noise was cut off.

"I will not be answering any questions. What I have to say will give you some answers but not all," he started as the cameramen checked their devices.

"I interfered and killed Queen Bee because her actions were despicable. I streamed it to everyone so the citizens of this country would know her crimes, and more importantly, they now had the chance to fight back," he said with a flat tone. He felt the questions that were about to rise from the thousands before him. He intervened before they could ask.

"What I am, who I am, these are irrelevant questions. I don't desire any rewards or worship." He glared at the front rows, seeing how they were praying.

"I simply gave you a chance, that's all. Whether you succeed or fail is up to you." He looked at the crowd, watching their silent, expectant looks. "From what I have seen, you are on the path to victory."

"That will be all," he said, turning around.

"Wait, please. We have so much to ask," a press member from the crowd shouted behind him. He tried to climb onto the stage, but the law enforcement stopped him.

"Just consider me an anonymous samaritan." These were his last words as he disappeared from sight.

—
​

Metropolis

LexCorp

He considered returning home, but there was one last matter he wanted to resolve. Klarion and Queen Bee were part of a hidden organization so named the Light with the intent to illuminate the world. Of course, each member had their own plans, and they didn't hesitate to use the organization to carry them out.

Lex Luthor, a billionaire human who provided financial resources to the organization, was a public figure. The heroes knew he was a villain, yet Luthor always managed to swivel out of trouble. Deniable assets, mercenaries, and elite legal teams kept him out of trouble.

Unfortunately for Luthor, none of them would stop him.

He passed through the walls with Cosmo. Circuitry and energy fields ran inside them. They blocked all but a certain wavelength of energy from leaving.

"Yes, first Queen Bee and now Klarion. We have certainly taken devastating blows," Lex said, elbows on the table, fingers interlaced in front of his lips.

"That you have," he said, patting the man on the shoulder.

Lex was startled, almost jumping out of his seat, but Loki's firm grip pushed him down. "What the?!"

"It appears Lex is discovered as well. We should end this call here," one of the members, Ra's al Ghul, said. The nondescript figures on the screen disappeared together.

"Indeed. I prefer to talk face to face," Loki said, his eyes shining. He snapped his fingers. Four individuals, each one different in form and existence, dropped on the chairs around the table with a small displacement of air.

A human that was older than Asgard and another one that was a couple centuries old. The most curious member was a brain in a robotic tank. The last one was an Atlantean, a relative of the young one he had met at the oasis. They all looked around the room, assessing the situation. None of them tried to attack or escape, simply sitting down, waiting.

"What now?" Savage asked. The caveman was evaluating him, searching for weaknesses, no doubt. Cosmo leaped from his side to the table, sitting on the other hand, watching

"I," creating a black hole in his hand, "have a question for you all. As long as you don't act up or lie, I won't harm you." He dismissed it just as quickly, walking towards Luthor.

Ra's leaned back, letting his guard down. Against such a power, he had no means to survive, except for his mind. "Ask then."

"You all are individuals of great power in differing fields. You, in your twisted vision, wish to see this planet stand atop the galactic food chain," he said with a blank tone, conjuring an illusion of Earth floating over his palm.

He closed his fingers, and the illusion disappeared. "Quite understandable." Almost every race in his universe wanted to be the top dog. Asgard had achieved it in the Nine Realms. He would be a hypocrite to call their ideals wrong.

Definitely twisted though.

"Why do it in the shadows though? Why not act in the light?" he asked. The irony of how the Light acted in the shadows was not lost on him. He simply wanted to understand.

"To avoid the interference of the Justice League, of course," Luthor said. The man was trying too much to be charming. It wasn't a natural gift he had but something acquired through many, many experiences, no doubt.

"That is illogical," he retorted. The League was only a threat because they were working in an illegal manner.

"We would be happy to hear your thoughts," Vandal said, intrigued about what the entity before him had to say.

"You," he said, laying a hand on Luthor's shoulder. "You control a company that is influential across the planet. You have great wealth and technological acumen. Why not use it to increase the life quality of the citizens?"

"If life were made more fair for them, if they were not plagued by constant, untreatable sicknesses, and if they were able to provide for themselves thanks to you, the citizens would fall over themselves to follow you." He had seen enough planets that had become paradises. It wasn't impossible for Earth. The public was simply divided into too many sections, making a unified effort extremely difficult.

"While I am quite wealthy, it is not to the point of solving all of Earth's problems at once."

"Then don't. Start small. Cure cancer, provide free electricity, and run for president to fix this country. The rest will come."

Luthor raised an eyebrow. "You think it is that easy?"

Loki smiled, touching Luthor's bald head, flooding it with the images and histories of the utopias he had visited. "I know it is that easy. You are all selfish individuals, which makes you underestimate the power of gratitude one would have towards people who gave them a better life."

He left the wide-eyed human to sort out the memories, turning his attention to the next member.

"Ra's al Ghul," he said as he appeared behind the old man. "You control the largest network of assassins and information on this planet. Why not use it to expose the illicit deals of the corrupt? Not directly, of course, but through channels that would make them heroes."

With the capabilities of his organization, he could turn any channel to a well of truth. If he wanted to control the citizens of this world, what better way than to ensure he was the only source of truth?

"When the time came, who would they believe more, you or the media controlled by the rich? You could manipulate the public opinion with a few words," he said, flooding the old man's formidable mind with images of him controlling billions.

Ra took deep breaths, closing eyes to clear the foreign images out. "Our past makes it unfeasible."

"Not as long as you don't reveal it," he said, his lips slightly curling upwards as he felt the small tremor in the old man's resolve.

He pointed at the brain in the mobile jar and the aquatic humanoid. "The Brain could use his genius to assist with medical and scientific endeavors. As for the Atlantean, I am sure he would prove useful in some way."

"And of course," he spread his hands to the side with a smile, turning towards the most dangerous person in the room. "Vandal Savage. Has history not taught you anything? People would follow the leaders they believe in to death. You could be it, one to drag this planet to greatness."

Savage looked away, memories of ages past coming to his mind.

"My question is, why bother with the cloak and dagger? You have the power to direct this planet to whichever path you desire. In the broad daylight no less." There was no answer to his words. Each member was silent, contemplating.

Exactly what he wanted them to do.

"It appears fear has made you prisoners of the shadows," Loki answered his own question with a stern tone and left. The smile on his lips did not match his voice, though.

"At least I am not the only one who thinks he has raised several interesting points," Luthor said, watching his compatriots.

Ra's rose from his seat, the final words ringing in his mind. "We can discuss what he said as soon as we are back in our own headquarters."

The bald genius smirked. "I am afraid that won't be possible."

"Why is that?" Vandal asked.

Luthor turned the screen around. "It appears we have been brought to the light." Their conversation was broadcasted to every city in the United States.

—
​

The Watchtower

"How the hell could we have missed this? The most dangerous villains were working together behind the scenes, and we didn't have a single clue," Flash said, watching the cops surround LexCorp. "This explains so much."

"We need to move now. Even if they are arrested, they won't stay that way for long," Superman said, his eyes narrowing. Ra's had a small army, and the rest of the Light employed many villains. The attempts to free them would turn into a battle.

They had to act quickly.

"No need. They won't try to break them out immediately, not until this matter settles down," Batman said. The security measures would be at an all-time high. Ra's was too cautious to act out so brazenly.

"Are you sure?" Wonder Woman asked. She realized Queen Bee too was most likely a member. It explained the villain activities they had detected in Bialya.

"It is likely the League of Shadows, which will lead any possible operation to free them. They are too cautious to act out in a time like this."

Green Lantern rose from his seat. "Still, we can't sit on our asses. At least some of us should watch them until they are behind the bars."

"Agreed," Manhunter added, following him.

—
​

Metropolis

Loki was sitting in a cafe, watching the chaos unfold. The law enforcement surrounded LexCorp with all available forces. Before there was even a need for the heroes to arrive, the members of the Light surrendered. Still, the Justice League escorted the armored vehicles transporting each member.

The statistics regarding the incarceration of individuals such as them pointed out that they wouldn't stay imprisoned for long.

The true chaos lay among the citizens. The idea that a shadowy organization was manipulating the events behind the scenes caused instant mass riots. Coupled with the conspiracy theories regarding politics, there would be a lot of headaches for the people in power.

He thought it was well deserved.

What awaited the citizens of this world now, he didn't know. This could be a wake-up call that their leadership was corrupt and compromised, or they would continue to be complacent as long as they weren't directly harmed. He had helped as much as he was willing to.

It was time to go home, though; perhaps he would visit this world in the future.

"Come on, Cosmo. I want to see how Thor is doing," he said. His companion got up, stretching. She trotted behind, jumping through the portal.

—
​

Home Universe

Earth

New Mexico

He appeared near where Thor was residing. There was an unusual chill in the air. It definitely did not fit the blazing heat of this desert. The reason was the pillars of ice covering the wrecked buildings.

The perpetrator came flying through a building, the side of his face caved in. Laufey fell right in front of him, groaning in pain, eyes unfocused. Thor landed right in front of him, Mjolnir in hand, lightning crackling in his eyes.

"Brother, you finally returned," Thor said in his booming, jubilant voice, hugging him.

Loki returned the hug, smiling at Laufey's state. "I have. You seemed to have regained your powers."

Thor flashed a grin, pointing Mjolnir at the downed Jotnar. "Laufey was of great help. He suddenly came out of nowhere and volunteered for it."

He peered closer to his birth father's shattered cheekbone. "How generous of him."

"How did your trip go?"

"It was enlightening. I discovered a universe similar in some aspects yet wildly different."

"Did you find Asgard there?"

He grimaced. "Kind of. My evil counterpart caused Ragnarok and destroyed it."

Thor's face fell. "That sounds like a story."

"Not much to tell really, but sure."

"Uhh, guys?" Jane came from behind, hesitant as she watched the blue alien for any signs of attacking. "Shouldn't you be handling him first?"

Thor prodded Laufey with his feet. He groaned softly but didn't react otherwise. "Surely he is here against the orders of the new king of Jotunheim. He broke the Allfather's peace by attacking Midgard. He should stand trial."

Loki nodded, concurring with his brother's analysis. "Yes, I don't believe King Helblindi would send him on this mindless attack."

Unless he wanted to restart hostilities for some inane reason, of course.

"Heimdall!" Thor called to the skies. No sooner had the echoes of his voice died out than the Bifrost fell a few feet away, right onto the open square. Lady Sif and the Warriors Three were leading a contingency of Einherjar.

Loki waved his fingers, restraining Laufey on a floating security gurney.

"My friends," Thor said, grasping the arms of each one.

"Glad to see you return, Thor. It was too tense up there with both of you gone," Sif said, reaching for Loki's arm.

He took the arm, glancing at Laufey. "Take him away. He has caused enough trouble."

The soldiers surrounded him, pushing the gurney forward for the landing site. Loki, in the meantime, waved his hand, fixing the damage Laufey had caused. Now that the Midgardians were aware of their existence, life was about to get more exciting.

"That's not good," Darcy said as a small army of SHIELD vehicles poured from every direction, surrounding the square. Sif and the Warriors Three readied their weapons, but Thor stopped them with a small flick of his hand.

A man left the lead car, one he had seen in the SHIELD base. The remaining agents were behind cover, but no weapons were drawn yet. "Miss Foster, I believe you have much to tell us," he said to the astrophysicist, a blank look on his face.

"The four of you return to Asgard. I'll handle this," Thor said, walking towards the human.

"No one's going anywhere until we get answers," their leader, Phil Coulson, if he bothered to remember correctly, said, hand on his weapon.

Loki regarded the agent for a moment. He snorted, and the six of them disappeared with a snap of his fingers, leaving Thor to resolve the situation.

—
​

In the next chapter:

"Okay, so what's a god doing on Earth, blending among us humans? Were you on vacation or something?" Coulson asked. Thor raised an eyebrow, impressed with the human's attitude.

"No. My father banished me to your planet for an offence I committed. I recently regained my powers while defending the town from Laufey, the previous king of the Frost Giants."

"And why did he try to kill you?"

"I committed the offence on his face," he said, his lips twitching.



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.

Do you like Loki's creations, dangerous experiments, and willingness to challenge enemies that appear above his league? Then you will definitely like Thairon, the protagonist of my original story, Arrival : Ruptures. Comments, likes and reviews are appreciated. Here are the links for : AO3, Spacebattles, Royal Road and Webnovel.

—
​

Asgard

He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the scent of his home. His trip to wait out his father's foul mood was short. He still missed his home though. He spied Heimdall conversing with one of his father's advisors. The gatekeeper merely nodded.

"Loki, we'll take him to the dungeons. You should go see the king," Sif said. The king's mood had gradually improved, but he was still displeased with his sons.

"I aim to. There is much we need to talk about as soon as Thor returns."

He decided a stroll was in order. He was in no hurry and refused to take a horse. The difference in perspective, knowing there was at least a purely evil Loki who had destroyed his home, made him realise how little he had appreciated Asgard. The sights appeared brighter to his eyes. It was as if there was a new light for them that one had never seen before.

"Feels nice to be back home," Cosmo said, her voice as light as he felt.

"It does."

"Do you think your dad's still pissed off?"

"Probably," he said. Though, the prospect of peace might have calmed him.

"What about the other one?"

"Laufey?" He looked down at her. "He can rot in the cells for all I care." His birth father's fate didn't concern him. It never had, actually, but Laufey didn't seem to get the memo. Spending the rest of his life in the cells, or imprisoned back on Jotunheim, might get the idea across.

"My prince," the guards at the entrance to the palace bowed. The door swung wide open, and the two walked forward, giving small greetings to the soldiers. The rush in the palace seemed to have calmed down significantly.

He attributed it to the presence of the Jotnar.

The Einherjar were in a state of alert, but it wasn't beyond what they would present in the most peaceful of days. If they hadn't seen the need to be too cautious, then the negotiations must have gone well. Not that Helblindi had any other choice in the matter.

The final set of guards opened the door to the throne room. He sent Cosmo away since she found these proceedings boring.

"Father, you seem to be in a good mood," he said, greeting his mother and the new king of Jotunheim.

"Indeed," Odin said, dressed in his robes rather than his armour. "King Helblindi and I were discussing a permanent peace between Jotunheim and Asgard."

"Excellent news."

"What of the situation in Midgard?" his father asked, glancing at the expressionless faces of the Jotnar delegations. They were unable to stop Laufey from reaching Midgard through a hidden pathway.

But they had offered to send soldiers to arrest their wayward old king.

"Contained. He has been sent to the cells. Thor is explaining the situation to the Midgardian authorities," he said. Helblindi sighed in relief. He didn't need to read his half-brother's mind to know why they were so worried. Beyond Asgard's retaliation, he had left a strong impression.

"Is that so?"

"They do have a right to know what has happened," he said. Odin gave a small nod. Under Asgard's protection or not, their sovereignty mattered more.

"I would like to be excused unless there is any need for my presence."

"You may go, my son."

They had much to talk about as a family, but it would have to wait until Thor returned.

—
​

Earth

New Mexico

"Who are you exactly?" the government agent asked. In the short time he was on Midgard, he had come to learn SHIELD meant business. The one before him, Phil, Son of Coul, was calm on the outside, yet he could feel a storm brew inside him.

"Thor, son of Odin and a prince of Asgard," he said, his voice echoing in the small cell.

Coulson checked his notebook. "The God of Thunder?"

"Yes."

"Okay, so what's a god doing on Earth, blending among us humans? Were you on vacation or something?" Coulson asked. Thor raised an eyebrow, impressed with the human's attitude.

"No. My father banished me to your planet for an offence I committed. I recently regained my powers while defending the town from Laufey, the previous king of the Frost Giants."

"And why did he try to kill you?"

"I committed the offence on his face," he said, his lips twitching.

"What about the rest of the Frost Giants? Can we expect any more of them to arrive?"

"No. Their current king is discussing peace with Asgard. This was a standalone attack by Laufey for revenge, nothing more." At least he hoped so. Otherwise, there might actually be a war.

"What can we expect from Asgard now that we know you exist?"

"Asgard has long protected the Nine Realms, including your world. We took care not to interfere in your growth. We shall continue to do the same. However, we will do it in contact with you."

Coulson's brows furrowed. "That's it?"

"We fight for the same cause, Son of Coul. Peace," he said, holding his arm out, with a small, reassuring smile.

Slowly and hesitantly, Phil grasped his arm.

—
​

Asgard

After a lot more questions, Coulson agreed to let him leave in peace. He promised Jane he would be back and called for Heimdall. His home seemed different as the lights of the Bifrost faded.

"My prince, welcome. It gladdens us to see you return so swiftly," the Gatekeeper said, lowering his head.

"Many thanks, Heimdall."

"The negotiations with the Jotnar are going well. I believe peace will be declared soon," he said. War would surely be terrible, but mostly for the Jotnar. With the Casket of Ancient Winters gone and Asgard's current state, any war, provided the Jotnar could even leave their planet, would be very one-sided.

He still didn't wish for the slaughter.

Thor felt light, as if a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. "Great news indeed. And Laufey?"

"He will be imprisoned in Jotunheim per the terms of the treaty."

Thor nodded before spinning his hammer and taking off.

—
​

His mother was the first to greet him. She was waiting at the entrance and immediately gathered him in a hug. "Welcome back."

"Thank you, Mother. Where is Father?"

"Inside with your brother. I believe there is much we all need to talk about."

"That we do."

—

His father and brother were seated on opposite ends of the small table. Loki was in a carefree mood, while even the prospect of peace didn't seem to raise his father's spirits. The Allfather looked even more vulnerable than he was in Odinsleep. The weight of what he had to say must be unbearable.

"Should I start first?" Loki asked. He seemed to be enjoying this moment far more than he should.

A single weary eye glanced at him. "You too, Loki?"

"Oh absolutely. I have been keeping them just for this moment."

Odin huffed, but there was no mirth to it. "No. I will start first."

"Before I had you two, before I wanted peace and prosperity for all, I was a different person. I craved war, conquest, power and glory," he said. His tone was heavy and laced with sorrow. His eyes glazed for a moment, face scrunching in pain.

The memories must be unpleasant even by his standards.

"When Hela was born, her mother didn't survive the birth. I think deep down she knew what her fate would be." He shook his head, eyes misty. She was insistent that he promise to raise her well. At the time, he had not given her words much thought, believing he would leave the task to her.

"A seer?"

"Perhaps, or perhaps the intuition of a woman who was about to be a mother."

"I raised Hela like I was raised, a warrior. Upon discovering she could command the dead, she became more than just a general. With her endless horde of the dead at our command, we could have conquered the galaxy."

"I wasn't content with just that. I began to gather the Infinity Stones. It was the ultimate power, and I couldn't, didn't resist the allure," he said, averting his eye. He was too ashamed to face them.

"You had the Power and Space Stones," Loki said, remembering the gems embedded on Gungnir.

"I did. It didn't take long before I located the Soul Stone as well. That's when things changed."

"The stone required a sacrifice of whom I held dearest to my heart," he revealed. His wife reached for his hand, giving him a reassuring squeeze.

"Hela," she said. Bloodthirsty or not, a child was not so easily discarded. Even now memories of his daughter caused Odin pain.

"I realised that I wasn't some honourable conqueror bringing order to the universe but a bloodthirsty butcher seeking glory." For all that he did for power, he never considered sacrificing Hela like a sheep on the altar.

"I gave up on my plans of conquest."

"She disagreed," Thor said. Hela had told them as such. She simply didn't know why their father changed his mind.

"All she knew, all that I taught her was war and conquest. She told me she would be nothing without them. I knew she was right." What was she but what he raised her to be?

"She tried to usurp me, to take my place. I banished her to Niflheim in the hopes that it might temper her thirst for blood," he said. Deep in his mind, the conqueror side of him knew she would attempt something drastic.

The king and father in him would not entertain the idea.

"When she escaped, I couldn't bring myself to face her in battle, to slay my own daughter."

Thor's fingers curled, leaving gashes on the table, settling into a tight fist. "You sent the Valkyries like a coward, and they all perished." His eyes hardened, remembering the corpses that the two of them had spent an entire day enacting proper burial rites.

They did not deserve it.

"Yes," Odin said in an almost silent tone.

"When I realised she had grown too strong for anyone except me to stop, I imprisoned her in Hel, binding her in a cage with my lifeforce as the bars. She couldn't escape as long as I lived."

"That's why you have been giving us lessons in survival, in how to rebuild a civilisation."

"You both are strong, and I believe when the time comes, you will be stronger than me. I am afraid that day is far from when your sister will return," Odin said. He believed in his sons.

Only, time was not on their side.

"I hid my crimes, ashamed and afraid as I was. I promised to spend the rest of my days making up for my mistakes."

"How did you come to know so much?" Frigga asked her youngest son.

Loki twisted his spread out fingers anticlockwise, turning the glass pitcher on the table to sand. "We spoke to Hela, and I took a little trip through history to discover your past."

Odin's one good almost popped out of its socket. Frigga laughed, a melodious sound that lifted their mood. Thor just smirked at their expressions.

"Now it makes sense how you knew about the Soul Stone," the Allfather said, rubbing his head. Spells that could manipulate time were rare and dangerous. That Loki could pull this off without an issue showed how far he had come.

He put it aside for now. "The truth has been revealed, and now you know who I was."

"What of you, Loki? What secrets have you been hoarding for this moment?" she asked. She was already aware of her husband's deeds, except for the Soul Stone part. Her son's secrets were a mystery to her.

"Well, to begin with, I destroyed Svartalfheim. It was an accident at first before I decided to finish it," he said, pushing his chair back and rising to his feet. Slowly, his outer layer peeled away, exposing what he had become.

"Loki, what is this?" his mother asked, the sides of her eyes creasing. She approached closer, inspecting him.

"I was researching what made the Celestials so powerful. I found a particle that could command all matter. Synthesising a variant with seidr proved to be doable, but there was an unforeseen result. There has to be a bare minimum of these particles together to keep their cohesion. "I lost control, and it consumed my seidr, body and mind."

"When I came to myself, I was no longer of flesh and blood but pure energy. The explosion was what damaged Heimdall's eyes since I was using a spell to block his vision of me," he said.

"I was starving, and since no one else lives on Svartalfheim, I decided the planet would do." He reconstituted his outer layer, sitting down again.

Odin turned to his eldest son. "You don't seem surprised, Thor." The very first moment Loki shed his skin, he realised what he had become.

Thor crossed his arms. "He is my brother; he tells me everything."

"You became a Celestial?" Odin asked, breathless. He had seen many incredible sights. Someone, anyone, becoming a Celestial was not one.

"No. I don't need a shell to exist. I simply am Loki, son of Odin and Frigga."

They accepted his new state of existence with huffs of laughter. They were mighty angry at him risking his life by fighting two Celestials.

He revealed the four stones he had next. Space, Reality, Soul and Power Stones were together in one room, perhaps for the first time since their creation. The circumstance of how he came to acquire them was amusing to them. Each stone was discovered while he was focused on a completely different task or had fallen on his lap.

His father couldn't contain the bitter laugh that escaped his lips when Loki told him how he had acquired the Soul Stone.

Together, the six Infinity Stones were unbeatable. No amount of seidr could stop the effects when the stones were used as one. Individually, they were manageable. The Reality Stone was hidden in Svartalfheim; the Space Stone had sent a Midgardian to his room, and the Power Stone was the Golden High Priestess Ayasha's leverage to save her life.

"Anything else you would like to shake our world with, Loki?" Frigga asked. She felt her head spin with the revelations that her son had ascended, for lack of a better term. While the Aesir were called gods, they were in truth long-lived mortals.

Loki had become a true god, one not bound by time.

"Do you remember the day I told you I lived twice?" he asked his father.

Odin tilted his head, thinking. "No, I do not believe so."

"Right," he said, dragging the word out slowly. "Since TVA technically never existed, that day didn't technically happen either."

"Is this about the long story you mentioned in Midgard?" Thor asked. Whatever his brother had discovered, it had affected him. He had taken care not to show it, but he knew his brother.

"It is. Out of everything I said, this one might be the most interesting one," Loki said, creating an illusion of the Citadel at the end of time.

"That is not reassuring," Frigga muttered, watching the dark, dreary castle.

—
​

In the next chapter:

"Well, well, well," Hela called, a wide smile on her face that actually radiated a twisted sense of joy. "Would you look at this? My father finally deigns to visit me. If only I could leave this infernal cage, I would have a lot to say to you."

"Hello daughter," he said, standing in front of the barrier.

"Daughter?" she raised an eyebrow. "I thought you had forgotten about me. What's with that blonde bumbling oaf and Lackey."



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.

Do you like Loki's creations, dangerous experiments, and willingness to challenge enemies that appear above his league? Then you will definitely like Thairon, the protagonist of my original story, Arrival : Ruptures. Comments, likes and reviews are appreciated. Here are the links for : AO3, Spacebattles, Royal Road and Webnovel.

—
​

Asgard

Odin felt the headache stab into his skull like daggers.

"A Midgardian at the end of time who became fate itself," he muttered. He had never believed that fate existed, that all was written and they were merely actors playing a script. Even Asgard's fated destruction was because of his inaction, not because it was written.

Until the TVA.

"We are truly fortunate you have a good head on your shoulders. Who knows what might have happened if you had ended up like your counterparts," Frigga said, looking at her husband with narrowed eyes.

"Did you meet any versions of me?"

"One. He was transformed into a frog and left in a jar."

"What? Who would do that?"

"No idea. I sent him back to his home as well."

"And where have you been this last week?"

"In another universe. I thought I would let you calm down before we have this talk."

"What do we do now?" Thor asked.

"You," she turned to her husband, "are going to speak with your daughter until the end. Whether it ends good or ill, you owe her that much."

"She will not listen."

Frigga doubled down, glaring at him. "Since when does the Allfather make excuses?"

"Very well. I can't argue with the intuition of a woman."

"Thor will handle the situation with the Midgardians. Since your rash exile of him exposed them to the cosmos, they must be kept informed to prevent any more accidents."

"Yes, Mother."

"As for you Loki, do keep an eye on Hela."

"I always do, Mother."

"Great. Since the treaty will be signed tonight, you both must look your best. Off to the baths with you."

—
​

"What got you in such deep thoughts?"

"Jane."

Loki chuckled. "I have a feeling it's not because she is an astrophysicist."

Thor turned away. "Not all of it at least. She is brave and understanding."

"Could it be because she struck you with her vehicle twice? You might have a thing for females that could lay you low."

"Ha, ha. Are you going to take this seriously or not?"

"Fine, fine."

"I think I like her, but her lifetime is but a blink of an eye for us."

"I could extend her life to match yours if she agrees."

"I know. It's just, do I have the right to ask her that?"

"An opportunity exists. The decision is hers, of course, but she should be made aware. If she doesn't agree, that's that."

"You are right. At any rate, it's too early to have these kinds of talks," Thor said, opening his room's door.

—
​

Asgard always had a reason to celebrate. A recent accomplishment in the Tenth Realm, a victory earned, or a day to remember. This particular feast was more lavish than any he had seen.

The Jotnar had gone as far as to bring dishes from their home. They were delicious and not just to him. Thor had particularly liked the fish slices and the pure white ice-cold alcohol they had brought.

Helblindi only spoke to him when the conversation somehow reached a matter concerning him. The new King of Jotunheim seemed content to ignore him otherwise. Given how he had terrified them into peace, he returned the gesture.

The party stopped as the Allfather rose from his seat. Servers stopped moving, the music fell silent, and the guests that were chewing waited with puffed cheeks.

"Long has been my desire to see peace between Asgard and Jotunheim."

"I will not speak of our past, for we all know what has happened. There is no need to open old wounds."

"Instead, I will speak for the future. Where Jotunheim is no longer isolated and the Nine Realms will know true harmony. Today, we drink to peace," he said, raising his cup for all to see. His family followed his lead, and the rest of the feast hall wasn't far behind.

"To peace!" a chorus of cheers responded.

Loki emptied his cup, indicating he wanted another. Soon it would be time for the ceremony where the Jotnar would receive the Casket of Ancient Winters. He knew his father only agreed because Asgard was in a much stronger state. The Jotnar were also extremely easy to negotiate with.

And they had him too.

His father did have an idea that he had something to do with their zealous desire for peace. His pointed glances said as much, though he didn't ask for details. Given his speech about not opening old wounds, he most likely wouldn't ask in the future either.

The ceremony itself was solemn.

His father, dressed in his armor and carrying Gungnir, stood atop the pedestal with Helblindi. The three of them each stood on one step down in order of age. Sif and Warrior's Three were behind them.

On the other side, Helblindi's mother, two uncles and five cousins waited, all smiles and proud looks.

"The casket was taken in battle; let it be returned in peace," the Allfather said, holding it out by one handle. Helblindi raised his arm, wrapping his fingers around the other handle one by one. His mouth was slightly parted, his red eyes shining as he took the artifact with reverence in his every move.

"Thank you, Allfather," Helblindi said, pulling the artifact to himself. His father let go, his shoulders ever so slightly slouching.

Loki clapped along. Peace, even if it was at the threat of a blooming sun, was better than any more hostilities.

—
​

"Psst, Loki!" Thor whispered in his ear. He opened his eyes, glaring at his brother. Even if he did not have the flesh that would tire, he still required sleep. Whatever had Thor awake better be important.

"What?"

"I need your help to sneak to Midgard."

Loki did a double take, his face scrunched. He flicked his hand, sending Thor right onto Jane Foster's door. He turned around to sleep but found himself plagued by a thought. Thor's playful smile at having the chance to see Jane Foster again was a new one.

He lay on his back again, staring at the ceiling with blank eyes.

He hadn't concerned himself with romance before. He was young and had all the time in the world. Yet now, the idea of a romantic partner didn't seem so unappealing. The problem was there weren't that many females in his life.

Yao was a friend, even a sister in battle. Hela was his sister, adopted or not. Sif was a friend as well. Amora was a colleague, and while he found Angrboda the most beautiful among them, he didn't feel anything towards her. The Aesir interested in him romantically usually did it because of his deeds and fame, not because they knew who he was.

"Perhaps I should ask Mother," he thought before shaking his head. If he told her anything about seeking a romantic partner, she would have an army of ladies from all over the Nine Realms waiting in line.

That was a nightmare waiting to happen.

He forced the energies that constituted his body to slow down to a crawl for a couple of seconds, plunging him into an instant sleep. He would reconsider this matter later.

—
​

Earth

New Mexico

He found Thor speaking to the SHIELD agent they had encountered, Phil Coulson. The man and his superiors wanted to know more about the Nine Realms. Thor, without mentioning any military secrets, was answering the questions, finally putting all his lessons to use.

"Brother, don't tell me you were cooped up in this room all day," he said, appearing behind the agent. Coulson jerked in his seat, reaching for his weapon. He ignored it, materializing a seat next to Thor.

"Just a couple of hours. Son of Coul just had some questions."

"I am certain his last name does not refer to his father, but by all means, continue."

"Your brother was telling me about the Frost Giants and how you are one too."

"I was born as one, yes." His eyes flashed red, a mist of cold air leaving his lips.

"Thor was just telling me that Asgard and the Frost Giants signed a treaty of peace. My superiors would like to know what it includes."

"They agree to not start any more invasions, and in return, the rest of the Nine Realms will be open to them once more. With Laufey gone and Helblindi cleaning his court out of warmongers, you have nothing to worry about."

"Right, I think that's all for now. I won't keep you any longer. Thank you for your assistance."

—
​

"How is Jane doing?"

"Good. She is studying the charts I mentioned to her."

"I should get Mother a gift for dragging me to those lessons by ear."

"I should too. That was a particularly amusing memory.

—
​

Niflheim

Odin stepped out of the beam of the Bifrost. The remains of the Valkyrie, left to rot in this forsaken rock, were gone. The signs of battles and his daughter's necroswords littered the field.

He was too much of a coward to even give them a proper burial.

He marched forward, refusing to delay the inevitable any longer. Hela's prison was not far from the battlefield. Each step brought him closer to the familiar feeling of death. It was not evil by any means, for death was a fact of life.

Neither was his daughter. She was angry, had a thirst for battle, and was lost. Not because she was born that way but because he had raised her as such.

"Well, well, well," Hela called, a wide smile on her face that actually radiated a twisted sense of joy. "Would you look at this? My father finally deigns to visit me. If only I could leave this infernal cage, I would have a lot to say to you."

"Hello daughter," he said, standing in front of the barrier.

"Daughter?" she raised an eyebrow. "I thought you had forgotten about me. What's with that blonde bumbling oaf and Lackey."

Odin shook his head. "How could I forget my firstborn? I simply did not have the courage to face you."

"Odin Allfather, admitting he has a weakness?" she barked out a laughter, "How the mighty have fallen."

"I am glad at least my words can bring you amusement."

"You wish to amuse me, old man? Why not come inside?" she asked, twirling a blade in her hand.

He huffed, taking a step inside the barrier. Hela's face turned blank as his armor materialized. "I am old, not weak," he said with a flat tone. She dismissed her swords, walking to the other end of the prison.

"What do you want?" she demanded, crossing her arms, glaring at him.

"To talk," he said, knowing he had no right.

"You will never convince me to follow your ideas of peace and harmony," she sneered.

"Perhaps. But you do realize that only death awaits you at the end of this? You cannot defeat Loki, not as he is now." His youngest had reached a form of existence beyond theirs. Hela, even with all her power, could not win.

"So he showed his true colors."

"He did."

"Even if I can't kill him, I would rather go down fighting. After all, isn't that what you taught me? To fight to the end," she said, shuddering at the memories that rose to surface.

He looked down. "I have, much to my shame."

"Shame? That glorious conqueror, reduced to a sniveling coward," she sneered, searching for an opening.

"Loki already told you why I abandoned that path."

"The Soul Stone." She still had a difficult time believing Odin loved her, not as a weapon but as his child.

"What would you have me do, Hela?" he said, voice shaking the cage. "Sacrifice you? I was a horrible father; I still am in many ways. Yet to kill my own child for power? I never sacrificed a single Einherjar in pursuit of power. I was not about to do it to you."

"But he did it without sacrificing anyone, didn't he?" Which was the only reason she respected her brother.

"Loki's mind," he stopped, searching for the right way to word it, "works differently. He wants to know more than I wanted power. I imagined it would take him to great places. Him becoming what he is now was beyond what I had considered."

"He has four of the stones. Didn't that at least bring back any old desires?" she asked, grinning, hoping that not everything that made Odin great was gone.

He huffed. "What would be the point?"

She got uncomfortably close to his face, seeing just how weary he was. "You would be the strongest in all of the universe. You could do whatever you want."

He took a deep breath, releasing it slowly. "Then what?"

"Conquer the universe and make everyone else bow down to you as we envisioned," she said, gritting her teeth.

He raised an eyebrow. "And?"

"And? And?!" she let out an animalistic scream, slamming her fist on the shield. It rippled and he felt a dull thud resonate in his soul.

"What is the point of conquest? Wealth?" He pointed at the synthesizer. "We are a post-scarcity society now."

"Power?" he asked, shaking his head. "I am old, I will die soon. What use do I have for power?"

"As for immortality, you should know, life only has meaning because it will end one day. If I were an immortal, how long before I ended up being like Zeus? Or any of the gods out there?" he said, feeling his stomach churn. For all their power and immortality, they invoked disgust rather than envy in him.

"Having people bow down to me? In the end, I only want my family safe, sound, and in good health. Why should other people kneeling before me matter so much?" he asked.

"You and I," he raised a hand, as if to touch her before pulling it back, "we have never been family because of me. I don't know if I can ever make up for all that I have done. I can only try until my last breath."

"Ugh, you are going to make me puke," she spat out, turning around.

"Fenrir, what happened to him? Those two didn't know anything," she asked, still avoiding eye contact.

"He is beneath the palace. I will have him sent to you if you wish." Perhaps having her companion would do her good.

"No. I'll take him when I am free."

"Your wife," she began, rolling the word on her tongue, "how did you meet her?"

"I was cleaning up one of our battlefields in Vanaheim. I intruded upon the territory of the witches that raised her. We almost came to blows before she soothed the atmosphere." He chuckled, shaking his head at memory.

Hela gagged. "If I knew what it was like, I would say you loved her."

Odin closed his eyes. "I do."

"What of my mother? Did you love her too?" she asked. That was one topic they had never talked about. She didn't even know enough about the woman who gave birth to her to feel anything towards her.

"We were friends, you could say. I needed a queen, and she needed the authority it would bring her. We were affectionate, certainly, but neither of us loved one another the way I love Frigga."

She growled.

"Do not," his stern voice rose, "think that we didn't love you. I never showed it, but I always loved you, and I still do. Your mother, she was glowing from the day she learned she was pregnant."

She gestured to her prison. "Is that why you left me to rot here?"

"If I hated you, I would have struck you down when you attempted to take the throne. I never visited before because I was a coward," he said. If only he had the courage to take action before, he might have been able to change her mind.

Perhaps it was too late now.

"What changed now?" she asked. Was it Lackey who convinced this pale shade of the Allfather to visit her.

"Frigga told me what I chose to ignore so far."

"A true family seems to have given you a new perspective."

"It did."

Hela's eyes shone with anticipation, a spark of delight flickering in her face. "A pity I don't know what it feels like to have a family."

He hung his head, lost for words. Her words were as sharp as her swords, perhaps even sharper.

—
​

In the next chapter:

"Midgardian lifespans are fleeting. Do you think she has a future with your brother?" he asked. He didn't have anything against the woman; in fact, he was grateful for the assistance she had lent to his son. It simply wasn't a good idea for Thor to have a romantic relationship with her.

He would be heartbroken once she passed away.

"Oh no," he waved his hands, giving his father a half-lidded look, tone flat. "That's horrible. If only Thor had a brother who could extend a Midgardian's lifespan to match his."

Frigga cleared her throat but couldn't stop herself from smiling.



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.

Do you like Loki's creations, dangerous experiments, and willingness to challenge enemies that appear above his league? Then you will definitely like Thairon, the protagonist of my original story, Arrival : Ruptures. Comments, likes and reviews are appreciated. Here are the links for : AO3, Spacebattles, Royal Road and Webnovel.

—
​

Asgard

"How did it go?" Frigga asked as her husband sank into his chair. He looked tired, even more so than before it was time for the Odinsleep.

He hung his head. "As good as can be expected."

Frigga took her husband's hand, giving a slight squeeze, just enough to be felt. "This was just one talk. You can't expect her to change so quickly."

"I know. Facing what I created with my two hands is difficult," he said, his daughter's laughter still echoing in his mind.

"Yet face her you must," she said, caressing his face.

"Where is Thor?" Odin asked his youngest son, who was gone to give them privacy for this tender moment.

Loki appeared back on his sofa, still engrossed in his book. "On Midgard."

"How long does it take him to smooth the matters with them?" he asked. Certainly, it shouldn't have taken this long.

"Not long. He is also visiting his new friends," Loki said, putting his book away.

Odin sighed. "That woman, Jane. Heimdall has reported how your brother is fascinated by her."

Loki blinked. "So?"

"Midgardian lifespans are fleeting. Do you think she has a future with your brother?" he asked. He didn't have anything against the woman; in fact, he was grateful for the assistance she had lent to his son. It simply wasn't a good idea for Thor to have a romantic relationship with her.

He would be heartbroken once she passed away.

"Oh no," he waved his hands, giving his father a half-lidded look, tone flat. "That's horrible. If only Thor had a brother who could extend a Midgardian's lifespan to match his."

Frigga cleared her throat but couldn't stop herself from smiling.

"Do you think she would want it? What if she chooses to remain a human?" he asked. Asking her to stop being a human was no different than asking Thor to stop being an Aesir.

Loki leaned on his fist. "Then Thor will cherish the memories they have and move on."

Odin huffed. "You two already had this talk."

"We did." He nodded.

Frigga coughed, avoiding her husband's half-hearted glare.

"Do as you wish then," Odin said, turning his attention to the documents on his desk.

He rolled his eyes. "We were already going to."

—
​

Earth

New Mexico

He appeared on the couch; he had materialized in the living room of their host. They were out now, working, but had granted him and Thor permission to use the house.

"I think we should visit one of these alternate timelines," Thor said, eating a poptart. He raised his head, trying to remember just how many he had eaten today. He lay back, considering it unimportant in the end.

It wouldn't impact his brother's health, anyway.

"For what reason?" he asked.

"I want to meet a version of myself," Thor said after swallowing his bite.

"I can send you to meet your frog variant."

Thor rolled his eyes and got up from his sofa to shake his shoulder. "Come on. It will be fun."

He sighed. "Anything specific, or should I make it entirely random?" They could visit one of the timelines he had seen, ones where Asgard was reduced to a mere village on Midgard.

"Random," Thor said, picking up his hammer.

He closed the book, throwing his legs down, materializing from his boots.

"Hey, are you guys going somewhere?" Darcy asked from the door, coming in with new foods to scan. She was repeating it every day, bringing samples of her favorite dishes for the synthesizer.

"Just taking a trip to another timeline," Thor said, following Loki through the portal.

—
​

Asgard?

A single step was taken, and the world around him changed.

"Is this Asgard?" Thor asked, scanning the area. It was golden, and a variant of his brother stood there, gloating.

"It appears we came at a horrible time," Loki said, glancing at the Midgardians strewn around the room. Each wore a costume, reminding him of the Justice League.

"Wait a second." Thor narrowed his eyes, gently pushing him aside. "Why am I bound like that?"

"I did say variants of me that I met so far were villains. I wager he is the same," he said, ignoring his evil counterpart's monologue.

"Should we intervene?" he scratched his head. "They don't seem to be having a good time against you."

"By all means," he replied, rolling his neck.

Thor spun his hammer, taking off against the villainous variant of his brother. The evil Loki didn't expect Thor to come attacking him while he was bound and subdued right before him.

"What in the Nine Realms?" he asked, too stunned to react. Mjolnir struck him hard enough to send him flying to Loki, who slammed a palm on the stomach of his counterpart. He smirked at the wide-eyed villain, sending him back to Thor.

Thor laid Mjolnir on his palm, gathering lightning. His fist glowed with a blinding mix of blue and white. He punched Loki on his back, discharging all the lightning into him. He screamed, limbs stretching out involuntarily.

Loki held his hand out, ripping what he assumed to be Gungnir out of his counterpart's hand.

"Brother, catch," Thor said, holding the evil variant by the leg, spinning twice before launching him forward. He screamed, trying to get away, but his magic didn't respond. His body contorted, taking a spherical shape.

Loki raised Gungnir, using the flat side of the spear, and slapped his counterpart back. Thor raised his hammer, responding in kind, sending the villainous Loki over the net that appeared out of nowhere.

"Please stop, I am begging you," Ball-Loki moaned, speaking each word between being bounced around like a ball.

"He said, please, should we stop, brother?" Loki asked, spinning once to hit harder.

"I don't know," Thor grunted, sending the ball back. "He is your counterpart. You should decide."

"Oh, very well," Loki said, waving his hand. With a pop, his counterpart returned to his original shape, falling on the ground face-first, groaning in pain. The net disappeared, while the defeated warriors that were fighting him gathered around.

Thor went to his counterpart, ripping the pillory around his neck and hands apart.

"Who are you?" Thor of this timeline asked, his voice a tad deeper than his brother's.

"You, obviously, from another timeline."

"What the heck?" said one of the Midgardians, wearing a costume consisting of red spandex, dark on the crotch area with silver armor on his chest, shoulders, forearms, and shins, turning dark on his hands and feet.

"And him?" the buff-Thor asked, pointing a finger at the secondary Loki.

Thor patted his taller counterpart on the shoulder. "Don't worry, he is not a villain."

Loki, who was watching his counterpart crawl away with a frown, turned his attention to the pod. He saw the strands of magic, invisible to all but him. The golden lines heading for his father were being drawn away to his counterpart by force. He swung his left hand down like a blade, fingers together, severing the magic leeching on the Odinforce.

The change was instantaneous.

His counterpart screamed once more as the Odinforce he had stolen was ripped out of him through his eyes and mouth. The magic knew its true owner and enveloped the pod, bringing the Allfather out of his sleep.

When the blinding light faded, Odin stood there, taller and more muscular than the one they knew. And of course, he had both eyes.

"Is every Aesir in this universe buffer than back home?" Thor whispered, measuring the girth of his arm and that of his counterpart's. The difference was quite noticeable.

"I think it's just you and Father," he said, pointing at Sif and the Warriors Three. "They seem to be relatively the same."

"Who is that blonde one over there?"

He shrugged. "Good question."

"Do my eyes deceive me, or have my sons been duplicated?" Odin asked, looking between Thor and Loki.

"No," Thor waved his hand. "We are from another timeline. I just thought it would be interesting to meet my counterpart, to see another Asgard." Given the situation, it didn't turn out to be a good idea.

"I see," he said, too calm for the situation.

"Never thought I would hear him say 'my eyes,'" he said, nudging Thor with his elbow.

"Loki!" Odin bellowed, turning to his rebellious son.

His counterpart, who was trying to scurry away, was pulled back as Odinforce surrounded him. He was forced to look at Odin, whose face was reddening.

"Long have I ignored your mischief, Loki, but this is not mere trickery. This is evil. I gave you everything. I made you my son, and this is how you repay me?" Behind his fury and indignation, Thor saw a shift. The last shred of mercy in Odin's eyes was gone.

"You deserve a thousand times worse. Go ahead, exile me. I will never stop," he screamed to the top of his lungs.

"If you thought the Isle of Silence was torment, you do not know the meaning of the word," he said. His eyes glowed first before they were blinded again.

When it ended, his counterpart was gone.

Odin turned on them, holding his hand out for Gungnir. Loki tossed it at him before his seidr could take effect.

"We have much to talk about," the Allfather said, looking at him with a wavering gaze.

Just in time for a Midgardian in Uru armor to come flying inside. "Uhh, am I late to the party?"

"Yes, yes, you are," Thor said, unable to stop himself from smiling.

—
​

Odin's gaze constantly switched between the two, but he didn't speak. Every time he looked at Loki, he seemed conflicted, eyes downcast one second, narrowed the next.

"Where is Mother?" Thor asked, looking around. His counterpart was here, along with the heroes who had aided him, as well as Lady Sif and the Warriors Three and several more figures.

They all seemed to be ready to attack Loki at a second's notice.

"Your mother?" Odin asked, raising a single eyebrow.

"Are you saying she is not alive here? Frigga of Vanaheim? Raised by witches?" he asked, searching the crowd for any sign of her.

"I do not know who that is," Odin said.

"Explains why my counterpart is off his rocker. It appears your parenting skills, no matter the universe, is quite questionable," Loki said, snorting to his fist.

The Aesir complement of the room tensed, hands on their weapons. He glanced behind, one intent on turning them into an assortment of zoo animals.

Odin stroked his beard. "Is that so?" He wouldn't say he was blameless of Loki's actions, but he had done his best.

"Does Hela exist here?" Loki asked. He wondered if she shared the same fate too, an executioner turned enemy.

"Yes, she is your counterpart's daughter," Thor, the one belonging to this timeline, said.

His face fell flat. "Ah, so there is a truth to the myths humans have in this universe." Which meant Loki and Angrboda had gotten together.

"Is she not your daughter where you come from?" Odin asked. This situation was vexing as it is. He did not like the implication of Hela and his capabilities in parenting being mentioned in the same conversation.

"No, actually," Thor crossed his arms, "she is your firstborn. You raised her to be a general, your executioner. She is currently locked up in Hel because of her coup attempt."

"You should give him that book on child rearing too," he said to his brother, breaking the silence.

"Why?" Loki grinned, causing Odin to frown. "He is past the age to have a new child." His words had Thor snickering until his face turned red.

"I am still here," he said in a low, stern tone.

Loki shrugged, looking away with a smile. "So you are, Father."

"You know, it's weird seeing you with both eyes," Thor said, trying to change the subject away from the Allfather's private matters.

Odin laid a hand on his right brow, remembering how Laufey had come close to taking his eye. He looked at the counterparts of his sons, waiting.

"You lost one eye to Laufey near the end of the war," Loki added. Given he had not suffered that injury in this dimension, it meant Hela's imprisonment truly took a toll on the Allfather.

"So many differences." Thor spun around. "Even Asgard is almost unrecognizable," he said, looking at the counterparts of their companions.

"Are you satisfied, brother? I would like to leave before someone attacks me on principle."

Thor patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, I don't think they will."

"You know what, here," he said, holding his brother's left hand by the wrist, weaving a green thread with a circle in the middle. "When you are ready to leave, just touch the circle and call me."

He opened a portal and left, waving a hand in farewell as he did.

"That was… abrupt," Stark said, still trying to understand what had just happened.

"Given he does not tolerate these kinds of looks, it was probably for the best."

"Why? What's he going to do?" Sif asked, looking up into his eyes.

"He eats Celestials for lunch. Probably turn you all to rodents and send you to a zoo," he said.

Odin choked on his breath, triggering a coughing fit. Thor just smiled.

"This is going to be fun."

—
​

Asgard

He wondered what to do.

He considered visiting Hela, the one that was his counterpart's daughter, and introducing his sister to her. Since showing a version of her that was ruling Hel would not be conducive to convincing his sister to abandon his ways, he decided against it.

Visiting different timelines where his counterparts were villains didn't sound amusing. At least not for him. Inevitably, he would splatter someone on the nearest surface. Thor's existence was the reason they didn't think he was a projection or a product of seidr and attack him.

He couldn't always bring Thor with him.

Traveling to different universes, on the other hand, sounded perfectly doable. The chance of meeting a counterpart in another universe was extremely low. Hence, he would not have to deal with the fallout of an evil Loki.

His trip to the other Earth was short due to the prospect of war back home. He would have preferred to explore it for longer if he hadn't thrown the planet into chaos by exposing the Light.

The name still amused him.

Another universe it was.

This time, he would bring Thor along as well. His brother would appreciate the chance to test his mettle against warriors from different universes. He definitely would have enjoyed clashing with Superman and Wonder Woman.

What his next destination would present, he didn't know.

Regardless, he would enjoy the opportunity. Infinite possible universes promised infinite new knowledge. The Fatherbox itself could do Bifrost's task and more. Considering it was handheld, he could definitely find more interesting samples in his travels.

Maybe he would gift it to Thor so he wouldn't bother him whenever he wanted to visit Jane.

—
​

In the next chapter:

Thor shuddered, feeling the cold bite, which meant it wasn't an ordinary weather event. They were in a frozen valley with no sign of life around. It was snowing heavily, but none of it mattered to Thor.

The enormous serpent that was using the mountains as pillows did.

His jaw fell, and he latched on his brother's arm, shaking him. If Loki were still of flesh and blood, he would have been ragdolled by the force.

"Loki, it's a giant snake!" Thor squealed like a little girl.

Loki looked up, rolling his eyes, a groan echoing through the valley. "For the love of…" he started, stopping himself from cursing. If Thor was any less prideful, he would be jumping on the tips of his toes.



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

 

[Samael61]

For Harry Potter lovers, I just released a pilot chapter and a short, follow up piece for an SI Harry Potter story. I aim for something darker than what I usually write. You can check it out here if you are interested, along with my other pilot chapters.

SpaceBattles Link : https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/pilot-chapters-by-samael61.1318219/#post-123369829

AO3 Link : https://archiveofourown.org/works/76255891/chapters/199569101

 

[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.

Do you like Loki's creations, dangerous experiments, and willingness to challenge enemies that appear above his league? Then you will definitely like Thairon, the protagonist of my original story, Arrival : Ruptures. Comments, likes and reviews are appreciated. Here are the links for : AO3, Spacebattles, Royal Road and Webnovel.

—
​

Asgard

"I am coming too," Thor said, getting up from his seat.

"Are you sure? I thought you'd prefer to spend time with Jane instead." Which was his brother's favorite pastime activity these last few days. That and regular spars in the Tenth Realm.

"She is busy with her work, and I don't want to bother her. And I might even get to meet another version of myself," he said. He had learned much from observing his counterpart.

"Why? The one you met wasn't enough?"

"He was. I realized that I am too reliant on Mjolnir. I was going to spar with a projection of Father without the hammer, but this is an even better opportunity."

"Then let us not wait," he said, opening the portal, letting Cosmo jump through first.

—
​

Midgard

Well of Urd

"I enjoyed your story, Kratos. Pity it has to end so soon," Urd said, laughing along with her sisters, mocking the Ghost of Sparta as he left.

Only for them to choke on their joy.

"What is happening?" Kratos asked, watching the sisters suddenly start coughing.

"I don't know," Freya said, hesitating with her words.

"Are you alright?" she asked Urd, not even certain if she wanted to know.

"Something changed… our predictions… they no longer seem accurate," Urd said, her voice distant, as if she were not there.

Kratos looked down at his belt. "Head?"

"Brother, how can I know when even they don't?"

—
​

Thor shuddered, feeling the cold bite, which meant it wasn't an ordinary weather event. They were in a frozen valley with no sign of life around. It was snowing heavily, but none of it mattered to Thor.

The enormous serpent that was using the mountains as pillows did.

His jaw fell, and he latched on his brother's arm, shaking him. If Loki were still of flesh and blood, he would have been ragdolled by the force.

"Loki, it's a giant snake!" Thor squealed like a little girl.

Loki looked up, rolling his eyes, a groan echoing through the valley. "For the love of…" he started, stopping himself from cursing. If Thor was any less prideful, he would be jumping on the tips of his toes.

"Quick, we have to get a photo."

"Assuming we are in Midgard, that is most likely Jormungandr, the World Serpent who is prophesied to kill you in Midgardian beliefs."

Thor waved a hand. "Psh, it will be fine. He must be hibernating because of the weather. If I can change it, he should wake up."

"How about you don't cause trouble for the locals?" he suggested with half-lidded eyes. Of all the things they could encounter, it had to be a mountain-sized snake.

"Look around you. What locals?" Thor asked.

"I am certain someone in the distance will see this."

"Come on, Loki, just help him," Cosmo said, bumping his leg with her snout.

"Ugh, very well," he said. Rather than changing the weather and causing panic, he decided to wake the serpent up by increasing its body heat. A gentle shell of warm, circulating air covered Jormungandr—assuming the serpent was him in the first place. The layer of ice and snow began to melt, but it was slow. He didn't wish to give thermal shock to the serpent, not when they were rudely awakening him because Thor wanted a picture.

He monitored the creature as Thor used his terminal to take pictures. Quickly, he realized the beast was not exactly what he appeared to be. Its body was that of a serpent, but the soul he carried was that of a mammal.

The species was not something he could divine without a more invasive look.

—
​

The heat slowly brought him out of the deep slumber he was in. Ragnarok had not yet passed; he could feel that much, yet the air around him had warmed up pleasantly. He shook his head, flicking the snow off his hide.

The first noticeable thing his bleary eyes saw was someone flying in front of him, holding onto something, waving a hand with the crackling taste of thunder around him.

The first thing he did was snap forward, his colossal jaw closing down around the God of Thunder.

—
​

Loki blinked, slapping his forehead.

"Did that snake just eat Thor?" Cosmo asked, her tongue out, breath still.

"He is fine," he muttered. The serpent's maw was forced open, Mjolnir pulling the lower jaw down while Thor pushed the upper one up.

"Loki, quick, take the picture." Thor's voice came from the beast's mouth. The serpent was just as surprised, stopping as he tried to process what was happening.

There he stood, forcing the maw of a colossal beast open just for a photo.

Loki sighed, taking off, standing before the serpent's forcibly opened mouth. He raised the terminal on his left wrist, snapping photos from different angles. Done with his task, he gave Thor a very slow thumbs up.

His brother walked to the edge of the beast's mouth, hands careful to not touch the teeth. Jormungandr didn't show any resistance, letting the offending god out. Thor flipped out, landing on his snout.

"Hello there," he said, waving his hand. "Apologies about the rude awakening. I am Thor; it is a pleasure to meet you, great one."

"You are not Thor," Jormungandr said, slow and drawn out and deep and loud enough to kill a mortal. Each word was akin to someone dragging a mountain across the ocean's river.

Thor blocked his ears, feeling the voice shake him down to his bones.

"Not the one you know, but I am Thor Odinson, God of Thunder."

"Explain," he snarled, searching for an angle to strike again.

"We are from another universe," Thor said, rubbing the back of his head. There was a significant chance the last word didn't make sense to the serpent.

"Wait, how do we explain it to him?" he said, turning to his brother, who had simply appeared next to him.

"We don't," Loki said, holding his hand out.

"If you would allow me, I can show you what my brother means," he spoke, not with words but in the serpent's mind.

The massive head moved back, nostrils and eyes widening. "Very well," he replied in kind.

Information on matters and subjects he had never considered before flooded his mind. He saw the existence of the infinite, of that which could be, was actually happening in branching timelines and faraway universes.

"This is…" Jormungandr said, looking to the sky, to where countless stars and worlds lay.

"Awe-inspiring?" Loki asked, smiling at the beast's expression.

"Perhaps."

"We are simply traveling," Thor said, hanging Mjolnir on his belt. "From your reaction, it is obvious that there is bad blood between you and my brother's counterpart. We just want to say there is no need for the animosity to take place between us."

"Brother? Are you Baldur?" he asked, remembering the unkillable son of Odin and how he was summoned to aid in battle.

He shook his head. "I am Loki."

The serpent tilted his head, realizing why he felt like trusting this Aesir. "Loki, son of Odin?"

"Adopted, but yes," he said, hoping that the particular belief concerning Jormungandr's parentage was not true here.

The beast's body rumbled, sending tremors through Thor's body. "Your Odin would raise another's child as his?"

"I am getting the feeling Asgard here isn't exactly like back home," Loki said. From that response alone the beast did not hold the Allfather of this universe in high regard.

"Me too," Thor said, swinging his hammer without even looking, slapping a projectile away. He leaped down, landing on the ground with an eruption of snow and mud. Loki floated down next to him, watching their assailants. Cosmo had already taken her stance, baring her teeth and growling.

Two gods, both flesh and blood, yet wildly different. The ashen-skinned one was muscular and bald but sported a lush mustache and a beard. A red tattoo is going around his shoulder, back, and down his left eye. His garb consisted of hides stacked over his right arm like plate armor, leaving his left arm bare, and the hide of a beast wrapped around his shoulders like a cape.

His weapons were an axe that radiated chilling frost with the screams of creatures mixed in while the twin chained blades exuded primordial fire.

His companion, a goddess with disheveled hair and a blade in her hand, was dressed far more gracefully. Her brown tunic was held together by sashes and a circular metal piece over her belly, acting like armor.

Both seemed angry.

"You are not Thor," the bald one said, a layer of frost creeping up his axe's blade.

"Though he seems to have gone to great lengths to look like the wanker." A voice came from behind him, though; upon a closer look, they saw a talking head hanging from the god's waist.

"I am Thor, just not the one you know," he said, raising one hand in peace, while the other held Mjolnir by the handle.

The goddess twirled her blade once, pointing at Thor. "I am certain there is only one Thor."

"Yet more than one universe, where the Nine Realms, similar to this one but different in most aspects, exist," he said. They both draw blank looks. Explaining the existence of different universes to these medieval gods would be difficult with how hostile they were.

"Enough. What do you seek here?" Kratos asked, still not lowering his axe. He didn't exactly understand the explanation. What he understood was that this Thor was indeed not the one he fought. He didn't carry himself with the reckless abandon and drunken rage the Thor he knew did.

"Traveling," Loki said, inspecting the man's weapons. The axe was well-crafted, but it was the blades that had his interest. They carried the pain of loss, the anger of a god wronged, and the blood of countless innocents, as well as the guilty.

Freya's eyes flickered up to the World Serpent. He was still glancing towards the sky, ignoring the standoff. "Did you wake Jormungandr?" With how cold he was, it would take an exceptional amount of magic to wake him.

She felt nothing from Thor's companion.

"He loves snakes and couldn't help himself. I simply helped so he wouldn't disturb the weather and cause the locals to panic," Loki said, trying to discern their identities from the myths.

"Why don't we sit down somewhere and introduce ourselves rather than resorting to violence?" Thor offered.

The ashen-skinned god glanced at his companion, both nodding at the same time. A Thor who offered diplomacy rather than Mjolnir at full speed only made it more difficult to believe his claims.

"Follow us," Kratos said. Whether a deceit by Odin or not, they would get to the bottom of this. Better to keep their enemy close as they did.

—
​

"Fascinating," he said, running a hand over the tree. "So Yggdrasil actually exists as a tree in this universe."

Freya stopped in her tracks, not sure what it meant. "Does it not in yours?" How could he know the World Tree if it did not exist as a tree?

"No. It is a well of energy that includes the Nine Realms within it. There is no actual tree," he said. The pulses of magic he sent came back with wildly different results. Each branch led to a different realm, with a void between them.

Thor threw his arm around Loki, pulling him along. "Maybe you should leave your research for later, brother?"

"I suppose so," he said, letting himself be dragged.

"Brother?" The goddess turned to him sharply. "Are you Baldur?" she asked. Her voice, tight and uneven so far, had suddenly become so quiet.

"Loki," he said. Given how she had reacted to the name, it was possible this was Frigga, the counterpart to their mother. The tenderness in her voice at uttering that name was nothing short of parental longing. Still, the universal differences made it virtually impossible to confirm anything.

Now it was her companion's turn to stop, his voice falling just as silent. "Atreus?"

"No," he said, having a feeling where this was going. It was possible both Baldur and Loki were dead. Which meant they arrived at a bad time.

Freya rubbed her head, pacing around. "This is getting confusing." Each word from the mysterious unknowns made her question their decision to take them to their sanctuary.

"There is a method to resolve it, but I doubt you would allow me to connect to your minds as Jormungandr did," he said offhandedly. In truth, it would be so much easier if they could be convinced of such. Whatever his brother's counterpart and Asgard had done to them obviously made them enemies.

Who the villain in this story was remained to be seen.

"Bloody hell," the talking head cursed. "He let you do something like that?" He knew enough about the other pantheons to know whatever his race was, it wasn't from theirs.

"Yes. There is obviously some sort of familiarity between him and this universe's Loki. Given what the Midgardian myths say, it is kind of expected," he said, still praying it wasn't true.

"Really? What do they say?" the head asked. He too wanted to sit down—figuratively in his case—and talk. This was either a brand new trap by Odin, one that was too obvious, or the promise of something entertaining.

Enough to give the Norns a stop at least.

"That he is my son with another Jotun, Angrboda, along with Fenrir and Hel, the Goddess of Death," Loki said.

The gods and the head fell silent while Thor snickered.

"Brother, you did give him the talk, right?" the head said to the bald one, prompting him to grunt and swipe at him.

Cosmo burst out laughing, her voice echoing in their minds.

—
​

Sindri's House

"Sit," Kratos ordered, standing before the table, fists clenched.

Thor shrugged, taking the offered seat, even if their host was a tad rude. Loki followed along, inspecting the room.

"Who are these?" a short, blue creature asked, strolling up to them.

"Didn't know we were having guests. Should I get something to drink?" another person, possibly a dwarf, asked, his voice soft where the blue one's was harsher than sandpaper.

He approached Thor, scratching his beard, narrowing his eyes. "What's with that look? Are you trying to look like that fat pig Thor or something?"

Loki snorted. "Fat pig? Brother, it appears you will be disappointed at meeting your counterpart."

Thor rolled his eyes.

"Counterpart? Kratos, Freya, what is he talking about?" a third god, the tallest by far in the room, asked, scanning the newcomers.

"We don't understand either," Freya said, shaking her head. "However, something left the Norns speechless, and right after leaving, we found them. They promised an explanation."

Loki caught on to the part about the Norns, but he was occupied with the real god beneath the illusion.

"Is there something on my face, young one?" Tyr asked, finding the scrutinizing eyes unnerving, as if they were seeing deeper than anyone else could.

He smiled lazily. "No. Just examining the technique of your transformation."

The dwarves and the gods turned towards Tyr. "What transformation?" Brok asked, eyes shifting between Loki and Tyr.

Loki gave the blue dwarf a blank look, waving his hand towards the tall god. Golden dust burst around him, leaving a much shorter and less impressive-looking person in his place.

"Odin!" Freya screamed, leaping at the one-eyed god with pupils dilating, her face setting into a snarl.

Odin Allfather, who looked so weak that both brothers were left speechless, slammed his hands towards the ground, creating a blinding flash. When Freya's sword cut through where his head used to be, he was gone, leaving nothing behind but the cawing of ravens.

"No," she scowled, stomping her right foot on the ground.

"What was that?" Kratos growled, brandishing his axe once more.

Loki smirked. This was definitely going to be fun.

—
​

In the next chapter:

"Does that include haggis?"

"The one made with sheep's stomach? Sure," he said, uttering the name to synthesize the dish. The stomach, filled with the chopped heart, liver, and lungs of a sheep, along with onion, oatmeal, and seasonings, wasn't a dish he was brave enough to try before.

It wasn't going to change now.

He floated it in front of Mimir. The head inhaled deeply, nostrils wide, eyes rolling to the back of his head. "What I wouldn't give to have my body back now," he said, feeling his mouth water. It smelled just like home to him.



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