11 Not Alone Part 3

Plot: Upon becoming king, Loki immediately starts making huge changes.

Tone: Serious

"Why did you want us to meet here?" One of the Jotuns asked. Loki gazed at everyone gathered around the table. Mantis, Quill, and Farbauti were there of course, along with Embla, Randolf, Helga, and a few others who had supported Loki so far.

"I just had a few questions that I would like answers to," Loki replied, sitting down between Mantis and Farbauti.

"Ask away, your majesty," Embla replied, dipping her head.

"Why did the fire nation, I mean-" Loki facepalmed, his cheeks blazing. "-the fire demons attack?" Mantis giggled to herself.

"We don't know," Farbauti answered, her head hung low. "They've been attacking us constantly for ten years now. Asgard must have stopped keeping them in check."

Loki's eyes widened. "I… I think that's partly my fault…" he admitted, looking away.

"What?! What did you do?!" Loki cringed as one of the Jotuns yelled at him.

"I… I withdrew military presence from the other nine realms while I was disguised as Odin."

"You did what?!" Brynjolf demanded, his eyes blazing.

"It was Asgard's job to keep those realms in check!" Randolf added, shaking like a tree about to fall.

"Well, they wouldn't be able to do it now anyway," Loki grunted, rolling his eyes. "Asgard was destroyed five years ago. The remaining Asgardians are living on Earth." Murmurs of shock and confusion rose from the Jotuns.

"What's Earth?"

Loki facepalmed again. How many times am I going to mess up?! "Midgard…" he clarified, looking back at the others. "Perhaps we need to pay them a visit."

"No!" Farbauti gasped, slamming her hands into the table. "They'll kill us all!"

"Not if they know what's going on." Loki stood up, taking a deep breath. "Face it, Jotunheim is in shambles, you can't face this threat alone. We need Asgard's help."

"How do you know they'll help us?" Embla asked, tilting her head to the side.

"I know they'll help me… and they'll want to fix our past mistakes."

"Your past mistakes."

Loki's eyes narrowed. "Hey, some of it was Odin... and Laufey… Many are to blame."

"Don't speak of your father that way," Brynjolf growled, pointing at Loki. He's not my father!

"Anyways," Loki growled, turning to Farbauti. "How should we get to Midgard?"

"We can use the casket," she replied, standing up in front of him. "It can act as an opening to the Bifrost, with a powerful enough Jotun controlling it."

"Alright." Loki turned to his friends. "Mantis, Quill, Farbauti, you're with me. We're going to Midgard."

"You'll need more than just two Jotuns and… them-" Farbauti gestured to Quill and Mantis. "-to face the Asgardians!"

"No, we don't," Loki replied, clenching his fists. "We're going there to talk, not fight." He turned to the others. "Do not attack them when they arrive, understand?"

The Jotuns dipped their heads. "Yes, your majesty."

"Alright, let's go." Loki took a step back and summoned the casket. Farbauti grabbed the other end. Mantis and Quill stood behind them staring apprehensively at the casket. A surge of rainbow light surrounded them. In mere moments, the snowy landscape of Jotunheim disappeared and was replaced with a much sunnier, greener area.

"Where are we?" Farbauti asked, looking away.

Loki snatched the casket away from her, flicking his hands to make it disappear. "Norway, or new Asgard…" He turned around, and his heart skipped a beat. "What in the?!"

The village where the Asgardians had once lived remained at the shoreline. However, above it, and stretching out over the ocean, was a huge city made only of gold and silver metals. There was a rainbow coloured bridge leading to it. Pegasi flew through the air, toward the ground or around the city like birds.

"What happened here?!" Quill asked, pointing at the city.

"I suppose Valkyrie remained true to her word," Loki replied, making his way toward the rainbow bridge. The others trailed after him. They made their way up the rainbow bridge. Buildings and statues of warriors towered over them on each side of the road.

"Frost giant!" Loki flinched at the sound of a new voice. Four warriors lunged in front of them, pointing their spears at the group. Farbauti staggered back.

"She's with me!" Loki replied, blocking her with his arm. The warriors lowered their weapons, exchanging glances of confusion.

"Loki?" One of the warriors took off her helmet, revealing Sif. "Why are you with a frost giant?!" she demanded, flipping her hair out of her face.

"I'll explain later," Loki replied, looking around. Several Asgardians walked by, their eyes wide with fear or confusion. "Where is the queen?" Loki cast a glance at Sif. "Lady Sif, can you take her to me?"

"It's General Sif now, actually."

"Oh…" Loki dipped his head. "Congratulations."

"Thank you," Sif replied, smiling. "Queen Valkyrie is in her palace. I'll take you to her." She gestured for them to follow. The warriors turned and walked by her side while Loki and the others followed.

"Are you still sure about this?" Farbauti murmured in Loki's ear.

"Of course," Loki replied, nodding.

"Hey, while you do that-" Quill gestured to the city. "Can Mantis and I have a look around the city?"

Loki chuckled. "Sure," he replied, with a smile. "We'll meet at the bridge. Don't be too long." Mantis and Quill smiled back before making their way down one of the streets, gawking at literally everything around them. Loki smiled.

After a while of walking, the group approached an even bigger building, made of a gold material that shined in the sun. It was… pretty extra. Loki and Farbauti made their way up the stairs, following the warriors inside the castle. A red carpet stretched across the ground. They followed it down the hall, making their way into the throne room, where Valkyrie already sat.

"Hey, Valkyrie," Loki greeted, with a wave. "I like what you've done with the place."

Valkyrie met his gaze, immediately raising an eyebrow. "Loki? What are you doing here?" She cast a glance at Farbauti. "With a Jotun?" The warriors stood behind Loki and Farbauti, pointing their spears at them. Farbauti tensed, summoning a knife of ice.

"That won't be necessary," Valkyrie replied, standing up and gazing at her warriors. "You're all dismissed." The four turned and began to leave. "Except you, Sif, come here." She gestured to her with her hand.

Sif nodded. She made her way toward Valkyrie, standing beside her throne.

"Anyways-" Valkyrie looked back at Loki and Farbauti. "Why are you here with a Jotun?"

"Do you want the long version or the short version?"

Valkyrie tilted her head to the side. "Short…?"

"I'm the king of Jotunheim now and the nine realms are in danger."

Valkyrie blinked a few times, looking utterly bewildered. "Okay, I need a little more detail than that."

Loki chuckled a bit. "I found a group of Jotuns on another planet and took them to Jotunheim to find it under attack by fire demons. The remaining realms are most likely in shambles without Asgard to manage them. We need to restore them to their former glory. Will you help us?"

"Of course," Valkyrie answered with a nod. "I'll bring a group of warriors with me." She turned to glance at Sif. "Sif, you're in charge while I'm gone."

Sif smiled, dipping her head to the queen. "Sure, Val." Sif and Valkyrie smiled at each other. Valkyrie leaned forward, pressing her lips against Sif's.

Valkyrie turned to Loki and Farbauti. "Loki, Loki companion, I'll meet you at the bottom of the bridge with an army of warriors. Then we'll go."

"Thank you," Loki replied, dipping his head to her before turning and leaving. Farbauti trailed after him. The two walked side by side through the city.

"Are you sure you can trust her?" Farbauti muttered in his ear.

"Of course, I made her queen for a reason."

Farbauti tilted her head to the side. "You made her queen?"

The two made their way down the rainbow bridge. "I gave up the throne in order to follow my own path," Loki explained, "She was a great advisor during my time as king so I knew she was the best choice."

Farbauti skidded to a halt at the bottom of the bridge, letting out a sigh. "You're going to do the same to Jotunheim, aren't you?"

"What?"

"Give the throne to someone else."

Loki's eyes widened. I really shouldn't have told her that… "I am going to resolve this, but I am no king," Loki insisted, dipping his head. "I promise Jotunheim will not be left without a leader, but that leader will not be me."

"Why?!" Loki flinched when Farbauti raised her voice. "Because you're desperate to stay with your friends?! Or are you more loyal to Asgard than your real people?!"

"Well, the Asgardians did raise me, that's more than I can say for you!" Loki snapped, his heart pounding out of his chest as he glared at Farbauti.

"Oh…" Farbauti put her hand over her mouth, reaching toward him tentatively. "L-Loki I didn't-I didn't realize you were upset about that."

"You didn't rea-" Loki shoved her hand away, stomping his foot into the ground. "You and Laufey left me to die! As an infant! And you didn't know I was upset about that?!" Everything he had been keeping to himself had tumbled out.

"I didn't mean to abandon you," Farbauti sighed, taking a step back. "It was the middle of a battle with the Asgardians. Laufey told me to flee from the temple. I couldn't see you through all the fighting and fleeing Jotuns. So… I did what Laufey asked."

"Did you look for me?" Loki growled, his fists still clenched.

"Of course I did! I went to the temple after the battle was over… I limped all the way there, my wounds still healing, but you weren't there." Loki rested his hand on her forehead. Scanning her memories, he saw exactly what she had described: herself, badly wounded, limping toward the temple. Loki moved his hand away. She's not lying… Odin must've just found me before she did.

"What about Laufey?" he asked, looking away.

"After I came back from the temple, I confronted him. He claimed he didn't mean to leave you, but I didn't believe him. He was always disappointed that you were a runt, but I never thought he would..." Her eyes watered. The tears came out as icicles, which shattered on the ground. Shame washed over Loki. She really does care...

"So I stepped down from my position as queen," she continued, folding her arms. "That's why… why we never had another heir. When Laufey died, it was a horrible shock to all of us. I was the closest thing Jotunheim had to a ruler so I took over. I had to do many things I didn't want to do for the sake of Jotunheim, and I hate to make you do the same but… Jotunheim needs you…" Farbauti wrapped her arms around Loki, pulling him into a hug. He felt too awkward to hug back. "I need you."

"I know…" Loki let out a sigh, backing out of the hug. "But I need my friends."

"They can stay in Jotunheim," Farbauti insisted, eying Loki desperately. "You're the king, you can do what you want."

"They wouldn't be happy there."

"Loki!" Valkyrie and a group of soldiers were walking down the bridge toward them.

"We'll talk about this later." Loki turned to Valkyrie. She had about a dozen soldiers behind her, all carrying either swords or spears and wearing thick coats. Quill and Mantis were with them. They waved at Loki, smiling enthusiastically.

"So, King Loki." Valkyrie dipped her head to him, clearly teasing.

"Oh, that's not necessary," Loki replied, taking a step back.

One of the soldiers laughed. "What happened to the Loki that wanted to take over Asgard and Midgard?"

Loki's eyes widened. He cleared his throat, regaining his composure. "That's in the past. As for the present, we need to get to Jotunheim." Loki summoned the casket. He and Farbauti held it, and the rainbow light appeared around them again. In an instant, they all appeared on Jotunheim.

"Huh…" Valkyrie glanced at the casket. "I didn't know it could do that."

"Me neither," Loki replied, flicking it away again. He turned to Farbauti. "Go inform everyone that the Asgardians are here diplomatically. Tell them not to attack them or there will be consequences, then meet us in the conference room." Farbauti dipped her head and rushed off to do that. Loki turned to the others. "Everyone else, follow me."

Loki led everyone through the snow, toward the room Loki had arbitrarily decided was a conference room.

"You know…" Mantis walked beside Loki. "For someone who doesn't want to be king, you sure are good at it."

"Yeah," Quill added with a nod. "You've really taken charge."

"I'm just doing what I must," Loki insisted, looking away. "Some of this is my fault after all." He met Mantis's gaze. "You were right. I can't just forget and move on, I have to try and fix my mistakes if I can." Or at least learn from them. Mantis smiled.

"Woah…" Loki glanced at Quill. "Loki… I think you��re officially the most noble guardian."

Loki snorted with laughter. "Well, I am royal."

Quill smiled. "That's not what I meant." He patted Loki's shoulder. "You're a good guy, Lokes."

"If you say so, Quill," Loki replied, rolling his eyes even as he smiled.

Loki pushed open the door to the conference room, ushering everyone inside. They all slowly took their seats. Loki sat beside Valkyrie, while Quill and Mantis sat on his other side. He gazed at the others. The Asgardians were sitting on one side of the table, while the Jotuns sat on the other, with Loki right in the middle of the two groups. Loki stood up, clearing his throat. All eyes were on him.

"So, as most of you already know, Asgard once governed the nine realms but with its destruction-" and my less than ideal decisions while disguised as Odin. "-Asgard hasn't been able to govern the nine realms. We must reinstate some sort of Asgardian presence within the nine realms to prevent them from falling into chaos." If they haven't already.

"But Asgard doesn't have enough warriors to regularly defend the nine realms like we used to," one of the warriors protested, raising his hand.

"Besides, we don't have an easy way to access the Bifrost," Valkyrie added, gesturing to her warriors.

"Then us Jotuns will have to do it," Randolf added, raising his hand. Murmurs of protest rose from the Asgardians.

"Yes," Farbauti added, nodding. "We're just as strong as you Asgardians, and we heal much quicker."

"There aren't many of you left either," Loki added, gesturing to the Jotuns.

"We won't need too many," Brynjolf replied, glaring at Loki. "All we need is the casket."

"I'm not giving you the casket," Loki growled, standing up and glaring at him. "The last time you used it, you killed thousands of Asgardians and Midgardians!"

"That was a thousand years ago!" Randolf protested, clasping his hands together. "Please, give us another chance!"

"We need the casket to repair Jotunheim," Embla sighed, looking away.

"We can promise not to use it except on our own planet," Randolf suggested, gazing at Loki with desperate eyes.

"Or if needed for defense," Helga added, nodding.

Loki let out a sigh. "I can't trust you to have the casket, at least not unchecked." He gazed at everyone at the table. "Asgard once kept all of the realms in check, maybe now they must all keep each other in check."

"What are you suggesting?" Valkyrie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing yet… we still need to travel to the other realms. Valkyrie, I'll need about half of your warriors to stay here and defend Jotunheim in case there's another attack."

"Got it," she replied with a nod. She gestured toward half of her warriors and beckoned the others outside.

"The rest of you, you're with me," Loki replied, summoning the casket into his hands. The others crowded around him, though the Asgardians and Jotuns still kept their distance from each other.

"Where are we going first?" Farbauti asked, grabbing the other end of the casket.

"Vanaheim," Loki replied, looking away. "They… they needed Asgardian protection the most." Along with Nidavellir. Loki closed his eyes as the Bifrost appeared, then quickly disappeared as they appeared at their location.

"Oh my god…" One of the Asgardians gasped. Loki looked around. They seemed to be in a village but all of the houses and tents had been reduced to pieces on the ground. Loki knelt down and observed one of the piles, wiping the soot off the wood. Everyone else looked around. In the distance, many of the tall trees in the forest had been knocked over while the rest had been stripped of every leaf.

"What happened to this place?" Quill asked, picking up part of what had once been a house.

"Muspulheim must've attacked them too," Farbauti sighed. Was that… sympathy in her gaze?

"The Vanir must be in hiding," one of the Asgardians suggested, looking around.

"Or they're all dead," Loki muttered, clenching his fists. And it's all my fault… what was I even thinking?!

"They can't all be dead," Mantis insisted, kneeling beside him.

"Yes they can," Loki grunted, looking away. "They had no military of their own. If they were attacked, they would've had no way to defend themselves."

"Should we search for survivors anyway?" Valkyrie asked, making her way toward Loki.

"I have a life detector," Quill informed, pulling out another little device. "Apart from us and plant life, there are other life forms." Loki perked up. "Uh… two types."

"Two types?" Loki asked, raising an eyebrow. He made his way toward Quill, gazing at the little device.

"That's what it says," Quill replied, pointing at the screen. The scanner was indeed picking up two other intelligent life forms.

"There might still be fire demons here," Randolf suggested, summoning a knife of ice. "We have to fight them off!"

Loki nodded at him. "Let's find out where these readings are coming from," he replied, summoning his daggers.

The group followed Quill's tracker through the forests and past several destroyed villages before finally finding a camp, deep in a less burnt down part of the forest. The group peered through the bushes at the camp. There was a single fire in the centre, and only a few tents. Several Vanir were sitting around the fire, roasting something over it. Loki let out a sigh of relief.

"So that's one of the life forms," Mantis murmured, gazing at Quill's device. "But what about the other?"

"There are some of the second ones nearby too," Quill replied, gazing around the camp.

"Maybe they're about to attack!" Brynjolf suggested, his eyes narrowed.

"They might not be fire demons," Randolf replied, with a shrug. "Maybe there's something else on the planet."

"Like what?" one of the Asgardians asked, casting a glance at the jotuns.

Randolf's eyes widened. "Like those?!" he gasped, pointing at something. Loki glanced at the edge of the camp, his eyes wide. There were three humanoid figures standing there, with pale skin and long ears almost like a bat's. Several murmurs rose from the group.

"What are they?" Quill asked, turning to Loki.

"They don't seem hostile," Mantis commented, gesturing to them.

"They're light elves…" Loki could hardly believe what they were saying. "Of Alfheim, but what are they doing here?"

"Maybe we should go to Alfheim next," Valkyrie suggested, her eyes wide.

"Good idea." Loki summoned the casket, letting Farbauti hold the other half. The Bifrost appeared.

Seconds later, it disappeared, but the land around them remained bright. Loki looked around. Alfheim looked the same as he remembered: a huge city almost like Asgard, though the primary colour was white and the buildings didn't have nearly as many pillars. However, something was off. The group stood just beside one of the main roads, leading to the palace. It was filled with light elves, who bumped or brushed each other as they passed by. There was hardly any room to breathe. It was far less green than Loki remembered, with most of the grass being replaced by dirt paths and hardly any trees still standing.

"This is like the planet we found Gamora on," Quill muttered, looking around.

"Has it always been this crowded?" one of the Asgardians asked. Loki shook his head.

"Damn." Valkyrie seemed breathless as she looked around. "I remember when this place was just a little village!"

"Asgardians helped to build this place," one of her warriors added, smiling. "It's really come far."

"Perhaps too far," Loki commented, gazing at the packed streets. "It seems a bit… crowded."

"Yeah, a little bit," Quill agreed, nodding.

"That explains why they were on Vanaheim," Randolf added, gazing at the streets. He met Loki's gaze. "Maybe we should let some of them stay there."

Loki thought for a moment. "Yes, Alfheim is one of the more independent realms. Some of them could move to Vanaheim. They could defend them from any more attacks, and there would be more room here." He glanced at Randolf with a smile. "Yes, I like your thinking." The young Jotun beamed at him.

"I'll discuss the idea with their leader," Valkyrie replied, stepping up. "My warriors can remain with me." The Jotuns and Asgardians seemed to sigh in relief.

"We'll meet you back here," Loki replied, gesturing to everyone as she summoned the casket.

"Where to next?"

"Nidavellir," Loki answered, handing the casket to Farbuati. "It's the other realm Asgard was supposed to protect."

"Nidavellir?!" Quill repeated, his eyes wide. "It's real?" Loki nodded. "Oh my gosh! That place is a legend!"

"Rocket says they make the best weapons," Mantis added, nodding eagerly.

"I can't wait to see it!" Quill gasped, his eyes bright.

And they were off to Nidavellir. Once the Bifrost disappeared, everything around them was dark and motionless. Everyone looked around. Piles of scrap laid all over the ground. Meanwhile, the forge in the middle of the rings had been reduced to a dark orb in the sky.

"Okay, not what I expected," Quill grunted, shivering.

Loki's heart skipped a beat. "Something's not right… the forge hasn't gone dark in centuries." And where are all the dwarves? Loki squinted, trying to make out any movement in the darkness. But there was nothing.

"Is it normally this empty?" Randolf asked, his eyes wide as he gazed at Loki.

"No, there's usually dwarves everywhere," Loki replied. He gestured to the forge. "And that forge is usually on. What happened to everyone?"

Mantis let out a gasp. Loki glanced at her, his eyes wide. "Does this answer your questions?" she asked, stepping aside to reveal…

Thanos's gauntlet.

Loki staggered backward, nearly tripping as his heart pounded out of his chest.

"No," he murmured, shaking his head. "It can't be…" Loki cringed as memories flooded back to him: Thor being choked to death, Quill, Mantis, and Drax turning to dust, Tony's lifeless eyes...

Loki let out a yowl, falling to the ground as he tried to shake the memories away. There was a clank. Loki was jerked back into reality. There was a dwarf, more than twice his height, kicking and punching everyone across the junkyard. It was Eitri, the dwarf leader!

"Eitri! Stop!" Loki exclaimed, lunging in front of him.

The dwarf froze. "Loki?"

He nodded, glaring at Eitri. "What happened?" Loki demanded, clenching his fists.

"You were supposed to protect us." he cried, his voice rumbling like thunder. "Asgard was supposed to protect us!"

"Asgard is destroyed!" Loki snapped, stomping his foot into the ground. Eitri's eyes widened. Loki marched toward the gauntlet, gesturing to it as he glared at the dwarf king.

"Did you do it?! Did you make this for Thanos?!" He slammed the gauntlet into the ground, the sound piercing his ears. "WHY?!" he demanded, his entire body shaking with rage.

Eitri fell silent, unable to meet Loki's gaze. The dwarf sat down with a sigh. Mantis and Quill staggered to stand before rushing to Loki's side. However, Loki walked away. He stopped in front of Eitri, glaring at him as he awaited an answer.

"There were three hundred dwarves on this ring," Eitri murmured, gazing sullenly at the ground. "I thought if I did what he asked, they'd be safe." Loki's eyes widened. "I made what he wanted: A device capable of harnessing the power of the Infinity Stones. Then he killed everyone anyway. All except me." Eitri gazed at his hands, which were now encased in molten metal. "'Your life is yours,' he said. 'But your hands are mine alone.'"

"Well, he's dead now," Loki sighed, feeling a pang of sympathy for the dwarf. "I made sure of that."

"Who did he kill?" Eitri asked, gazing desperately at Loki.

"Everyone that disappeared has been brought back… but…" The beginnings of a smile had faded from Eitri's face. "He killed countless Asgardians in an attack, including Thor. And…" Loki looked away, his eyes watering. "One of my best friends gave his life to defeat him."

"I'm sorry," Eitri sighed.

"It's not your fault," Loki grunted, wiping away a tear. "I only blame Thanos and his willing minions." He turned away. "I'm sorry we couldn't get here sooner to help your people… We must be going now." Loki gestured to the others. They made their way toward him silently.

"Why did you come here?" Eitri asked, gazing at them. "With a bunch of frost giants?"

Loki cringed. "We're checking on the nine realms, trying to get them back on their feet." He let out a sigh, gazing around at Nidavellir. "But it's too late for this place. I'm truly sorry." Eitri gazed at the ground. Loki flicked his hands, summoning the casket. Farbauti grabbed one end.

"You sure we should leave him here all alone?" Quill asked, pointing at Eitri.

"I'll manage," he grunted, marching away.

"And what about you Loki?" Mantis asked, taking his hand. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine," Loki sighed, resting his hand on hers. "I just want to get out of here." He forced a smile.

"Where are we going next?" Farbauti asked, gesturing to the casket.

"Well, going to Muspulheim would be a death trap, Niflheim is just a wasteland, and Svartalfheim…" Loki shrugged. "Well, it wouldn't hurt to check."

Quill glanced at him. "Sparta what now?"

"Svartalfheim." Quill still looked confused. "Just call it the Dark World."

"Svartalfheim it is," Farbauti replied, stepping closer. The Bifrost appeared around the group, and in an instant, they were in the Dark World. It was no different from before. The land was still desolate and empty, and there wasn't a dark elf in sight. They were probably hiding like the cowards they were.

"Still just as dead as I remember," Embla commented, folding her arms.

"If not deader," Brynjolf muttered to her.

Quill was gazing at his life scanner. "I'm picking up one life form on this planet." Loki's heart skipped a beat.

"One life form?" Loki asked, glancing at Quill. He nodded. "But… dark elves aren't alive, well, not really."

"But that is!" Helga gasped, pointing at something. Loki turned to see a huge frost beast dashing toward them. The group turned and fled.

"I thought this planet was dead?!" Mantis gasped, gazing at Loki.

"I did too!" Loki replied, dashing to her side. "That thing must've gotten here during the Convergence." Loki summoned his daggers, screeching to a halt and turning toward the frost beast. Something pushed past him. Randolf was walking toward the frost beast!

"What are you doing?!" Loki called, his heart pounding.

The short Jotun inched closer to the beast, one soft step at a time. The beast halted, glaring down at him. Randolf raised his hand tentatively, his entire body shaking. The beast let out a growl. Loki tried to dash toward them but was blocked by Farbauti.

"Wait…" She insisted, gazing intently at Randolf.

The frost beast bowed its head to the young Jotun, its growls getting quieter and quieter. Randolf slowly reached his hand toward its head. The beast's growls had changed into an almost purring sound as Randolf continued to pet it. Loki gazed at the scene in disbelief. Randolf stroked the creature's head, then nodded to it. The creature nodded back before turning tail and dashing away.

"How did you know you could do that?!" Loki demanded, making his way toward the young Jotun.

"I didn't," he admitted, looking at the ground. "I'm sorry, but I didn't want to fight her if I didn't have to."

"That was risky," Loki replied, his tone stern. "But your heart was in the right place." Randolf gazed at him with wide eyes. Loki smiled. He summoned the casket into his hands, gesturing for everyone to join them. "Let's get back to Jotunheim." Farbauti nodded, taking the casket. They disappeared and reappeared on the frosty planet.

avataravatar
Next chapter