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Loki lifted his chin watching as stars and whole galaxies blazed past them. He never tired of the beauty of the bifrost, but this was no casual trip. He would have to be ready to fight the second they landed. The power surrounding him thrummed through his veins and called out to his own.

They slammed to a stop, landing hard on their feet. Loki grunted and quickly the light vanished, leaving his night vision only seconds to adapt to the dim and bleak landscape of Jotunheim. The bifrost certainly wasn't a subtle entrance. Every Frost Giant for miles would know they had arrived. Loki would have preferred more tact so they could get their bearings, but the others were grinning excitedly as they gawked at the forbidden landscape.

Heimdal had dropped them on the edge of a cliff. All around them was a vast ice field with the towering ruins of what must have been an ancient city, long ago destroyed by war with Asgard. Loki swallowed, it was his father's army who had left this land in ruins. It reminded him sharply of Alfheim. There was a deafening silence to the place, like the emptiness had weight, had eyes.

"We shouldn't be here," Hogun muttered. The stoic warrior spoke so little that his grave warning seemed all the more ominous.

"Let's move," Thor said grimly, ignoring his friend's warning. He stepped forward to lead the way across the ice field.

The icy wind whipped and bit through their armor. It wasn't snowing exactly but ice pellets were blown across the landscape and struck their exposed skin, leaving it feeling raw in the cold. Asgardians were one of the toughest species in the galaxy, but the cold of Jotenheim went deep into even their bones. It was as cold as the deepest reaches of space and only Loki didn't notice.

"Where are they?" Sif asked uneasily. Her dark eyes flickered over the large ice cliffs that surrounded them as she settled her cloak tighter around her shoulders to block the biting wind.

"Hiding," Thor snapped. "As cowards always do."

Loki glanced around them as he followed his brother. He did not feel as though the frost giants were hiding from them. Instead it felt like they were being watched from all sides. His instincts prickled and told him they were surrounded. An avalanche of ice fell in the distance and it sounded like thunder. Loki felt it tremble through the ground. The ice in Jotenheim felt like a living, breathing thing beneath his feet and his magic tingled through his fingers unbidden. The others looked frozen, wrapping their arms around themselves, but he barely noticed the cold. Instead he found himself strangely fascinated by the ice. There was magic here and it sang to him. His fingers tingled to reach out and touch the living ice, but he stopped himself before he would indulge his curiosity. He closed his hands into fists, forcing his magic back down.

Thor led the way to the only structure remaining. It reminded Loki sharply of the skeletal remains of the palace on Alfheim. This land had been devastated by war. War with the All Father left behind nothing but ruins. They stepped through the large gate of the structure. Ice and snow clung to every surface but instead of being pristine and white it was black, grey and harsh. It reminded him of old bones.

"You've come a long way to die Asgardians," a powerful voice rumbled through the ruins.

"I am Thor Odinson!" Thor shouted, undeterred.

"We know who you are," the voice responded in a bored tone. The speaker was clearly unimpressed by the Asgardians appearance in his realms. There was a shift of movement in the shadows and they saw Laufey, sitting on his throne of ice and stone.

"How did your people get into Asgard?" Thor demanded, refusing to be cowed by even one as ancient and powerful as Laufey.

Laufey turned, his glowing red eyes shining in the darkness. He made a noise low in his throat like a growl. "The House of Odin is full of traitors," he said.

Thor leapt forward a step, raising his hammer as his eyes flashed dangerously. "Do not dishonor my father's name with your lies!" he snarled.

Laufey moved then and shoved to his feet, his eyes flashing with temper. He towered over them from his raised dias, his red eyes locked on Thor. "Your father is a murderer and a thief!" he snarled. "And why have you come here? To make peace?" Laufey mocked. "You long for battle. You crave it. You're nothing but a boy trying to prove himself a man."

Thor's whole body tensed at the insult. His entire focus was locked on Laufey. Loki however wasn't so distracted, he heard as the other Frost Giants finally made their presence known. They shifted out from behind the rocks and ruins, stepping so they could be seen. Their presence was a silent threat to those who would threaten their King. There were at least two dozen of them already and he could hear more coming.

"Well, this 'boy' has grown tired of your mockery," Thor snapped.

Red glowing eyes locked on their small group. The Frost Giants began conjuring weapons made of ice. Sif's eyes moved over them and she adjusted her grip on her spear beneath her cloak. Hogun and Fandral shifted nervously. Loki couldn't believe his brother would still press Laufey so aggressively when it was obvious his frost giants disliked the disrespectful tone he was taking with their King. His brother was going to get them all killed.

Loki took a swift step forward to his brother's side. He leaned close so he was speaking into Thor's ear only. "Thor stop and think. We are outnumbered."

"Know your place brother," Thor snapped cruelly, shoving his brother back a step.

Loki jerked like he had been slapped. He was used to being brushed off so by his father and the others. Thor often forgot about him, but he had never shut him down in this manner, particularly in front of an enemy. Shame and rage flooded Loki's chest.

"You know not what your actions would unleash," Laufey said and his gaze turned sad for a a moment. "I do," he said and his regret was obvious.

Laufey stalked out of the shadows to stand before them. He was nearly twice their height. His wise, red eyes flickered over the two princes and landed on Loki. He cocked his head as though he didn't quite know what to make of him. A small frown formed between his eyes as he studied the younger, but taller prince. "Go now, while I still allow it."

"We will accept, your most gracious offer," Loki said quickly and he bowed respectfully to the Frost Giant King.

Thor was still trembling with rage, he locked eyes on Laufey. Laufey nodded his head dismissively to the princes.

Loki turned and gestured to the others to begin backing out slowly. Thankfully they actually listened to him this time. "Come on brother," Loki called to Thor, his back to him.

Loki had managed to take one step before the rumbling voice of another Frost Giant echoed through the cavern. "Run back home little princess," the Frost Giant mocked.

Loki closed his eyes for a second. There was no way to get them out of this without bloodshed. His brother's pride wouldn't allow it. "Damn."

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Frigga had been searching for her sons for the last hour and it seemed no one in the palace had seen them. She couldn't imagine how upset Thor must be, having his big day ruined. Loki would be more circumspect about the whole thing, but he cared deeply for his brother and was likely to be pulled into Thor's foul mood.

Frigga hesitated as she passed a balcony that overlooked her private garden. Down below the troublesome elf was working in one of the flower beds. The sun glinted off the tools she was using and Frigga froze. Her eyes snapped up to the sky. Thor's coronation had been ruined and there wasn't a cloud in sight. A bad feeling went over her and her eyes locked back on the elf.

Frigga hurried through the halls down into the garden. "Kenna," she barked out the slave's name. Immediately, the elf scrambled to her feet, dropping her chin to her chest. Frigga watched the slave coldly. Sigyn had assured them the collar was working and so far that seemed to be the case. Frigga wasn't so easy to trust.

"Where are my sons?" Frigga snapped, her eyes scanned the slave's face for any hint of the dangerous defiance she had witnessed weeks ago.

Kenna's shoulders stayed rounded, she didn't look up and when she answered her voice was barely above a whisper. "I know not my lady."

Frigga cocked her head to the side. The slave always seemed to know where Loki was. Although in the last few weeks since the magic incident that had nearly taken Loki from her, there had been a marked distance between them. Perhaps, fixing the collar had fixed the issue of her son's feelings for the slave. She could only hope.

"When did you last see the prince?" Frigga asked.

"I saw his majesty the prince in the main hall just after the coronation was interrupted," Kenna said in a low voice.

Frigga scowled. She had no way of knowing if Kenna was lying to her or not. She didn't possess that power. "Look me in the eye," Frigga ordered.

Kenna drew in a shaky breath and lifted her inky black gaze to meet the queen's.

The Queen's eyes were harsh and shrewd. "Did you see Prince Loki today?"

"Yes," Kenna replied honestly.

"Where?" Frigga demanded.

"At the coronation," Kenna said, once more dancing around the question. She wouldn't be able to keep it up for long, soon the Queen would ask her straight out and if she lied, she feared the queen would know the truth.

Frigga's scowl deepened. The slave was being deliberately difficult. She took a menacing step towards the slave and pooled her power in her hand. "I suspect my sons are in danger, if you know anything about it, you will tell me now."

There was a momentary flash of defiance in the eerie black pools of Kenna's eyes. She had finally found the right question that Kenna couldn't avoid and the threat had pushed Kenna past the defenses of the collar. Frigga had her answer and needed to see the All Father immediately. Her son's lives might depend on it.

She whirled away from the elf and marched towards the palace. She hesitated and turned back to the elf. "You have made a mistake this day Ljosalfar's daughter," Frigga growled, Sigyn had been wrong, the power of the collar was no longer enough to contain Kenna. "Once my son's are safe I shall deal with you."

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There was no avoiding a fight now. Thor had come here with rage boiling in his veins and he wouldn't leave until he was satisfied and the Frost giants had just given his ego the excuse he needed. A wide smile spread across Thor's face and with a whistle of power he slammed Mjolnir into the Frost Giant who had mocked him. The Giant flew backwards, slamming into a wall of ice fifty yards behind him.

"Next?" Thor mocked, his eyes alight with excitement as he faced the Frost Giants.

The remaining Frost Giants closed in on their group, and without another option they all engaged. Loki fired off four daggers, summoning them into his fingers as quickly as he threw them, landing them in the throats of the nearest Frost Giants.

Somewhere behind him he could hear his brother laughing. "At least make it a challenge for me!" he mocked and it set Loki's teeth on edge. This would be war if they managed to make it out of here alive and his brother thought it funny.

As though they took Thor at his word more Frost Giants leapt down from the surrounding cliffs and ran for them. These ones were wearing armor and carried swords made out of ice. They roared their anger at their home being invaded and attacked without hesitation.

Loki dodged and darted, flinging off daggers as quickly as he could throw them. The Frost Giants were stronger than him, but he was faster and if he could just keep moving he might be able to disable enough of them to get them all out of this alive. Over the sounds of battle he could hear his brother laughing and mocking the Giants, and the ring of Mjolnir. Somehow over the clamor he heard Sif grunt in pain. He swung around to see her laying on her back at the feet of a Frost Giant warrior. He threw a dagger into the Giant's heart and it collapsed at her feet. Her eyes snapped up to meet his gaze and he nodded to her. She nodded back, her gratitude shinning in her eyes. She snatched up her spear and engaged another.

Loki's distraction cost him however and the roar of a charging giant caught his ears. He turned to see one of the largest bearing down on him. He glanced behind himself to see the edge of a ravine behind him and he turned back to the beast. He moved his hands subtly and his whole body tingled. He teleported out of the way, leaving an illusion of himself in place. The beast went straight through the illusion, crashing to it's death.

He waved his hand once more, drawing the illusion back to himself. Somewhere behind him he heard Volstagg roar in pain. His head snapped to the large warrior. He couldn't watch everyone's back at once. While his brother was courting glory Loki was fighting to keep them all alive.

Volstagg was still on his feet, but he was clutching his forearm that was smoking. "Don't let them touch you!" he roared.

Another Giant charged Loki and he summoned a short sword. He slammed it into the creatures heart. The Giant dropped to it's knees, grabbing his wrist as he died. The Giant's deadly icy touch shattered the armor on his left forearm. The Giant smirked triumphantly as his grip found Loki's bare skin, but they both froze when instead of smoking and turning black Loki felt nothing.

The skin beneath the giants hand turned the same rich shade of blue as the Frost Giant's and it began climbing up Loki's arm. The giant's eyes widened in shock and he opened his mouth to say something. In shock, Loki summoned another dagger in his right hand and buried in the giants throat. Silencing him forever.

The giants body fell away from him but Loki barely noticed as he stared down at his left hand in horror. The blue that had been spreading stopped. It persisted for a few long moments, a swirling pattern stretched across the back of his hand and up his forearm. Loki could hear nothing but the pounding of his pulse in his ears and his heart thundering in his chest as a magic he had never felt swirled through him, calling to him. Then it began to recede and soon it was nothing but smooth, pale skin. He closed the hand into a fist as though to reassure himself.

A shout of pain reached Loki's ears and pulled him back to the present. Fandral. He whirled around to see the blonde asgardian had been impaled by ice spikes and the giant responsible was raising another to finish the job. Loki threw another dagger and the giant staggered back. Loki teleported closer and slammed another blade up under the Giant's chin allowing Volstagg and Hodun to run in and save Fandral. They hefted him up, off of the spikes and Fandral whimpered weakly. Loki kicked the Giant's body away from him and turned to the others. They were losing. Badly.

Sif appeared at his side and together they fought to keep the giants back as Volstagg hefted Fandral over his shoulder.

"Thor!" Sif shouted, but Thor didn't stop.

"We must go!" Loki shouted, loud enough for his brother to hear.

"Then go!" Thor responded, but he didn't stop, he didn't even turn to check on his friends. He threw Mjolnir and took out a whole line of Frost Giant warriors, but it wouldn't be enough to save them.

Turning away from his brother Loki met the gaze of the others. "Let's go," he said and he gestured for them to lead the way. "I'll cover us!" He shouted to be heard over the clash of battle.

Loki kicked another Giant back, covering their retreat. He staggered as a shudder went throught the ice beneath them. He whipped around and somehow across the field of battle his eyes met Laufey's. A grim, vicious smile lit the Frost Giant kings face. Laufey had done something. Loki could feel the cold tang magic in the air, he could taste it on the back of his tongue and it called to that strange magic that had touched him when his skin had turned blue.

Ice cracked and shattered and a huge, four legged beast burst out of the ice. To it turned to face them and opened its massive jaws, flashing razor sharp fangs as large as Loki's whole body.

Loki's eyes widened.

"RUN!" Volstagg screamed. The others took off, back to where they had come throught the bifrost.

Loki hesitated. Laufey was still watching him for some reason.

"Thor!" he called, but he followed the others, fighting off the Frost Giants who tried to follow. His brother could protect himself, the others were exhausted and needed his help.

The massive creature gave chase as they fled across the ice field. Loki threw out pulses of magic, knocking down pinnacles of ice and rock, trying to slow it down but nothing worked. He turned and put a hand on the ground, sending a powerful shockwave that shattered the ice under it's feet. The creature began to fall, it's claws scrambling against the ice, but it found no purchase.

Sif dodged out of the way just in time as it's huge spiked tail slammed into the ice in a final, desperate attempt to save itself from falling. It wasn't enough. The ground shattered around the creature and it disappeared.

Fandral laughed happily in relief, his eyes meeting Loki's. Loki nodded to him and the others kept running for safety. Loki hesitated as lightning exploded behind them. Thor had called upon his power.

Loki glanced back and forth from where he knew his brother still fought to their friends. The Frost Giants were still charging however and he could see how tired Sif was getting. He ran after them, killing two more Giants.

They reached the edge of the cliff and Volstagg lifted his chin to the sky. "Heimdal open the bridge!" he bellowed, his voice echoing through the emptiness of the ice field.

Instead of a the bridge however a massive clawed paw slammed into the top of the cliff directly in front of them. The eerie creature pulled itself up and snarled down at them. Somehow it had survived its fall and managed to flank them. Loki glanced behind them, but the Frost Giant army was closing in on them. There was no escape.

The creature snarled, spittle dripping from it's massive fangs. Loki opened his palms, pooling his power there primitively as his thoughts raced over what to do next.

The creature rose up on two legs and they all took a step back. Sif raised her spear and settled into a crouch. Then there was a flash of movement and Thor slammed through the roaring creatures mouth and out the back of it's throat. The creature swayed for only a moment before it's massive body collapsed, dead. Thor landed in a crouch in front of them a wide grin still on his face as he faced his friends.

Loki had turned his back to his brother and watched the Frost Giant army advance. The smile stilled on Thor's face. There were hundreds of them. Laufey stood at the front, his red eyes locked on Thor.

There was a brief moment where Loki thought of Kenna, and how he had failed her. He should have figured out how to free her. He should have found a way. She was too important to have left the way he did. He had failed her.

Then the army moved. They took menacing steps forward and just as they would have reached the Asgardian's, light opened up from the sky. The bifrost exploded overhead and Odin appeared. He wore his golden armor and sat astride his black, six legged horse.

Thor turned and shouted triumphantly. "Father! We'll finish them together!"

"Silence!" Odin hissed at his heir angrily.

Ice crackled and formed, lifting Laufey so he stood eye to eye with Odin. "All father," he greeted. His eyes ranged over Odin's face. "You look weary."

Loki hated Thor even more in that moment. Thor had not only endangered their lives, but he had just endangered the nine realms. If Laufey suspected Odin was weak he would see it as his chance to attack. They couldn't allow for even a hint of a rumor to spread that Odin was weak.

"Laufey, end this now," Odin ordered.

"Your boy sought this out," Laufey growled. The others all shot disgruntled looks at Thor. Thor didn't notice. He was too busy glaring at Laufey. Loki however stood back and observed and knew Thor would have to work hard to regain the loyalty of his friends. His brother had betrayed their trust.

"You're right," Odin agreed. "These are the actions of a boy, treat them as such. You and I can end this here and now before there is further bloodshed."

Laufey growled low in his throat. "We are beyond diplomacy now All Father. He'll get what he came for; war...and death," Laufey promised.

Odin nodded sadly. "So be it," he agreed.

Loki opened his mouth to shout as he saw Laufey summon a dagger made of ice. "Fath-" he started but Odin had already moved. He raised Gunguir and the bifrost activated. It threw Laufey back and enveloped them all in warm light, pulling them back to Asgard.

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