THOR HAD GATHERED THE REMAINING WARRIOR THREE, HEIMDALL, LADY SIF AND QUEEN ASTRID INTO A DARK, SECLUDED ROOM. Shortly after she had fainted, Astrid had regained consciousness as Thor carried her through the castle. So there she sat with a glass of water in front of her between Lady Sif and Volstagg and opposite Thor.

"We must move Jane off world." Thor stated.

Lady Sif sighed. "The Bifrost has been shut down and the Tesseract locked away in a vault."

"There are other paths off Asgard, ways known only to a few." Heimdall interjected from his place behind Thor. Though he was bound to his king, Thor had managed to convince the gatekeeper of his plan of treason.

"One, actually." Thor corrected Heimdall's statement.

The others around the table looked to Thor in a mixture of emotions. Confusion, regret, annoyance, doubtfulness.

They knew exactly who Thor was eluding to.

Loki, obviously. Who else would know another way in and out of Asgard with the Bifrost out of commission?

"No." Volstagg put down the notion immediately.

"Even so," Fandral began. "He will betray you."

Thor nodded. "He will try."

"Well, what then? Your lovely mortal is being guarded by a legion of our Einherjar who will see you coming from miles away." Fandral continued.

"I won't be the one who comes for her," Thor answered as he looked to Lady Sif.

"And what of the Allfather?" Astrid asked.

"It is my sworn duty to notify him of crimes against the throne." Heimdall responded.

Volgstagg tutted. "Assuming you can get Loki's help, and you can free this mortal, what good would it do? We'd all be dead the minute we step one foot outside the palace."

Thor smiled. "That, my friend, is where we won't be leaving by foot."

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NONETHELESS, THOR AND ASTRID DESCENDED DOWN TO THE DUNGEONS TO RETRIEVE LOKI. There he stood once more, calm and collected. Unlike himself the night prior.

"Thor, after all this time and now you come to visit me." Loki spoke, venom dripping from his voice. "Why? Have you come to gloat? To mock?"

"Loki, enough," Thor ordered. "No more illusions."

Loki lowered his head and like last night, a green hue enveloped his figure and revealed his true state. He was just the same as last night, perhaps a tad less distraught thanks to Astrid.

"Now you see me, brother," Loki weakly spoke. "Did she suffer?" He asked, referring to Frigga.

"I did not come here to share our grief. Instead, I offer you the chance of a far richer sacrament."

Loki furrowed his brow. "Go on."

Thor looked to Astrid who nodded in return. Astrid placed a gentle hand on the cell, an offering. "We know you seek vengeance as much as we do. If you help us escape Asgard, we will be granted vengeance. And afterward, this cell."

Loki chuckled as his eyes flickered from Astrid hand to Thor's face. "You must be truly desperate to come to me for help. What make you think you can trust me?"

"I don't," Thor answered. "But she does," he gestured to Astrid. "And so did Mother. You should know that when we fought each other in the past, I did so with a glimmer of hope that my brother was still in there somewhere. That hope no longer exists to protect you. You betray me and I will kill you."

Loki smiled as he examined Thor's face then flicking to Astrid's. He saw determination etched into Thors, while he found hope and forgiveness in Astrid's.

"Hmm," he mused the idea in his head. "When do we start?"

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THE TRIO ESCAPED FROM THE DUNGEONS WITHOUT BEING NOTICED. They walked his haste, in a hurry to execute Thor's plan quickly and without any hiccups. Loki strode in between Thor and Astrid confidently, his once ratted clothing now replaced with his usual leathery armour.

"This is so unlike you, brother. So clandestine. Are you sure you wouldn't rather just punch your way out?" Loki breathed out.

"If you keep speaking I just might." Thor grumbled.

Loki tutted with a smirk. "Fine. As you wish. I'm not even here." He used his magic to alter his appearance to a standard Asgardian guard. "Is this better?"

"It's better company at least." Thor replied.

"I think my dear Astrid would disagree," Loki transformed back to himself to look to the queen with a smirk. Astrid chuckled as she looked to Thor who had now been transformed into a clone of her. "Hm, brother. You look much more ravishing."

"More than I?" Astrid asked teasingly.

Loki turned his head back to the queen with a smile. "No one could be more ravishing than you, My Queen."

"It will hurt no less when I kill you in this form," Thor's voice grumbled out of his new form.

Loki sighed. "Very well. Perhaps you prefer one of your new companions, given that you seem to like them so much." Loki turned himself into one of the avengers from Midgard, Captain America. The illusion was perfect, his face and costume, even his voice were a perfect replica of the original. "Oh, this is much better," Loki spoke, in his new American accent. "Woah, this costumes a bit much, so tight. But the confidence, I can feel the righteousness surging. Hey, you wanna have a rousing discussion about truth, honour, patriotism? God bless Amer-" Before Loki could continue his babbling about America, Thor grabbed him and pushed him against the the wall making Loki turn back to himself. Astrid quickly followed after them, stopping right behind Thor, peaking her head over his shoulder. "What?"

Astrid looked to the side as did Thor and Loki to see two Asgardian guards walking away. "You could at least furnish me with a weapon. My dagger, something!" Thor looked to Astrid over his shoulder who shrugged with a smile. Thor looked back to his brother, pulling something from Astrid's hands behind him and placing it into Loki's. "As last, a little common sense. He stopped himself as he peered down at his palms, expecting his dagger. Yet when he raised his fists, he revealed that his wrists had been enclosed within iron handcuffs.

"And I though you liked tricks." Thor laughed and turned to walk off.

Loki looked to Astrid who smiled teasingly at him. "You allow me to be bound like this?"

"You know I like it," she replied with a wink. Astrid walked off with a skip in her step as Loki watched her intensely.

"Oh, Nords," he breathed out excitedly at her words.

The trio walked out into the open hall of the castle to meet Lady Sif and Jane. The two women approached the trio of gods.

Jane pointed to Loki as she sped up. "You're..." she began, her face scrunching up in distaste.

"I'm Loki. You may have heard of..." But Jane interrupted him with a harsh slap to his face.

"That was for New York."

Loki grinned and turned his gaze to Thor. "I like her."

Though they were interrupted when guards emerged from the halls and began to surround them. "There they are! Take them. On my command!"

"I'll hold them off," Sif instructed as she pulled out her sword. "Take her."

"Thank you," Thor patted her shoulder and grabbed Jane's hand. The two rushed off as Loki and Astrid pursued, however, Sif pulled her sword in front of Loki's throat, stopping him.

"Betray him and I'll kill you." Sif threatened.

Loki chuckled. "It's good to see you too, Sif."

Lady Sif raised her blade to allow Loki to duck under it. Astrid pulled on his arm to follow in Thor and James's footsteps. 

"Any bets Volstagg or Fandral will say the same?" Loki smirked down at Astrid.

"Oh, absolutely," Astrid chuckled.