Ever since their trip to the Astral Plane, Loki has had a lot on her mind. The revelatory that it had been about a million years since Loki and the Valkyrie had been sealed was shocking enough, but also discovering that the death of the previous Administartor was somehow related to one of Loki's siblings left her puzzled. All these different things painted a partial picture of events, but there were still too many pieces missing.
For now, her main objective was to get to the moon, and as impossible as it sounds, she was confident she had done so before.
The door opened and Fen walked in, carrying a tray of tea.
"What time is it?" Loki asked
"That depends," she replied, "how long has it been since you got proper rest?"
"You know me too well," Loki said
"I used to think so too," Fen said, pouring a cup for Loki, "then I found out you went to the Astral Plane, and ripped out a good chunk of your own essence and gave it to those faery f@£ks for 'safe keeping', all without telling me." Fen scowled, "This means you planned for this; us being sealed, having your level reset, hell, maybe even the world shift? The fact that I knew none of this upsets me greatly; what use am I if my master can't trust me?"
"I get why you're upset," Loki said, "but it makes sense. I was dealing with something serious, something beyond you. Something so unpredictable I had to create a backup that I apparently needed."
"Does this have to do with what the Administrator told you at the end?" Fen asked. "That thing about your sibling?"
It seemed only Loki could hear that last bit of their conversation. Fen only caught her reaction to it.
"Yes," Loki sighed, "apparently, another of the 9 Primes killed the last World Tree."
Fen didn't gasp, or give any other exclamation, she just nodded her head.
"I see." She said, pouring herself a cup, and taking a long sip, "I suspected it might be something along those lines. I didn't want to beleive it would be that bad though. If one of your siblings found you... well, the end of the world would be an accurate reaction."
"I definitely wasn't the favorite,"
"You told me you staged a rebellion with a third of the primes, and it ended badly, for everyone." Fen said, "You, and the other two rebel Primes, were exiled along with your legions, becoming fallen. And from what you said, even the Primes who technically won came out worse off by the end." Fen recounted, "Whatever you did, it broke something in all of you, and they all likely hate you for it."
"Which is why I need to figure this out," Loki said, "I don't want to have to wake up naked and confused another million years after they end the world again."
"If you want to go to the moon, we'll need Asgard Tower," Fen reasoned, "which means we need to find Yggy."
"Hmm," Loki mused to herself, before pulling the Scrying Mirror from her inventory.
"Don't tell me you're going back there?" Fen demanded
"No." Loki said, "but I am going to make a call."
Loki then pulled a spear from her inventory, one stained with her blood.
"Answer my call, Saint Silver." Loki said
The room trembled as the mirror glowed
"Summoning a World Pillar like this is risky," Fen warned, "even if you have a medium and a vessel."
"I don't know anyone else who has the information I need," Loki argued, "and even I'm not fool enough to strong arm the Administartor so soon after our last standoff."
"But the faery king is fair game?" Fen smirked,
Suddenly, the mirror released a burst of energy that tore through the room and shattered every window and glass surface.
"How dare you summon me like some common familiar." Came the outraged response from the faery king, it's visage glowing within the Scrying Mirror.
"I hope I didn't catch you at a bad time?" Loki said,
"You go too far, fallen one." Saint Silver sneered, "you violate the rules of this world."
"Please, we have a pact," Loki said, holding up the bloody spear, "it may not be as iron-clad as a Word-is-Bond, but it is no less binding."
The faceless being glared at her, it's rage and hatred palpable through the mirror.
"This pact will not protect you forever, fallen one," it growled,
"Maybe not, but until then, I call and you answer, bitch." Loki said sweetly, "now I have a request."
"What?"
"I need to know where all the vaults are, even the ones that haven't opened yet." Loki demanded
"Icannothelpyou."
"I'm sorry, did me calling it a request made you think you could refuse?" Loki scowled,
"You ask for something that is not mine to give." Saint Silver replied, "I simply cannot fulfil your request."
"You can and you will." Loki urged, "I know that you have pseudo-administrator clearance to access the world system. You can find the information I need."
"Even if I could, why would I risk the Administrator's ire for your sake?"
"Because I'll give you your spear back," Loki said
The faery looked at him suspiciously.
"I'm serious. This spear, stained with my blood, holds the key to our pact. Do this for me, and I return what is yours." Loki offered
"Very well, fallen one." The faery said, "your terms are acceptable."
"Good. I look forward to your call." Loki said as she broke the connection.
The mirror stopped glowing, but was steaming from the immense power it contained.
"That was risky," Fen said, "who knows what will happen once that thing gets the catalyst to your pact."
"Oh, it's not getting that," Loki smirked
"But you cannot lie about a pact, and you said..."
"That I would return the spear," Loki said, "this spear."
Loki materialized another spear from her inventory, that looked identical to the first one, except free of titan blood.
"I picked it up on our way out," Loki shrugged, "thought it'd come in handy."
"Using specific wording to mislead a World Pillar," Fen smirked, "I'd expect nothing less from you, my master."
It was only then that the two heard the sirens, alarms going off across the city. In the distance, they could see a huge plume of smoke rising from one of the city gates.
"What the f@£k is it this time?" Fen sighed.
"Well whatever it is, it'll definitely give me a reason to test out what I can do now." Loki grinned
"You can get so excitable sometimes," Fen noted with a smile, "it honestly a little infectious."
"What's the point of being grown up if you can't act like a child every once in a while?" Loki said as she whistled before jumping out one of the broken windows. Her cloak, which had been by the door flew to her, wrapping around her on midair, as she activated [Skywalk]
Loki was instantly suspended in the air, floating several feet from the ground.
"You coming?" Loki called to Fen, who was by the window.
"Go on ahead," Fen said, "I'll catch up."
Loki got in close, planting a quick kiss on Fen's cheek, stunning the Black Wolf.
"There's more where that came from if you don't keep me waiting long." Loki purred into her ear, before quickly flying away, towards the commotion.
"How could I not love you, when you're like that?" Fen mused to herself, caressing the cheek Loki had kissed
* * *
Several days earlier
The Ragnarok Cult had been spending the last few weeks preparing for the assault on the city of Nüjaven, ever since they heard that the summoned ancients had moved to the city.
Yara Clawthorne, one of their high preistesses acted like their general, planning every stage of their assault; gathering allies, securing resources, studying the enemy. It reminded her of playing wargames with her sister, before she was enlightened to the truth.
The cult had amassed quite the fighting force in its time, its average members were around level 200, and possessed a wide variety of skills at their disposal.
"We attack in a few days," Yara informed her commanders
"A frontal siege? A bold move." One of the sect leaders said
"The city is well defended, and well equipped," Yara said, "such an attack would divert their focus, allowing for our main force to slip in virtually undetected with the help of my contact. If all goes according to plan, by the time anyone realizes anything, we would already have made contact with the ancients."
"And are you sure this will work?" another commented, "the city-lord still has their secret weapons, the monster they keep locked away."
"According to my contact, that weapon has sided with the ancients, and even helped them conquer the vault." Yara informed them
"So getting these ancients is of utmost importance," another said, "can we even accomplish that?"
"Worry not, the vault we discovered has yielded many treasures, including means to persuade these ancients." Yara said, smiling confidently.
The main assault went off exactly as planned, with the bulk of their forces hitting the gate and drawing the city defences to them, while Yara led a smaller elite team through one of the secret passages under the city.
Thanks to a remote communication skill, they were able to keep in contact with their assault force at the gate. And receive constant updates on events.
"So, can you tell me about this Nex Loki?" Yara asked to her contact, one of the city-lord's advisors, that was currently guiding her through the underground passage.
"They are unlike anything I've ever seen before," the advisor said, "the possess such odd abilities, different from any skills we know of, like their ability to shift between man and woman."
"Really?" Yara commented, she'd always wondered if her life would have been any different if she had been born male.
"Not just that, but they can make objects appear out of nowhere, and disappear just as quickly." The advisor said,
"A storage skill? That is rare."
"The Storm Bringer, Thor, recognised them as her master almost immediately, and they have by their side another being of comparable power called Fenris, the Black Wolf. Both are fiercely loyal to them and would kill us all in a heartbeat if we greatly offend them." The advisor reported, "however, the oddest thing about them is the air about them, like they have witnessed far more than you could ever imagine."
"I don't know, I can imagine a lot," Yara mused to herself.
When Yara began receiving reports of a woman in green flying above the field, a werebeast maid with black chains, and a knight with one arm carrying a warhammer, she wasn't surprised to soon receive reports of their forces encountering heavier resistance. This Nex Loki and their companions were at work.
She relayed orders to her troops to press the attack, knowing it would pose no risk to the ancients. She proceeded down the tunnel, confident that they would meet soon.
* * *
Loki was bored.
By her estimates, the assault of these people, who identified themselves as the Ragnarok Cult, was of comparable severity to the dragon horde attack months ago. They were all at least above level 200, which was quite impressiv, and had in their possession a number of items, a number of them had familiars and tamed beasts with them, adding to their combat power.
Unfortunately, Loki was currently near level 500, and found most of them barely a challenge. At one point, she even had to wait when she saw a group of desperate cultist working on what she understood to be a summoning ritual. The leader of the group had a forbidden book in his possession, so Loki opted to wait in the sky above them, letting them complete their ritual and summon something she identified as a lesser abysswalker. It was some sort of drakon, a flightless dragon subspecies, whose body was enaciated and emanated a dark miasma overtook its body, like rot. A thick dark substance dripped from its eyes and maw, like a poison, hissing when it came into contact with anything.
Now that did get her attention
As soon as she saw the corrupted creature, alarms went off in her head, her instincts were screaming ENEMY. But at the same time, looking at the thing made her think of Fenris, she was a faery that had been turned into a greater abysswalker before Loki found her. This poor thing was in the same boat as Fen.
As the large lumbering beast locked eyes on Loki, she floated before it motionlessly.
"Lokkun," she heard Fen call in her mind. "I sensed..."
"I know," she replied to her companion
"I'm on my way. I can take careofit." Fen offered
"No, I'll do it." Loki said, turning back to the drakon, who Loki had half-buried by transmitting the ground into quicksand to restrict its movements.
"You poor thing," Loki commented, raising her hand to the struggling creature.
With the snap of a finger she activated her [Pyromancy], and the drakon combusted in a bright green inferno.
She then turned her attention back to the cultists, who had already run away, but Loki could track them, the stench of the ritual was still on them and was hard to miss for a titan. Another snap of her fingers saw most of them incinerated by emerald flames, except the one with the book. That one Loki would deal with personally.
She flew over to the alley where the cultist was hiding at, lowering herself to the ground so she could look him in the eyes.
"What do you want?" He demanded
"That thing you summoned, where did it come from?" She asked
"W-what?" He asked, then screamed as he found a knife in his knee.
"That lesser abysswalker," she demanded, her eyes bright with rage, "where the f@£k did you get it from? It's not easy to make one anymore, I made sure of that."
"Th-the book," he cried, reaching for the forbidden book, only for it to float out of his reach and right into Loki's hand.
Loki read through the book silently, as more knives stabbed into the cultists, pinning him in place.
"Last time I dealt with you people, I was willing to let you off with that warning," Loki said, "but now? Using the power of the Enemy like this? Creating and unleashing such abominations? I cannot abide. I will now have to hunt down the Ragnarok Cult, with extreme prejudice. Many of you will die, most of you will suffer first, and I want you to know that I will take great joy in tearing down all you've built."
"W-wait, please..." he begged, desperation in his teary eyes
"Why bother? We both knew you weren't going to live through this encounter." Loki said coldly as the alley is engulfed in a massive burst of fire, incinerating it's mortal occupant.
Seconds later, Fen appeared behind Loki, looking at the ashes that had once been the cultist
"Why did you come here?" She demanded,
"I didn't think you should be alone right now," Fen said, "You get quite the temper whenever the Enemy is involved."
"They're doing it again," Loki said, holding up the forbidden book, "after it nearly ended their world the first time, the Enemy has managed to worm its influence back into this world."
"And the stupid mortals ate it up, as they do," Fen scoffed,
"Looks like we also have to add eradicating this Ragnarok Cult to our list," Loki said
"Well it's been a while since I had a good hunt, and these guys seem like they'd make adequate prey." Fen responded
Suddenly, there was a rumbling in the clouds, followed by a single bolt of lightning that struck not far from them. There stood Thor, her eyes glowing with power and her body crackling with electricity.
"I've been look everywhere for you, Flag face." Thor said
"Well you found me, Tin can." Fen retorted
"Has something happened?" Loki asked
"Well, most of the cultists at the gate have dispersed, and the city guard are dealing with the ones that got into the city." Thor reported, "but some managed to get to the city-lord's residence and are demanding an audience with you."
"They want to meet me?" Loki asked, curious, "very well, let's see what they want."
Loki, Fen, Thor, and the twins arrived at the courtyard of the city-lord's manor, where they found a group of cultists waiting for them.
"You must be Nex Loki?" A werebeast woman at the front said.
Loki paused momentarily, this woman looked just like Sara, from Rondel, but there were a few subtle differences that she could notice with her advanced senses.
The twins looked at the woman in shock.
"M-mom?" Petra demanded
"No," Fen said, "that is not your mother,"
"I am Yara Clawthorne," she introduced herself, "sister of Sara Clawthorne, and priestess of the Ragnarok Cult."
"Where's the city-lord?" Loki asked
"She was escorted back to her chambers by her guard after a brief exchange of hostility." Yara said, "despite everything that has transpired here today, I only came here to talk."
Loki observed her for a moment,
"Can you tell your hidden people to stop that incessant chanting?" Loki demanded, "I'm trying veryhard to remain civil, but it's making us very irritable, and very much want to hurt you."
Around the courtyard, six cultists revealed themselves, having been completely hidden to nearly all forms of detection. They each held a strange talisman and had previously been chanting in star tongue. Both Fen and Thor looked ready to murder them, and even Loki was uncharacteristically hostile.
"We did not mean to offend," Yara said,
"It's not really their fault," Loki shrugged, [you mortals aren't built to speak the star tongue properly.]
"That was impressive, I've never heard it spoken so naturally,"
[That's because you aren't worthy to speak or hear it,] Fen growled
[Now Fenris,] Loki soothed, [don't lose your composure. We'll see what they want, and if I don't like it, you and Thor can tear them apart.]
[I like the sound of that,] Thor said
[Me too,] Fen added
Both Fen and Thor smiled menacingly at that, which unnerved everyone who couldn't understand their conversation.
"Quite clever, by the way," Loki said stepping forward, "your hidden cultists were trying to invoke a pact of some kind to bind us, I assume,"
"Yes," Yara sighed, "they thought that they could use the words of power to bind you safely if they were completely hidden from detection, but you still sensed them anyway. They wanted to force you into a Word-is-Bond."
"That wouldn't have worked, a Word-is-Bond needs the consent of both parties," Loki said, "and you don't seem to have anything I want at the moment."
"I don't know, I can be quite persuasive. And I have information you would find interesting." Yara said, "for instance; aren't you curious about what happened between me and my sister?"
"Not really." Loki replied, then turned back, "you guys?"
"Eh," Fen shrugged uninterested
"I don't even know who you're talking about," Thor replied
The twins looked a little conflicted, but did not say anything.
"Besides," Loki said, "Whatever went down is between you and her. If it becomes necessary, I can just find out from a more credible source."
"More credible than me or my sister?" Yara said
"'There's nothing under the sky that the world doesn't know'." Loki quoted, "someone once told me that."
"I see I have no means to tempt you," Yara laughed, "guess I'll have to use more coercive means."
She pulled out a small wooden puzzle box from within her robes.
[Open.] She said, tossing it towards Loki and her group.
As it landed before them, it erupted, expanding into a large 20 foot cube of energy that engulfed the group and half the courtyard.
"What the s#!t?" Thor demanded, striking the energy wall with her hammer to no effect.
"So, this is your plan?" Loki questioned inspecting the cube, "a puzzlebox trap?"
"You know of these items too?"
"They were a fad for a time," Loki commented, "I think I even tried to make one of these myself once."
"What's a puzzlebox trap?" Tetra asked, cautiously
"It locks its target away inside an alternate space," Fen explained, "in there has its own laws, and principles, even its own accelerated flow of time."
"You know quite a lot. So you must also know that escaping them is all but impossible once you've been caught," Yara said, "unless I let you out, of course."
"Which you won't do unless I agree to your Word-is-Bond." Loki nodded,
"So what say you, Nex Loki?" Yara demanded.
"Smart plan. I'd score it a good 7.5 out of 10." Loki said, "but then again, I'm being very generous."
"Very well, let's see how you feel after spending a few decades in there?" Yara said, [Close.]
The energy cube instantly shrank down, turning back into the small wooden box, and consuming everything that was trapped inside, and leaving a cube-shaped void in the space it previously occupied that cut through everything that was partially stuck inside, including a whole wall.
"Let's see how long you can hold onto your sanity in there," Yara said, picking up the puzzlebox.
Inside Thor was pounding against the wall, to no avail.
"Y'know that won't work right?" Fen commented
"I know, but it was worth a shot." Thor huffed,
"I can't beleive we got caught in one of these things." Fen scowled
"So we're just trapped here? Forever?" Tetra said
"Or until our surprise aunt decides to let us go?" Petra added
"Not really," Loki said, "we can get out of here whenever we want,"
"I thought escape was impossible?" Petra asked
"Basically." Loki answered, "But it's a puzzlebox trap. Obviously, the only way out is to solve the puzzle."
"And doing so gets you ownership of the box afterwards," Fen said, "it's a great way to mess with people, but makes for quite the subpar prison if you're smart enough."
"I've always wanted to see the inside of one of these," Loki commented, "it's the only reason I let us get caught in the first place."
The twins looked at each other.
"Don't worry," Loki reassured them, "with the time dilation in here, we could be here for days before the sun even sets outside."
"Alright," Petra sighed, "we trust you."
"Good," Fen nodded, "and by the way; inwas really impressed that you held your tongue earlier, with Yara's story."
"It wasn't our place to decide it was important to know," Tetra said
"Alright, when we get out of here, I'll help you get answers." Fen smiled
"Really?" The asked
"Yes, it's my duty as your mentor to care for you." Fen said, "now let's go, we're falling behind."
With that, they followed after Fen, as Thor and Loki walked on ahead.