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'imprisoned' Frigga had said, a promise that his children would live. An assurance that they would be safe.
He should have known, when he discovered his own origins, that lies fell from her lips as easily as the truth. He should have known, he should have questioned.
He believed her. Believed his children safe.
"Fenrir," his voice came out a hoarse whisper, trembling and weak. He had checked on Jör first, and found his boy, his eldest, his baby. Frozen in ice, and left to starve.
Fate hadn't been so cruel, and when Jör weakened the water flooded in. His son, blue from cold, drowned by the god king.
"I'm so sorry," Loki's voice cracked like ice, shattering. He'd gone to Hela next, Frigga had assured him his daughter ruled the throne of Helheim. Poisonous lies.
"He killed them." Loki whispered to Fenrir, sitting against the form of his youngest. A sword was speared through his mouth, although he had long ago stopped bleeding.
"Killed you all," Loki runs his hands through his son's fur. "She told me you were fine. Imprisoned, but safe."
His magic surges in him, growing with his rage.
"He told me you would cause Ragnorak," he looks at the corpse of his youngest. Looks at his boy who died alone and in pain, at the hands of his grandfather. To the negligence of his grandmother. The last piece of himself shatters.
"In a way," a smile breaks across his face, "in a way he was right. I'll see you soon my son." He pats Fenrir's head, and throws himself through the tears in reality.
When he first learned of the branches of the world tree he had stepped cautiously along them, and over time he had grown more sure footed. Never before had he moved with such haste in the space between worlds. Never before had he been so lacking in fear.
Never before had he torn himself out of that space, cloaked in darkness. His Seider flowed around him, as natural as breathing, as deadly as his knives, as he stepped out into the vault of Asgard.
He sent an illusion to the allmother, a final test he knew she wouldn't pass.
"Mother," the illusion said. The lie of it thick in his throat.
"Come in darling," she greets, "you seem troubled?" She motions for him to sit across from her. The illusion sits, a careful distance from her.
"It's my children, I find that I miss them," and that simple sentence is the biggest lie he has ever told. He does not merely miss his children. He mourns them. He grieves them. The pain of it enough to devour every scrap of good that was left in him.
"I know my son, but they are safe," She assures him, as she has a thousand times before. For the first time he sees the tightness at the corner of her eyes. Hears the hint of irritation in her voice.
"Aye," Loki's illusion agrees, as he hefts the crown of Sauron. "Far safer than you." She blinks, and the illusion dispels as he drops the crown into the eternal flame, teleporting to Odin in the instant it catches flame.
"Loki." Odin greets with a put upon sigh, as all of Asgard trembles.
"Kin slayer." Loki spits, prowling across the throne room.
"You would doom your mother over your anger?" Odin asks, and Loki laughs. That woman, that liar.
"I will doom all of Asgard for both of your crimes," he states. "You, slayer of my son's. You who murdered my daughter. And Frigga silvertongue, the greatest liar of all the realms. It is at your feet that Ragnorak happens." He spits.
"These actions are yours Loki!" Odin barks, and in an instant there's a knife in his throat. The old man let's out a wet gurgle.
"That's true." He agrees, stepping up to the dying king, as his magic senses the fire roaring through the palace around them. "Just as every move you made against my children was yours." He grabs onto the knife embedded in Odin's neck, and pulls, the hot gush of blood running over his hand. "If you had never harmed them, Ragnorak would never have come, but it was what you did to Fenrir that earned you your death."
The doors burst open, and guards charge in. Loki laughs, and grabs Odin's spear, turning to them.
"Kneel before your king!" He orders as the flames spread, rapidly consuming the men in front of him. He turns to spare Odin a final look.
"I can't wait to see you in Helheim, I owe you a few more painful deaths." He says, as the fire consumes him. He prays to his children, to his babies, and offers them Asgard.
Offers them the only apology he can, the death of all who ever harmed them.