#Aesir Pass

[at-liberty-news]

Another Update on Helldiver's Orders

Hello again, dear viewers! We're back with another update on the movements of our staunch protectors!

Not long ago, the Helldivers eradicated all known Terminids on the surface of Heeth. Now they're projected to fully repel the Automaton invasion of Aesir Pass within minutes. By the time most of you are reading this, it will already be safe. And with that, all four currently constructing facilities should be fully operational within just one Super Earth rotation!

Now onto today's personal order. We've seen a massive uptick in Helldivers diverting from their typical drop spots and instead diving into Terminid areas infested with Bile Spewers. Super Earth seems to be worried about the 'artillery' fire they provide the bugs and must want them thinned out so our troops-in-training will maintain ranged superiority.

That's all for now, this is Michael Adams signing off! Give 'em Hell, Divers!

[luvendiary]

3 times hiccup asked you to marry him + the time you realized he meant it

hello! this was an early draft for this request: Hello!!! Imagine hiccup telling reader "I'm in love with you" / "Marry me" out of blue after a stare down (can be established relationship or not muahahaha) I like how this turned out, except for the ending. it's sort of shitty in my opinion. also, this isn't proofread. and sorry for any mistakes, english is not my first language. feel free to point them out. also, there’s a slight corpse bride reference with the vows!! as always, thank you for reading. let me know what you think and if you'd like more of this. requests are always open!

1.

Snoggletog was one of your favorite festivities. The beautiful coat of snow that hugged the soil, and the way the sunlight softly reflected on it was perfect to you. You loved to see how vikings busied themselves by hanging up ornaments and mistletoe on the doors. You loved hearing the out-of-tune carols that echoed across Berk. And you loved the late cold nights as you and the dragon riders sat around a warm fire and talked about the day’s happenings.

One thing you did not love though, was the Snoggletog play, specially because it had been assigned to you all this year. It was the dragon riders’ responsibility to plan, organize and act it out the day of Snoggletog.

“What about the start of dragon races?” Snoutlout suggested.

“They did that two years ago,” Astrid replied as she sharpened her axe.

“We could do Loki-”

“We’re not doing Loki day Tuffnut,” Hiccup interrupted him.

A moment of silence passed amongst all of you.

“What if, we make a reenactment of Odin and Freya’s marriage? How they stopped the Aesir and Vanir war,” you said while nibbling on your thumb.

“That could work,” Fishlegs said.

“I like it, we could even get the dragons in on this,” Astrid suggested.

“Of course, brilliant idea (Y/N),” Snotlout said as he stood up with a cocky attitude. “Specially because I would make the perfect Odin.” He flexed his muscles and stroke a victorious pose.

You chuckled and pushed him away, “Sit down Snotlout. I was actually thinking that Astrid and Fishlegs could be Freya and Odin.”

“Oh no,” Astrid said immediately. “I’m not good at performing. Plus, you gave the idea, you should be Freya.”

“Alright,” you said. “If no one else is up for it, I’ll be Freya. Fishlegs, are you ok with being Odin?”

“Ye-” his reply was interrupted by Astrid elbowing him. “I mean, I wish I could but…I-I don’t like performing.”

“What but you love perfor-?”

“Hiccup! Why aren’t you Odin?!” Astrid chimed in as she placed her arm around your shoulder while the other went around the brunette-boy’s shoulders.

“Uh…I-I guess,” Hiccup said.

Astrid grinned while looking at you, “Great! It’s settled then!”

“Why would you do that?!” you shrieked as you pressed the palm of your hands to your eyes.

Astrid, who sat next to you overlooking Berk from a nearby cliff, shrugged, “Oh I don’t know. Maybe because I’m tired of you two beating around the bush. Why don’t you kiss already? It’s obvious you want to.”

“Shut up Astrid,” you said while sitting up. You rubbed your hands together to provide some heat to your body. “I’m not even sure if he likes me.”

“You’re as blind as Gothi is mute,” she replied.

“How can you be so sure? Has he said anything about me?”

“You’re hopeless Y/N.”

The days went by, and Snoggletog drew closer and closer. Right after training, you went to rehearsals, and while most of it went by in fits of laughter and jokes, you all managed to build a production. You often tended to practice with Hiccup, since you had the most line together, and it gave you an excuse to spend more time with him. During this period, you had managed to gain some small victories in the love department, holding his hand, dancing with him, and hearing him laugh while you acted out some of your scenes being some. However, there was something you both had been avoiding: the marriage kiss. It made your heart flutter and your stomach swarm with butterflies every time you though about the possibility of kissing him; on the other hand, it also felt like Gronkle iron swishing around your intestines. What if he didn’t want to kiss you? What if he just did it out of pity?

Your mind was plagued with questions up until the big day.

“Good luck,” Astrid said while she gave you a knowing look. She was looking forward to the kiss, and if what she had told you was true, all of the dragon riders were too.

The play started out good, Snotlout and Tuffnut played the Aesir family, while Ruffnut and Fishlegs played the Vanir.

The scene changed and the Aesir were complaining with Hiccup about how Freya’s magic and her help towards the Vanir was the reason for their shortcomings.

I was then your time to appear. After several attempts from the Aesir to try to kill Freya, you and Odin came to an agreement: you were to marry each other.

“Marry me,” said Hiccup. And as you looked into his eyes your breath hitched. He had a smile plastered on his face, and his eyes gleamed.

“I will marry you,” you replied as you offered him your hand and he put the ring on your nuptial finger.

The scene was supposed to end there, you were about to take a step backwards so that the actual marriage scene could take place, however you felt a hand wrap around your wrist, and before you knew it you were being kissed. You were being kissed by Hiccup Haddock.

Your shock was palpable, however you dissolved into the kiss once the initial incredulity had passed. Once Hiccup felt the kiss was reciprocal, he wrapped his arms around your waist and drew you closer.

2 .

Dragon racing was a hefty sport. Ever since it was created, it became a fan favorite amongst Berkians. Once every full moon, a match was held that was sure to be the talk of the town for at least a week. On summer and winter solstice, you held the dragon riding tournament, that usually lasted for about a week; except for that one time when the black sheep had wondered deep into the woods, and you weren’t able to find it for two days.

Point of the matter is, dragon racing was a serious issue for vikings. And that’s why victories where celebrated so grandly. You never particularly cared for the celebrations, however wining was important to you; your usually carefree nature was irrecognizable when it came to the sport as you became a furiously competitive rider. This change, spared no one. Not even your boyfriend.

“Incoming!” you called out before snatching the black sheep from Hiccup’s arms, as you held on with your legs to (Y/D)’s saddle while she flew in an upside down position.

“Hey!” he shouted in response with a light chuckle.

“I wish I could say I’m sorry, but I’m not!” you replied with a shit-eating grin directed his way. With the black sheep secure in your arms, you flew away, not a hint of remorse visible on your face.

You returned to your upright position and quickly flew up to your basket and threw in the black sheep. As soon as you do so, you hear the crowds cheers and applause mixed with the blow of the horn, signaling that the match has ended.

Astrid joined you on the platform, followed by Ruff, as they cheered you on and celebrated your team victory.

Hiccup watched you, still mounted on Toothless with a lovesick smile present in his features, “I’m going to marry her,” he said as he took in your beautiful smile.

“I don’t think you’re her type,” said a voice next to him. Tuffnutt flew next to him with a pissed expression -probably because of their defeat- “but go for it. I’m sure my sister would be flattered.”

3 .

“Do you think there are other people out there?” you asked as you stared blankly at the stars. “I mean, besides us dragon riders and dragon hunters. Do you think that maybe there’s another civilization that has been familiar with dragons long before us?”

You heard Hiccup chuckle, “Possibly, maybe they even know of species we have yet to discover.”

“I wonder if they maybe think the same of us. Maybe we’re some strange advanced civilization to them”, you said with a light giggle as your thoughts went wild with the idea of the unknown. “Or maybe, we’re cavemen in comparison to their civilization. Maybe…they know about our existence, and they have just decided to leave us alone because we’re not worth their time.”

“That’s a bit depressing isn’t it?” Hiccup asked, humored by your rambling.

“I don’t think so. I think it’s exciting…” you said slightly breathless as you stared at the vast abyss of twinkling lights that spread above you and beyond. “Just imagine everything we’ve yet to discover.”

You faintly heard the huffs and growls of your dragons, who were entertained by Hiccup’s prosthetic leg as they fought each other for it.

Hiccup allowed himself to steal a glance at you for a fraction of a second. He thought that the view in front of you was beautiful, but to him, the real wonder was sitting right next to him. You looked breathtaking with the starry abyss reflected in your eyes. Yet, you were so unaware of it.

“Marry me.”

He didn’t mean to actually say it. But he just couldn’t control himself when he was with you.

Your trance was broken and you stared at him wide eyed, in disbelief at what he had just said. However as soon as you saw his expression mirroring yours, you burst out laughing. You couldn’t say truthfully that you had never though about marriage, especially with Hiccup.

Hiccup’s startled expression morphed into confusion.”W-What? Why are you laughing?”

“Are you sure you want to marry me?” you asked in between giggles. “You don’t seem very sure.”

“What? Y-Yes! Of course I’m sure! Why wouldn’t I want to marry you?” his eyebrows furrowed in the way you loved. The way that told you you had successfully managed to get in his head. He had turned his body so that it was now mirroring yours, and his shoulders were raising up and down as they usually did when he was trying to explain something or defend a point.

“Fine then. I’ll marry you.”

His rambling stopped immediately. “What? Y-You will?”

You shrugged your shoulders nonchalantly. “Sure. Why not?”

You stood up then as you walked around the small island you had stumbled upon earlier that day. Leaving a very flustered and confused Hiccup behind.

“Wait! Where are you going?” he called after you as he struggled to get up. He rambled on as he chased you, asking about arrangements and other things.

“Aha!” you said victoriously as you crouched down over a patch of grass with some wildflowers sprouting out.

Hiccup peered over your shoulder, trying to see what you were doing.

Eventually you stood up and extended your hand towards him. He stared at you blankly for a moment, and muttered to himself, tryin to understand your actions. Still, an amused smile was present on his face.

“Well?” you said after a bit. “Give me your hand.”

He did as you instructed, and then you took out your other hand from behind, which gently held a blade of grass along with some small wildflowers intertwined with each other, forming a ring.

“I know it’s not the best craftsmanship, but I figured we couldn’t get married without rings,” you explained with a soft giggle.

Hiccup grinned down at you, and laughed incredulously. He wondered how he ever got you to agree to be his. “I’m afraid to tell you dearest, but I don’t have a ring for you.”

You sighed mockingly and rolled your eyes. “I know that. I assumed you would be too in your head about your future duty as chief and the dragons to think about me.”

“Hey!” he protested immediately. “I’m always thinking about you-”

“But worry not!” you said as you giggled playfully. “Since I know you well enough to be married, I know you well enough to be prepared for our wedding.” You reached into one of your pockets and puled out and identical ring, which he gently grabbed.

He stared down at you, with a skeptical expression.

“Well, go on with it. Do you want to marry me or not?” you asked as you tilted your head slightly to the side.

Hiccup sighed and then locked his eyes with yours. “I, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock, the Third, make this oath. With this hand I will lift your sorrows. Your cup will never empty, for I will be your wine. With this candle, I will light your way in darkness. With this ring, I ask you to be mine."

Once the traditional vows were finished he gently took your hand and slid the delicate ring onto your nuptial finger.

You watched with a smile as he carefully placed it, and once he was done, you repeated the vows and slid his ring onto his own finger.

With your ceremony done, your lips met in a gentle and warm dance. You felt as his hands slid down your back and rested on your hips, holding your body closer to his.

“This is the second time we’ve been married now,” he whispered as he broke apart form the kiss,

“How scandalous,” you whispered back with a soft laugh, as you remembered the Snoggletog performance and how it ended up with your first kiss.

“Maybe the next time we get to do it, you’ll actually be wearing white.”

You stared up at him with a raised eyebrow. “Is that so? Does that mean you’d like to bed me next time?” you teased.

“I’d love to bed you now,” he said with a slight chuckle. “But I’m aware you’d rather follow the traditional path.”

You laughed and patted his chest. “Well, you’ll better get me that white dress quickly then.”

4.

Hiccup had been acting weird all day. Evading you and whenever you managed to track him down he responded any question you had in a dismissive manner. You had figured you should let him alone for a while, at least until he was ready to talk about whatever was bothering him.

He did tend to get too into his own head whenever he was worried, and it took you telling him about it for him to realize he could share his burden with you. But this time it was different.

When you had asked what was bothering him he dismissed you as soon as he could and continued what he was doing.

It had hurt you. It made you think if you had done anything wrong, but you couldn’t think of anything. It was scary thinking about what this could mean for the both of you.

“And you’re sure he hasn’t ever acted like this before?” Astrid asked as she tried to make sense of the situation with you.

You where both sat in the Great Hall, as the rest of the vikings ate their dinner. You however, couldn’t seem to make anything go down past your throat, as worry consumed you.

“Yes Astrid, I am sure,” you replied rather harshly. “I don’t even know where the hell he is right now. For all I know he’s probably off in another girl’s house. Maybe he got tired of waiting for me. Maybe he realized he doesn’t want this sort of commitment…”

You knew that this was irrational thinking. Hiccup had never given you signs that he didn’t want to be with you anymore, on the contrary, he was always very reassuring on how much he liked being with you. Up until now you had never had any reason to doubt your relationship; but up until now, Hiccup had never behaved like this either.

“Don’t say that! That boy is crazy for you. He has been since we where thirteen.”

You sighed and buried your hands in your hair. “Then why is he acting like this?!”

“I think you should ask him yourself,” Astrid said as she placed a comforting hand on her friend’s back.

“I’ve already tried that…” you groaned out. Your voice muffled by your arms, on which you were resting your head.

“Give it one more try. Maybe he’ll snap out of it.”

Reluctantly, you agreed and made your way up to the watch tower. It was Hiccup’s turn to keep watch tonight, so you knew he wouldn’t be able to escape this time.

You felt the heat of the fire before you saw it, and you knew he was there.

“You need to cut the crap Haddock,” you started as you saw the faint outline of his shadow as you were nearing the end of the stairs. “If I did something wrong, just tell me right now because I can’t keep doing this. We’re not teenagers anymo-”

Your throat closed up as soon as you saw him. A gasp escaped your mouth and your hands flew to your face.

In front of you, Hiccup was down on one knee and a small wooden box sat comfortably on the palm of his hand.

“You bastard,” you whispered just to yourself.

He chuckled at that and smiled as he saw your reaction. He then opened the box to reveal a small silver ring in the shape of some intricate patterns.

“My dearest Y/N…” he started, but the lump in his throat wouldn’t let him go any further.

“Oh Hiccup…” you breathed out as you approached him slowly.

“Please marry me,” he said finally.

You crouched in front of him with tears in your eyes and held his face in your hands.

“Of course I will marry you,” you replied as a teary laugh escaped your throat.

To him, it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard.

He laughed then, as he slid the ring in, and looked up at you. He cupped your cheeks with the palm of his hand and pulled you closer until your lips met. He tasted tears and relief in that kiss.

You eventually separated and you hit his chest lightly.

“Don’t ever do that to me again you bastard!” you said as the tears flowed, and you whipped them off as nervous laughter escaped your lips.

“I swear this is the last time love,” he chuckled as he crouched his head slightly to help you whipe your tears.

“Not that! Don’t ever avoid me like that again Hiccup! I was starting to think that maybe you didn’t want me anymore…”

Hiccup grabbed your chin gently and made you look up at him. “Theres no one else I’d rather want.”

You laughed nervously once again and offered him a teary smile.

“I’m sorry I scarred you love. I just…I was so nervous.”

“It’s ok…” you reassured him. “I understand.”

He smiled down at you and whipped another tear. You didn’t mean to keep doing it, but you had been so worried all day long that it was finally coming out. You didn’t want to ruin your moment like this. It was supposed to be a moment for celebration and happiness. You tried to make it stop.

“You can cry. I will lift your sorrows,” Hiccup said with a soft laugh as he whipped another tear.

You smiled then, tears still flowing out. But you knew it would be alright. He would make you feel alright. He always did.

[hunny-beann]

Desiderium I

Loki Laufeyson x f!Reader

-> Part II

Note: This fic absolutely breaks cannon in multiple ways, but I felt the urge to write this and created it thus lol, so I hope you enjoy regardless (and for my own sanity, we'll just call this an avenger!Loki au).

Synopsis:

Loki is plagued by a dream thrust upon him as punishment during his imprisonment, and finds that even once he regains his freedom, he still can't move past the vision of the life he could have had with you. And when those around him struggle to understand his sorrows, he decides to show them firsthand what he endured while asleep that night, and all that he lost both by waking up, and by making all of the wrong choices for far too long.

Oh, but it's never truly over, is it?

And your sudden reappearance proves that.

Warnings: Angst, mentions of pregnancy

Word Count: 5,057

"Does he ever stop sulking?"

Tony muttered under his breath after sparing a quick glance toward the aesir God of Mischief that sat in the corner of the room, staring into a cloud of green created by his own hand with a type of longing he had worn almost constantly for months now.

At first, many had thought his sullen nature to be a result of his capture and subsequent imprisonment, but even now that he was far more free to roam and do what he pleased (within reason), his somber attitude still had yet to let up.

In fact, some would even swear that it had gotten worse.

The God of Thunder included, and also in particular.

From the beginning, Thor had perhaps been the biggest defender of his younger brother, and of course he had, how could he not be?

But even still, when it came to the questioning of Loki's less than enthusiastic (and at times, borderline concerning) behavior, Thor somehow managed to become even more defensive of his confusing family member and all of the quirks that he seemed to have.

This occasion included.

He turned toward Anthony Edward Stark with a slight frown, a sigh that seemed reserved purely for situations concerning Loki passing his lips,

"All of this has been rather... difficult for him. There is much that he misses about our realm, and even more that he has lost."

Tony rose a brow at that, fighting back a groan at the seemingly constant dramatics of the "Odinson" siblings.

Who would have thought that two gods could be so annoyingly theatrical?

"A lot of people have lost a lot of things, Point Break. Some of them at his hand, in case you need a reminder."

Tony muttered, struggling to find sympathy for the green themed deity sitting across the room, a look of deep longing and sorrow in his gaze as he continued staring into the cloud of his own creation.

Thor sighed again.

"I do not, Stark, nor does my brother. He had a multitude of things revealed to him in dreams delivered by the gods whilst locked away. He is... Not the same."

Tony sighed, shrugging his shoulders as he tried to return his focus toward what he'd been doing before he'd made the mistake of mentioning Loki to his older brother.

"Whatever you say, big guy. Just do me a favor though and ask him if he can practice his daily sulking rituals somewhere else. His whole 'woe is me' vibe makes it a little hard to focus."

Thor sighed again at his comrade's obvious lack of compassion toward his clearly suffering sibling, but he nodded nonetheless.

"I will see what I can do, Stark."

And with that, he was taking familiarly heavy steps toward Loki, each growing more hesitant than the last as he took in the full sight of him.

It was no wonder that Tony found his presence to be so distracting, because in truth, you could all but feel his angst rolling off of him in waves, strong and undeniably present in a manner that almost made the god himself shiver.

It was not easy for the god of mischief, what he was going through, but perhaps even Thor himself had managed to underestimate it.

Perhaps he should have been even more concerned than he already was.

"Loki."

He said stiffly upon his approach, watching as the god in question briefly glanced in his direction in acknowledgement before returning his gaze back to his seidr.

"I sympathize greatly with your sorrows, and I wish truly that I could do away with them for you, but a request has been made for you to better contain your bereavements, if possible, and I think it would be best for you to try."

Thor said calmly, though he could see as plain as day that his words had done no good, a fact made evident by the way that his brother turned to look at him, as if both wounded and infuriated at the very same time.

What a familiar look that was for the mischief god to wear these days.

He stood, green cloud disappearing as he did so, his hands clenched into tight fists at his sides.

"Do you believe somehow that I have not already done all that I can to contain my grief, you blithering fool?"

He all but hissed, anger controlling his words but a deep and pervasive sadness evident in his eyes, allowing the god of thunder to see far beyond the ruse his sibling was attempting to put up.

Loki was hurting, perhaps beyond anything that he had endured before, and Thor was unsure if that could have been made any more clear.

The god of mischief took a step closer, slowly, threateningly, as if he might frighten the being standing before him, the only one present that had ever truly seen the good in him, the angel before the fall.

A trickster to be sure, but the villain that he so desperately tried to make himself out to be? Thor could not see such a thing, not in the eyes of one he had grown up alongside of.

Not in his brother, regardless of blood.

Regardless of what was said or done.

"You haven't the slightest clue what I have endured, and yet you have the gall to request that I reign in my pain, as if it is not all that has been left of me? All that has not been so crudely taken?"

He snarled, coming closer, ignoring the heavy gaze of Anthony Stark as it landed upon him, and choosing to pay no mind to the fact that he had undoubtedly called the others in, a fact made clear by the large number of footfalls that grew nearer and nearer by the second.

Maybe Tony was simply a fool made cautious by what he had seen the god do in the past, or maybe he just wished to not be the only audience for this particular spat.

Either way, it mattered not to Loki.

The god in question was far too tired, far too angry, and far too confused to let such a disrespect as this pass.

If they did not understand, then he would make them, and maybe then they could comprehend the realness, the immense depth and crushing weight of his pain.

The burden he bore.

The reaping of what he had sowed long ago, without even realizing it.

The universe had never been fair, not to him, and it was apparent now that such a truth had persevered from the very start.

Back before his title had meant more than a whisper to him, before he had felt the need to prove he was more.

When there had been so much more kindness in his heart and light in his life.

When there had been hope,

When there had been you.

Thor put his hands up defensively, though how secure he truly felt in spite of this almost entirely symbolic and pleading gesture was made clear by his tone, which was pitying in every sense of the word.

"Calm down, brother, I meant no disrespect. I simply feel a deep worry for you, I do not want to watch you suffer any longer. It is a heavy weight upon me to know that you are so burdened."

He said appealingly, eyes full of a type of plea and concern that, once upon a time, might have caused the god of mischief to think for a moment, and perhaps even halt his actions altogether.

But now was not then, and after all that he had seen, all that was now and could have been, he found that his brother's words only served to make him angrier.

"You feel a heavy weight, do you?"

He said darkly, stalking ever forward, even as Thor backed away slowly with each step, not wishing to see his family member trapped in a cage once again as a result of some petty fight.

There was rage in Loki's eyes now, though it did nothing to cancel out the sadness there.

It was clear what was driving him, but even more evident was how upset the god was about that fact.

He did not like being so controlled by his emotions, resented the way that everyone could tell how he was feeling in spite of how hard he tried to hide it.

He had done his best to conceal his sorrows and this was what he had gotten? A request for more, as if he would not have hidden them away entirely in favor of allowing those who were once his enemies to see his weaknesses? The way that truth had changed him?

It infuriated him to no end.

"Can you even begin to imagine then,"

He started, voice low, but just loud enough so that every avenger who had now entered the room could hear it from where they stood together in silence, watching as Loki stalked ever closer to his brother, hands still clenched at his sides, jaw unfathomably tense, and muscles twitching with a quiet kind of rage.

"What I am feeling?"

He finished viciously.

Thor frowned, voice still full of pity and something akin to longing as he replied, tone still entirely bereft of fear,

"I know only what you have told me, dear brother."

He said, watching as Loki all but scoffed at his words,

"So in that way, yes, I suppose I am capable of imagining what you must feel."

The god of mischief laughed in response to this, a humorless and cold sound that was choked by some long abided pain, some endless suffering that only a god could understand, and that no mere mortal could ever endure and survive.

"I think not."

He snapped angrily, watching as Thor's brow creased in response, not understanding what about his reply had been so terribly wrong that it had brought about such a strong reaction from his sibling.

Loki continued,

"I think that if you could even begin to comprehend what I have seen, what I have lost, you would never even think to make an attempt at consoling or correcting me, nor could you ever deign to imagine believing that the small amounts of my grief witnessed through my behavior could be decreased any further. If you could truly understand, you would know the weight that I carry, and you would see that it could never be lessened, because there is truly no greater grief than that which I am suffering from!"

Thor stood there for a moment, dumbfounded, before finally he spoke up once more, voice slightly smaller, though still not lacking in compassion or empathy.

"Brother, I beg you to help me understand better so I may communicate this suffering of yours to those around us who do not know you as well as I. We are guests here on Midgard, and I cannot allow for you to push this pain of yours onto our hosts so endlessly without solution or a shared understanding in mind. How can you expect anyone to have faith or sympathy for you if you will not tell us what has happened?"

Thor's pleas caused yet another round of laughter to burst forth from the god of mischief, though this one was less pained and a bit more angry, a twinge of eagerness to it that did not spell out anything good, not for Thor nor any of the unwelcome audience present within the room alongside them.

"You wish for me to let them see? For me to grant you understanding?"

Loki hissed out, a familiar and volatile energy filling the room as he began to use his seidr to do just that.

"Loki-"

Thor warned, moving to take a step forward when suddenly, the entire room seemed to disappear beneath his feet, and without warning, he found himself in a place entirely unfamiliar to him, standing amongst his peers in a small crowd that occupied some unseen corner of whatever space this was.

He watched as Tony turned to look at him, frustration and confusion etched into his features and mouth opening to speak just as a familiar voice cut through the silence.

It was Loki, but not the one that those watching had come to know.

No, this was a Loki long forgotten by time and entirely unknown by the avengers present to witness this dream that the god of mischief had once so vaguely described to his brother while in the thralls of his pain.

This was the vision that the gods had shown to the adopted son of Odin during his imprisonment within the Avenger's tower months prior.

This was where his sadness, his grief, and his longing had stemmed from.

And it was clear, as they all watched on, why that may have been.

It was beautiful here, wherever here was.

The sun shone through every window, and this place, clearly a home, was adorned with stunning textiles and masonry, each detail obviously considered and brought to life with such care and intention that it could bring one to tears if they focused on it long enough.

Thankfully for the onlookers though, this would not be necessary, because the Loki in question who stood before them made for quite a distracting sight.

He looked younger here somehow, features untouched by some pervasive strain or anger that had long since gotten to the man that was so well known to them now.

His expression was peaceful, happy, so devoid of the angst or maliciousness that many were used to seeing.

This version of Loki, whoever he was, and whenever he had existed, was one that did not yet know the things that he did now, one that had found something that his truest self had not.

Happiness.

And it was clear, as this version of the god of mischief spoke, where that came from.

"Dearest Starlight, have you the faintest idea of how much I've missed you?"

He muttered into the hair of the woman standing before him, one arm wrapped around her while the other cupped the back of her head gently, lovingly, and with such fondness that it almost hurt to watch

This was a man overcome with, and undoubtedly changed by love.

They could see it in his eyes and the way that they lit up when the woman, whoever she was, moved away slightly to look up at him, and in the way that he pressed his forehead to hers with such love and clearly intentional gentleness.

He adored this person standing before him, and judging by the tears brimming in Thor's blue eyes, she was far more than a simple dream, or someone made up by the mind to have and to hold.

No, this was someone that they had known, perhaps long ago, perhaps yesterday, for the timing itself mattered ever so little.

What mattered instead, was that this individual, whoever she was, meant the world and more to the very person that the onlooking crowd had once believed to be devoid of the organ capable of love and affection.

She was important, and she was special, and above all else, she was seemingly a vast source of grief for the two son's of Odin, though one in particular far more than the other, the latter of which stood amongst them with a sadness that was almost assuredly not for himself evident within his gaze.

Thor may have known this girl, whoever she may be or have been, but his tears were not for his own loss of her, no, they were instead for Loki's. He watched the two of them with such rapt and sad fondness that it was all but impossible to deny that fact.

He adored what the two of them shared, and mourned its absence.

And in truth, the unwelcome onlookers could not help but feel similarly.

This woman was beautiful to be sure, with shining hair and twinkling eyes, and a gentle touch that she laid upon the deity standing before her with such care and devotion.

She smiled up at him lovingly, mouth still curved upward even as she spoke, her reply teasing, but far from mockery, mischievous in a way that was befitting of any love of Loki Laufeyson.

"Just me?"

She asked amusedly, carting her fingers through the god's soft black locks and watching with gentle laughter as he simply rolled his eyes in response before he leaned down to kiss her sweetly without a single word, the arm that was still wrapped around her waist tugging her closer before he finally pulled away a few seconds later, joy obvious within his expression, in spite of her ardent teasing.

"Do not ask me such foolish questions, my dear, or I may just be required to seal your lips against mine for all eternity to keep you quiet."

He murmured with his forehead pressed against hers, his nose brushing against her cheek for a few moments until he pulled back with a sigh,

"I suppose I should change before I make myself at home again, hmm?"

He asked with mock exasperation, tucking a few strands of the woman's hair behind her ear as she laughed in reply, nodding almost immediately.

"That would most certainly make me a happy wife, indeed."

She said, pulling further away from him before walking over to the kitchen area and removing something from the oven,

"Now hurry up and change before dinner gets too cold, foolish prince, or you may just find Thor helping himself to your portion again."

Loki gave an amused glare in response to this, but said nothing more, wandering swiftly down a long and dark hallway until he faded from view entirely.

After this, there was silence for a minute or two, a peaceful and joyous one that was occasionally interrupted by the sound of the woman's gentle humming, or one of a few a small noises from further down the hall, none of which seemed important enough to capture the woman in question's attention.

That being said, as Loki returned, something else did, though it notably grabbed hold of that of the audience as well, who stared on together in shock, though Thor was clearly the most baffled of them all.

For there was Loki Laufeyson, adopted son of Odin, Prince of Asgard, and god of mischief, with a child on his hip, one with hair the very color of his, and eyes that were an exact copy of his own.

The woman standing in the kitchen crossed her arms upon her husband's entrance into the room, raising a brow at him as she sighed and approached the two beings who had just graced her with their presence.

"And what business do you believe our daughter has with being up so late, Mr. Laufeyson?"

She questioned teasingly as she pressed a gentle kiss to the head of the little girl who was being held so affectionately within her father's arms, a sweet burble of laughter escaping her as the woman's lips tickled her skin.

The audience watched on in utter shock as Loki smiled softly at the sight, his shoulders shrugging slightly as he bounced the child, who appeared to be around a year old, upon his hip, arms keeping her steady with a well practiced and easy grace found only within a parent that had been present and involved enough to know their child like the back of their hand.

"I believe she has business with welcoming her dear father home regardless of the hour. Would you disagree, Mrs. Laufeyson?"

He murmured gently as he leaned forward to press a lingering kiss against his wife's lips, smirking at the sight of her reddened cheeks as he pulled away.

The wife in question sputtered for a brief moment before finally responding, glaring slightly up at the god of mischief for his antics, though they were no doubt familiar to her by now, judging by the ring wrapped around her finger and the child she had so plainly bore that sat now upon her husband's hip.

"I suppose not."

She replied gently, watching as Loki placed the child into her high chair, offering a toy of his very own creation to distract her with as he approached his spouse with a rather eager grin.

"No?"

He asked softly as he moved to stand behind her, his hands finding her shoulders and massaging the tense muscles there gently, his smile only growing as she sighed at the feeling and leaned into him with a practiced ease borne clearly of a long nurtured trust.

"How kind of you to see things my way for once, dear wife."

He murmured against the shell of the woman's ear, sending a shiver down her spine even as she rolled her eyes in response to his overly teasing tone and his seemingly ceaseless need to make an attempt at pushing her buttons.

"I wouldn't go as far as to say that, my prince."

She sighed out, still clearly pleased with the feeling of his hands rubbing practiced and efficient circles into her skin,

"I am simply allowing you this one small victory while you may still have it."

The god of mischief smirked upon hearing this, his brow raised and his voice low as he replied,

"Allowing me, hmm? What a benevolent ruler you are, starlight."

He all but purred out, and the woman nodded absently, still clearly wrapped up in the feeling of his hands on her body.

"Aren't I?"

She asked, a smile growing upon her face as she spoke,

"Allowing you to wake up our one year old daughter upon your return before you're forced to cease such childish behaviors once your son arrives in a few months time. How generous of me."

Loki hummed and replaced one of his hands that had been resting upon her shoulder with his chin, allowing his now free hand to travel down to her stomach, pressing against it and providing the opportunity for the onlookers to note for the very first time the way that it was rounded out slightly with child, yet another piece of evidence of the love that they shared.

A love that the Loki Laufeyson that they knew, the one that had been captured, imprisoned, and seemingly rehabilitated, had never known.

A love that he perhaps could have had, if only things had been different.

Slowly, faintly, at the sounds of softening laughter and contented discussions, the scene before everyone faded, and the harsh light of the tower persisted once more, blinding them all sharply in a way that the softness of the vision had not managed.

And there, before all of them, stood Loki, looking more than a little haggard with his hair out of place and his eyes brimming with tears.

It was Thor who spoke first.

"It was that which you saw, brother?"

He asked sympathetically, only for Loki to shake his head in response, tone far less angry and much more despondent as he spoke.

The sight of that vision, that memory of a dream delivered unto him one harsh evening to teach him some horrible lesson, had clearly hurt him far more than he wished to let on, and perhaps even more than he had thought it would.

"No."

He said,

"What I saw was far worse, I'm afraid."

Thor's eyebrows creased with both concern and confusion,

"Worse? Brother, I do not-"

"I had entire life with her, Thor."

Loki murmured gently, staring down at his own two shaking hands as if in disbelief that they belonged to him at all,

"I-I had thought truly that everything, all of this suffering and self-hatred had been the real dream all along, and that my time with her, beginning from back when we were all just children again, was reality."

He looked into his brother's eyes then, and allowed him to see the pain there, the sadness and longing for a life he had once believed himself to have lived, a life where he had chosen differently, and found better.

"I did everything the very same as in this lifetime, except instead of choosing power, or some poorly perceived form of acceptance at the hands of our father, I chose her every single time. I married her, brother, stood at the altar and watched her come to me, watched her be granted her rightful immortality at my side, built a house with her, for her, gave her a daughter, and a son, and many other children who I cannot bear to think about because I am in ruin over the fact that they were never real."

He paused, chest heaving, eyes never leaving those of his brother before finally, he continued,

"I know their names, Thor."

He choked out,

"The names of my children, every son and daughter born with some combination of my eyes and her smile, or her hair and my nose. I know their favorite foods, the toy they prefer over all of the rest, and the song that their mother would sing to put them to sleep the fastest."

His tears were beginning to run now, though if Loki noticed, he did not move to wipe them away or to hide them.

"I know everything about them, and yet they are not here, never were, and never will be, and it feels like I have lost all that I ever deigned to love. My wife, my children, a version of myself that I did not loathe, they are all lost to me, and I have died a thousand deaths for every waking moment spent without them by my side."

Thor's own eyes had grown teary now, and he stepped forward slowly, his arm outstretched, as if hoping to reach into his brother and take this pain away with his bare hands alone.

"Dear brother, forgive me."

He said softly, voice shaky in a way that was so very uncharacteristic of him,

"I did not know, I swear it."

Loki shook his head, some shadow of a smile, pained and without any semblance of joy finding his face,

"I know, Thor."

He said quietly,

"But do not waste your apologies on me. It is not your fault for not truly knowing, but mine for believing I could have her back again. She is gone, and I should have known that I could only ever have her in dreams."

Thor opened his mouth to speak, his expression flooded with sorrow, only to find that there was nothing that he could say.

The bridge to you was one that his brother had burned a long time ago, which had been lying in embers since.

Was he not right that you were largely gone from him? A memory of perhaps undeserved yet so very innocent love that he had shut out in order to keep moving forward until the gods had thrust what the two of you could have been upon him so cruelly?

It had been ages now, since Loki had seen or heard of you, and Thor was ashamed to admit that he too had locked you away in memory in favor of moving forward.

A childhood playmate, a most loyal friend far past adulthood, the once almost-lover of his mischievous younger brother, you were a great many things to him, and yet he could scarcely bear to think of you now.

Betrayal was what he had once thought of whenever you came to mind, but now, so many years later, he could see that you had never been the one to betray.

It had been him all along, him and Loki, albeit for two differing reasons.

Either way, the little witch they had once both known so fondly had been long dead to them for many moons now, until the very sight of you so happy, so alive, in spite of the fact that such a vision was a dream brought on by some vengeful deity, sent you careening back into their minds once more.

Where were you now? How had you fared without them, and possibly without your family as well? Were you even alive at all, after all of this time with only a witchling's feeble immortality to keep you alive rather than the godly kind that Loki had helped to bestow upon you within his dream?

Thor shook off these thoughts almost as quickly as they came, and watched on helplessly as Loki began to make his way toward the exit, eyes glued to the ground to avoid making eye contact with the small group of Avengers who had continued to watch on in surprise.

And perhaps, one of them may have piped up to say something, anything to provide comfort to the once so pesky god, had it not been for the sudden shift in the air, followed shortly thereafter by the very shredding of reality itself, as a tear opened up on the far wall, revealing a dark shimmering swirl of colors and lights that soon spat out a figure adorned in clothing that may have appeared foreign to any Midgardian, but was so very familiar to the one aesir god who stared on in utter shock.

Loki, on the other hand, seemed either entirely unaware of the strange circumstance occurring behind him, or uncaring of it, as he continued on his quest to leave the room entirely.

That is, until a voice so familiar that it all but snapped his heart in two called out to him.

"L-Loki?"

It asked weakly, strained and soft, but just barely loud enough to reach him where he stood.

The average man may have froze up entirely, disbelieving their own ears and blaming their minds for playing such cruel tricks on them, but Loki was no average man, and he did not believe his mind capable of making such a mistake.

He knew what he had heard.

He turned around instantly, already wide eyes growing wider when he found you on the floor there, an old cloak of his wrapped tightly around your shoulders.

"Starlight?"

He breathed out in utter disbelief, making his way over in just a few long and intentional strides before he all but collapsed to his knees in front of you.

[astxrope]

Here's a basic rundown of the species found within the Yggdrasil System. Unfortunately due to the rule of the Aesir under the Allmother, much of the information has been destroyed, censored, or erased, making researching these species particularly difficult. However, I have managed to collect a general consensus on what each of the species look like.

Helheim is impossible to know, any first inhabitants of the planet are long dead or in hiding. No one on Helheim are born there, and few leave alive.

Here's what I gathered:

Jotun: Tall, Digitigrade legs, Pointed ears, Tail, Some have horns

- Examples: Loki, Logi, Fenrir (Heimdall: Hybrid; Jotun/Asgardian)

Vanir: Pointed ears, often blond or ginger, Ungulated legs (hooves)

- Examples: Frey, Freya, (Kvasir, Hybrid; Vanir/Asgardian)

Midgardian: Plantigrade legs (human legs), tails with fur on the end, rarely (but not unheard of) winged. Winged Midgardians often have feathers at the end of their tails and feathered ears.

- Examples: Ottar, Vidfinn, (Lyfrassir Edda (Winged)

Helheim: There are no known natives of the planet. Prison Colony.

- Examples: CLASSIFIED

Asgardian: Plantigrade legs, pointed ears, often with blond or silver hair, occasionally other colours, hair is often braided, and braid patterns are passed down through families. a tradition shared with Midgardians. often blue, grey or dark skinned. They also appear to have extended lifespans, living upwards of 200 years.

- Examples: Odin, Thor, (Heimdall: Hybrid; Asgardian/Jotun), Sigyn

Muspelheim: Able to withstand extreme heat, often lizard-like, digitigrade scaled legs, draconic tail, horns, slitted pupils

- Examples: !!ERROR!! RELOADING

Niflheim: Able to withstand extreme cold, short, covered in fuzzy fur, digitigrade pawed legs, short furred, long furry ears,

- Examples: !!ERROR!! RELOADING

Alfheim: Similar to Vanir, plantigrade legs. golden hair, pointed ears, often have blue or silver eyes, many have symbolic tattoos. rich golden skin, clawed nails.

- Examples: !!ERROR!! RELOADING

Svartalfheim: Similar to Vanir, digitigrade legs, black hair, long pointed ears, often have blue or purple eyes, many have symbolic tattoos. dark skin, often purple-ish, dark clawed nails. pointed tail.

- Examples: !!ERROR!! RELOADING

The train has yet to arrive. It would be a shame if the cultures were to dissapear.

And yet…

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Other bits of lore here:

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

VII

VIII

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Celest - A star borne researcher and investigator.

Born from the collision of two stars, Celest has dedicated his life to learning all they can about different life forms across the universe, one solar system at a time.

They have a lot of time on their hands, as stars can live for millions of years, and Celest is only a mere 200 years old.

ART

1

2

3

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THE FINAL VEIL

-

A Magnus Archives AU

See Below Cut

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lore for the final veil, a work in progress magnus archives au surrounding the entities and what happened to their remains after the change was reversed.

THE CHARACTERS

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alan frost - an avatar of the dark

lee davies - an avatar of the hunt

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lore also includes prerequisite stories about their life before and during the change, and how they managed to survive the apocalypse.

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THE ENTITIES

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the extinction - deceased

the lonely - unknown status, likely deceased

the dark - alive

the flesh - unknown status

the eye - unknown status, possibly deceased

the slaughter - unknown status

the stranger - unknown status

the spiral - unknown status, likely deceased

the hunt - alive

the vast - unknown status

the buried - unknown status

the corruption - unknown status

the web - alive

the end - status unknown, possibly alive

the desolation - status unknown

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THE LORE

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1

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the final veil is still a work in progress and may take a while for more lore to be released as the story is still being smoothed out along with characters individual backstories and character arcs.

i am one person, and while i doubt anyone will be invested or care about this au, for whoever may be, please be patient.

also, i will say, the lore of the final veil isn't really based off much, just an idea i had that may nit be possible in actual magnus archives lore. it's kind of hard to tell, i don't know what's happening half the time.

if i get anything wrong, please tell me, i'll see what i can do, but if something integral to the story is impossible in the magnus archives lore that is okay as it's an au. i don't particularly care what is and isn't possible i'm having fun okay.

this section of the post will update as lore continues to be added, with links to core posts being added in THE LORE section to make it easier for quickly accessing posts.

also much of this au will ignore the magnus protocol, simply because i haven't listened to it yet. i will, trust me. i just haven't gotten around to it.

may the entities spare you, for they are not quite dead, and they live on in their strongest.

their remnants, their holders, may be unpredictable, and they are in most every way just like regular people.

however some may be violent, and left unchecked and unaccounted for, may cause significant problems.

this is asterope signing off.

[talonabraxas]

Algiz ᛉ

ALGIZ (also called Elhaz) is a powerful rune, because it represents the divine might of the universe. The white elk was a symbol to the Norse of divine blessing and protection to those it graced with sight of itself.

Algiz is the rune of higher vibrations, the divine plan and higher spiritual awareness. The energy of Algiz is what makes something feel sacred as opposed to mundane. It represents the worlds of Asgard (gods of the Aesir), Ljusalfheim (The Light Elves) and Vanaheim (gods of the Vanir), all connecting and sharing energies with our world, Midgard.

The symbol itself could represent the upper branches of Yggdrasil, a flower opening to receive the sun (SOWILO is the next rune in the futhark after all,) the antlers of the elk, the Valkyrie and her wings, or the invoker stance common to many of the world’s priests and shamans. In a very contemporary context, the symbol could be powerfully equated to a satellite dish reaching toward the heavens and communicating with the gods and other entities throughout this and other worlds. I find this metaphor particularly useful, due to my embrace of technology, but if it doesn’t work for you, use the older interpretations.

Aligning with the Divine Plan

As a part of the second Aett, whose inimical nature is primary to the interpretations of the symbols, Algiz represents the divine plan as set apart from individual affairs, even in spite of human concerns entirely. Understanding the divine plan is ultimately beyond us while we live as human beings, save that it is for the greater good.

Algiz requires faith to work with. Like DAGAZ, it can be seen as the continual unfoldment of universal intelligence, particularly consciousness in all its forms. This puts the denizens of Midgard in a central role.

Activating the Higher Self

When Odin sacrifices himself to Himself to receive the runes, it can be interpreted that Odin was setting an example for us: to sacrifice the things that make us small or petty, to give up our fetters, addictions and vice to seek something much greater within ourselves. Algiz lifts us away from the limiting egocentricity which comes part and parcel with ISA‘s rune vibrations.

Alignment with the divine plan activates our Higher Self, pushes us from within toward the self-actualization of MANNAZ. In doing so, Odin invites us to seek godhood, just as he once did, and give ourselves over the the pursuit of wisdom, higher awareness and service to the heavens.

In exchange for such a sacrifice (which you may eventually see as no ‘real’ sacrifice at all as you explore TIWAZ and GEBO), a number of specific magical and psychological benefits are bestowed upon us.

Protection

The first of these is protection, as is to be expected because of the rune’s esoteric meaning. Alignment with the divine makes a person sacred — set apart from the mundane and therefor blessed by divine protection. The courageous garner favor with the gods. This can be in the form of increased luck, stronger Hamingja, and this protection is renewed by passing certain ‘tests’ of one’s courage and honor, often administered by Odin in one of his various forms.

Communication with Divine Entities

The second is the ability to communicate with gods and entities of the Higher Realms, particularly Heimdall and the Valkyries, who are the guardians of Valhalla and watch over their favored warriors. The symbol, reversed, might be used to access the realm of the dead, giants, and the unconscious. Tread carefully!

[five-miles-over]

The Phantom of Asgard (Thor: The Dark World!Loki x Reader)

Summary: Rumors say that a phantom haunts the darkest hall in the royal palace of Asgard, but is he truly as dangerous as the people of Asgard claim he is? You and your friends decide to investigate one night for yourselves.

Warnings: Mentions of character death

"We shouldn't be here."

"Then keep your voice down!" 

You silently tiptoed, following your friend Revna, a damsel with long black hair whose fingers were wrapped around the end of a burning candle. Ingrid, whose skin almost glowed as much as her honey blonde curls did in sunlight, trembled with every step. 

You met Revna and Ingrid through serving together as ladies-in-waiting to the late Queen Frigga. You were all of Asgardian noble blood, sent to the palace in hopes of rubbing shoulders with some of the most elite of the Aesir. But after her untimely passing and the war with the Dark Elves came to an end, the All-Father King Odin made the simple decision to keep you in service of the royal family. Only instead of having you serve Prince Thor or the king himself, Odin decreed that the three of you were to be educated in political science and history like the noble boys of Asgard. With a twinkle in his eye, the All-Father proposed that if you three were properly educated, then you could join the council as a division of ladies to advise the future king of Asgard. 

And as a result, your new schedules left you with a newly found period of free time every night, since you wouldn't be on watch for anyone trying to harm a member of the royal family. "We're getting closer,…" Revna muttered before Ingrid reminded her to keep the candle at the level of her eye.

"I think there's a library somewhere here…" You glanced over your shoulder to find a tapestry of the late queen hanging, her likeness captured with vivid shades of turquoise and gold. "I don't understand, why shouldn't we be here?"

"This is where they say the Phantom of Asgard resides." Ingrid explained in a hushed whisper as the three of you made your way past gray stone figures depicting warriors from lore. Placed along either side of the hall, it was as if they were standing vigil while in their immortalized, lifeless state. "He resides past the throne room, in the darkest of chambers."

"That explains why no one's lit any torches or lamps." Revna grumbles before Ingrid says for the second time to keep the candle at eye-level. "My arm is getting tired!"

Ingrid continued to narrate, "I've heard rumors that the phantom is the ghost of a soldier who gave his life defending Asgard. But others say he's a monster in the palace, he'll hurt us."

"Come now," you chastised Ingrid, walking past another tapestry hanging on the walls of the palace. "There can't be a Phantom. It's probably just some trick made up by the Prince of Lies."

"Also known as the God of Mischief?" Revna interjected. "He's dead." 

"I don't believe it."

Revna quickly turned around. "What?"

Ingrid shushed you and repeated, "Candle! Level of your eye."

This time, Revna rolled her eyes and simply switched hands. "If he weren't dead, then why is the All-father commissioning for a statue of the trickster god to be built outside the palace?"

"How would I know?" You carefully stepped over a small abandoned dagger laying on the floor. "All I know is that the first time it was announced that Prince Loki was no more, he was found on Midgard attempting to lay siege."

As if on cue, a powerful guest of wind blew past the three of you, sending a chill down your spine. The flame of Revna's candle flickered. "See!" Ingrid pointed behind you. "The Phantom heard us!" 

"Really?" Revna sighed loudly. "Ingrid come on…"

"I'm telling you," you huffed. "There. Is. No. Phantom!"

No sooner had you said those words, a more powerful gust of wind blew past you and extinguished the candle, sending the three of you into near-darkness, save for the faint moonlight from the glass window at the end of the hall. 

"Oh my god!" Ingrid whimpered. She clutched your arm with a vice-like grip. "See what you've done?!"

Revna assured her, swallowing. "It's okay…it's okay. Nothing's going to happen." She remained with her feet planted to the floor.

A shatter. You were almost certain that there was no crack in the window…until now. A jagged crack as if someone had thrown a pebble at it. 

Then, one of the stone figures standing in the hall - a warrior with a horned helmet holding a weapon at his hip, fell face-first, just barely missing Revna. As soon as the statue landed against the floor, its head split into pieces before your very eyes, horns and all. 

"That's…not okay." Revna gulped, taking a step back with baited breath. Her foot caught in the hem of her gown, causing her to lose balance. You caught her just in time, letting go of Ingrid while Revna held the candlestick for dear life. 

You steadied her. "We have to get out of here…Go back the way we came."

Ingrid's eyes filled with tears, and she choked on a sob. "Please, please tell me now you believe there's a Phan-" She was drowned by the sound of her own hysterical screams. A second crack….and then a third appeared in the window.  "I don't want to die…Please, no!"

Now was Revna's turn to shush her. "If anyone finds us, we could either be dead, or worse, banished. Now let's go." 

The three of you murmured in agreement, reluctantly promising to staunchly deny if anyone asked if you were roaming the palace at night. You hitched your skirts and scurried down the hall as quickly as possible, even though you could barely see anything in your way. Guided only by the sound of each others' footsteps and heavy panting, you only had a single thought in mind: go back the way you came here, and find your shared bedroom as possible. Before you could be caught by any guards or servants with a propensity to gossip. Your heartbeat quickened as you continued to run for your life. Suddenly, in the midst of your attempted escape, you tripped over something - perhaps it was the fabric of the carpet or perhaps your own clumsiness worsened by fear - and landed on your knees. "Revna! Ingrid!" In the midst of you shouting for your friends, a gloved hand covered your mouth.

A strange whisper tickled your ear. "No need to be afraid…There is no Phantom," the mysterious voice echoed your words from earlier with a touch of theatrical sarcasm. "Just a trick made up by the Prince of Lies."��

The gloved hand remained over your mouth. "If you scream," the mysterious voice warned you while another hand rested on your waist. "I promise to show you no mercy. Understood?" 

You nodded, trembling while you rose to your feet. 

"Good girl." 

With a wave of the gloved hand, golden candelabras spontaneously appeared along the hall, burning brightly. And emerging out of thin air was a large, rectangular mirror with a bronze-like intricate border that shined with such a luster that the untrained eye could mistake it for gold. You treaded lightly towards your own reflection.

Once again, the mysterious voice filled your ear. "Now you see me…" 

Behind you stood a tall man with ebony curls reaching his shoulders. He wore a tailored black waistcoat with long sleeves, and silk black gloves. An emerald green mask decorated with gold glitter obscured the left half of his face, yet…why did he seem so familiar?

Your fingers inched towards the side of his face, beneath his cheekbone. The masked one sighed, leaning in closer so that his nose nestled against your hair while he delighted in your delicate touch. You trembled as your fingertips brushed against the smooth, unblemished skin. His hand encircled your waist once again, and you decided to be bold. Reaching for the edge of the mask, you carefully began to lift it…

"No." He said it with such a dark desperation in his voice, and his other hand caught your wrist. 

"I want to know who you are." 

"You already do."

Lowering your hand, you silently contemplated for a moment, allowing the masked one to simply cradle you in his arms from behind. "You're the God of Mischief," you uttered to his reflection. "You're Prince Loki."

A smile appeared on the face of the masked god, the smile of a mastermind at the end of a successful plan. Joyful yet reserved, like he already knew the outcome and had envisioned it in his mind several times before executing his plans. 

"But you're…dead," you murmured, exercising extreme caution with the last word. "How could you be here? In these halls? I don't understand."

"And yet from the beginning, you knew it was me behind this mask…How, sweet one?"

Your eyes followed Loki's fingers as they glided along your arms before resting on your shoulders. "I cannot say, my Prince….I just knew."

A quiet laugh escaped him. "Or is it because you knew only one could cause such havoc in these halls"?" A wider smile on his face, the god of mischief pressed his lips against the top of your head.

"How did you survive?" A flush of heat spread across your cheeks.

"Because it's what I always do."

You blinked, unable to look away from the mirror for even a second, as if someone had cast a spell of hypnosis upon you. "And what will you do now?"

"Nothing yet." He simply said. "You are the only one who knows."

"Even the All-Father?" 

Loki nuzzled against the base of your neck, leaving you weak in the knees. "I do not wish to speak of him tonight." He reached for your hand and brought it to his lips. "I promise to you, all will be revealed in time." The god of mischief then combed his fingers through sections of your hair, taking his time with every touch as if he wanted to memorize exactly how you felt. "Rest now, my sweet, for I will call upon you again. From this night, you belong to me, and I to you."

And with a simple wave of his hand, your surroundings disappeared to darkness. "My prince?" You called, looking around only to be met with silence.

Then, a single candle appeared seemingly out of thin air, with a small, flickering flame. You found yourself alone, inside that same hall, instantly recognizing the tapestry of the late queen that decorated the wall. Only this time, the window at the end of the hall bore no cracks, and the fallen statue stood upright in its original place, perfectly standing vigil. 

And on the floor, next to your feet, lay a single white lily with a dark green ribbon tied around its stem. A lasting promise from the Phantom of Asgard.

Tagging: @icytrickster17  @mischievoushiddleston,@lokischambermaid , @lady-rose-moon , @lokisgoodgirl  , @lokisninerealms  @jennyggggrrr  ,, @tom-hiddleston-imagines  , @lokiismineforever  @smolvenger  @winterfrostlovetriangle  , @the-haven-of-fiction  , @turniptitaness   @cakesandtom  ,@sallymagnoliaposts  @leahs-reading-nook  @holdmytesseract  @muddyorbsblr @anukulee @acidcasualties @lotsoflokilove23 @caffiend-queen @aesonmae @asgards-princess-of-mischief @eleniblue

[that-guy-in-the-chiton]

Milkmaid Loki + Husband.

A little while after his amicable divorce from Angrboda and prior to marrying Sigyn, Loki decided to mess around on Midgard as a milkmaid, where she met and fell in love with a kindly farmer (Esbjorn), eventually marrying him and baring his children. However, Loki was called back by the aesir and had to separate from his mortal family, revealing his true form in the process. Initially surprised, Esbjorn reassured the jotunn that she would always be his beloved, no matter the shape. Touched, Loki promised to eventually return. Though time passed differently on Asgard, and by the time Loki did return to his love, it was too late, as fourty years had passed and Esbjorn eventually died, still waiting for him. To honor his memory, Loki still wears necklace that once belonged to the mortal.

[watchingtheearthrise]

One of the many things I find fascinating and heartbreaking about Atreus and Sindri is that their friendship is built on two entirely different foundations, and two entirely different love experiences.

For Atreus, Sindri is a friend, but he’s also a means to an end. He can’t go sneaking around by himself, so he drags Sindri along for help. When he was traveling with Kratos, Sindri was there for gear and weapons. With his own father treating him as a tool to be sharpened and used, Atreus does similar to Sindri. He’s useful, and so Atreus makes use of him. With Faye dying when he was so young, Kratos’ ‘love’ is all that Atreus really knows now. We see how impressionable he is as a youth, it’s not hard to imagine that he adopted a lot more of his father’s mannerisms over the years between Faye’s death and Ragnarök. It’s all he knows, and it’s how he loves.

For Sindri, Atreus is a friend, but he’s also a client, a boss. With the exception of Faye, it’s safe to assume that Sindri (and Brok) experienced quite a lot of demanding Aesir clients. Odin and Thor? Yeah, things most definitely got rough when deadlines were approaching. He’s used to people demanding things. A Greek god with a rap sheet as long as the World Serpent comes in demanding stuff? Was married to one of the few Norse who treated you well? Yeah, you’ll treat him kindly. You’ll hand the stuff over! We see it in how Sindri acts with Atreus: he never truly once acts like the leader, the one in charge. He’s always submissive, even when voicing his displeasure and hesitation.

On top of that, Sindri is used to Brok and his loud, no-nonsense demeanor. Atreus has similar traits, being brash and blunt at times. For Sindri, it’s entirely possible that some of the wisdom he passes to Atreus were things also said to Brok.

Throughout Ragnarök, Sindri gives up everything. His home, the source of his wealth, privacy and the cleanliness of the one place that was left sacred to him. Submissive, helpful, a tool to be used. And yet, despite handing over everything, letting more and more people in, they can’t protect the one thing he had left, the one thing he had refused to let go of before: his brother.

With Brok gone, Sindri is left with the rug yanked out from under him. He believes his worth is nothing to the heroes, he’s just a means to an end. And Atreus had helped with that, by treating him as such. Because it’s all he knew.

Atreus and Sindri were definitely friends, I firmly believe that. They just were products of their lives, their pasts, and they couldn’t express their care for each other in healthy ways.

[skaldish]

Hey what's the deal with Thursatru? Something feels off about it to me...

You can ignore my last ask; I saw you answer someone else who had the same question

Well first for posterity: Thurs (or Tussar) are Jötun, and Jötnar are the wild, untameable forces of nature. But unlike most Jötnar, Thurs are wild to the degree that they are actively and decisively incompatible with human wellbeing.

They represent the most extreme and destructive phenomena of nature, like rockslides and volcanic eruptions—stuff you have no chance of surviving if you get caught in its path. The destructive nature of Thurs is where we get the meaning of the rune Thurisas from.

Folklore has it that Thurs commonly dwell where humans fundamentally cannot. Some are said to live in Jötunheimen national park, up where the mountain peaks are swallowed by the clouds and where nothing grows. They throw rocks down at people passing by.

They also live in the volcanos of Iceland (Muspelheim). Thurs such as Sutur are responsible for the destructive nature of volcanos, spewing fire, ash, and molten rocks, while cracking open the land during an eruption.

My understanding is that it's uncommon for people to venerate the Thurs, but not for any taboo reason. Rather, it's the same reason why we don't worship wild tigers; "worship" is not the kind of relationship that builds any rapport with them. For most people, their relationships with Thurs involve being cautious of their nature and staying out of their way.

This is the way Thurs are understood in folklore. Now, to understand what Thursatru is, and what its deal is, take everything I just said and throw it out the window.

"Thursatru," from what I've gathered, basically characterizes itself as the Satanism of Heathenry, and it only makes sense in relation to specifically the American flavor of Asatru.

Keep in mind not refering to all of Heathenry in America, but to the way Icelandic Ásatrú is interpreted by Americans: The Eddas are treated as scripture, the past is treated as doctrine, Valhalla is treated as the goal to aspire to (awarded to those who live by the "viking values" outlined in the Havamal, or the snake-oil known as the Nine Noble Virtues), and Odin is treated as the Supreme Being and Loki his adversary.

The phrase "Asatru"—meaning "true to the Aesir"—is viewed as almost like an oath of office. You are pledging yourself to the Aesir's "side" in a prophesized cosmic war, fought between the forces of Order (represented by the Aesir, especially Odin) and Chaos (represented by the Jötnar, with figures like Loki, Ymir, and Sutur).

Jötnar basically fulfill the same function in American Asatru that demons and devils do in Christianity. If Satanism is the worship of all that is antithetical to the Christian god and Christianity, then Thursatru is the worship of all that is antithetical to the Aesir and Asatru belief. By being Thursatru, you're choosing to oppose the Aesir, aligning yourself with the forces destined to fight against them during Ragnarok.

And yes, all of it is extremely corny.

None of Heathenry was ever like this, and much of American Asatru is Christianity in viking garb.

Rockslides are dangerous, but not evil. Volcanic eruptions are disastrous, but not evil. The natural processes of the world—processes that are essential for life on Earth—don't always align with our needs as individual organisms. In fact, some of these processes will always be to our detriment if we stand in their way, as is the case volcanic eruptions and rockslides. That is the Thurs. That is who they are and what they represent.

So basically, the thing that's "off" about Thursatru is that it exists as a reaction to the narrative of American Asatru, and actually legitimizes that narrative to the public eye because it conforms to the American Asatru claim that venerating the Thurs fundamentally opposes the Aesir.

It's not true though, and that logic doesn't check when you put Heathenry back into its own paradigm. Saying Thurs-venerating opposes the Aesir is like saying "Exploring volcanos means you fundamentally oppose the existence of human-friendly environments." Like, what.

The only thing that actually makes someone Aesir-opposing, is their stance of opposing the Aesir. Venererating Thurs just makes someone Norse Heathen.

It's shenanigans all the way down.

[incorrectsmashbrosquotes]

Norse Mythology Re-Imagined: The Children of Loki and the Compassion of Odin

Loki never cared about his children with Angraboda. They were, like all things, a temporary amusement at best. He left, his fiery and flighty spirit carrying him away, leaving the giantess with her children, born with the blood of Gods and Kings in their veins. Children she is completely unprepared to raise alone.

But Odin's All-Seeing Eye spies them, these children, and he shall not let this stand. So he sends forth his most valiant sons, Thor and Tyr, to retrieve them and bring them to Asgard, as it is their birthright as well.

They are brought before him, the Grim girl, and the monstrous boys, and the other Aesir shrink back in fear, but Odin, wise and learned, looks upon these children, for that is what they are, and feels his heart moved to mercy and compassion. Besides, the children of Gods and Giants are always... exceptional.

He takes Hela under his wing, for in her he sees the most of himself. A budding wisdom and potency of spirit. He teaches her all he knows of lore and magic, the Runes and the workings of the world. She thrives under his teachings, and he bequeaths to her an entire Realm to rule, where she might do the most good.

He even betroths her to his son, Baldur, and they are wed beneath boughs of mistletoe. Frigga weeps openly, as do all other things for Baldur's passing to the Land of the Dead, where he might do the most good.

For Jormundgandr Odin sees boundless potential. So he sends the serpent into the sea, where there is no limit on size. And Jormundgandr grows and grows in might, ruling the abyss in the crushing depths, where few others could dwell. The serpent who threads the realms, binding them together like a thread through the seas.

And Fenrir? The most lively and wild, the one who most closely carries the fiery spirit of Loki? That savage wolf who's potential strength sways even Thor's heart to uncertainty?

Odin gives Fenrir the thing he truly needs.

He gives Fenrir to Tyr. The boy receives a father to love him, and the man receives a son to love.

Fenrir's rage never fully cools. His strength only waxes. He breaks every chain, every boundary, every restriction. Even Tyr can only do so much to tame his wild spirit. And the promise Odin saw in his eyes, the destiny to slay the All-Father, never deserts his mind.

So Odin commissions the dwarfs to craft a ribbon, stronger than any chain, and he gifts it to Fenrir, who wears it as a sash about him, binding his soul, cooling his rage when it wakens to wrath.

And so Odin's compassion shapes the fates of the Children of Loki. And so they are fated to be, ever and anon.

[at-liberty-news]

Galactic War Status: Day 23

Greetings, viewers. We're back with a recap of Day 23 of the Galactic War. There's not too much, so let's get through it!

Despite the rallying cries of many heroic Helldivers and the urging of High Command, the majority still refused to protect Aesir Pass. As we mourn the loss of the last training facility on the bot front, we can only hope that Super Earth will establish more well-protected replacements in the future. In the meantime, the war has just gotten harder on all fronts. At this cost, however, the Helldivers were able to easily finish securing Acamar IV from the Automatons before focusing their full force on Phact Bay. 

Although by now we've rolled over into day 24, the Helldivers have just recently completely cleared Phact Bay of Terminid influence! With all four planets secure, the fight against the bugs is once again restricted to just two sectors, and the major order is officially a success. How Super Earth will proceed is yet to be seen.

Next up will be Day 24's personal orders. That's all for now.

Give 'em Hell, Divers!

[annachum]

Twilight of the Gods! Sigyn HCs

In TOTG, Sigyn is the eldest daughter of Tiwaz and Gullveig, elder sister of Eostre, Hnoss and Gersemi and 2nd wife of Loki. At first Tiwaz wanted to set her up with any of Odin's sons or nephews as a way to try strengthen Aesir Vanir ties then. But Sigyn isn't drawn to any of the potential Aesir suitors at all and just happen to have sparks fly with Odin's new Jotunn blood brother Loki ( who was a widower then ). They began courting ( much to many' surprised cuz Sigyn was a seemingly sunshine person while Loki is all machivellanism and frost ) and eventually, they got married. She was also amongst her aunt Freya's handmaids and a member of the Aesir Volva Order before her marriage to Loki

Sigyn tries her damn best to beba diplomatic figure between Aesir and Vanir courts and even made powerful alliances with several of them. She was a doting mother to her sons and step children, and truly loves Loki and he adores her

Then Baldr died, and Sigyn was forced to watch Loki being cast down to a cave in Nornheim and her sons being murdered in front of her eyes

Gullveig passed down her Seidr skills to her daughters. And when Sigyn was introduced to the Aesir court at the cusp of adulthood, Eostre was in her teen years, and Hnoss and Gersemi were in their pre teens.

The daughters of Tiwaz and Gullveig are all flower/tree humanoid hybrids ( more flower humanoid ). All of them have black or brown hair, bronzed skin, and vines across their arms and legs, and main flowers around them.

Sigyn got pink roses around her, Eostre got sunflowers around her, Hnossa got lavenders around her, and Gersemi has bluebells around her

When she showed up to Asgard with an entourage in tow, she immediately caught the eye of Loki, who becomes a new blood brother of Odin, and she spoke with decorum and confidence in turn.

Sigyn is a loving wife to Loki and a doting mother to her sons and step children.

TOTG! Sigyn is kinda like Margaery Tyrell, Queen Aurora, Arwen and Queen Zelda in spades. And she often dresses kinda like Margaery Tyrell, Juliet Capulet and Queen Aurora in spades

Also TOTG Sigyn gives me Lana Del Rey vibes

[hallasimss]

Niamh Ó Dálaigh (they/them, 26), Head of the Internal Audit Department for @kashisun's Simblr Office. their resting bitch face is to scare your ass so you don't commit fraud under their watch tyvm

— half Afro-Indo-Guyanese (mother) half Irish (father) — grew up just outside of Dublin. the accent is thick — Hozier's album dropped on Friday and they've already booked an appointment with their tattoo artist to get the Gaeilge verse from De Selby (Part 1) printed on their shoulderblade — is fluent and will curse you out in Gaeilge, English, Guyanese Creole and Aili Gaili if you provoke them. do not provoke them — the next time someone mispronounces their first name as 'nee-AHM' instead of 'NEEV' despite having been corrected beforehand they're going to commit acts of unspeakable violence. lack of Anglicization is not an excuse break free from the colonizer mindset — calling them 'Ni/Nee' for short is a criminal offense and also grounds for acts of unspeakable violence — studied business and accounting in university. almost chose law but decided against it at the last minute — plays cláirseach and steel pan in their free time. watches @rainymoodlet's Kiss Me in Komorebi religiously on the weekends. have placed bets on the contestants. they won't say which ones — once sang the entirety of Humors of Whiskey + The Rattling Bog at double speed while drunk. that was also part of a bet — best friends with @browntrait's Jesminder Bheeda. has a chapter in her upcoming cookbook dedicated to them. cameos on the blog sometimes. helped name the baby but if you ask for details before they're actually born it's an automatic audit for the nerve alone — 6'4", mainly leg, still wears heels most days. doors in the building were previously adjusted for @crsentfairy's Aesir Dhillon so it's a walk in the park where height's concerned — yes they have a boyfriend, apologies to those asking. yes there is a rumor that their ex also works at the company. yes said ex does not come within a 5 floor radius otherwise HR will be hearing the complaints — why would you drink coffee when cocoa tea Irish breakfast tea and strong masala chai exist. not necessarily in that order per say but. that being said if there is none available they're taking the coffee black no sweetener. the only time you use sweetener is in caife Gaelach anywhere else you're a f*cking coward — broke a man's nose outside a pub after he catcalled them. he didn't sue bc they threatened to break his nose again after surgery if he tried. the surgery cost a pretty penny btw — you hear any noise from their office that's just them playing the Ram-Leela soundtrack on loop since it came back to Spotify after how many godforsaken years. you hear any noise in between that then those are the ads. they don't pay for Premium that's a corporate scam — leaves work on time if there are no ongoing audits. they do not subscribe to the culture of the Grind — they're the one who passed on the budget discrepancies under @vhsmage's Hamda Farrah to the higher-ups. final report came with a note to add her perfume as a separate category by itself. as far as company gossip goes there hasn't been a problem in that regard since — goes down to Guyana at least once a year to visit with extended family. usually times it around Carnival, Holi or Diwali. will take PTO for all three. do not attempt to contact them once it is turned in, that will gain you an automatic audit on their return

[darknight3904]

Like We Used To

Masterlist / Main Masterlist

This marks the beginning of Part Two of This Love. 

Warnings: Slight references to male masturbation and dirty dreams. Nothing wild.

Asgard 2013

   "Are you sure you want this?" 

   "Hush, Fandral, she can make her own decisions." 

   "Yeah,  I can make my own decisions, and I  have decided to change it to blue." 

   "HA! You're such an idiot!" Volstagg cheered, slamming his final card to the table which erupted into loud groans 

Astri and her friends had been playing a Midgardian game Thor had brought back from New York, it was called Uno and Astri was inherently terrible at it.

   "He can not keep winning like this," Hogun said tossing his hand into the middle of the table. 

   "He has to be cheating," Sif whispered  

   "We could always rig the cards against him," Fandral suggested 

   "But then, is it a fair victory when one of us wins?" Astri asked 

   "It is if he hasn't been winning fairly this whole time." Sif pointed out

   "Pass the cards out, I plan to win again." Volstagg declared

   "Cheater," Fandral whispered as he dealt the cards again.

⋆⭒˚｡⋆

Loki didn't realize how mind-numbing his time in the dungeons would end up being. The first few weeks had been a blur, Frigga had sent furniture and books to him and he spent time rearranging and figuring out the best angle for his bed. Now, he was out of furniture to rearrange and the endless books were becoming boring. He had begun to stew over his loss on Midgard but felt his mind slipping away from his humiliation. As he lay there, he realized he missed the feel of the sun on his face and the way the wind would slightly blow through his chambers when he left the balcony doors open. Loki missed horseback riding through the dense forests of Asgard and the way the stars looked down at him at night when he couldn't sleep. Most of all though, he missed Astri and everything that came with her. He missed the way her laughter would carry through the castle when he made a bad joke. He could imagine the way her long hair would shine whenever the sun streamed into the huge library windows. Loki swore he could smell the soft scent of Astri's fruit-smelling perfume as he lay in his cell.

He couldn't believe she hadn't visited him yet. At first, he had presumed Odin had banned visitors but after asking Frigga who said Astri was free to visit him as much as she wished, he was saddened by her absence. Every day when his meals arrived he swore he heard the soft clicking of her shoes, instead he was met with the same guard over and over again. Loki tried to imagine what she could possibly be doing without him. They had spent nearly every waking moment together as they grew up. Was she with Thor or Sif? Was she rotting away in the library, learning a million different spells? Or perhaps she was with the Aesir fellow she had met in the damn markets? Loki had felt jealousy swirl in his stomach at the idea of the last one. Aesir wasn't necessarily terrible but he just seemed so droll. The way he just mindlessly complimented Astri whenever he saw her, it was like he was grovelling for her when they barely even knew each other. Loki doubted he even remembered what Astri wore each time they saw each other. Did Aesir know Astri's favorite foods and that she hated red flowers? Clearly not since he brought her bunches of them all the time and brought almond cakes when Atri clearly liked lemon better.

By the time his supper had arrived, he had decided that Aesir was possibly the most boring Asgardian who ever lived. Beyond his flat personality, he has terrible style. Loki had peered into Astri's mind the other night and found the most recent memories of Aesir. He had been dressed in the worst possible outfit. The way the silver in his armor contrasted against his skin made him look rather yellow. He felt Astri's embarrassment as they had strolled through the gardens when multiple handmaids had passed and giggled at Aesir.

   "What's on your mind?" A soft voice asked

Loki swore he had never sat up quicker than in this moment.

   "What's wrong, you look like you've seen a ghost." Astri asked, "Is there something on my face?"

   "I didn't think you'd ever visit," Loki admitted crossing the cell to where the golden barrier separated them

   "I wasn't planning on visiting today. I was going to make you sweat it out for a few more weeks but Volstagg was driving me insane and I needed a break." She explained

   "What did he do that's annoying you so much?" Loki asked

   "He keeps beating me at this Midgardian game Thor showed all of us." Astri sighed

Loki felt his mouth twitch slightly into a smile. Even though he wanted to be mad at her for not seeing him sooner, he was, as usual, finding it to be impossible to be angry with her.

   "I also brought this..." Astri said pushing a tray of food through a designated spot in the barrier.

   "Aren't you hungry?" Loki asked

   "No, Thor and I have been eating our suppers together for the past year and I swear spending time around him has fattened me up. It's like his huge stomach is affecting me too." Astri admitted

   "I think you look great." Loki complimented, he felt jealousy roar in his chest at the idea of Astri sitting across from Thor in her chambers, laughing at jokes and eating her favorite cakes.

   "Aesir said that a few days ago. I'm sure you already knew that though. You know you're not entirely undetected going through my mind like that at night. You show up in my dreams and that's how I know you're searching my memories, seeing what I've been doing with my days." Astri said

   "Anyone has a right to know what their best friend is up to. And how else would I know when I thought you had resolved to never see me again." Loki countered, surprised that she was able to sense him.

   "Oh please, you never thought that. You knew I'd show eventually." Astri knowingly said

Damn, she knew him well.

   "Has it occurred to you that maybe I missed you?" Loki asked honestly

   "It's crossed my mind. Although I'd like to think that you don't since then I'd feel guilty about not spending my every moment with you." Astri said

   "Like we used to?" He asked

   "Like we used to." Astri parroted with a soft smile that made Loki's heart beat just a little quicker.

Silence fell as he stared at the girl across from him. While she claimed to be fattening up with his "brother", he swore she had lost weight. Perhaps it was the lighting or maybe her dress was ill-fitting? No. Astri was definitely smaller than usual, her arms were normally more defined with muscle than they were now, exposed by a soft yellow gown she wore.

   "You're staring again," Astri said

   "I haven't seen you since the cage on Midgard." He reminded "Forgive me if I'm trying to commit your face to memory. I don't know when you'll visit again."

   "Maybe I will, maybe I won't," Astri said wistfully

She seemed sadder. As if someone had snuffed out her firey spirit Loki had come to love over the years.

   "Would you be able to come tomorrow?" He asked

   "What's in it for me?" She coyly asked

   "I'll read to you for as long as you'd like." Loki promised.

   "You're just tired of being bored in there," Astri said

   "Oh, quite the opposite I'm having a wonderful time here." Loki lied

   "You're not the only one going through their best friend's minds when they sleep" Astri smirked

When in the Nine Realms had she been doing that? Loki felt his smile falter as Astri laughed

   "By the way, beyond your obvious boredom, your dreams of me undressing and then bathing are quite erotic. I feel bad for your hand, and the other prisoners." Astri laughed

That explains the dream he'd been having for the past week.

   "You should not be going through my mind like that." He scolded, feeling his face redden

   "Oh, and that gives you permission to go through mine?" She questioned

   "What you saw is personal." He hissed, embarrassed at her knowledge of him

   "Whatever you say, Loki." She laughed

God he missed that sound, it warmed the air around him and sent a smile to his face.

   "I'll see you tomorrow. I hope whatever book you have is worth my time." Astri said standing

   "You're leaving already?" Loki asked following her as she walked.

    "It's getting late, I had a long day of losing to Volstagg. Plus I'm sure you need some alone time with your dreams of me." She teased

Loki felt his face go red, he was so embarrassed he bet even his ears were red.

   "What a nice color on you, Loki!" Astri complimented before walking away

Loki sighed and watched Astri walk off, she was going to kill him one day. The funny thing was he'd be perfectly fine with it, dying for her no matter how ridiculous the reason.

Astri had barely closed the door to her chambers before Thor had her jumping out of her skin.

   "How is he?" Thor asked

   "Don't scare me like that ever again."  Astri glared looking at Thor who was reclined on her bed

   "Why? It's so fun." Thor smiled

    "He's fine. He's bored and just as Loki as he has ever been." Astri said

Thor nodded as Astri walked to her vanity and began removing her jewelry and pulling pins from her hair.

   "Aesir came calling when you were with Loki." He said

   "Really? What did he want? I just saw him two days ago." She said

   "Well, he left these." Thor gestured to a large red vase of flowers "I put them in water, no need to thank me."

Astri rolled her eyes, she definitely wasn't going to thank him.

   "He say anything to go along with them?" She asked

   "Well, he said his mother was going to make the almond cakes you liked last time and he said he wanted to take a horse ride through the forest in a few days time." Thor said

   "How nice, I'll have to tell him I accept," Astri said picking her brush up

   "Don't you hate red flowers, and you don't even like almond cakes, everyone knows you prefer lemon." Thor pointed out

   "Maybe I've changed," Astri said

She looked at Thor through the mirror who gave her a 'Are you serious?' stare.

   "Okay, you got me, maybe I didn't tell him those things." She groaned

   "They seem like important things," Thor said

   "Pfft.... no." Astri laughed nervously, when did Thor become so observant?

   Silence fell over the pair as Astri brushed through her hair and every few seconds glanced at Thor who seemed to be admiring her patterned bedspread.

   "Did Loki ask about me?" Thor asked

Astri thought about lying to him to make him feel better. But what good were feelings if they came from lies that would just hurt later down the road?

   "He didn't. Our conversation was rather trivial today." Astri admitted

   "Ah. Okay." Thor said

   "I'm going back tomorrow night. Maybe he'll ask about you. If he does I'll tell him all good things." She said truthfully

   "You better." Thor smiled

   "I should really get ready to sleep so if you could you know...leave," Astri said, a bit rudely

   "I came to you to talk about something more important than Loki and Aesir," Thor said ignoring her request.

   "And that is?" Astri asked turning to him

   "My father has said that I am too taken with Jane. He's pointed out that I'm better served with what is in front me me here." Thor started

   "He better not be suggesting we court," Astri interjected, worriedly

Thor's silence was her answer.

   "We are not getting married. I would rather die." Astri groaned

   "That was rather rude." Thor pointed out "You don't have to worry I'm not telling you this because I want to court you. I'm telling you because I don't think he's right, I want to be with Jane but I also want to do my duty to Asgard."

   "You know you're not king yet," Astri said, relieved that Thor wasn't interested in her.

   "What does that have to do with Jane?" He asked

   "It means that you should go out and live. Who cares what Odin thinks is best?" Astri smiled

   "It's irresponsible." Thor pointed out

   "When has Thor Odinson ever cared about responsibility?" Astri laughed

   "Well there was that time I brought my brother back because he tried to take over Midgard." Thor pointed out

Okay he had her there.

   "I am sure whatever is meant to happen will happen. If you end up with Jane, great! If not...well we aren't getting married but there's lots of other eligible maidens!" Astri said

   "I suppose you are right..." Thor said

   "I'm always right." She smiled "Now, get off my bed and leave so I can sleep, Volstaggs victories and Loki's silver tongue have worn me out."

Thor's eyebrow raised at the last statement from Astri.

"Astri! You don't want to court me yet you sneak around with my brother while he is locked away under the castle?! I ought to tell the whole kingdom!" He gasped, feigning a scandalized face.

   "I didn't mean it like that, you idiot! I meant his wordy conversation is exhausting! Just go to your own room!" She blushed trying to pull him out of the bed.

Thor laughed and continued to laugh at her reddened face as Astri shoved him out the door and proceeded to slam it in his face. The Odinson brothers were surely going to drive Astri insane one of these days and hopefully, it wouldn't be for another thousand years.

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes movie has changed my entire life. Suzanne Collins cooked again.

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[the-hufflepuffle]

So I realized that Balder doesn't wear shoes. Neither does Freya. This makes me think of at least 3 things

1.) Freya doesn't wear shoes because Vanaheim hippie reasons (I say this with all the love in the world). Blader doesn't wear shoes because it doesn't matter if he does or doesn't.

2.) Being barefoot is a trait that got passed down and baffles Aesir. Like Odin absolutely tried to make Balder wear shoes as a kid and it for whatever reason didn't work.

3.) Balder at one point was a Mamas Boy and didn't wear shoes because Freya didn't and he wanted to be like her. Then it was more of like a "I always did this this way and it works fine so what's the point in changing it"

4.) Odin absolutely hated that Freya didn't wear shoes, because he said it left marks on the floors (it didn't it was just something he couldn't control), and hated it more when Balder also didn't wear shoes.

[talonabraxas]

Algiz ᛉ

ALGIZ (also called Elhaz) is a powerful rune, because it represents the divine might of the universe. The white elk was a symbol to the Norse of divine blessing and protection to those it graced with sight of itself.

Algiz is the rune of higher vibrations, the divine plan and higher spiritual awareness. The energy of Algiz is what makes something feel sacred as opposed to mundane. It represents the worlds of Asgard (gods of the Aesir), Ljusalfheim (The Light Elves) and Vanaheim (gods of the Vanir), all connecting and sharing energies with our world, Midgard.

The symbol itself could represent the upper branches of Yggdrasil, a flower opening to receive the sun (SOWILO is the next rune in the futhark after all,) the antlers of the elk, the Valkyrie and her wings, or the invoker stance common to many of the world’s priests and shamans. In a very contemporary context, the symbol could be powerfully equated to a satellite dish reaching toward the heavens and communicating with the gods and other entities throughout this and other worlds. I find this metaphor particularly useful, due to my embrace of technology, but if it doesn’t work for you, use the older interpretations.

Aligning with the Divine Plan

As a part of the second Aett, whose inimical nature is primary to the interpretations of the symbols, Algiz represents the divine plan as set apart from individual affairs, even in spite of human concerns entirely. Understanding the divine plan is ultimately beyond us while we live as human beings, save that it is for the greater good.

Algiz requires faith to work with. Like DAGAZ, it can be seen as the continual unfoldment of universal intelligence, particularly consciousness in all its forms. This puts the denizens of Midgard in a central role.

Activating the Higher Self

When Odin sacrifices himself to Himself to receive the runes, it can be interpreted that Odin was setting an example for us: to sacrifice the things that make us small or petty, to give up our fetters, addictions and vice to seek something much greater within ourselves. Algiz lifts us away from the limiting egocentricity which comes part and parcel with ISA‘s rune vibrations.

Alignment with the divine plan activates our Higher Self, pushes us from within toward the self-actualization of MANNAZ. In doing so, Odin invites us to seek godhood, just as he once did, and give ourselves over the the pursuit of wisdom, higher awareness and service to the heavens.

In exchange for such a sacrifice (which you may eventually see as no ‘real’ sacrifice at all as you explore TIWAZ and GEBO), a number of specific magical and psychological benefits are bestowed upon us.

Protection

The first of these is protection, as is to be expected because of the rune’s esoteric meaning. Alignment with the divine makes a person sacred — set apart from the mundane and therefor blessed by divine protection. The courageous garner favor with the gods. This can be in the form of increased luck, stronger Hamingja, and this protection is renewed by passing certain ‘tests’ of one’s courage and honor, often administered by Odin in one of his various forms.

Communication with Divine Entities

The second is the ability to communicate with gods and entities of the Higher Realms, particularly Heimdall and the Valkyries, who are the guardians of Valhalla and watch over their favored warriors. The symbol, reversed, might be used to access the realm of the dead, giants, and the unconscious. Tread carefully!