The Challenge

Three

Nothing. Loki could wither away into a pathetic example of a God as far as Namira was concerned. Thrice now he had attacked her and she was done being forgiving. Still she didn't tell him that. He had eased, eased by her power that restored his calm, centred him again. It was her duty now to strengthen the Norse pantheon. Her pantheon. Loki, sadly, was a part of that, "Show me that you deserve my forgiveness. Show me that we can at least be civil in our action. Prove that you deserve this power."

Her gaze found his, "Make a vow to me, give me something I can trust."
Namira saw Thor respond to her demand, a look of both approval and apprehension, but she didn't let her gaze linger on the God of Thunder as she looked back at Loki.
Loki's eyes briefly flickered with an air of defiance mixed with desperation. There was no doubt he didn't want to do this, that he realised what making a vow to her would mean.
The tension between them crackled like distant thunder and Loki knew he had to tread carefully if he wished to regain her favour and forgiveness despite not wanting to commit to this.

Loki straightened himself as he rose, drawing on the remnants of his pride as he refused to kneel down before her as he made his vow, "Namira, you have my word. I vow to prove myself worthy of your trust and the divine power you might bestow upon me."
The divine currents swirled around them, reflecting the weight of their exchange as that binding ripple went through the air.

Namira stared him down, confident in her role now as the one in control of the balance.
Thor moved to her side, his presence strengthening her conviction even more, "Prove it then," she demanded, "Set upon a journey filled with trials to prove yourself. Emerge transformed and prove that you, God of Mischief and Trickery, are capable of evolving into a force for balance within our pantheon. Prove that you are worthy as you said you would."
Loki inclined his head to her, even though his eyes spoke of anger and vengeance, "I will wait for your tests to present themselves then."
With that he bowed, then strode to the portal and left.

Thor circled Namira with a stern expression, his azure eyes filled with concern and a hint of protectiveness. The divine hall buzzed with a subtle tension as he stopped before her, the air charged with the remnants of Loki's departure. "Namira," Thor rumbled softly, his deep voice almost like distant thunder, "I understand your desire to bring balance and order to the pantheon and even to see Loki earn your forgiveness – as he should - but is subjecting Loki to these trials truly the path we should take? Do you not think this might push him further down a dark path?"

Namira shook her head, "The trials are not meant to punish, but to guide him toward redemption and a renewed sense of purpose within our pantheon. They'll make him reflect on his actions born from selfishness and greed, they'll make him a better man worthy of the power he could hold."
Thor crossed his arms, "I fear that Loki might treat this as a challenge to be overcome rather than a genuine opportunity for change, it'll be nothing but a game to him. He has nothing to lose as he has nothing now, but everything to gain. What if this only strengthens his resolve to prove himself as the God of Mischief?"

Namira's gaze lingered on Thor's concerned face but Thor pressed on, "I want his redemption, Namira, probably more so than anyone... If these trials can change him, can inspire him to use his powers for good rather than the darkness that he has used them for... I can only applaud this, however please be careful. His very mind is a labyrinth, he may end up finding ways to dance through the shadows and evade your vow and tests' purpose, yet still be successful in earning that power, your gift."

Namira nodded at that. She had put out the challenge, but had no idea on how to guarantee their success. In fact she hadn't thought it through at all, beyond the desire to make Loki prove himself. Not just to her either, but to all of them, "I will need your help, yours... Freyr's ... Maybe even Tyr's or Forseti's... to set up these trials and determine what would be the most successful path to take."

Thor's lips found hers in an affectionate kiss, "We will summon them then, all of them, to make them aware of the path Loki will enter and why, so that everyone is aware, a part of his attempt of righting our balance. Forseti and Tyr are likely the best choices, but we can listen to all of them and take our pick from whatever options they can give us."

Namira nodded at this, breathing in deeply, "Do you think I made a mistake by demanding this of him? Was I naïve?"
Thor's lips curved up into a light smile, "Naïve perhaps, however I don't think anyone would ever call it a mistake to try and better us. To improve what we stand for."
Namira smiled at that, wrapping her arms around her God, "You stand by me?"

Thor smiled as he claimed her lips in another kiss, "Always and through everything."

TBC...

A/N: Are there any particular (male) Gods (of any pantheon) you'd loooove to see?