Roots of Eternity

Chapter 17 - Loki's Rise to Power

The palace had never felt so quiet, so still. Thor was gone, banished to Earth, and Father had fallen into the Odin-sleep, leaving Asgard without its ruler. Everything felt like it was teetering on the edge of something I couldn't understand. And at the center of it all was Loki, who had grown more distant and yet more powerful with each passing day.

I found him in the throne room, his tall figure silhouetted by the golden light streaming through the windows. He stood before the throne, his hands clasped behind his back, deep in thought. The vast chamber felt empty without the usual courtly bustle, and the sight of Loki alone in that grand space made my heart tighten.

"Loki," I called softly as I approached, my footsteps echoing through the hall. "What's going on? Why is everything so... quiet?"

He turned to face me, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Helena. You've come."

"Of course," I replied, my brows furrowed with concern. "I wanted to see you. Things feel... strange."

"Strange?" His smile widened ever so slightly, though there was no warmth in it. "Or perhaps... they are exactly as they were meant to be."

I frowned, stepping closer to him. "What do you mean?"

Loki gestured toward the empty throne. "Father sleeps. Thor is exiled. Asgard needs a ruler. And who better to guide our realm than me?"

My stomach twisted at his words. "You? But Loki... this is temporary, right? Father will wake, and Thor will—"

"Thor will not return," Loki interrupted, his voice sharper than I expected. "Not for some time. And even when he does, it will be too late. Asgard needs someone with the intellect, the cunning, to lead—not just brute strength."

I stared at him, my heart racing. "But Thor is the rightful heir."

Loki's expression darkened, his eyes flashing with something cold and dangerous. "The rightful heir?" He stepped closer, towering over me, his voice low and venomous. "And where is this rightful heir now? Banished. Humiliated. While I stand here, in Asgard, ready to protect it."

I swallowed, feeling the intensity of his gaze bore into me. "Loki, I know you're hurt by everything you've learned, but—"

"Hurt?" He let out a sharp, bitter laugh. "I'm not hurt, Helena. I'm enlightened. For the first time in my life, I see things clearly. I was never meant to be Thor's shadow. I was never meant to be a prince of Asgard. I am something more. Something greater."

"Greater?" I echoed, confusion swirling in my mind. "But you've always been our brother, Loki. You don't need to—"

"I need to take what is mine," he interrupted again, his voice laced with finality. "Asgard has ignored me for too long, and now... now it will bow before me."

I felt my heart sink. This wasn't the Loki I had grown up with, the brother who had always been clever and mischievous but never cruel. There was something different in him now—something darker. I could feel it in the way he spoke, the way he carried himself with an arrogance that made my skin crawl.

"Loki, this isn't you," I said, my voice pleading. "You've always been smart, always known how to navigate things, but this... this feels wrong."

He smiled again, that same cold, calculated smile. "It feels wrong to you because you still cling to the old ways. You still believe in Thor's foolish idea of heroism, of brute force solving everything. But Asgard needs more than that. It needs me."

"I just... I don't understand," I whispered, shaking my head. "This isn't about Thor, is it? This is about what you learned, about who you are."

Loki's eyes flashed again, and for a moment, I saw the hurt behind them. "What I am, Helena, is irrelevant. What matters is what I can become. And I will become king."

I blinked, stunned by his words. "King? But—"

"Father's time is over," he continued, his voice rising with a quiet intensity. "He has ruled for too long, clinging to outdated traditions, keeping secrets, hiding the truth. He stole me from Jotunheim, raised me as a prince, but never intended for me to be anything more than a pawn. Well, I'm done being a pawn."

I opened my mouth to respond, but the words wouldn't come. This wasn't the Loki I knew—this was someone else entirely, someone who had been broken by the truths he had uncovered and was now determined to reshape the world to fit his vision.

"Loki, please," I said softly, my voice trembling. "You don't have to do this. You don't have to be... this."

He looked at me, his eyes softening for just a moment. "I have no choice, Helena. I was never meant to be one of you. I was always meant to be more."

I reached out, placing a hand on his arm. "But we're family. You, me, Thor... we've always been family. Don't let this tear us apart."

For a brief second, Loki's mask slipped. I saw the pain in his eyes, the vulnerability he had tried so hard to hide. But then, just as quickly, the mask was back, and he stepped away from me, his expression cold once again.

"Asgard needs a ruler," he said, his voice flat. "And I will be that ruler. You can either stand beside me, Helena, or be swept away with the rest of them."

I felt a chill run down my spine at his words. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that things are about to change," he replied, his gaze hardening. "And you must decide where you stand."

I stared at him, my heart pounding in my chest. "Loki... I don't want to choose between you and Thor."

"There is no choice," he said, stepping closer, his voice barely a whisper. "Thor is gone. I am all that remains."

His words hit me like a blow, and I found myself struggling to breathe. Could I really abandon Thor? Could I stand by and watch as Loki took the throne, knowing that something was wrong, knowing that this wasn't the path we were meant to walk?

But at the same time, I couldn't abandon Loki. I loved him. I trusted him. And part of me still believed that beneath all the anger and ambition, my brother was still there, still the clever, mischievous boy I had grown up with.

"I... I don't know," I whispered, feeling tears prick at the corners of my eyes.

Loki reached out, gently cupping my face in his hand, his touch surprisingly soft. "You don't have to know, Helena. Just trust me."

I wanted to. I wanted to believe that Loki knew what he was doing, that he was leading us toward something better. But deep down, I knew that the path he was walking was dangerous—more dangerous than I could fully comprehend.

"Loki," I murmured, my voice barely audible. "Don't do this. Don't push us all away."

He smiled sadly, his hand still resting on my cheek. "I'm not pushing you away, little sister. I'm asking you to stand with me. I need you."

His words tugged at my heart, and I felt my resolve weakening. Loki needed me—he had always been there for me, always protected me when Thor was too busy or distracted. How could I turn my back on him now, when he was asking for my help?

"Okay," I whispered, my voice trembling. "I'll stand by you."

Loki's smile widened, and for a moment, I saw the warmth return to his eyes. "Good. We'll do great things together, Helena. You'll see."

He pulled me into a tight embrace, and for a brief moment, I allowed myself to believe that everything would be okay—that Loki's ambitions wouldn't tear us apart. But as he held me, I couldn't shake the growing feeling of dread that had settled in the pit of my stomach.

Because deep down, I knew that Loki's rise to power was only the beginning of something much darker. And I wasn't sure if I would be able to stop it—or if I even wanted to.