literature

Not Them

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Literature Text

Loki went very white. His lungs screamed for breathe, but he couldn't, the panic was choking him. He suddenly felt like a cornered animal.

"You wouldn't…" he'd meant to scream it, but it came out a whisper, barely audible. The All-Father only lowered his one-eyed gaze to the luminous bridge beneath their feet. Loki forced his voice out, "Odin, this is between you and I. They had nothing to do with this." He reached out to grab Odin's shoulder, but a firm hand on his own stopped him, reminding him he was still a prisoner; yet still, his voice rose from a harsh tone to begging one, "Don't! They are but innocent children! The fault is mine entirely!" Odin turned his back to his youngest son.

Loki was about to curse when he heard her voice: Sigyn. Her voice had so much fear in it as she asked why they'd been brought out of their home at the crack of dawn. The guards ignored her, so she turned her attention to her sons, who were rubbing the sleep from their eyes, replaced by confusion and a bit of fear as they were lead out of the city to the Bifrost Bridge. She picked one up, setting him on her hip and took the other's hand.

Loki felt his heart wrench when Vali suddenly called out, "Father!" He let go of Sigyn's hand and dashed across the rainbow bridge, his tiny bear feet sending ripples of color through the ground. Loki knelt, opening his arms wide. Vali flung himself into his father's embrace, swing his arms around his neck and squeezing hard. Loki wrapped him arms around him and was afraid to let go. He heard a second "Father!" ring out and looked up to see Narfi fight his way out of his mother's grip. He too ran up to Loki and the older god pulled his two blessings into a vice-like grip. He looked at them, recognizing memorized faces.

Only Sigyn and Loki could tell the twins apart, but they were about as different as night and day: Vali, like his father preferred stories and making mischief, while Narfi had inherited his mother's good behavior and joyful outbursts. Both had vibrant green eyes, but tinged with Sigyn's gentle blue. He buried his face into their brown, curly hair and sighed, feeling completely and utterly at peace.

Until he heard Sigyin's worried voice ask, "Loki, what's going on?" He looked into her eyes, absorbing her patience and loyalty. Before he could reply, though, a guard took her by the hand, pulling her away. She shouted indignantly, demanding an explanation, but of course they all ignored her. Loki tightened his grip on his sons as more guards approached. Narfi suddenly groaned "Father, you're-"

"-hurting us." Vali finished. They had that bad habit, finishing each other's sentences. Loki pulled them away to look at them, but didn't loosen his grip. He tried to put on a reassuring face, but his eyes must've betrayed him, because Narfi said, "Father, what's wrong?"

"You look scared." Vali ventured. Loki shook his head and broadened his smile, taking his sons by the nape of their necks, ruffling their hair, "No, no. Everything's going to be alright. I promise, I just-"

Narfi was ripped out of Loki's arms, a terrified scream coming from four different mouths. Loki clawed to regain him, Vali clinging to his father's robes in fear, but then, Vali too was snatched away from him. Loki leapt to his feet, ready to fight off all of Asgard, but strong arms held him back, and he couldn't break free. All he had left was his voice, "Father! Don't do this!" He shrieked to Odin, struggling against his captures, "I care not what befalls me! Just please! Please don't harm them!"

Narfi was brought before Odin first, trembling with fear. The All-Father didn't hesitate for a moment as he placed two fingers against the child's brow. Narfi's scream rung across the sky, sending shivers down everyone's spine. He closed in on himself, limbs slowly and painfully morphing into another shape; fur sprout from every pore, covering skin. Narfi's scream turned into a howl as his nose grew into a long snout, dagger-like teeth protruding from blood red lips.

Vali had watched in horror, held in place by Odin's grip around his wrist. Tears poured down red cheeks and the child hiccupped from sobbing. Once Narfi's howl died, Odin turned to Vali as if he was to do the same thing. Vali looked into the All-Father's face and gasped, breathe hitching, "G-G-Grandfather…?" All nine realms seemed to be holding their breath, seeing what Odin would do. Loki prayed to whoever a god could pray too that Odin would change his mind.

His prayer went unanswered. Odin did the unthinkable.

He flung Vali in front of his changed brother, but it was clear Narfi was no longer himself. Odin raised his staff, slamming it against the ground to cage the two in a magic circle. Vali ran to the edge and banged his small fists against the magic light's surface. Loki felt his son's terror as if it was his own. "Father! Help! Father!" Vali shouted, but his screaming was cut off by sharp teeth sinking into tender flesh.

Loki screamed just as loud as his son did, maybe louder. At first he begged, then he threatened, then he just screamed to block out the sound of his son crying out for Narfi to stop. Loki wretched free of the grip, anger and fear giving him strength. His magic fought Odin's, desperately trying to tear down the magic cage, but it was in vain. His tears blurred the struggle before him. When he could no longer hear Vali's voice, his legs gave out from under him; he slid down the side of the cage, sobbing.

He felt Thor take him by his shoulders again and yank him to his feet, Odin's commands were an echo and the world was swimming in crazy circles. He was barely able to make out Sygin's figure sobbing over her broken son's bodies. They'd apparently slain Narfi as well, as his wolf-son's throat oozed scarlet. Loki felt his body being dragged, to where? He didn't care. He'd died with his sons, his will to live gone.
Word count: 1,052
Summary: Loki has killed Baldur, and Odin seeks a fitting punishment.
Characters: Loki, Sygin, Narfi, Vali Odin, a tad of Thor

Thank you :iconsaoryemanoelle: for talking me into doing what I love: write. This is for you.

My Feels entry for LokiLiterature Club ( [link] ) So I told my sister the idea for this and she said "Well those people are meanies!" Then when I read it out loud to her, she started crying and we talked about how much we hate Odin. She titled the story. Listen to this while you read [link]

All Characters (c) Marvel and Norse Mythology
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EDIT: I wrote a sort of epilogue to this: [link]
© 2012 - 2024 rainbar
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