Silence.
The entire hall was silent for a moment before it erupted.
If the laughter before had been thunderous, this was a full-blown earthquake.
Warriors collapsed against each other, some falling from their seats entirely. Others banged their fists against the tables, wheezing through uncontrollable gasps for air.
The sound of goblets clattering to the floor, metal armor shaking with laughter, and voices howling in sheer amusement filled the space in waves.
Loki was gone.
He had utterly lost himself, his body shaking with laughter so forceful that tears streamed down his face. He pounded the armrest of his chair, breathless from how utterly hilarious the sight of his brother's divinely electrified demise was.
Odin?
Odin looked broken.
His one eye twitched violently. His fingers were pinching the bridge of his nose so hard it was a wonder he hadn't crushed it. His lips moved, but no words came. It was as if he were replaying his entire existence.
Frigga simply sighed, rubbing her temple as if battling the urge to pretend she did not know this man.
Hela covered her mouth with her hand in horror.
"…He is actually brain-damaged," She muttered, closing her eyes as if that would somehow erase the sight from her mind.
And Thor?
Thor was suffering.
His entire soul seemed to be withering under the merciless storm of mockery.
"W-WHAT—WHY—" Thor stammered, his voice cracking under the sheer weight of his humiliation. His eyes darted frantically across the screen, his breath hitching as he struggled to comprehend what he was seeing. "THIS—THIS CANNOT BE TRUE! IT MUST BE FALSE!"
Seph, lounging far too comfortably in his chair, grinned like a cat toying with a particularly helpless mouse.
"Oh, Thor," He mused, his voice dangerously smooth, thick with amusement. "Deny it all you want, but this? This is the truth."
He propped his chin on his hand, his gaze piercing. "A future that should have happened… if not for my intervention."
Loki howled with laughter once more, practically doubled over in his seat...
The hall, still recovering from Thor's tremendously educational experiences on Midgard, barely had a moment to breathe before the screen lit up once again.
And this time—this time, it was personal.
[FAMOUS SCENE!]
The scene opened violently.
[A vast, desolate mountainside stretched beneath a darkened sky, the air thick with tension. The wind howled through jagged cliffs, whipping through Thor's golden locks as he descended from the heavens like an avenging storm, eyes burning with raw, unrelenting fury.
And there—there was Loki.
The Trickster, clad in his sleek emerald armor, barely had a moment to react before his brother snatched him from the air like a hawk grasping its prey.
Thor's rage was tangible, a living force crackling around him like an impending storm. His grip on Loki's armor was unyielding, his veins pulsing with barely restrained wrath as he dragged his brother down at blinding speed.
And then—
BOOM
The ground shattered beneath them, dust and debris exploding into the air.
Loki's body slammed into the rock with enough force to leave a deep crater.
A sharp, guttural cry of pain tore from Loki's lips as his body twisted from the impact, armor scraping against stone. He gasped, trying to push himself up, but his limbs trembled—his body still reeling from the force of the attack.
Above him, Thor stood like an unshakable monolith, his broad chest heaving, his grip tightening around Mjolnir. His gaze was unyielding, cold, his expression one of absolute condemnation.
"WHERE IS THE COSMIC CUBE?!" His voice boomed like rolling thunder, shaking the very air between them.
Loki, despite the clear agony wracking his body, chuckled hoarsely, tilting his head up with that familiar, infuriating smirk.
"Long time no see, brother."
Thor's eyes narrowed, unamused. "Do I come to reminisce with you?!"
Loki let out a dramatic sigh, his body still half-sprawled against the ruined ground. His emerald eyes gleamed with amusement and something far darker.
"After the Rainbow Bridge was destroyed, do you know how much dark energy Odin had to mobilize just to teleport you to your beloved Earth?" He lifted an eyebrow, lips twitching. "You should thank me."
Thor's fury flickered for the briefest moment.
"…Loki, I thought you were dead."
At this, Loki's smile twisted.
His fingers clenched against the rubble, his expression darkening as he gazed up at his brother with something that was not quite mockery, but pain.
"Are you… mourning me?"
Thor hesitated, a muscle twitching in his jaw. "We all mourned. Our father—"
"It's YOUR father!" Loki snarled, his voice slicing through the air like a dagger.]
The hall gasped.
Loki's entire body coiled, his usual playful demeanor gone, his features twisted with something raw—something vicious. He pushed himself up with trembling arms, his eyes burning with resentment, bitterness, and heartache.
The screen continued on.
[A deserted mountaintop, looming beneath the vast, merciless sky.
The tension between them was palpable, stretching like a tightrope between two warriors standing on opposite sides of a battlefield.
Loki took a step forward, his fists clenching, his breath uneven.
"I will never forget that you threw me into the abyss."
His voice cracked—half fury, half anguish. His entire body trembled with the weight of those words, the memory of it—of that fall.
His next words came like a roar, like a declaration to the gods themselves:
"WHO AM I?! I AM THE KING!"
Thor exhaled sharply, shaking his head, his expression dark with disbelief.
"So you want to occupy this world to compensate for your inexplicable inferiority complex?" His voice was heavy, filled with disappointment. "I will protect the Earth."
Loki laughed.
It was harsh, cold—a laugh devoid of mirth, dripping with ridicule. His eyes gleamed, full of mockery.
"Protect who?" He stepped closer, his gaze locked onto Thor's. "People are killing each other in groups, and you are standing by and watching! I will rule them!"
Thor's expression hardened. "You think you are stronger than humans?"
Loki's eyes flickered. His smirk returned, slower this time—more deliberate.
He blinked, tilted his head, and then—
"Of course."
Thor let out a sharp breath. "You don't know what a king is."
His voice was steady, unwavering. "The throne makes you feel uncomfortable."
Loki snarled, and before Thor could react—
A fist slammed against his armored chest.
Thor barely moved, but the intent behind the punch was clear.
Loki's entire body was coiled in frustration, his teeth clenched, his breath ragged.
"I have seen new worlds that you have never seen." His voice was a growl, his hands trembling as he took another step closer. "When I was exiled, I saw the true power of the Cosmic Cube!"
Thor's expression darkened.
"Who let you see this power?! Who is the mastermind behind you?!"
Loki lifted his chin, pride flashing in his eyes. "No one! I AM THE KING!"
"Don't dream." Thor's voice was ice, his grip tightening around Mjolnir. "Hand over the Cosmic Cube! Give up these ridiculous dreams! Listen carefully, brother, I—"
BOOM
A red and gold comet EXPLODED into the scene like a meteor.
Thor's words were obliterated as something fast, metallic, and cocky as hell slammed into him like a battering ram.
The Asgardian grunted, his entire form sent flying off the mountaintop in a glorious display of flailing limbs and golden hair.
Silence.
Dust settled.
Loki, still standing on the mountain, blinked once.
Then twice.
Then—
A slow, smug grin stretched across his lips as he turned his gaze downward at the now-empty mountaintop.
He straightened, inhaling deeply as if savoring the moment.
Then, with all the poise and grace of a theatrical villain, he murmured—
"…I'm listening."]
The hall ERUPTED.
Again.
This time, it was Loki who was losing himself, his body shaking with mirth.
Thor, meanwhile, sat paralyzed, his entire face frozen in a horrified grimace.
Seph just leaned back, sipping his drink, completely satisfied.
"Ah," He sighed, lips twitching. "Truly… a loving family."
--- ✦ ✦ ✦ ---
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