Percy rolled around on his bed, his eyes flickering rapidly underneath his eyelids. The sheets tangled around him as he moved, subconsciously attempting to get away from an unseen attacker. He woke with a gasp and jolted upright, panting, sweat dripping down his brow. He couldn't remember his dream, but he remembered the all consuming terror and blackness that surrounded him.

Percy rubbed his face tiredly, probably something related to Tartarus. He thought, throw in some chitauri shit too. He looked over at the digital clock on his bedside, the LED numbers glowing happily in the darkness. He groaned, falling back on the bed, how the hell is it only three in the morning? He grumbled to himself. Sighing, he got out of bed; there was no chance of him catching more sleep now, at least not after such a nightmare. Ruffling his hair sleepily, he padded into the bathroom, sighing as he did, at least it wasn't a dream.

He splashed water onto his face, the cold shocking him into awareness. Percy stared at the mirror, he never considered himself narcissistic, but he grimaced at his own reflection. He looked haggard, tired and withdrawn. He had lost some weight from being fed intravenously, but the man staring back at him seemed far older than his actual age. His eyes were ringed with bags, emphasizing the haunted look in them, the lines on his face becoming more pronounced than ever. In short, he looked like hell warmed over.

Percy snorted, the morbid thought sending him into near hysterical laughter as he doubled over, gripping the sides of the basin tightly. It wasn't that farfetched of a description, that hellish planet certainly fit into that category. But it still had nothing on Tartarus. Percy sighed, it seemed that his thoughts were to be on that pit tonight.

He walked out of his room, intending to head to the gym to let out some steam, but as he passed by Loki's room, he heard some weird noises. Pausing, he held his breath, listening closely even though his instincts were telling him to ignore whatever was going on in that room. He heard a shuffle, and crept closer, his face almost plastered against the door. He heard another shuffle, and muffled voices within the room. Stepping back in alarm, he raised a hand to knock, but hesitated, unsure if he should interfere with the god's issues.

He whispered, "JARVIS, what's happening in there?"

A beat of silence, then- scans indicate that Mr Odinson is suffering from a nightmare Mr Jackson. His heart rate is elevated; there is an increase in blood pressure and perspiration. Also, his movements indicate that he is currently still sleeping, but trapped in REM*.

Percy cursed, his hand hovering hesitantly over the doorknob. He didn't want to go in, at least, not while the god was asleep, but he couldn't in good conscience leave the god in the thresholds of a nightmare, he knew how much it sucked to have one, and if his assumption was right, then Loki was haunted by that hellish planet as well. He cursed under his breath and reached out and grasped the doorknob, rattling it vigorously, cursing under his breath, he instructed JARVIS to unlock the door.

He slammed the door open, vaguely wondering why the loud sound didn't wake the god, but that was soon forgotten as he saw the thrashing god on the bed.

He slid to the side of the bed, grasping the god's shoulders tightly, shaking him. "No," the god moaned, "Not them, never them."

Percy didn't have time to think about that, as the god arched up, his mouth open in a silent scream. He slapped the god, shouting in his ear, and shaking him vigorously, "Loki! Loki, wake up! It's just a dream!"

He did this for several more moments, until the god finally gasped. Percy breathed a sigh of relief, he knew that the god had woken up, and relaxed slightly.

That was his first mistake.

Almost immediately, Loki surged forward and grabbed Percy by the neck, the momentum carrying both of them over the bed. Percy landed on the floor, his breath knocked out of him for a moment, but a moment was enough for the trickster god to wind his hands around the boy's throat.

Percy bucked, fingers grasping at the hands at his throat, trying to alleviate the pressure on his neck. He snarled, "Loki! Wake up!"

But the god pressed down harder, bright, cold blue eyes boring into his own emerald ones. Percy cursed in his head, bringing his knee up, slamming it into the god's groin. With a flash of guilt, he brought his leg in between them and kicked the god away, getting into a crouching position just as Loki pounced on him again. He balanced on the balls of his feet, gripping the god's wrists.

He hissed, letting go of the god temporarily and dived to the side, using his momentum against him as Loki fell forward. He whirled around and slammed the god into the ground, their positions reversed.

Concentrating, he pressed the god's wrist against the ground, binding them to the ground as he created ice restrains. The ice wrapped around the god's waist and legs, pinning him completely to the ground.

Percy got up, breathing heavily from the adrenaline in his veins, "JARVIS," he said, yes sir? "Don't – tell - anyone - about this." He muttered, slightly out of breath. He slapped the god again.

Loki blinked, his eyes fading back to its usual poisonous green. Percy breathed a sigh of relief, again, and fell back on the floor.

Loki panted for while, feeling like he had been chased by a bilgesnipe. He raised his head slightly, staring at Percy, who stared back warily. "What-?"

"You were having a nightmare." Percy said wryly, a hand reaching up to rub his neck, "One hell of a nightmare."

Loki blinked, trying to get some semblance of dignity back when he felt cold creeping up his wrists. He looked at them, seeing the ice binding them, his eyes widened in horror. He tugged, trying to get his wrists away, hearing Percy's alarmed cry "Hey don't, wait I'll remove it!" but ignoring it.

Percy finally melted the ice, causing the god to scramble up, rubbing his wrists, but the damage had already been done. Loki stared in horror as blue spread out from where the ice had bound his wrists, spreading up his arm and his entire body. He knew that if he were to look in a mirror now, his blood red eyes would be staring back at him.

Percy's eyes widened in surprise as the god seemed to – change – before him, becoming entirely blue. His skin had raised markings on them, and his eyes had turned a demonic red. Those same red eyes glanced at him in horror, before it clouded over with anger, the changed god snarled, gripping him by his shirt and practically throwing him out of the room, "Get out, GET OUT!"

Percy held his hands up, even as he was manhandled by the god, "Wait, I'm sorry, I didn't- I was just trying to help, I swear!"

Loki sneered at him, red eyes gleaming dangerously in the dark, "I don't need your help Halfling!"

He slammed the door behind him.

Percy was left staring at the door. He rubbed his throat absently, the area quickly becoming sore. He still couldn't believe what had happened.

The silence of the level was deafening in the wake of the chaos that had occurred mere moments earlier. He swallowed, wincing slightly as it aggravated the sore tissue. He had thought that Loki was Asgardian*, and he didn't think that Thor ever changed colors like that. He stifled a laugh, his exhausted mind providing him with the image of a chameleon.

He didn't think it'd be a good idea to laugh when Loki could hear him. The god had seemed so –horrified – at the prospect of turning blue, even though Percy didn't really see anything wrong with it. Though, in his defense, he had lived in a place where dryads melted from trees and naiads lived in the water before.

He shook his head, softly instructing JARVIS again not to tell anyone of tonight's activity, heading to the gym.

Loki leaned against the door; his chest heaving as though he had ran for days. He closed his eyes, fervently trying to push down the feeling of nausea rising up in him. He swallowed harshly, hissing in anger. How dare he, how dare he mock me like this after what I did to save his life! Loki snarled, punching the wall, watching cracks splinter out from where his fist met the concrete. He stared at his navy blue skin, eying the carvings in his skin with disgust. A monster, his mind whispered traitorously, a monster in disguise.

He held his hand up, turning the appendage back and forth as though it was not connected to him. He remembered that day clearly, the day when he found out that he was naught but a monster.

The Bifrost spat them out onto an icy wasteland, the cold wind biting at their faces. The six of them walked in a point formation, with Thor heading and Loki covering the rear, the others fanning out around them, far enough to cover more space, but close enough to be in earshot. The ice crunched beneath their boots, and Loki winced, the sound echoing loudly in the silence. And what an unnatural silence it was. Save for the howling wind, the entire realm was devoid of noise and life. The ice beasts that roamed Jotunheim were missing as well, and there were no signs of any Jotuns whatsoever.

Thor strode forward confidently, Mjolnir hanging loosely in his palm. "Where are all the Jotuns?" He heard Sif call out, her loud voice echoing around them. Loki could have snarled at her if it didn't mean attracting more attention to their ragtag little group. Did they not know the meaning of subtlety? Loki thought. Well no, he grumbled to himself, eyes darting everywhere to try and spot any Jotuns, I forgot that being loud and rambunctious is the only thing they are capable of.

"They're hiding." He heard his brother reply, his voice booming, "Like the cowards they are."

Loki did roll his eyes at that, was his brother truly such a fool? Could he not see the trap they were heading straight for? He gazed around, his hand itching to hold his trusted daggers, spying several shadows between the crevices formed by the fallen structures. This must have once been a magnificent place, he mused, eying the elaborate architecture of the place. But like everything on Jotunheim, it had been destroyed by the war.

Loki flexed his hands, wanting to drive the shadows out, but he knew that that would give the Jotuns a chance to attack first instead, and he would have much preferred it if they got home unscathed.

"Boo."

He whirled around in shock, a dagger manifesting in his hands as he turned, the blade coming down on the person behind him. It hit the other's axe with a loud clang, causing Loki to be startled, his eyes wide. Volstagg roared with laughter, his face red from his hysterics, "Look at you! Jumping around like a frightened mouse." The warrior's face split into a wide grin as Loki scowled, retracting his dagger. Volstagg laughed again, turning to the others who had all stopped and were looking at the two of them, "Did you see that? 'E's scared Thor!"

The other warriors laughed, while Thor just chuckled, "Nothing to be afraid of brother, the Jotuns are weak and pathetic. Even you would be able to take on them with your little tricks."

Loki's face burned, and the wide-girthed warrior just laughed again, "E's blushing Thor! You sure your brother ain't a woman?"

Sif snapped at him, "Oi! Watch who you call woman!"

Volstagg merely raised his hands in defense, "I meant no offense dear Sif!"

The warriors Three, Sif and Thor shared a laugh good naturedly, smirking at him mockingly.

Loki remained silent throughout the whole trip, a pressure building behind his eyes. How he wished to rip a tear into space right there and then, let them all be sucked in and ripped apart by the void. Who would have the last laugh then?

He clenched his hands into fists, he wanted to show them how powerful his 'tricks' were. If they were to battle, he would not even need to lift a hand to defeat them. Loki gritted his teeth, pushing down the feeling of betrayal as Thor laughed along with them. Had his brother forgotten all that Loki had done for him?

There is no point in putting them in their place, Loki kept reminding himself, they would just get up and blame him for everything. As usual. The trickster god was so lost in his musings that he had not realized that they had reached the palace of Jotunheim. He looked up in time to see his brother conversing with the Jotun King.

As annoying as his brother was, and as much as Loki wanted to send his brother into the void for awhile, he still loved him, and it would not do for him to send Asgard into a war because he felt petty.

He quickly walked forward, negotiating with Laufey and his brother, only to flinch back as his brother ordered him to stay back. "Know your place brother." Thor hissed in anger. Loki swallowed, letting Thor utilize his 'diplomacy' skills for a few seconds more before he interjected, accepting Laufey's proposal for them to leave Jotunheim without any major repercussions.

He had felt triumph and that should have been his first warning sign because nothing ever ever went smoothly for Loki Odinson.

When he heard Laufey's snide comment, he could only close his eyes in resignation.

The sound of bones snapping and crunching caused Loki's eyes to snap open. He watched disinterestedly as the Jotun flew past him, his brother raising Mjolnir in triumph.

That was the cue for the battle to start. Soon, Loki lost track of where his companions were, he could only hear Thor's victorious roar and his glee at the prospect of battle, but Sif and the Warriors Three were lost to him. He fought like a whirlwind, spinning between enemies as he slashed at the thighs and legs before cutting them down. He used his size and speed to his advantage, weaving his way through the Jotuns. One swung its club down and he jumped to the side, the club slamming into the ice where he stood mere moments before. He stabbed the Jotun's thigh, causing it to scream in pain and collapse. As it did, he brought his other dagger up to slit its throat, yanking out his dagger from its thigh in the same movement.

He felt his magic surge to life beneath his skin, smirking as his eyes glowed an ethereal green, the Jotuns around him shifting hesitantly. Green fire licked his daggers, and he sprinted towards the Jotuns, using their bent bodies as footholds. He stepped on a Jotun's head, pivoted in air and brought his dagger down on its head, the metal sliding through the creature's skull and into its brain easily. He flicked his other hand, sending the dagger straight into another's chest. Almost immediately, another dagger materialized in his hands as he whirled around and slashed at the third Jotun's chest.

He continued like that until there were three Jotuns left, all of them now wary of his attacks. They, like everyone else, had taken a look at his slight frame and his lack of a bulky weapon and assumed that he was easy pickings. He smirked at them, creating a double while beckoning them challengingly. One Jotun snarled and rushed forward, straight through his illusion and off the cliff, screaming as he fell from the edge.

The other two hesitated, while he created yet another illusion, distracting them before launching off the pillar he had climbed and onto the Jotun's back. Distantly, he heard Volstagg scream in pain, felling a sense of vicious satisfaction course through him. He heard Volstagg's pain-filled warning to not get touched by the Jotuns as he stabbed both daggers into the Jotun he was on. He heard the creature scream in pain as the flames burned him from the inside out. Loki yanked his dagger upwards in a criss-cross fashion, lopping off the Jotuns head. He jumped off it and landed on the ground, rolling to a stand just in time to swing his dagger around.

Before his swing could connect, he felt the Jotun grab his arm, and his eyes widened in horror, his dagger dropping into the snow. He pulled back frantically, waiting for the pain to hit, but even though his armor disintegrated, he felt no pain when the Jotun's hand came into contact with his skin. He looked down, and saw blue spread out from where the Jotun was grabbing him.

He glanced up, seeing the Jotun before him stare back at him in shock, Loki brought his left hand up and slashed the Jotun's throat, the creature releasing his arm as its body fell lifelessly to the ground.

He inspected his arm, which had faded to his original color now, and breathed heavily, a foreign pressure in his chest. This cannot be possible, he thought, a trick, a mere trick. That Jotun must have been a sorcerer.

He could spend no more time convincing himself, because the battle was still raging all around him. Loki pushed his hysterics back to the back of his mind when he heard Fandral scream in pain. He looked up and saw that the blond warrior was impaled on a icicle, while the Jotuns surrounding him were closing in. He saw Thor, at the other edge of the plain, and Sif, Volstagg and Hogun desperately fighting through the throngs of Jotuns to get to their friend.

He snarled, he hated the Warriors Three and Sif, but even he would not abandon a fellow warrior on a battlefield, he had more honor than that.

Loki narrowed his eyes, concentrating on the space behind Fandral. Time seemed to slow down around him as he felt a tugging sensation at his navel. He felt as though he was pulled in different directions, and a heavy pressure pressed on him, trapping his breath within him. His world narrowed to the space between Fandral and the Jotun about to behead him, and with a snap, Loki appeared behind the flirtatious warrior, his daggers above his head as the Jotun's ice sword slammed against it, the frost giant's eyes widening in shock. Loki snarled and pushed the sword off, throwing the Jotun off balance. He whirled around and delivered a roundhouse kick to the Jotun's midsection, sending it flying into its fellow warriors. He felt more than saw Sif and Hogun finally break through the circle of Jotuns and help ease Fandral off the icicle.

Turning away from them, he missed the grateful look that Fandral sent him, and the triple shocked looks that Sif, Volstagg and Hogun had on their faces. He called out to Thor, using his magic to amplify his voice so his brother could hear him. "Thor! We need to leave now!"

Thor's expected response was well, expected, but annoying. Loki hissed under his breath, "That moronic idiot will get us all killed!"

Shockingly, he heard Sif agree with him, and he spared her an incredulous look while he told them all to maintain their positions.

One of the pillars moved, and it revealed bright ruby eyes set on them. Realizing it was an ice beast, Loki then cursed, "Forget that. RUN!"

Him, Sif and the Warriors Three ran for their lives, the ice beast chasing after them. The ground splintered and cracked, pieces of it falling into an abyss. They were losing ground, while the beast was gaining on them. Loki was urging the Warriors Three onwards when he heard Sif cry out in terror. He turned around and saw her trip on the cracks, the beast right behind her.

Loki sprinted to her side and pulled her out of the way, lashing out with his magic as the beast trampled past them. He made a deep gouge in its leg that took off several of its toes and left it unbalanced. The creature roared in pain, stopping its chase for a moment.

A moment that was exploited by Thor as he flew straight through the beast's mouth and through its brain, leaving the creature dead.

Loki sneered at the grateful looks the Warriors Three and Sif sent to Thor, his dagger gripped tightly in his hands, slick with blood.

He knew the fight was over as the Bifrost came down on Jotunheim once more, revealing the Alffather in all his glory. Loki paid the exchange between his father and Laufey no attention, instead, he focused on not allowing the hysterics to come forth now that the battle was over, and the adrenaline receding. The journey back was all but a blur to him, even as his mind whispered traitorously to him, only a Jotun will not be burned by a fellow Jotun.

Loki screamed in anger, banishing the memories to the back of his mind. He lashed out at anything that he could get his hands on, the bed, the curtains, and the bedside table.

He stood alone in the middle of his destroyed room. Only then did his navy blue skin slowly fade back to a light skin tone. Loki held up his hands to his eyes, seeing blue instead of pale and he fell to his knees, voices resounding in his head.

"Monster!"

"Good for nothing Jotun scum!"

"Pathetic creature, always knew he could not be trusted."

"I have nursed a snake on my breast!"

"All hail the king!"

"I will hunt them down and slay them all!"

"You're nothing more than a tool to be used godling."

"Who controls the would-be king?"

"If you fail, there is no crevice where you can hide, where we shall not find you."

"ENOUGH!" Loki screamed, covering his ears, he panted heavily, his emerald eyes hooded. He clenched his hands into fists, the nails digging painfully into his palm. He breathed in slowly, a deep breath that went all the way down to his stomach. As he exhaled, he opened his eyes, his mask already in place. It would not do for the avengers to see his loss of control.

Although, Loki thought, grimacing at the mess he had made, that might be too late.

Several realms away, in the folds of reality, three women sat at the foot of a massive tree, each taking turns to draw water from the well to water the roots of the tree. Their form flickered, as though they were characters from a bad television screening. The three women seemed well dressed one moment, beautiful and young, their faces set in a serene smile with nary a line on it. At other times, they seemed as old as time, their faces set in a grim smiled, the wrinkles on their faces and hands prominent. Their clothes were haggard and well-worn, as though it had seen much disaster.

The three women sat at the base of the tree, deeming it well watered for the time. They sat there, listening to the song of Yggdrasil, even as their form flickered, and in their hands were several balls of yarn.

The middle woman held up an oceanic green thread, the thread faded and frayed. She gazed sadly at it, "The hero has fallen greatly. He cannot remain as he is now."

Her sisters looked at the thread sadly as well, "There is nothing to be done Lachesis**, this is the path he chose." Clotho said, a golden thread spinning in her hands.

"I agree sister," Atropos said, her scissors teasing the frayed thread, "He has chosen to walk this path, he must finish it."

"Must he?" Lachesis asked her sisters, "You know what will happen if he does not take up the mantle."

Her sisters looked at her, curiosity shining in their eyes, "We cannot change Fate Lachesis," Clotho instructed, "Not even we the Fates are allowed to control it."

"No we cannot," Lachesis said, looking down at the worn thread in her hand, a foreign emotion in her heart, "We cannot help him anymore. He is near the end of this road."

She raised her head to Clotho, her face flickering into that of Skuld***, "Verdandi, sister, we cannot change his fate, but perhaps someone else can."

Clotho, now Verdandi, looked at the thread she was spinning, the golden thread gleamed, and she looked back at her sister who nodded.

Atropos, now Urd, looked at her sisters, who nodded. She gave the frayed thread in her hands one last solemn glance, the she snapped the scissors shut. The thread broke almost immediately, and she was left with two fragments of a thread hanging between her fingers.

The three fates flickered and became the young women again, this time, Verdandi held up a golden thread.

Skuld took the golden thread from Verdandi, and gingerly took the frayed oceanic green thread from Urd, winding them together. The three of them muttered a chant, and the threads molded together, forming a green and golden thread.

"It is done." Lachesis/Sklud said, her double voice resonating.

"It is done." Clotho/Verdandi echoed.

"It is done." Atropos/Urd echoed.

The three of them said harmoniously, "Abandoned by the peers he grew up with, an outcast in society, rejected by his own kin, betrayed by the ones he loved. Against all odds, the trickster shall find his way back to salvation."

"We can do no more sister."

"The rest is up to him."

"He will be up to the task when the time is right."

The three women looked at each other, then down at the hybrid thread.

In a cave within a camp situated on Long Island, a bright red-haired girl gasped, dropping her paintbrush as she doubled over, her eyes glowing a bright green.

"The world on his shoulders,

the hero shall falter and fall.

Existence in smoulder,

until he rises once more.

The trickster and the ocean

shall overcome all odds.

The reign of the titan

fall by flames in due course."

Rachel woke with a gasp, her eyes landing on the painting before her. She covered her mouth with her hand, eyes widening in shock and horror.

The silhouette of two men stood, flames spreading out around them. Around them, destruction and bodies lay. In the background, the Empire State Building burned.