Loki stood waist-deep in cold water, feeling the magic-infused call ripple through the waters. He waited patiently, knowing that his son didn't have a reason to appear so quickly, and slightly nervous at that fact. It was no secret that he'd tried to come and see his son numerous times after he was cast out by Odin, but each time, he had been stopped, first by Heimdall not allowing him access to the Bifrost, then Thor stopping him physically when he slipped through the realms. When he had perfected the art of hiding from Heimdall's gaze, he had tried once more, but Odin and his ravens, Huginn and Muninn, had tracked him down and stopped him before he could get near any body of water on Midgard. That had led to the worst punishment of his life, something that he refused to even think about even now, as scarring as it was.

So caught up within his thoughts was he that he didn't realize at first when small ripples splashed his legs. Only the stray thought that there were no other beings around him made him pause and look up. He watched, slightly fascinated as the small ripples became bigger and more frequent, his eyes fixed on the starting point of the ripples. He watched, awed as the centre of the lake seemed to rise, a small bit at first, a small mound in the middle of the dark water. Then, the mound became bigger and bigger until the water broke, revealing a scaled head with webbed fins extending from the crown of its head and under its jaw emerging from the depths of the lake.

Loki stood transfixed at the sight, the top of the head rose higher and higher, until it rose above him, blotting out the sun even though he was standing a ways away from it. Water dripped off the sides of the head of the creature, sliding down a scaled face and past intelligent black eyes. The head of the creature rose even further, its mouth surfacing from the depths of the water, sharp jagged rows of teeth adorning its strong powerful jaws.

To anyone else, the sight of such an enormous head – almost the size of a bus – would have sent them running away, screaming in fright. To Loki, who stood in the water, the cold all but forgotten at the sight of his son, his heart thrummed fiercely with pride with the majesty of his son's visage.

"Jormungand..." he whispered.

Horizontal eyelids slid over the eyes of the serpent, making it seem like the wyrm was blinking*.

Father. Loki heard in his mind, and he nearly cried at the sound of his son's voice, a voice he had not heard in centuries. He raised his hand hesitantly, stepping further into the water. The serpent eyed the hand for a moment, before lowering his head until the tip of his nostril bumped against Loki's hands.

Loki laughed, feeling the warm breath on his face as his son huffed at him, rubbing his hand fondly over thick scales, ridges and bumps, lost in the emotion. The god looked down, still rubbing his hands over his son's face, feeling undeniably guilty. He could have tried harder to see his son, done more to speak up against the Allfather and his stupid lies –

Loki sputtered as a jet of water squirted him in the face. He withdrew his hands, swiping away water and coughing out the taste of salt in his mouth as he glared at his son, who was baring his teeth in a monstrous representation of a smile.

"What was that for?"

There was something to be said about a gigantic sea creature facing a tiny humanoid figure and managing to look reprimanding. You were thinking too much again. It is not your fault.

Loki eyed him, how in the world did he? –

Jormungand rolled his eyes – the best imitation of the look he could copy – staring at his father, you forget that I have spent time with you, you think too much.

Loki sighed exasperatedly, "I should have done something anyway. All this time, I had the power to –"

You did not. Came the reply, you tried your best, I know, I was there, but Odin was always meant to betray us. The serpent moved back, managing to look proud even though only his head was visible, besides, I am happy here. I have made many friends in my time here, and they treat me well.

Loki bowed his head, "Percy... Percy would have loved to be here. I could have introduced the both of you officially."

His son nodded, the action causing waves of water to splash against his father, He was a good person, he listened to me when the only other person who did was his father. The ocean is mourning his passing.

Loki ground his teeth together and looked away, only for him to be splashed with another jet of water. He gasped, rounding on his son, "Will you stop that?"

The serpent cocked its head to one side, You think too much, as I said, it was never your fault.

Loki sighed, but decided against arguing with his son, Jormungand would probably swallow him whole if he continued arguing. Instead, he said, "I – I need to see Lord Poseidon." He looked hesitantly at his son, "Can you take me there?"

Jormungand stared at his father, this person who was most definitely the man who loved him and raised him – as much as he could – was so radically different from who he was in the past. His self-confidence had been shattered and even though Jormungand had not seen his father in centuries, his memory still held strong and he knew a mask when he saw one. Deciding not to bring up his father's obvious façade, he bowed his head, inching forward as much as the sea bed allowed him to , I can take you to Atlantis, but you will have to make your way to the heart of the palace yourself, I would not be able to fit in.

Loki sighed, he had figured as much, and he murmured a short spell, enabling him to breathe underwater temporarily – at least, he hoped that the spell would last until he reached the palace – and vanished from his place, appearing on top of his son's head.

Making sure that his father was well seated, Jormungand slipped back under the water, his head sinking beneath the lake until nothing was left. The only trace of his presence were the ripples in the lake which disappeared after awhile.

Loki held his breath instinctively as his son's head slipped under water, the freezing liquid washing over him. As a Jotun/Asgardian, he had the ability to hold his breath far longer than a mortal, but even he had to take a breath once in awhile. He let go, watching air bubbles drift from his mouth and breathed in, surprised at the feeling of being able to breathe underwater. Was this how Percy felt whenever he stayed underwater to think?

He gripped his son's fins tightly, the webbed texture foreign under his fingers, as his son slipped further and further into the darkness. Loki marveled at how deceiving the lake was, a large hole in the lake bed giving way to the unfathomable depths of the ocean. A portal to another world. As soon as Jormungand slipped through the hole – Loki was seriously wondering how long his son's neck was at this point – his son unfurled his wings, which had been tucked against his side.

His son's wings were majestic, the wingspan extending out larger than he could see, even with his superior vision. He felt the water shift as Jormungand flexed the muscles in his body, glancing back to see his son's tail swishing out behind him, two powerful hind legs stretching out. With a powerful beat of his wings, Jormungand went into a dive, his wings and hind legs propelling his body forward at speeds unimaginable to mortals. Loki threw his head back and laughed, exhilaration coursing through his veins as his son cut through water swiftly with every beat of his wings.

Even traveling at speeds unknown through the ocean, Loki thought that he understood why Percy loved the ocean so much. Despite the chill of the water – not that it bothered him all that much – and the fact that they were going a bit too fast for him to really see anything, there was something to behold when seeing the ocean from beneath instead of from above. Where it looked like a mere huge expanse of blue-grey water from the sky, from beneath, it was like being in the stomach of a humongous creature – Jormungand exempted.

The waves that seemed rough from above, crashing and breaking against each other, were now muted, the water currents swirling like a serpent's body coiling and curving through the water. There was much life underwater as there was above. The marine animals were darting back and forth quickly in a pattern unknown to Loki, schools of fish swimming in one direction then quickly changing course when Jormungand came too close. He grinned at the sight of the other animals swimming away from his son's predatory jaws, watching in fascination as they swam away, then swam back, slightly intrigued by the presence of the large serpentine creature yet wary of its monstrous jaws.

Idly, the god wondered if Percy spent his time listening to the fishes when he swam. Did he talk to them in the way he talked to humans? Did he interact with them like he did with his friends? He wanted to know so badly that it hurt, and for once in his life, the god regretted that he hadn't got the chance to know the boy more. It surprised him when he found himself longing to know more about Percy. Not just the stories that were told about him. Not because he wanted blackmail material. He truly, genuinely wanted to know what made the boy as he was. What the demigod liked, what he didn't. He wanted to know the boy behind the mask that he put up, he wanted to tear down the walls and listen to Percy talk about his hurts and his problems, and he wanted to make every single problem disappear.

Loki was startled at the intensity of his emotions, he hadn't felt like this since Sigyn, and even then, theirs was never a truly passionate relationship, their connection more so because of political reasons than true love, though he loved her and the children she bore him no less.

Jormungand shook him out of his thoughts with a flick of his webbed fins, which Loki had been sitting in front of. He shook off his stupor and looked up, realizing that Atlantis was in the distance. He blinked once, twice, a third time, before the image registered in his mind.

Despite his supposed hate for Asgard, he could not deny that the realm was deserving of its title as the golden realm, at least, physically it was deserving. Majestic spires towering into the air with gleaming structures standing proudly around it, and that was only the main body of the palace. The Bifrost bridge leading to the heart of the realm stood out proudly, its seven colors gleaming brightly in Asgard's two suns. It was truly a sight to behold.

Yet sitting here now, on his son's gigantic head, traveling via giant serpent towards the underwater palace that the mortals tried so desperately to find, he couldn't find any words to describe it. It was smaller than Asgard was, that was for sure, as Asgard was a realm on its own. But it was no less majestic.

Where Asgard was pyramidal in geometric structures, low lying buildings at the periphery of the realm and slowly building up to a huge pointed structure that denoted Asgard's main palace in its center, Atlantis was circular, a ring of solid wall encasing the entire outer ground of the city while a glowing dome covered the city from its highest point to its lowest. The heart of the palace, from what he could see from his angle, rose above the rest of the buildings, enough to make it prominent but not so tall as to make it tower above everything else. The scholarly side of him marveled at the architecture of the city and the sorcerer side of him leapt in excitement at the energy thrumming through this city.

There was one thing though, and Loki leant forward, whispering to his son, "There does not seem to be anyone within the city walls, save for the guards posted outside."

His son's body rumbled beneath him and Loki realized that the serpent was laughing, there are, you cannot see it because the Mist is powerful here.

Loki nodded mutely, still gazing in awe at the huge city. As they neared the front gates, Loki saw the guards shift uneasily, but they didn't point their weapons at his son, obviously recognizing him but fearing his appearance. Besides the four guards at the gate, Loki also saw another figure standing there arms behind their back and standing on two feet, cutting a regal posture.

Loki's heart nearly skipped a beat when they were close enough that he could make out the specifics of the fifth unknown figure. With jet black hair and striking green eyes, Loki leaned forward and nearly called out Percy's name, only to stop short when the rest of the figure's features registered in his mind. Where Percy's face was slightly round around the cheeks, this man's face was angular and sharp, almost as though they were cut from stone. His cheekbones stood out prominently in a way that Percy's never did, his back ramrod straight and his long black hair tied in a ponytail at the base of his neck.

Jormungand whispered softly in his head, I can only come this far, the barrier is impenetrable for me unless permission is granted, the giant serpent dived forward and landed in a crouch, the claws on his wings acting as hands as he braced himself on the ground, lowering his head. Loki slid off his son's head and landed lightly on the seabed, stirring up a cloud of sand and sediments that were carried away by the currents, his son curled slightly around him.

He strode forward, just as the Percy-look-alike did, the two of them meeting in the middle. Percy's doppelganger eyed him, his green eyes hardened in a way Percy's never was despite the horrors he had been through, his hands never leaving their position behind his back. Loki refused to be cowed however, and lifted his chin, meeting the other's gaze head on.

With a terse nod, Percy's look-alike quirked his lips up in a small smile that told him that he had just passed some unknown test, unclasping his hands and extending one forward, "I am Triton, eldest Son of Poseidon and heir to the throne of Atlantis."

Loki blinked, reaching out and grabbing the other god's hand in the mortal custom, "Loki." He introduced shortly.

Triton inclined his head and shifted his gaze to Jormungand, he dipped his head in thanks, while his son did the same, giving his father one last look before he launched himself upwards, quickly disappearing into the murky darkness. The prince tilted his head towards the guards, who bowed deeply and opened the gates, the creaking sound of chains moving and gears becoming muted underwater. Loki watched in awe as the gates slowly opened, revealing Atlantis in all its great glory, the city bustling with life and noise so unlike the golden realm he came from.

Triton smirked – a familiar smirk that made Loki grimace – and waved a hand to the sight before him, "Welcome to Atlantis. Come, my father awaits your arrival."

Half of Loki was screaming at him to slow down and take in the sight of the fabled underwater city, the other half was screaming at him to get out of the domain of the father of the demigod he had caused the death of.

It wasn't exactly a pleasant feeling.

He drifted along behind the prince, taking in the sights – and smell? – of the city, subconsciously comparing it to Asgard and finding that he preferred it here. It wasn't until Triton stopped in front of a huge set of double doors that Loki realised that they had reached the main palace. He rubbed his head and sighed internally, when had he become as complacent as to allow himself to lose himself in his thoughts around strangers in a foreign land?
With a quick gesture, the doors were heaved open and the prince led them through, walking down a deserted hallway. It was a stark contrast from the atmosphere outside in the city, where it was so vibrant and full of life, the heart of Atlantis seemed melancholic and depressed. When he said as much to Triton, the prince grimaced and sighed, "The majority of the city doesn't know that – that my brother is gone. The ones in the palace know because of how my father has been behaving." The prince sighed again, slumping slightly, "My brother talked to everyone. And I mean everyone. The people all knew him and the servants and guards loved him. When he stayed here, he would talk to each of them and ask about their families, their jobs, their lives. He knew each person by name, though sometimes he mispronounced because he's a seaweed brain." Triton let out a little laugh, and Loki cracked a smile at hearing his – at Percy's antics. The prince shook his head fondly, "He visited the city every day, venturing into alleys and talking to the vendors. They all loved his vibrant attitude, which is why my father forbade anyone from the palace from telling the people."

Loki tested the waters and said, "Why not? Why keep it a secret, the people would not revolt would they?"

Triton shook his head, "No, they wouldn't, it's not because of them, it's because..." He trailed of, unsure of how to continue.

"Because?" Loki prompted.

The other god shook his head, increasing his pace, "Never mind, you'll know why soon enough."

Loki stared perplexed at the back of the raven haired god, wondering what was going on. Nevertheless he followed behind the other.

In general, the layouts of palaces were roughly the same, a throne room, several floors of inconsequential rooms and then the rooms of the royals. There were quarters for the servants and guards alike, as well as the kitchen and the dining hall. While this was not Asgard, Loki had a rough idea of the layout of the palace, figuring that they were heading into the centre of the palace, where the throne room usually was.

Triton surprised him then by turning into a darkened stairwell and headed up, leading them west and away from the throne room. After several minutes of meandering, they came to a stop outside a plain looking door, devoid of the elaborate designs that adorned the other doors they walked past. In its own way, it stood out, and Triton only looked at it with mild apprehension before knocking twice on the door and entering.

The room was dark, barely any light illuminating the room. The only source of light in the room made Loki stumble back in shock.

There, beneath the shield that cast its soft light on the walls of the room, was Percy Jackson, his body laid out on the bed, cleaned and redressed with his hands folded across his stomach. If it weren't for the fact that he wasn't breathing, Loki would have been fooled into thinking that the boy was merely asleep.

Even so, he stumbled forward, nearly hitting the bed as his breath hitched in his throat, staring at the too still demigod surrounded by blankets and pillows. He reached a hand out, wanting to touch him, only to draw back like he was burned.

"That was probably a good idea."

He whipped around, coming face to face with a middle aged man in a Hawaiian shirt and Bermudas, complete with sandals, the epitome of casual. Loki caught the pained look on Triton's face as he saw his brother's silent figure on the bed before he bowed and backed out of the room, closing the door silently. Loki returned his focus to the man standing on the other side of the bed. Looking between the two, he saw the similarities between Percy and his father. Poseidon looked old and weary, his face withdrawn and lines prominent on his features.

Loki stumbled backwards and collapsed on his knees, bowing his head, "Lord Poseidon." He whispered.

The sea god flicked his eyes to the kneeling trickster and his gaze softened, although it went unnoticed by said god. "Rise Loki Odinson," he said, equally softly, "You do not need to kneel before me."

Loki slowly stood up, not even mustering up the anger that usually accompanied the use of his surname. He stood silently, his back straightened though his eyes were focused on anything except the sea god. Undisturbed by the silence, the sea god slid into the seat by his son's bedside. "It's a good thing you didn't touch that shield. It's the only thing keeping him in stasis."

Loki's eyes widened, "Stasis? What for? Is he still alive?"

Poseidon just smiled, the other god's curiosity a reminder of Percy's happier self, shaking his head slowly, "No," he said softly, "My son is gone, but his body is preserved by this magic." The god sighed, "This was his room you know? During the war. He didn't want anything grand or lavish. He said that a room with a bed was more than enough." Loki looked on as the god spoke softly of his son, pride coloring his tone, "He said that he'd rather the resources used to make his life better be given to those who actually needed it. And he went out to find the refugees, taking care of them and giving them the rations he felt they deserved. It was how he met your son you know?"

Loki didn't say anything, just giving a questioning glance at the older god.

Poseidon sighed, "We were fighting Pontus, the primordial of the ocean, and he turned out to be worse than Oceanus ever was. He released the Kraken on us, and while it cannot be controlled directly, Pontus managed to direct its attacks towards us. The kraken was too strong, and I could not help my soldiers for I was locked in combat with the primordial." The god gave a fond smile towards his son, "The kraken would not attack daily, for it was a dull creature and only attacked when prompted or when it needed. Percy realised soon enough that they couldn't hold out on their own much longer. He gave orders to them to hold for as long as they could, and retreat if they couldn't hold in any longer while he searched for the one other creature that could match the kraken power for power."

Poseidon gave Loki a meaningful glance, while said god let his pride for his son show. "He went as fast as he could, after research, after asking Hermes, and he succeeded in his mission, a mission we all deemed a waste of time and effort. None of us thought that he would succeed, because we've tried communicating with your son before, but he only consented to remaining neutral, not wanting to deal with our politics. Percy did what none of us could, he managed to convince your son to help us in our war, I don't know how, but Percy convinced Jormungand to help us." The god let out a laugh, "Oh I will forever remember the look on Triton's face when your son came barreling straight into the kraken, Percy atop his head screaming in joy."

Loki smiled slightly, picturing his son and Percy working side by side. He knew how Percy had convinced his son to help, just like he knew how Percy managed impossible things. The boy had an aura around him that made it impossible not to trust him. He was so earnest in everything he did that one could not help but be touched by his actions and his attitude.

Loki bowed his head, "I am sorry. I failed to save him."

Poseidon remained silent, eyes still on his son, "You were not at fault. If anything, I have the greater sin, I failed him. As a father, and as a friend." The sea god looked at Loki, "You were a greater friend for him than I ever was."

Unable to come up with an appropriate response to that, Loki said quietly, "Percy was the one who sent me here." looking at Poseidon, "He told me – he told me to find you, with his last breath."

Poseidon blinked, and a wistful smile appeared on his face as he looked at his son, yearning to touch him, "Smart boy."

The god of oceans stood up fluidly, walking towards Loki. He placed a calloused hand on his shoulder, staring the younger god in the eye, "I need you to come with me to Olympus."

Loki's eyes widened, "Olympus?" He breathed, "I –"

"Don't worry," Poseidon soothed, "you're not in trouble. We just need to talk. We can clarify some things for you, which is why Percy asked you to come to me. So that I can bring you there."

Loki remained silent for a moment, then nodded. Poseidon smiled and tightened his grip on the younger god. With a flash, the two disappeared into ocean mist.

They appeared before the full council, and for the third time that day, Loki fell to his knees, though it was a more deliberate action this time. God or not, he was on Midgard, their turf, and he would be foolish to offend them on their ground. He knelt in the customary manner for Asgardians, concluding that it was a nice compromise for this situation. He fell to one knee, with his right fist placed over his heart, "Lord Zeus," he murmured, "Council of Olympus."

Zeus sat stonily on his throne, waiting for his brother to take his place on his own throne before he spoke. "Rise, Loki Odinson."

Feeling déjà vu, Loki stood up and inclined his head, meeting the stormy gray eyes of the King of the gods. "Do you know why you are here?" said god boomed, his two sons rolling their eyes at his theatrics.

Loki shook his head mutely.

Zeus cocked his head to one side, his right hand gripping his master bolt, "Perseus Jackson was given a task, to get you to Olympus, I suppose that since you are here it can be considered that he has completed the task. Even if he is...absent."

Loki's head snapped up, and he glared at Zeus, "He was murdered and sacrificed to allow the Mad Titan through!" he narrowed his eyes, "How can you sit there and comment with so little regard for him?"

Zeus shifted, gripping his master bolt tighter, "Why do you care about how I speak of him? He is but a demigod, a powerful one, yes, but ultimately a demigod. They live, they die."

Loki stared in shock at the king, and hissed, "A mere demigod? Have you forgotten all that he has done for you? All that he has sacrificed for you? Considering how he isn't even one of you in the first place, he didn't even need to fight for you , let alone give his life for you." Loki snarled, "You used him, you abandoned him and now you throw him away like trash? Percy Jackson gave everything for you gods and you dare to be so nonchalant about his death?"

He was breathing hard now, the fact that he was screaming at the king of the Greeks didn't actually register in his mind, but he did see when Zeus smirked and released his tight hold on his weapon, leaning back into his throne. The King of the gods focused his gaze on a point behind Loki, saying, "I suppose you are right, he has changed."

Loki fell back in surprise, and he whirled around, seeing three ladies standing behind him, soft smiles on their faces. His eyes widened in shock, watching their form flicker between three young women and three old, hunched ladies. "Impossible," he breathed, "The Norns – what?"

"You have been brought here for cleansing Loki Odinson," Zeus said, drawing Loki's attention back to him, "You have passed the test, and have been deemed worthy of being given a second chance." The god gestured for Dionysius to step forward, and the rounded god sighed, hopping off his throne and sidling up to Loki. At the same time, a lady in a white gown stepped out from the shadows, her dress trailing behind her. Her face was devoid of emotion as she glided up to Loki, who stepped back in shock.

"What – what are you doing?" he asked, "What is going on here?"

Poseidon gave him a calm smile, "When you awake, everything will be explained."

"When I –"

"Yes yes, when you awake, yada yada yada. Now stay still and let me work." Dionysius grumbled, standing behind Loki as he placed two hands on either side of his head. Loki trembled, feeling terrified as he stared into the cold black eyes of the titan of memories, his own magic sensing the building power from the god, and the ancient power the titan in front of him held.

She spoke quietly, her voice soft and light, "Sleep godling, when you wake, everything will be made clear."

She pressed a finger to the middle of his forehead, and Loki fell back into the darkness, his mind burning.

Cold biting wind cut into his skin, startling him awake – awake? Wasn't he supposed to go to a place where he wouldn't wake up? He curled his hands, feeling soft powdery ash between his fingers, the soft ground he was lying on. He opened his eyes, a grey ceiling above him – no, sky, that is the sky, not the ceiling.

He sat up slowly, still looking at the sky – wasn't it supposed to be blue? He shook his head, blue? How did he know that? He looked around him, random trees – but they didn't have leaves, they were grey and withered, not bright and green – surrounding him. not a forest, but not a clear plan as well. He looked down at himself, his pants slightly torn up in some places, his shirt practically hanging off him, the thing was in shreds.

The wind blew around him again, and he realized, he wasn't cold. He felt the cold wind yes, but he didn't feel cold. He cocked his head to one side, puzzled at this phenomenon, even though he didn't know why. He looked at his hands, dirt wedged under his nails, his palm rough and calloused. He scooped up some of the dirt on the ground, eyeing it with suspicion. On closer inspection, his eyes widened and he threw the handful of dirt down, scrambling backwards.

No, not dirt, he thought, ash.

He looked up in horror, seeing the ash cover the entire plain around him.

Where am I?

He looked back and forth, seeing only withered trees and ashen ground, no landmarks, no water, nothing but a grey expanse stretching out as far as the eye could see.

The hair on his back stood up, and he turned around, spying gleaming yellow eyes in the distance, accompanied by a low menacing growl, the creature's bulk hidden by the shadows casted by a clump of trees. He felt his heart beat faster – his heart? – as more yellow dots appeared behind the first one. The creature moved slowly, still growling as it emerged from the trees, its huge bulk melding from the shadows, its head brushing against the tallest branch of the withered tree.

He felt his heart beat faster as the wolf stalked forward, its midnight black fur bristling, its muscles tensed and ready to spring. The wolf snarled, baring its teeth at him, and he only had time to think – wolves should not be that huge – before said wolf howled and charged.

He turned and ran, the enraged howls of wolves nipping at his heels as he tore through the trees.