(no subject)

[damn_yourself_early]

There is a stone pylon standing in the Nexus, a waist-high obelisk with an iron ring set in its tip. To the ring is tied a rope, blackened with weather and age, that rises ramrod-straight into the uncertain distance above. Etched into the faces of the pylon are cryptic glyphs--utter nonsense, right-side-up, but upside-down, these runes read, "Here, above Ymir's cloven brow, do I set my anchor. Let him who cuts the rope have vipers in place of blood."

Normally, the rope is still, but today it sways faintly, twisting slowly this way and that, emitting the occasional creak. In time, the reason becomes clear, as a young boy in green and black and gold is climbing down it. Or up it, perhaps. He is upside-down, and closer to the pylon and the ground with every length he climbs, yet he seems to be straining against some strange gravity that would pull him away from the ground he seeks.

Hand over hand he descends, grasping at last the ring and flipping lightly to stand on the ground and crow in triumph. "I knew there was something up here!" Digging out a Starkphone, he holds it at arm's length. "Selfie!"

Having recorded his triumph, he turns his attention outward, balancing on one foot with his arms out to his sides, turning slowly around. "Advisers, counselors, sages, and oracles! What more could a soul in want of answers wish? But that isn't my question, don't count it. Do we have a set limit? Don't count that either."

"Sages! If you needed to learn, and learn quickly... what would you try to learn first?"

Comments

[brave_heart_verity]

"Some people will understand. Find them, and tell them. Let your friends help you."

She's not really good at this, having very little experience with kids, and it's only frustrating her more.

"Sometimes the most helpful thing to do is to respect what other people want."

[damn_yourself_early]

Loki grows quiet and solemn and thoughtful, before nodding. "Thank you. And I don't think I asked your name, yet?" He extends a hand, adding, "I'm Loki. But you already know my bird."

[brave_heart_verity]

"Verity Willis." She'll shake his hand because she'd be a hypocrite to lecture him on manners and then refuse. "Yes, I know. I think my dad thought it was funny."

[damn_yourself_early]

"Fathers have the oddest senses of humor," he muses, shaking her hand. "So you always know when someone is lying?"

[brave_heart_verity]

"I do. I can see through illusions, too." Which might explain why she doesn't know if Ikol is there or not.

[damn_yourself_early]

"Illusions. Huh." He thinks on that for a moment. "Does that mean illusions are lies by default, I wonder?"

[brave_heart_verity]

"I don't know. It might have been added into the spell. I don't really know who did the magic, so I can't ask them."

[damn_yourself_early]

"Maybe we should find out!" he suggests, excited at the prospect for adventure and discovery.

[brave_heart_verity]

"Maybe. Ever heard of someone named Andvari?"

[damn_yourself_early]

"Andvari? Andvari. Hmm." He turns to pace, repeating the name quietly to himself as he thinks. "It sounds Dwarven. But that might be a trick. They're notoriously tricky, dwarves. I could have a rummage through Asgard's library," he offers. "I'm meant to be reading there, anyway."

[brave_heart_verity]

"That--that would be nice, thank you."

This would have been easier if he'd been a brat.

[damn_yourself_early]

"Great!" he beams. "Then I'll read up, and tell you what I find," he promises. "Is this magic you're going to want to be free of, incidentally?"

[brave_heart_verity]

"I."

And that's the question, isn't it?

"I don't think so. I don't know what I'd do without it now. I didn't learn things people are supposed to know..."

[damn_yourself_early]

Loki accepts this. "Okay. See? Polite. I asked before, and everything."

[brave_heart_verity]

"Yes. Very good." She gives him a weak smile. "You're going to have to make a habit of it if you want people to believe it."

[damn_yourself_early]

He sighs. "Doing things the hard way doesn't seem very Loki."

[brave_heart_verity]

"Doing things the 'easy' way is what got the first Loki into so much trouble," she reminds him. She doesn't know this for absolute fact, but it's a safe guess.

[damn_yourself_early]

He has to shrug an admission at that. "Still... there has to be a better way than the same-old, same-old forever."

[brave_heart_verity]

"That depends on what you want in the end. Do you want to have fun in the present without worrying about the future, or do you want people to believe you're not who he used to be?" English was not built for this. She hopes it makes sense.

[damn_yourself_early]

"I want to be who I am."

[brave_heart_verity]

"Then do that, and live with the consequences." Sorry pre-bae, she's not good at this stuff.