———

"Hmm... well..." I stalled deliberately, skillfully avoiding the gaze of the Order of Heroes' commander, the red-headed merchant Anna. "About the lack of Orbs, um..." My words dissolved into a fit of nervous laughter that felt loud even in my ears.

Anna flips through the papers on her clipboard, casting me a disapproving look. "Can you explain why our funds are so low this month, Summoner?" She asks, her ruby eyes unwavering as she stares me down better than any enemy interrogator. "And why, pray tell, do we only have a couple dozen Orbs left in our reserves?"

"So, there was this new Hero batch released. You know what I mean, right? I couldn't help myself. Besides — more warriors will benefit the Order, yeah?" I tried and failed to persuade the cold-hearted treasurer, my case being just as unconvincing as ever.

"More mouths to feed." She grunted. Usually, the secret seller was full of pep and raw, untamed enthusiasm, but when it came to money, or the lack thereof, she was all deadly glares and foul moods.

In a futile attempt to lighten the atmosphere, I continued, "But I'm sure of it, I'll land a Loki any day now. And the event is going to end soon!" I pleaded.

"Right. You said that last time, but even a fool should realize that summoning a god is pure fantasy. Your allowance rate is now only five Orbs a month unless you enjoy seeing the hundreds of soldiers here starve and become poorly equipped because of your pointless delusions." Anna raised an eyebrow at me, and I promptly quit begging and groveling.

Regardless, five Orbs was better than none, was it not?

"Understood, Commander Anna..." I grumbled reluctantly, taking my share of the pearly currency and hightailing it out of there. The handful of Orbs wasn't much, but I had a growing premonition that this time was the charm — I'd finally get the first five-star Hero in what feels like forever.

With my relic of a legendary summoning weapon, the one and only Breidablik, in hand, I made it to the summoning station, already paying the price for exactly one singular summons. Fingers crossed, I selected the color of the unit type I wanted, the exact hue of a pale silver, knowing Loki's staff was of that type.

In a large burst of smoke, the magic did its work, and out stepped a Hero from amid the light fog. For a moment, all I could make out was a tall yet near unhealthily slim figure. Then, once the newly arrived person emerged from the mist, my eyes widened.

Standing before me was one of our long-term enemies, the manipulative trickster, the knowledgeable shapeshifter, the god of a great number of pawns... Loki herself.

For longer than I'd like to admit, I was frozen there like a deer in headlights, stunned speechless. Then, Loki flicked her lengthy magenta waves of hair behind her shoulder and her heart-shaped lips twisted into a small, almost innocent smile. "My, my. Won't this be fun, little Summoner?"

I snapped out of my shock to dip my head in a slight nod. While I surely had my hopes, this was much farther than I had anticipated. Sure, I'd wished to get Loki, but I most certainly thought I'd get something far less superior like a literal goddess.

"You're from a different world, yes?" I asked tentatively. "So... since we are currently at war with you, or at least the Loki we have here..." I scrambled to find the words to voice my internal panic and failed miserably.

"Even I will admit I'm mildly surprised at this, but to be perfectly plain with you, my dear, I think it'll be fun." She winked at me. "I hope you're one to enjoy being flustered, because this is only the beginning. But for now, I am yours to use as you see fit." When she mock bows at me, I realize she's only teasing, and I can't stop the heat from rising in my cheeks, turning them into an embarrassingly bright scarlet shade.

Afterward, I hastily directed her towards the castle, hoping to introduce her to the other Heroes, although she would likely already recognize a few faces, seeing as she had many connections that came with being a curious god like her.

"Heya, Alfonse! Sharena!" I called, quickening my pace to meet them across the foyer and waving in greeting.

The duo of royalty immediately stiffened and then got into a defensive position, sword and spear drawn. "Summoner, step away from her," Alfonse said firmly, his piercing gaze not leaving Loki.

"Oh, sorry to disappoint, little prince, but I'm not here to fight. Maybe another time." Loki grinned wickedly, only intimidating him further.

I stepped into between them before Sharena could launch her lance like a javelin. "Hold on. Guys, she's with us. I just summoned her. Calm down." I said evenly, and eventually, Alfonse relaxed his form, although his skeptical tendencies didn't fade.

Alfonse pulls me aside, whispering urgently, "Are you sure? Absolutely positive? This could just be another trick of hers, and we'll be betrayed big time. She's a shapeshifter. How can I be sure I'm even talking to the right (Y/N)?"

I chuckled at that. "Hey, it's alright. Besides, look, I have Breidablik, so there's no mistaking it." I held up the relic with a smile. "See?"

"Y'know, whispering in front of others is incredibly rude." Loki interrupts, her mauve eyes glinting in amusement. She shrugs, as if indifferent. "Not to say that I don't understand why you'd be reluctant."

"What do you want from us?" Sharena demands, finding her voice at last, although her questioning skills were not up to par, and her gentle, feminine voice didn't carry the amount of sternness that she likely desired.

Loki frowns, thinking it over before responding. "What do I want? The joy of destroying worlds, and spreading chaos... Would you rather stare at a stone sitting by the side of a road, or watch it tumble down a cliffside? As it tumbles, it may, of course, crumble into dust... And yet...." She shakes her head. "Of course, I could watch this realm crumble as well, but it would be much more entertaining if the war was won, no?"

"So... are you saying that you'll be an ally of Askr?" Alfonse asked once more, confirming what I'd been trying to say the entire conversation so far.

"Bingo!" She clasps her hands together and flashes us a pearly smile that seems far too eager to be real.

As the days went by, Loki had fit right into the chaotic group that was the Order of Heroes. Surprisingly, she had a real talent for telling people what they wanted to hear, making her a favorite nearly overnight. While her antics seemed minimal, I was given the role of watching over her to make sure that during missions and otherwise that Loki didn't stir up problems with her transformation ability.

It soon became painfully obvious that there was nothing that could be done to stop the bombardment of pranks that Loki cherished so dearly and used so frequently.

Loki's favorite trick was turning herself into another ally to create confusion at the sudden occurrence of doppelgangers. While it would've been an enormous issue, duplicates of Heroes were already a problem, as summoning doubles of a person wasn't exactly rare.

Still, occasionally, she would turn herself into foes that we had previously dealt with, like Surtr for example, and pretend to go on a rampage, although I could usually see through her act without much trouble, since she did it halfheartedly, with no real malicious intent.

"Gah hah hah! Look at your faces!" She would boast once her cover was blown and she warped her features back to normal.

Another common occurrence was how Loki also often questioned my strategies and tactics so that I would worry even in easy battles.

"Oh, but who knows? What if the reinforcements came in from the north instead of the west, or what if our spies were being fed false information, and the location is actually across the map?" She'd point out innocently, sending me spiraling into doubt. Still, because of her needling, I actually improved my adaptability during battles without even realizing it until later on.

Overall, she wasn't too bad to be around though. Between battles, when we had fleeting downtime in the Order of Heroes, we often set up friendly chess games that turned into a fierce rivalry, although I never once won against her.

"Oh ho, you say you think you can beat me?" She asked with a knowing smile, her slender fingers expertly setting up all of the small pieces in record time.

"This time for sure, I know it!" I grinned earnestly, even though I knew her cockiness stemmed from her clear experience and skill.

"Ah, but for some reason, I recall you saying that last time as well. Is your stubbornness contagious? I sure hope not."

"Hmph! I'll just have to prove you wrong!"

Over time, I found myself captivated by all of Loki's immense, seemingly limitless power as both a healer and an attacker, and I had to accept that Loki was probably the strongest unit in the Order so far. Well, I suppose it made sense, seeing as she was a literal goddess.

Time passed, along with many struggles and victories for Askr's side, and finally, we had arrived at the mission to defeat Hel, the big boss battle at the end of the road.

We faced the underworld ruler in all of her glory, many of us already thinking about all of the lives already lost. This was something we had to win, no matter the cost. There was no going back, and that was clear to everyone who took up arms against Hel.

During the battle, I'd turned the tricky and somewhat risky situations into opportunities, just as Loki had taught me. It seemed that not just her unfailing strength would aid us. Even a trickster had more than one way to help.

Alas, even I had to pull my weight, although I usually wasn't one to leap into the fray, and even though we had managed to defeat our opponents, I had sustained many more injuries than I had anticipated.

I should've just stuck with being the strategist...

In the end, I had received more damage than expected, and after I was certain victory was secured, my knees buckled, and I began to wobble on weak legs.

"(Y/N)!" Just as my world was spinning and dimming, I saw Loki rush in my direction. There was something truly strange about her expression — a flash of genuine worry sparked in her eyes. But before I could ask why she was so panicked about me, my world went black.

When I came to, it took me a solid minute to ground myself. I recognized the room, it was my sleeping questers back at Askr's palace, and I realized that it was sometime mid-morning since golden rays of playful sunlight flittered past my thin curtains. The warmth of the sun as it splashed across my bed covers was comforting.

But what really caught my eye wasn't the time of day, my location, or anything of the sort. On a chair beside my bed, Loki sat slouched in a chair. Her eyelids were gently closed, and her posture wasn't as practiced and poised as usual, meaning only one thing.

She was asleep.

I'd never, not one single time, seen her so unguarded and vulnerable as she did in this moment. For some reason or another, I had to fight the urge to reach out to her. Maybe weave my fingers through her silky hair, cup her porcelain face... but I paused.

"Loki...?" Her eyes instantly snapped open at the sound of my voice, and her gaze darted towards me. Once she appeared to notice that I was awake, her expression suddenly turned relieved, but she managed to cover it up just as quickly. "Why are you sleeping here?" I asked, sitting up despite my protesting body.

"Why, of course, I'm going to care for the great leader of the Order, no?" Oddly, her words didn't seem sarcastic. "Besides, it's been three days since you collapsed. Anyone in their right mind would be at least a little bit inclined to be concerned over your well-being."

I smiled at that, touched by her rare sincerity. "Well, thank you. I'm happy you're on our side, Loki, and not just as a strong asset, but also as a companion and friend. And..." Not sure how I wanted to conclude the abrupt burst of sentimentality, I hesitantly trailed off. Then, solidifying my resolve, I continued. "In our time together, I realized something... I really care about you too."

"(Y/N)..." Loki, for the first time, was at a loss for words. "While it may seem peculiar to you, I have to agree. When you passed out after the battle, it dawned on me that you might actually die. As a god, mortality is hardly an issue. People come and go. But at the thought of losing you... I couldn't bear it."

Reaching out to take her hand into mine, I smiled even wider. "Good thing I'm sticking around a bit longer, right?" I laughed softly. "The war's over. We've got all of the time in the world, so don't worry."

She returns my smile and squeezes my hand reassuringly. "Never have words ever been truer, dear."

———

Author's Note:

Welcome back once again! This was a request for Cucho099

Today's question: Who is your favorite god/goddess? There are dozens and dozens, so how could I choose?! But, Sothis will never not be hilarious to me, and Gullveig's time powers are incredible, and... the list goes in.

See you later,
Lillian

Word count: 2328 words

———