Sokovia is rioting when we depart Novi Grad.

Two tanks are required to take all of us down to the Statesman, and we rumble through the streets too slowly for my taste. I sit tensely beside Veers as the both of us watch the people out in the streets, screaming and hurling rocks at buildings, the Children of Thanos, and yes, at our tanks.

"Ah, bloodshed," Hela remarks amicably, looking out the small window like she's watching an idyllic countryside pass by. "Oh, I've missed this."

"Hela, this isn't good," Thor says, frowning at her. In this moment, he looks exactly like Father, giving one of us a serious lecture.

"Now you look like Dad," Hela remarks, giving him an odd look. "Stop it."

"Why are they doing this?" Veers asks quietly, staring out the window at the screaming people.

"Sokovia's always had some of the most unrest in all the districts," Hela answers. "Besides, what else should they be doing? Going about their lives meekly and watching sitcoms?"

Veers doesn't answer and we finish the trip in silence.

The next stop on our list is District 6, Jotunheim. I killed their male contender, Raze, and I rub my wrist as I remember fighting him with Hogun. When the frost giant had grabbed my wrist, I hadn't felt the burn Hogun had claimed to feel.

I still recall the bluish grey shade my skin had taken on at the jotun's touch instead.

The Statesman lands close to Jotunheim's main gathering place, a circle of towering icy spires around King Laufey's throne. Due to me being Asgardian and Veers being Kree, we don't have any need for the heavy winter gear Jane, Selvig, Darcy, and my prep team all wear, which I'm grateful for. It looks ridiculous.

None of the frost giants look happy to see us. I remember the history lessons Odin gave Thor and I as children, when he told us about Asgard's war with Jotunheim long before the Infinity War. Although they had fought as allies against Thanos, both realms harbored enmity against the other from previous disagreements.

But the fact of their alliance during the Infinity War had brought a sort of peace between Jotunheim and Asgard.

Laufey sits on his throne, looking down at us impassively as Veers and I are positioned before his throne, on the icy ground below him. I glance up at the king as Jane says something to Veers only to see that his expression has shifted into one of interest. Our eyes meet for a moment before his gaze softens slightly and he looks away.

The audience watches us with hostile expressions as we give our speech. It is the same as the others, with no alterations from the basic formula we've been using since the trouble in Vanaheim. I don't even remember the female contender's name, and since I personally killed Raze, I see no need to talk about their contenders as anything other than "contributors to the Balance."

But the speech ends without incident and then Veers and I are ushered off to the feast.

No frost giant wishes to talk to us, which is fine with me. Veers and I share a dance and then I dance with Jane while Thor dances with Veers. Jotunheim's two champions, a large male named Grundroth and a female whose name I don't remember, watch us with resentment. I'm guessing they're a bit miffed an Asgardian made it home when one of their own contenders didn't.

Tough luck. I had an oath to keep.

The memory of that oath strikes me so hard, it's like I've been blindsided. My oath to Gamora to win, "whatever it takes," was my lifeline in the arena, the thing I thought of the most while I was there, alongside my sister's question "What are you the god of again?" Doing whatever I could to keep that oath was my priority.

And then I had made it home, but it was too late. I couldn't save the illusion of Gamora and I – it had only faded the closer I got to it. Now the words were only a haunting reminder that whatever it takes was never enough.

It's later in the evening, when I'm standing alone, that Laufey approaches me, gesturing for me to follow him. Cautiously, I step after him into a corridor, glancing at Hela as I do so. I see she's watching us, looking alert and wary, but she makes no move to stop me or no gesture to order me to halt.

So I keep going.

Laufey stops and turns to face me, his red eyes glowing faintly in the darkness. "Loki Odinson," the king says quietly. "I watched you fight Jotunheim's contender."

"It was in the Contest," I reply, unsure where this is going. "It was life or death. You cannot blame me."

"Jotunheim was glorious once," Laufey says, changing the topic. I narrow my eyes. "Your father changed all that."

I don't say anything.

"Odin took our glory," Laufey continues. "He took our power. And then he wonders why our defenses against Thanos were so weak."

What power did Odin take?

"I had a son once, too," Laufey says softly, his eyes growing sorrowful. "Your father also changed all that, he took that away from me."

Did Odin kill him, perhaps? "I'm sorry for your loss."

Laufey steps towards me suddenly and I lift my hands defensively, but before I can summon a dagger, he's gripping my wrist. I glance down to see the same greyish blue hue that emanated from Raze's touch spreading to my fingertips and down my arm. Once again, I do not feel the burn Hogun had mentioned. There's only the change in color.

Startled, I look up at Laufey, who only looks grim. "It is as I suspected," the king says softly. "You are no Odinson."

/**/

Ahh! The big reveal!

And so starts the week of Loki!

I'll be posting extra updates of Mastering Illusions this week, on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. I'll also be posting updates of The Dark Soldier on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Wednesday gets two updates because it is the premiere of Loki! At long last!