Chapter 827: 815

Title: The Glorious Burden (1)

Nik was surrounded by a lush scape of grass within a rather futuristic facility with many large capsules of crystals and glasses still broken. Oddly colored yellow and green puddles of fluid covered the metal base on which the shattered capsules were once erected while Nik held a beautiful looking white frog on one palm and a purple gem floated over his other palm.

"Come on, you're a talking frog that can teleport, create magic, and even squirt strawberry milk while your tongue and bite are laced with cold poison. And you're the only one of your kind without any way to reproduce. I'd say that you became a pretty rare collectible species, right? You still aren't angry with me, right?"

"You turned the Collector into a collectible and stole everything from him. What do you think?" Spider inquired. The two of the phantoms were hidden from the palm-sized Toad's beady eyes, of course.

"Since you aren't even willing to talk, fine," Nik shrugged and pocketed the final infinity stone. He still felt a little woozy from the aftereffect of holding all the six pieces of Infinity Stones and simply tossed the white frog into the lush scape he specifically creates for the named Collector to live in. Of course, Nik was the robber and the unreasonable one but would it matter to him if he played around a little before returning?

"It's not like I stole his wife or something," He replied to Spider before entering the portal once again.

His destination was clear once again: Asgard. But instead of returning to the Golden City, he appeared in Karnilla's cavern that instantly made Amora jump up in surprise.

"Hey—" Nik's words were stuck as he saw the entity sitting next to Amora wearing large sweats... his own sweats and keeping a dull expression on her face that made any spectator strangely depressed.

Behind him was the projection of yet another alien entertainment and seeing the wriggling creatures, Nik couldn't help but question Amora's taste and the world around him. Why is it that when he travels in the galaxy, robbing and foraging infinity stones, that he comes across humanoids proudly calling themselves the part of the Elders of the Universe or ghost-like creatures with a fleshy red skull while Amora can find real-life tentacle porn on the go?

"Is Karnilla here?" Nik inquired with a bright smile. The news of his appointment as the minister of the realm had already reached the Nornheim so Amora wasn't too alert by his arrival. And by the strange manner of his arrival, too.

"Hello?" Loki grunted with an upset reaction, "I'm right here and in need of comfort."

Nik looked at her in confusion before looking at Amora, "Just a moment. I have one last question. Lorelei, is she your incredibly young mother, sister, or daughter?"

"Karnilla is out to hunt some preys to relieve herself knowing that Balder likes it the same way she does: Dirty. And as for Lorelei, that slut, she's my sister, alright," Amora scoffed before waving her hand that removed the projection and walked into the deeper tunnels of the dungeon while her voice echoed, "And don't make this a regular thing. Nornheim isn't open to any visitors!"

"Is she always like that?" Nik inquired while slumping next to Loki, making her shake her head, "Only if you talk about Lorelei. The two cannot stand each other."

"I see... what about you?" Nik inquired. Seeing Loki in this condition did make him feel a little sad. Anyone would feel hopeless if their goals in life were directly ripped out of their clutches.

"Oh, I'm hanging," Loki muttered, her soft body easily leaning against Nik as he pursed his lips.

"I know you don't like to talk about her—"

"Then don't," Loki cut Nik off sharply.

"But you should know that Sigyn is really pretty. I would never let a wife this pretty be that wronged," Nik shrugged.

"Oh, so if she isn't pretty? Should I mar her pretty little face?" Loki gave a derisive smile.

"Nothing too drastic. You could tell me why you're still feeling so down. It's universally proven that talking or other physical activities might help share the burden."

"By physical activities..." Loki narrowed her eyes.

"Jogging, sparring, training, or even picking a hobby. Of course, guilty pleasure like sex would work, too," Nik smiled while he slipped his hand through Loki's back and comforted her in his embrace. Without saying anything for a few breaths and leaning against him, her eyes finally lit up with green ghostly flames, and Poole and Spider were instantly isolated.

"I don't want them to hear this next part..." Loki sighed before closing her eyes with a peaceful expression, "I've done many things, you know." She exhaled softly but Poole was already shouting, her lips stating: What, I can't hear you?

"And? Finally feeling guilty?" Nik chuckled.

"Oh, please," Loki smiled, "I only feel guilt over ill-tempered decisions. I've been at this life for years. I can keep on blaming that I was pushed into this life, or the stories about me in Midgard changed me. Rumors, legends... all of it needs a source. It isn't just some blind old guy shouting that I, Loki Laufeyson would cause the destruction of Asgard, cause the death of my family. If anything, it would be the consequence of continuously stacked-up offenses... but this is also why I cannot stand Sigyn. It's not just because of her bothersome nature. I love to be worshipped and that poor sod is the only one I can suppress the most but..."

Loki hesitated.

Nik remained silent. He knew of Sigyn's history with Loki. At first, Loki fancied Sigyn but she was already someone else's lover and betrothed in due time however Loki had the lucky groom killed and impersonated him to wed with Sigyn. Once found out, he was exiled but Sigyn still accepted the situation and unwilling to break the holy ritual of Asgardian matrimony, she decided to slowly learn to love Loki, something she surprisingly achieved. Others marveled at her purity but Nik and Loki, and many astute fellows could see it at a glance that Sigyn herself isn't so holy as she thinks herself to be but none, not even Loki, would ever question her loyalty.

However, for some reason unknown to Nik, Loki began to despise Sigyn, and the fact that Loki called it an aversion to a clingy woman sounded like her, it really wasn't the case.

"How many children have I told you about?" Loki suddenly inquired.

"Let's see... a horse, a wolf, and a snake," Nik chortled.

"When I seeded or gave birth to them, it wasn't a natural circumstance so those three were not normal infants so as to speak and by that, I do not mean their forms but intellects. And that is why I never bothered with them. But... Sigyn and I also had a child. A beautiful boy who looked just like Sigyn," Loki's gaze turned slightly dim.

"I named him Narvi. In intellect and appearance, he followed her mother. A half-breed spawn, equal parts Asgardian and Frost Giant. A little dumb, like a puppy, even when he grew older," Loki held a gentle smile as she recalled one of her fondest memories.

"The thing you need to know is why and how he died," Loki shook her head.

Nik was already silent by now.

"When Odin divined Ragnarok and my participation in it... nay, me founding it, he realized that I was needed to be taken down a notch. At that period, Asgard wasn't peaceful. It was growing peaceful but let's be honest, it still isn't too peaceful.

However, what Odin did was kill Narvi in front of me and Sigyn, rip his entrails, and enchant it to be the worst form of restriction for me. Pushing me down under a snake that constantly dripped venom and simply binding me to an extremely long punishment."

While saying this, Loki didn't reveal any expression. No anger or sorrow as if she wasn't the most affected by it.

"As I told you, Narvi was different. He cared for me and I came to care for him. But... but, his death also felt different. Of course, to us, death holds a different meaning. So our reaction to it depends from person to person. Odin, too, wouldn't have cared about Balder's death too much if it wouldn't have lead to Ragnarok. I cried for an hour, but following me and stopping the venom to drip over my eyes, Sigyn cried for... well she didn't stop."

Loki chuckled suddenly, "Even now, I cannot gain any anger. All of it was my fault. But, years have passed, I happen to feel nothing about Narvi now should he reincarnate. But being the spitting image of Sigyn, I couldn't face her. Narvi was one of my failures. Not as the future ruler of Asgard but as a parent. Sigyn simply makes me recall all of it every time I see her face."

Loki didn't speak anytime more and already drained from their efforts and clearly realizing that their hearing was deprived for a reason, the two phantoms silently sat, too.

"So you never tried to take revenge?" Nik inquired.

"What for? To have someone killed again?" Loki smiled, "As I said, times change. That period was brutal even if stated weakly. My stories and legends barely scratch the surface. Loot, kill, ****, and worse, I've done it all. Even Thor is no better but we don't talk about it much because it has passed."

Nik nodded silently. What Loki's story brought him wasn't sadness but only a sense of unwillingness. At least, he wouldn't wish the death of someone's child in front of him but the said child was already a grown-up so all of this was simply brought by the fact that he himself was a father whose daughter had yet to grow up.

But the said father was also filled with extremely depraved thoughts that only made him feel this more are as a guilty pleasure.

"Anyway, why did you come here?" Loki changed the subject while the restriction on hearing the two Gwens was removed instantly.

"I collected the six infinity stones... so I was going to, you know, party," Nik admitted.

"And you came here to call Karnilla?"

"Given your situation, I wouldn't call you, of course," his lips twitched.

Scoffing, Loki still continued to lean silently.

Previously, she might have jumped at the chance of wielding this much energy but now, at least, for the moment, she felt nothing.

"But join me. I insist," Nik suddenly added.

"Not in the mood," Loki shot him down.

"If you had returned to being a guy, I wouldn't have invited you even if I stayed to listen. But... join me this time. These two will be joining, too. Forget Karnilla for a moment. You need to meet others and that will help you," Nik smiled, his hand rubbing around her arm to warm her up slightly as she mulled over the matter. At her age, sexual pleasure peaked when she wanted to do it herself but at this moment, she didn't want to do anything at all so Nik might really have a point but of course, she only felt like this because when it came to depravity, only Nik could top her in the first place.

"Wait, that's discrimination against gender. What did you mean if I were a guy you wouldn't have invited me?"

"My orgy, my dick," Nik shrugged while explaining bluntly.

"Tch, still bound by your simple mind eh? Isn't it just plowing a hole—"

"If you do say something... that weirds me out, I'll forget that you're hurting and leave without you," Nik cut her off this time.

"Fine," Loki scowled, her mood improving already, "At least, it's better than sticking around here and watching Amora's weird tastes doing each other."

Nik smiled and created a portal instantly.

"So? I wasn't being too good of a host. Do you want something to drink..."

Amora stopped in her tracks and looked at the dazed Karnilla.

"Whose scent is it?" Karnilla frowned.

"Nik? Remember him? The new minister that arrived here while causing an omen?"

"He was here and you didn't call him? You're useless," Karnilla narrowed her eyes while Amora frowned.

"Listen to me clearly, it's not my fault that the man you love turned out to be homosexual," Amora scowled.

"Well, it wasn't my fault. And you drove another guy out if you couldn't already show him to your chambers!"

Glaring coldly, Amora snorted, "No, it is your fault. You drove a perfectly handsome and dare I say, a man who used to glance in my direction, into the arms of another man. Why couldn't you show Balder to your chamber and have him bless your wall of Balder?"

The two of them instantly released their potent magical energy.

---

"It's going that well?" Odin inquired with an admiring gaze as her wife nodded with a beautiful smile. They stood outside her chambers with the large glittering doors tightly shut behind her while Odin stole glances towards the door.

"Well, then go. At least, she is opening up to you."

Odin sighed and Frigga narrowed her eyes, "And where should you be going at this hour? Another meeting with the minister?"

Hearing the despise in her tone, Odin's heart was instantly lit up with fury.

"How many times do I have to—"

"None whatsoever," Frigga countered sharply before opening the doors and her expression instantly fell.

"Look what you did! You scared Angela off!"

"She isn't a little bird," Odin finally barked before snorting and leaving. How Angela disappeared from their room wasn't truly a mystery once the duo recalled the latest addition to the ministry.