Thor realized it a second too late.
"…LOKI."
His roar echoed through the great hall.
Alex and Loki were already running.
"RUN," Loki yelled, laughing.
Thor grabbed Mjölnir and charged.
"You two are DEAD!"
They sprinted through the palace corridors, boots pounding against golden floors. Servants leapt out of the way. Guards wisely pretended not to see anything.
Alex glanced back calmly.
"He's faster than before."
Loki laughed breathlessly. "He's motivated!"
Thor hurled Mjölnir.
Alex flicked his fingers.
The hammer curved—
missed—
and smashed into a pillar instead.
Thor howled.
"STOP CHEATING!"
Loki skidded around a corner. "You literally have a magic hammer!"
They split.
Thor chased Loki.
Alex vanished—reappearing on a balcony above.
Loki slid to a halt, panting.
Thor cornered him.
"You think this is funny?"
Loki straightened his clothes. "Very."
Thor raised Mjölnir—
—and suddenly Loki turned into a statue.
Thor blinked.
"…What?"
Behind him—
Alex leaned against a pillar.
"Over here."
Thor turned—
—and Loki was suddenly beside Alex again.
They waved.
Thor screamed in frustration.
"I HATE MAGIC."
Alex and Loki vanished in a flash of light.
Plotting Something Worse
They regrouped in a quiet tower room, laughing uncontrollably.
Loki collapsed into a chair. "His face—did you see his face?"
Alex smirked. "He believed the chicken leg speech."
Loki wiped a tear from his eye.
"We can do better."
Alex raised a brow. "Define 'better.'"
Loki's grin slowly turned dangerous.
"What if… next time, his armor talks?"
Alex paused.
"…Continue."
Loki leaned forward. "Every time he tries to sound serious—his armor compliments him."
Alex imagined it.
"…Excessively?"
"Yes."
Alex nodded once.
"Approved."
They clinked glasses.
Odin's Intervention
Meanwhile—
Thor stood before Odin.
Angry.
Embarrassed.
Still holding the chicken leg.
Odin stared at it.
Silently.
"…Put that down."
Thor slowly placed it on the table.
The hall behind them was filled with suppressed laughter.
Odin turned to the crowd.
"Let it be known," Odin said evenly,
"that the King of Asgard shall never again use a chicken leg as a microphone."
The hall erupted.
Thor groaned.
"I hate all of you."
Frigga patted his shoulder. "You earned it, dear."
The Impossible Task
Odin's expression hardened.
"Now," he continued,
"your first royal task."
Thor straightened proudly.
"I am ready!"
Odin gestured.
Servants wheeled in a massive book.
Then another.
Then another.
Thor's confidence faltered.
"…What is that?"
Odin spoke calmly.
"The Asgardian Scripture of Law and Conduct."
Thor swallowed.
Odin continued.
"You will write it."
Thor relaxed slightly. "That's not so bad."
Odin raised a finger.
"Ten thousand times."
Silence.
Thor stared.
"…Father."
Odin added, "Each scripture contains one hundred thousand pages."
Thor's soul left his body.
"This—this is impossible!"
Odin's eye gleamed.
"You have written it once before."
Thor froze.
Flashback.
Young Thor.
Arrogant.
Punished.
Writing endlessly.
"…That was cruel," Thor whispered.
Odin nodded. "It was."
Frigga smiled sweetly. "And educational."
Thor slumped.
"…I miss fighting giants."
Odin turned away.
"Begin."
Thor dragged the first book closer.
Somewhere far away—
Alex felt a disturbance.
He smiled.
Loki appeared beside him.
"…What happened?"
Alex chuckled.
"Father gave him the scripture task."
Loki stared.
Then laughed.
"Oh, that's evil."
Alex nodded approvingly.
"It runs in the family."