The time spent in Asgard brought some changes in the raven-haired prince's mood and state. The new air and the distance from all the reminders of his pain did him good. It lifted the dark, heavy clouds from his mind, though his heart remained wounded and broken. There was no way to cure the void in his heart, but with a clear head, he could continue his research in the Asgardian library. That was his only chance now to get you back and to ease his feeling of emptiness inside. He needed his other half to work properly. Without you, he was just the fallen prince of Asgard, left all alone in a pointless world.

The library of the royal family was one of the most magnificent places in the Nine Realms. Golden rays of sunshine flowed through the windows, filling the place with sparkling light. Its huge, golden shelves rose high up from the marble tiled floor to the ceiling like Yggdrasil itself. They formed huge corridors, like a labyrinth for those who seek knowledge or entertainment. The shelves contained different books from all over the known worlds, written in many languages. The scent of old paper and pergamens filled the air. Among the endless sea of books, small islands of armchairs and tables were waiting for those who wanted to settle down with their treasured books.

Many of the books were full of magic and spells, but only for those who understood the ancient Runes. Fortunately, the God of Mischief was one of them. Originally, he was looking for locating spells, but in the meantime, a small, deep blue book caught his eyes. The cover said 'All you ever need to know about dreams. - their meaning, manipulation, travelling and more'. The words 'travelling and more' fired up his interest. He settled down with that strange book, which turned out to be a long-forgotten spellbook of the Vanir. It contained a complex ritual, which could help one visit another person in his or her sleep. It nested itself in the demigod's mind, leaving him restless to try it out. Maybe he could finally see you. He hid the small book under his clothes and rushed back to his chamber. He wanted to try it out at first before telling anyone. He wasn't sure if it would succeed, and he didn't want the others to get their hopes high.

In the evening, before falling asleep, he cast the spell on himself as the book told. At the moment he didn't feel any changes, but as he fell asleep, he drifted away to a far land, a dark place where he's been to earlier. Suddenly he found himself among raging flames on a burning training field. And in the centre of this madness there you were. You were only a weak shadow of yourself: so thin your bones almost poked through your skin, your whole body was covered in bruises and scars, and your eyes were filled with rage, confusion, fear and a hint of madness.

He wanted to pull you close, to protect you, but he couldn't touch you. But he could talk to you. He wanted to know your location, but you were so confused and sad, he couldn't question you. You were so vulnerable and lonely, he wanted to stay and comfort you, but the spell took him back to reality. After the heartbreaking conversation with you, he woke up in his bed at home again. The spell worked. He was sure that it was no ordinary dream. He really saw you, and really talked to you. It was all real. You were so tortured and broken. They filled your head with lies like you were a monster made to ruin the world. You were close to giving it all up, to give your mind and hopes up. He couldn't let that happen, and he had a really bad feeling that he saw you for the last time.

Loki decided to visit you every night in your dreams, so together the two of you could find a way out. His heart was pounding with desire to see you again and to push the clouds away from your heart. You were slowly losing yourself, and every day counted in the fight. The next night he fell asleep on pins and needles to see your face and hear your voice again, but his fear became true. Something has happened, and you weren't the same again. As he appeared in your dark cell, your eyes didn't lit up by the sight of him. Instead, they were full of hate and fear. You tried to attack him and wanted to make him disappear. This sudden change of you left him shocked. Just the other day you were crying for him not to leave, and now you acted like you never even knew him. He was trying to calm you down, to tell you how he loved you, but nothing worked. Something snapped in your mind and you gave in. You believed he was the enemy. That he never loved you and what you had back on Earth was just all lies. He couldn't believe that this could happen, he tried to visit a few more times again, but it was useless. It was no longer you. It was too late.

This experience pushed Loki down the valley again. When he looked in your eyes for the last time, he saw nothing. Like there was no longer anyone behind those dark, empty eyes. He lost you. This poisoned his heart twisted his mind, and he started to turn back into his old self again. He no longer cared about anything or anyone, but himself. He started drinking heavily and behaving unpredictable and deviant again. He threw all the books and research out of his room, so nothing could ever remind him of his purpose and loss. He even made the burn mark disappear from his arm with an illusion. Like you never existed.

One night a big social event has taken place in the royal palace. Odin's both sons were required to attend. Loki didn't really care about the mingling with the selfish and snobbish royalty. He never felt like a part of this fancy group. He looked down on them, and their empty chitchat and gossips disgusted him. He soon found his way to the bar, the only enjoyable place in the whole mess of decorations, music and people. After several glasses of mead and wine, he had his eyes on a young mistress who was staring at him all night. Her hair was like shining copper, her skin smooth and white like snow, and those green eyes full of desire, like a siren calling for him to come. He couldn't resist the game, so he slowly approached the lady surrounded by her friends. As he asked her for a dance, she blushed and her friends were all chuckling like teenage girls. They all were probably flattered by the handsome prince, and it fed more Loki's alcohol-soaked confidence.

He led the girl to the dancefloor and started to swing with her in a passionate, slow dance to the music. People were staring at them, and it only made Loki more reckless, as he lowered his hand from the lady's waist without any shame to her small, round butt and squeezed it.

"Don't you have a lady back on Earth? Where is she, my prince?" she asked with a teasing voice and a mischievous smile on her pink lips.

"Don't talk about her. This night I'm all about you, my lady. What about if we take this party to my chamber?" he purred in her ears and could feel her shiver from his words.

They downed a few more drinks by the bar, and Loki led out the princess from the ballroom with his arm around her slim waist. By the exit suddenly a strong grip formed around his arm and pulled him away from the girl. It was Thor with a half angry and worried look on his face.

"Brother, please don't do something you'll regret later. You are drunk, and I know how you miss her, but this is not the way." The pity and sorrow in his voice just annoyed and bored Loki. He didn't need the small talk about morals and behaviour. He was too drunk to care.

"Get off of me! I do whatever I want, let the court think what they want. hick Tonight I'm gonna have some fun, hick and forget everything." He shook off Thor's hand from his arm and flashed at him his signature smile.

„How will you look into (y/n)'s eyes? Or just in the mirror tomorrow morning? I'm worried about you, Brother. Maybe it was a bad idea bringing you here."

"Leave me alone, you big oaf! She hates me, and I'm not sitting around here alone for the rest of my life! Now, if you'll excuse me hick I have a lady to entertain!" He stumbled back to the girl and disappeared down the corridor with her.

That night the whole castle was loud of their sins. Loki let out his most dirty instincts and left the girl in ruins by the dawn. In the morning at first, he remembered nothing. He felt sick like a dog, the room was spinning with him, and his head was pounding hard from hangover. As he turned over to his side, he found someone lying next to him in the bed. At first, he thought that it was you. He wrapped his arms around the small form wrapped in the blankets, but then he realised it was a complete stranger.

Pictures came up to his mind from last night. Pictures, of how far he went with his dirty games, and how he betrayed you. He immediately crawled out of the bed, trying to get as far from his sin as he could. He pulled up his leather pants that were lying across the floor. As he pulled it up, a small box fell out of the pocket, and rolled away on the floor, and stopped open by the wall. He picked it up, it was Frigga's ring. At that moment he completely lost his head. He violently pulled the girl out of his bed, and aggressively threw her out to the corridor, and locked the door. He didn't even care if she was naked and deeply humiliated. He was furious at himself. He trashed down half of his chamber in anger. He smashed the mirrors, broke the chairs, ripped the heavy curtains. He was back at the beginning again, but this time he messed up badly. He let his feelings so out of control that he made a mistake, he can't erase. Now you had a reason to hate him as much as he hated himself.

When Thor found the lady crying on the floor, he wrapped his red cape around her, to cover her body. He heard the crashing sounds from the room and knew Loki must be in a horrible state again. He was afraid of maybe his brother even hurt himself, so he kicked in the door, and he was shocked by what he saw. The chamber was a mess, and Loki was sitting at the floor among the shards of furniture, leaning against the wall. He was half-naked, his hair was messy, and hangover was written all over his face.

"I cheated on her."