(Baldur POV)
As Thor and Loki's divine powers fully awakened, an ancient ripple surged through Asgard, a pulse that no one but Baldur could feel. Deep within his prison, Baldur felt the overwhelming energy coursing through the universe. His brothers, the sons Odin had never told him about, had finally reached their godhood. The curse that had festered for centuries seized this moment, tightening its grip on Baldur's soul.
"Kill them. End it all. Destroy Asgard's bloodline."
Baldur, trapped in his cage, struggled to maintain his sanity. The curse was gnawing away at him, and every day it grew stronger, erasing the memories of the loving brother he once was. His prayers to resist the curse had gone unanswered for centuries, and now, with the awakening of Thor and Loki, he knew time was running out.
In Asgard, Odin had also felt the shift in the cosmos. But as he entered the Odinsleep, his strength wavered. The protective magic that kept Baldur imprisoned weakened. Odin, knowing the curse would soon try to break free, could only hope his ancient honds would hold for just a little longer. But his sleep was deep, and Asgard's defenses faltered.
In his prison, Baldur felt Odin's presence slip into slumber. The runes that held him captive, weakened by centuries of time, began to crack under the strain. The curse, seizing its moment, erupted within Baldur, shattering the remaining chains that bound him.
"Go. Kill them."
He stumbled to his feet, his body trembling as the full weight of the curse took hold. His mind was fogged, the urge to kill Thor and Loki overpowering everything else. Baldur barely had the strength to resist as the curse led him to the Asgardian vault, where the Destroyer armor awaited. The sentient armor, recognizing Odin's blood in Baldur, latched onto him without hesitation.
Encased in the armor, Baldur's form transformed into a terrifying god of destruction. His mind was now almost entirely lost to the curse, and the Destroyer armor amplified its dark power. Without another thought, Baldur made his way to the Bifrost.
Heimdall, the ever-watchful guardian of the Bifrost, sensed the danger immediately. His sharp eyes had seen Baldur in Odin's imprisonment long ago, but now the elder son of Asgard was twisted beyond recognition. Baldur's approach, clad in the Destroyer armor, sent waves of fear through Heimdall, who had never seen a god so consumed by darkness.
"Baldur!" Heimdall called out, stepping forward with his great sword in hand. "You cannot go to Earth! You must stop!"
Baldur's eyes, flickering with a mixture of sorrow and madness, met Heimdall's for a moment. But it wasn't Baldur who spoke-it was the curse. "Ahha ...StAnD ...aSiDe."
With a single swing, Baldur struck Heimdall with such force that the guardian crumpled to the ground, helpless to stop him. Baldur, no longer in control of his actions, activated the Bifrost and disappeared into its rainbow light, heading straight for Earth.
"KILL KILL KILL THEM!! KILL KILL KILL THEM!!"
----
Loki cursed his luck once more. It seemed fate was determined to test him just when he was trying to change, to become better. But was that truly happening? Or was it all an elaborate lie he had crafted for himself, the way he had always spun webs of deceit?
Before him stood the Destroyer, its towering, armored frame emanating an aura of overwhelming power. Even with his divine abilities, Loki knew instinctively that this was beyond him. No matter how much strength he had gained, this monster was leagues above his reach.
Maybe the best thing to do was to escape.
Yes, that would be the smart move. Leave the fight to the others—after all, wasn't that what they were here for? But as that thought crossed his mind, Loki felt something dark and familiar stir within him. Had he truly changed? Or was he the same as always, ready to stab those who had saved him the moment it served his purposes?
The face of his sister, the one who had pulled him up from his darkest moments, flashed before his eyes. When he had been at his lowest, she had offered him a hand. She had trusted him.
And yet, now that he was a god again, had the idea of betraying her already slipped into his mind? Was his only purpose in life to betray, to deceive?
Loki glanced at Thor, his brother, the golden hero of Asgard who had always seemed so certain of his place in the world. Thor knew who he was. He had a goal, a purpose—to protect those he loved, to wield Mjölnir with honor.
But Loki? He still hadn't found his goal. He was lost in a sea of lies and trickery, with nothing to anchor him.
"As a wise man once said, 'Without a goal, no one can live a fulfilled life or reach their potential.'" (source: trust me)
And now, standing before this behemoth of destruction, Loki felt smaller than ever.
The Destroyer was too powerful, and he knew the stories. Tales of its merciless destruction had been whispered throughout Asgard. Facing it would be signing his own death warrant. The odds were against them; this was beyond any of them, even Thor.
Loki took two cautious steps backward.
"Heimdall!" Loki shouted, his voice rising in desperation. "Get us out of here!"
No response.
A chill ran down his spine. Heimdall was always listening. He always responded. The silence was deafening.
"He must be dead," Loki muttered. "That monster probably killed him."
Thor's face twisted with anger, but he held it back, focusing on the approaching threat. The Destroyer lumbered toward them, its glowing helm fixed on Thor and Loki with unmistakable intent.
And then, Ritsuka stepped forward.
"This thing may look mindless," Ritsuka said, his voice calm yet filled with authority, "but its aura tells me it's a skilled fighter."
Loki glanced at the young man, surprised by his confidence. This wasn't the hesitant, soft-spoken individual he had assumed Ritsuka to be. Something had shifted in him, a commanding presence that Loki could only associate with someone who had seen countless battles.
Ritsuka continued, his tone sharp. "We need information first. How it moves, how it attacks, and where its weaknesses lie."
Ritsuka turned his gaze to Sigurd and Brynhildr. "Sigurd and Brynhildr, I need you to engage it but stay out of its reach. Don't get close—this curse, it's the same type we encountered in Lostbelt 6 in Britain. You've read the reports."
Sigurd's eyes flickered in recognition, and he exchanged a knowing glance with Brynhildr. They both nodded in understanding, readying themselves for the task ahead.
Ritsuka's mind was racing, strategizing. "Just like Artoria said before, if we leave this creature unchecked, it will bring about its own calamity. And that calamity will destroy humanity."
He then turned to Rama, his voice decisive. "Rama, we need your main weapon—the one you entrusted to your wife, Sita. It's time. Use it to destroy the Destroyer's armor."
Rama clenched his fists, his resolve hardening as he thought of Sita and the sacred weapon they shared. His bow, Vijaya, was a weapon forged by the gods themselves—a divine instrument capable of piercing even the most impenetrable defenses.
"Once Rama destroy its armor, Artoria, you follow up immediately," Ritsuka commanded. "Thor, Loki—you two are its targets. We'll use that to our advantage. Draw its attention while the rest of us prepare to strike."
Thor gave a firm nod, readying Mjölnir with a determined glint in his eye. Loki hesitated, uncertainty creeping through him again. Was this really the best plan? Him?
As bait?
But as he looked at Ritsuka, he realized the doubt he had been holding was misplaced. There was no hesitation in the young commander's voice. Ritsuka was a leader—a true leader, unlike any Loki had encountered in this world.
His commands weren't born of authority, but experience. He knew what it meant to protect those under his care. For the first time, Loki felt as though he could trust this mortal with his life.
And then, the Destroyer charged.
Destroyer sped up, its massive frame hurtling toward them like a storm of metal and fury. But Ritsuka and his team didn't hesitate. With a sharp command from their leader, they rushed forward to meet the behemoth head-on.
Sita, with grace and precision, handed Rama his divine bow, Vijaya, the legendary weapon imbued with the power of the gods. Rama accepted it with a solemn nod, his hand tightening around the familiar weight. As he prepared himself, Ritsuka cast a swift spell, enveloping the entire group in an aura of protection.
"Evade," he whispered, the magical energy wrapping around their bodies, granting them the agility to dodge the upcoming attacks.
Sigurd and Brynhildr were the first to engage, charging at the Destroyer with their respective weapons. Sigurd's mighty sword gleamed with draconic power, while Brynhildr's spear cut through the air like a streak of lightning. Their strikes connected with the towering foe, but the Destroyer retaliated swiftly. From its helmet, a deadly beam shot forth, a Curse Laser—the devastating Visor Blast that could incinerate anything in its path.
Thor hurled Mjölnir toward the Destroyer's head, but the monster dodged with terrifying speed. The hammer sailed past, and Thor summoned it back to his hand with a growl of frustration.
Loki, watching carefully, unleashed a volley of magic, green tendrils of energy swirling around the Destroyer, but to no avail. His spells had no effect on the armor. The Destroyer turned its focus toward Loki, the visor on its helmet glowing as it prepared to fire its lethal blast again.
But before the beam could be unleashed, Brynhildr acted. She hurled her Noble Phantasm toward the monster's exposed helmet, a radiant spear meant to pierce through the toughest of defenses. However, the attack barely scratched the Destroyer's armor. In one swift motion, it caught her weapon mid-air and flung it back at her with terrifying force.
Sigurd was there in an instant, deflecting the attack with his blade, the clash of metal ringing out like thunder. The Destroyer staggered back, momentarily off-balance.
Ritsuka saw his chance. With a flick of his wrist, he cast Gandr, the curse spell striking the Destroyer and momentarily stunning it. But even then, Ritsuka knew it wouldn't last long—this creature had a resistance far beyond anything ordinary.
"Thor, now!" Ritsuka commanded.
Thor raised his hand, summoning the clouds. Lightning crackled in the sky, and with a deafening roar, he unleashed a massive storm of electricity onto the Destroyer. The bolts of divine lightning crashed down onto the metallic beast, causing it to shudder, its movements faltering as the storm raged around it.
But the Destroyer was far from finished. It began to push through Thor's attack, its strength seemingly endless.
Ritsuka turned to Rama. "Rama, it's time. Use your bow."
For the first time in this battle, Rama notched an arrow onto Vijaya. The moment the divine weapon was drawn, reality itself began to tremble. The overwhelming power of the bow caused the very fabric of existence to warp and twist. A dark, ominous domain enveloped them—a realm beyond the world they knew.
This was the Anti-World Domain, a place where cosmic forces coalesced and bent to Rama's will. His arrow, now infused with the essence of the cosmos, pulsed with an otherworldly glow.
"Vishnu Bhuja!" Rama called out, as the divine energy coursed through his body and into the arrow.
The release was blinding. The arrow streaked through the air, cutting through the Anti-World Domain like a bolt of cosmic lightning. As it struck the Destroyer, the very ground beneath them split apart, cracks in the fabric of reality spreading in every direction.
A wave of dimensional distortion followed the arrow's path, and in an instant, the Destroyer's body was cleaved in two. The cosmic ether that had infused the armor shattered, and the Destroyer's very essence began to unravel. The armor crumbled, turning into void-like cracks that swallowed everything around it. It was as if the Destroyer had been erased from existence itself, its presence consumed by a realm unknown to mortal eyes.
But the battle wasn't over.
From within the shattered remains of the armor, a monster—far more terrifying than the Destroyer—emerged. Its body was grotesque, a swirling mass of curses and raw power that pulsed with a malevolent energy.
Ritsuka's eyes narrowed. "Artoria!"
Artoria Lancer stepped forward, her lance, Rhongomyniad, glowing with untamed power. Half of the restraints on her sacred weapon were released, and the energy emanating from the spear was enough to shake the very fabric of the Anti-World.
With a battle cry, Artoria unleashed her Noble Phantasm. The spear shot forward, tearing through space itself. The attack was on a scale unlike anything Thor and Loki had ever seen—a strike capable of dealing Complex Multiverse-level damage, a force that threatened to tear apart the very dimensions they were standing in.
The moment her attack connected, the Anti-World itself began to collapse, the force of her strike overwhelming the boundaries of the realm. The group was pulled back into the real world, the monster that had emerged from the Destroyer's remains obliterated in the wake of Artoria's attack.
As the dust settled, Thor and Loki stood in stunned silence. Never before had they witnessed such power—not even from their father, Odin, or the other gods of Asgard.
For the first time in their lives, they saw the true strength of the gods and heroes from another world.
And it was terrifying.
This was a reality check, not just for them, but for the world they had sworn to protect. The true monsters of the universe were far greater than they had ever imagined.
(Don't worry they will reach this level in future, believe it)
But before they could rest , the monster started to come back to life.
The battlefield, once a place of victory, now descended into chaos as the cursed black light began to swirl around the ashes of the monster they had just destroyed. Slowly, it reformed, regaining its full monstrous curse shape. The shock was palpable.
Loki, eyes wide with disbelief, stepped forward. "How... how is this possible?" His voice trembled with frustration. "We destroyed it!" (Lol, not you)
Artoria, scanning the creature with narrowed eyes, spoke in a grave tone, "It has Conceptual Power."
Loki's confusion deepened. "Conceptual Power?"
"Yes," Artoria continued, her expression cold. "That means as long as it fights beings with a godly or heavenly attribute, it grows stronger, adapting to every blow we land. Even if we destroy its body, it will keep coming back."
The realization sank in as Ritsuka's gaze shifted to his comrades. "We all carry attributes of gods or the heavens. We've been at a disadvantage since the start."
Before they could respond, the monster's form began to shift again, evolving into something far more grotesque. Its cursed energy spilled out, corrupting the ground beneath it. A roar echoed, louder and more primal than before, as the monster lunged forward to attack again.
Ritsuka quickly issued a command, "Avoid the curses! Attack from a distance—keep it away!"
Rama, Thor, Artoria, and Ritsuka unleashed their respective long-range attacks—arrows, lightning, and divine power—all aimed at the cursed monster. Explosions rippled across the battlefield, but the creature, now even more resilient, absorbed the damage, its cursed aura growing stronger with each impact.
Suddenly, the monster lashed out with a terrifying 360-degree attack. Black cursed light shot out in every direction, aiming to infect everything it touched.
Ritsuka's eyes widened in horror as he realized what was happening. The cursed energy was spreading too fast. "No!" he shouted, stretching out his hand, using telekinesis to stop the black light from reaching his allies. His mind raced as he fought to contain the spread of the curse, beads of sweat forming on his brow.
But then, out of nowhere, the monster teleported—its grotesque, corrupted form materializing directly in front of Ritsuka. No one had expected it to teleport. Before he could react, the creature launched a massive spear of cursed energy directly at him.
Ritsuka's body froze. There was no time to dodge, no time to block.
But then, in the blink of an eye, Artoria appeared in front of him. She shielded him, her Rhongomyniad raised, but even she couldn't stop the cursed spear entirely. The weapon plunged into both of their stomachs, cursed energy seeping into their wounds.
"Artoria!" Ritsuka gasped, feeling the pain surge through him, the curse beginning to eat away at his life force.
Seeing their master and Artoria injured, the other Servants faltered. Concern clouded their minds, and in that moment of hesitation, the monster seized its chance. It unleashed more curses, sending tendrils of black light toward Rama and Thor. Both were struck, their bodies infected with the malevolent energy.
The monster teleported again, this time appearing behind Sigurd and Brynhildr, striking them with cursed claws before they could react. The corruption spread fast, like a plague infecting everything it touched.
Now, only Loki remained unscathed, standing at a distance, watching as his comrades fell one by one.
His mind raced. Was this it? Was he going to fight this cursed beast alone?
The Strongest Monster From A Forgotten Past... Versus Him, The So-called God Of Mischief.
For the first time in a long while, Loki felt genuine fear creeping into his heart.
Then suddenly the monster teleported infront of him and grab his neck.
As the cursed monster squeezed Loki's neck tighter, the air leaving his lungs, his vision began to darken. Thor and Rama struggled desperately, writhing in pain as the curse ravaged their godly forms. Sigurd and Brynhildr, too, were trapped in agony, unable to lend a hand. Loki's body weakened, but his mind remained active, drifting into a dark, isolated place.
In the darkness, Loki heard a familiar voice. His own voice. But it wasn't him at least, not the him he wanted to be. It was his darker self, the one that whispered cruel thoughts and selfish desires.
A conversation began in this abyss, as Loki stood face to face with the shadow of his former self.
Dark Loki: "Why fight? Why bother? You're not a hero. You never were. Leave them. Escape while you still can. Let them die for their ideals."
Loki stood in silence for a moment, contemplating the words. The temptation was real, palpable even. He had always been the one to run from responsibility, to let others carry the weight. Maybe this time would be no different. But something gnawed at him.
Loki (thinking): "If I leave now, what does that make me? The same Loki I've always been?
The voice of his darker self pressed harder.
Dark Loki: "You were never recognized by Odin, never valued. You' re nothing like Thor or these so-called heroes. Let them take the fall. It's not your fight. Escape."
But as Loki closed his eyes, something within him stirred-a flicker of determination, something deeper than his usual cunning. He remembered Sigurd and Brynhildr's words from earlier, words that pierced him like the very curse weakening his body now. He had always sought to prove himself, but to what end? Approval from Odin? Validation from others? Or something more?
Suddenly, the scene shifted. Loki found himself as a child again, sitting in the shadows, tears in his eyes after another harsh scolding from Odin. He had stabbed Thor, trying to prove his worth, but it had only ended in disappointment.
Frigga, his mother, had knelt beside him, offering gentle words. "Your magic is perfect, Loki. You don't need to be like Thor or anyone else. You have your own path, and that path doesn't need to lead to a throne. It should lead to what brings you happiness."
Young Loki had cried, "But I want to be a king. I want Father to be proud of me!"
Frigga smiled softly, but she knew better. "Being a king won't make you happy, my son. You' Il see in time."
Loki, now an adult, laughed bitterly at his younger self. "A throne? What use is a throne if my family is gone? If my brother, my sister... if I'm alone?"
He thought of his mother, of her warmth, and a sudden clarity washed over him. He didn't want to die here, but more than that, he didn't want to see his sister-his family-fall to this cursed monster. He wanted to apologize, to see his mother again and make things right. He didn't want to be alone anymore.
And in that moment, something within Loki clicked. He wasn't like Thor or these heroes, but that didn't mean he couldn't change. His purpose didn't need to be a throne or conquest. It could be survival. It could be family.
It could be Glorious.
Back in reality, the Loki in the cursed monster's grasp flickered and then vanished-a mere illusion. The real Loki appeared behind the monster, his eyes gleaming with newfound determination. His form twisted and transformed into a massive fox, his divine power awakening.
Loki Made reality into illusion and illusion into reality.
With a feral snarl, the fox-form Loki lunged, biting into the cursed monster's flesh and slamming it into the ground with enormous force. The creature roared in pain, but Loki wasn't finished. He hurled the monster through the air, sending it flying toward Sita, who stood ready, holding Thor's mighty hammer, Mjolnir.
With a battle cry, Sita swung Mjolnir with all her strength, striking the cursed beast midair. The impact was so immense, it sent the monster flying 10 kilometers away, crashing into the earth with a thunderous boom.
The battlefield fell quiet for a moment, the shock of Loki's sudden resurgence hanging in the air.
As Loki reverted to his human form, he turned toward Thor, his brother, who lay weakened, writhing in pain from the cursed infection that had spread through his divine veins. Loki's gaze softened for a moment, a rare vulnerability surfacing as he faced the reality before him.
"I know what I want now," Loki muttered, his voice steady despite the chaos around him. "I know what type of God I need to be. For you... for all of us."
He knows his purpose. It's not about Asgard throne or nameless death.
He found his purpose.
"For Glorious Purpose"
With newfound determination, Loki raised his hands, his fingers weaving intricate patterns in the air. Magic surged from him in waves, far more powerful than he had ever dared to wield before. Dark clouds formed above, and with a flick of his wrist, they transformed into enormous dragons, each one shimmering with ethereal magic. The sky was filled with their roars as they dove toward the cursed monster, now struggling to rise once more.
The cursed beast howled in frustration, trying to regain its strength. But Loki's magical dragons descended upon it, wrapping around the creature, their maws snapping and claws tearing into its cursed flesh, holding it down with immense force.
"Pathetic fools!" Loki snarled, looking toward his companions, his voice edged with urgency. "Do something! I can't buy you much time!"
His voice cut through the battlefield, commanding their attention. Thor, still groaning in pain, struggled to stand, his body trembling under the weight of the curse. But something stirred within him as he heard his brother's words—the same brother who had been selfish and cunning now fighting for them, for him.
As Ritsuka burned the cursed spear lodged in both his and Artoria's stomachs with his Dark phonix flames, his heart raced with concern. Despite the pain coursing through him, he forced a smile, his hands glowing as he focused on healing them both. Artoria, still holding her lance, stood protectively in front of him, her gaze unwavering even though her voice betrayed her worry.
"Ritsuka... Are you okay?" she asked, the edge of her voice softening.
Ritsuka responded in kind, concern clear in his eyes as he gently placed his hand on her arm, casting a healing spell to close her wound. "I'm fine, but what about you, Artoria? Are you alright?"
They both stood for a moment, silent but reassured by each other's presence. Then, Loki's urgent cry tore their attention away. Ritsuka glanced at his hand, the command spells glowing with raw energy. He knew they needed more than just strength—they needed hope.
Kneeling on the ground, Ritsuka placed his palm flat on the earth and whispered with all the power left in him, "With these command spells, grant us hope."
As his words left his lips, something incredible happened. A silver shield materialized around them all, shimmering with divine light. It spread out, enveloping everyone infected by the curse. Slowly, the dark marks of corruption faded from their bodies as if washed away by a miracle. Thor, Rama, Sigurd, and Brynhildr stirred as the curses vanished, their pain subsiding.
Loki stared in disbelief, his mouth slightly agape. "What's going on?!"
Suddenly, from the shimmering light, countless silver insects appeared, buzzing into the air with a quiet hum. They swarmed toward the cursed monster, their metallic wings cutting through the black tendrils of darkness surrounding it, tearing apart the corrupt energy.
Ritsuka, still kneeling, widened his eyes as tears began to well up. The sight before him was all too familiar, too vivid to be just a coincidence. It reminded him of a time he thought he would never experience again.
Then, a voice—gentle and dignified—called out to him, echoing through the battlefield. "Master, are you okay? Are you hurt?"
Ritsuka froze. That voice… it was unmistakable. Yet, it carried with it a feeling of distance, like a dream from a forgotten time.
And then, another voice—playful and filled with a hint of exasperation—joined in. "Hey, hey, you don't even need to ask, right? Our idiot Master is still in one piece."
Ritsuka's heart stopped. Those voices, those impossible voices... Slowly, he turned around, his vision blurred with tears.
"Y-you... You guys... came..." His voice trembled, breaking under the weight of his emotions.
Before him stood two figures he never imagined he'd see again. One was a radiant fairy, her golden hair shining in the light, her emerald eyes full of warmth. Dressed in a majestic outfit of white, blue, gold, and jet black, she held a brilliant sword, a figure of pure grace and power—Artoria Avalon.
Beside her stood a male figure clad in a white jacket and black trousers, his left arm and legs covered in a beetle-like shell. His dark cloak fluttered behind him, and his cold smile betrayed a sense of mischief. Oberon Vortigern, the thorned fairy king, stared back at Ritsuka, exasperation flickering in his sharp eyes.
Ritsuka's tears flowed freely now. "Oberon… Artoria Avalon… you both came…"
Artoria smiled gently, her voice soft as she looked at him. "Yes, Ritsuka... please don't cry... no, but I am a little happy. To see Your tears of joy, your tender tears... I'm sorry, I made you cry. I'm a terrible guardian," Artoria Avalon said, her voice filled with warmth.
"That's not true! I'm really happy, Artoria. I never thought I'd see you again—" Ritsuka replied, his voice breaking as tears welled in his eyes. Seeing the boy so emotional, Artoria looked at him fondly, while Oberon Vortigern's expression softened, a mix of exasperation and relief washing over him.
"...That's what I should be saying. My goodness... I never thought I'd see you again. I really hope not to see your face, Master," Oberon quipped, his tone teasing yet affectionate.
"I'm also happy to see you again, Master... And please, Oberon, stop saying that after you've agreed to my summons. It's too late now, isn't it?" Artoria replied, a smile tugging at her lips.
As Artoria closed her eyes and sighed, Oberon sneered, not bothering to hide his mockery. "Huh? Do you really think I came here because I wanted to help him? You're as naive as ever."
"...If you harm Master, I won't show you any mercy, you know?" Artoria shot back, her tone serious, the protectiveness in her voice unmistakable.
Invisible sparks flew between the Insects of Hell and the Fairies of Paradise, creating a tense atmosphere. But Ritsuka, unable to contain his joy, stepped forward and embraced them both tightly, a happy smile breaking through his tears.
"I missed you guys," he said, his voice trembling with emotion.
And in that moment, they smiled back at him, sharing a bond that transcended even the most dire of circumstances.
****
Note: hey it's me, your lazy author.
I tried to give more development to Loki. And he got the development I had in my mind.
He had still long way to reach TVA Loki or infinity war loki.
But I hope you liked his development, in future too please look forward to his development.
And hey new servants will appear in new chapter too.
Also this is Artoria Avalon not Castoria (Artoria caster). So don't confuse. Castoria will appear in future. For now AA.
And I'm lazy in fighting sequence. So don't mind it much.
Comment your thoughts about the chapter.