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Chapter 54: Loki Moved? Shapeshifting!
🕑 Added 2025-03-12 17:35:16 +0000 UTC"I'm so sorry, Aaron, I destroyed your gear," Thor said sheepishly after obliterating the armor with a single thunder strike.
Aaron simply waved it off. "It's fine, I have plenty more."
With a nonchalant gesture, he pulled out another piece of enchanted armor from his space. Thor relaxed, but then furrowed his brow.
"This attack feels different. Why do I get the sense that the energy shield is weaker?"
Aaron raised an eyebrow, surprised. It seemed that Thor was more perceptive than he had remembered—able to pick up on subtle details that even Aaron had not expected.
"Well, enchantments are just that: enchantments," Aaron began to explain. "Even if I give it a strong magic protection, it can't sustain that protection forever. The first two thunderbolts depleted a portion of the shield's energy, and by the third one, it was no longer enough to resist Thor's full force."
Thor nodded, his mind processing the explanation. "Ah, I see now. But no worries for me and my Mjölnir—it's always ready to fly me anywhere, no matter the energy!" He patted Mjölnir, pride practically radiating from him.
Loki, who had been silently listening, couldn't resist staring at Mjölnir with longing eyes. A sense of resentment crept up within him. Why didn’t Odin give me such an artifact? Why give it to Thor?
He turned his eyes from the hammer to Thor, silently sulking at the unfairness of it all. If only I were the one with Mjölnir... Maybe I’d actually be as mighty as Thor.
Aaron, however, paid no attention to Thor’s smugness. To him, Mjölnir was a relic forged by Odin and the King of the Dwarfs, a product of Asgard’s peak power. Aaron had barely begun his magical journey, and while he didn't expect to surpass Odin just yet, he was confident that someday, he would create a weapon—perhaps even an artifact—that would rival Mjölnir and the Storm Axe.
"This armor is a great thing," Fandral said, sidling up with a grin. "Since we're friends, any chance you'd help us get one of these?"
The other Asgardians had been quietly impressed by the armor’s defense, despite the minor flaw Aaron pointed out. If it could withstand Thor’s full thunderblow for even a few seconds, it would be invaluable in battle. As strong as Thor was, even he needed time to unleash his power fully.
Aaron smiled, raising his hand to summon several more sets of enchanted armor. Each one was shimmering with intricate magical patterns.
"Definitely no problem," Aaron said, giving Fandral and the others their new armors.
"Thank you, Aaron!" Fandral responded, immediately taking one of the armors and inspecting it with delight.
Hogan and Vostagg also grabbed theirs with cheerful expressions.
"Oops," Vostagg said, looking at his new armor. "I’m a little worried this might not fit. I think I gained a bit of weight recently."
Fandral, grinning mischievously, teased, "I told you to control your appetite. If you can't wear it, you'll have to start dieting!"
Vostagg shuddered at the thought. "Dieting? That’s cruel! I can’t possibly lose out on my barbecue!" He laughed, but Aaron reassured him, "Don’t worry. I specially chose an extra-large size for you, much bigger than last month. You'll be fine."
"Good brother!" Vostagg said, patting Aaron on the back. "Come by my place next time, and I’ll treat you to the best barbecue in Asgard!"
Fandral, overhearing this, couldn’t help but shake his head, feigning disappointment. "Well, it's not all fun and games, is it?"
Vostagg grinned. "Hmph, just wait, Fandral. I'll tell all the girls about your... ‘good things’!"
Loki, however, had been eyeing the remaining armors in Aaron's hands, his heart racing with interest. Three more? And maybe one for me?
He carefully observed the interactions, wondering if Aaron would offer him one. His relationship with Aaron was hardly that of close friends—more like competitors, always vying for the upper hand when possible. Loki wasn’t sure what Aaron would think of giving him one of the enchanted armors.
To his surprise, Aaron tossed one of the armors directly to him.
Loki froze. "Wait... for me?"
He held the armor in his hands, feeling its cool, hard surface. But even then, a surprising warmth seemed to emanate from it, as if Aaron’s gesture was more than just a simple act of goodwill.
Aaron didn’t know what Loki was thinking. He simply felt it would be unreasonable not to offer Loki an armor. After all, they had shared many interactions, and while they might not be the best of friends, they were allies in the eyes of others. Loki might have his tricks and schemes, but in Aaron’s eyes, he was a competent enough ally.
However, Aaron did feel some distance due to Loki’s reputation and nature, and the fact that Loki was the god of mischief made him hesitate slightly, but there was no reason not to offer him an armor. It wasn’t a god-tier artifact—it was just an LV5 enchanted armor after all.
As Loki examined the armor, a small spark of excitement flickered in his eyes. He had grown fond of such enchanted items, and this one might serve him well in future schemes. But as he touched it, something strange happened. The armor began to shift, changing shape and design to match the very armor he was already wearing.
"Loki... Shapeshifting," Aaron muttered under his breath. This was one of the spells Aaron had long coveted—a powerful ability, and Loki had just used it to transform the armor into something unique to him.
Loki smirked, clearly pleased with his own magic. "By the way, I learned the shapeshifting technique recently while visiting Frigg."
Aaron’s heart skipped a beat. "Shapeshifting, huh?" That was definitely one of the spells Aaron had been eyeing for himself. The possibilities with that magic were vast.
After a moment of quiet contemplation, Aaron nodded. "I’ll have to learn that one myself, sometime."
With a final glance at Loki, Aaron bid farewell to Thor and the others. "I’ll catch up with you later. I need to head to the School of Magic."
Thor, Hogan, Fandral, and Vostagg waved him off as he departed. Loki, meanwhile, stood silently in his new armor, already contemplating how he could use this opportunity to his advantage.
As Aaron walked toward the Academy of Magic, he couldn’t help but wonder what else he might discover next.
