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*****
According to Feny's current estimates, practicing his skills for eight hours a day would provide enough experience to earn his ninth skill draw in roughly three years. Based on this benchmark, the experience required for the ninth draw sat somewhere around one thousand points.
Defeating Volstagg had granted him five points—the equivalent of five days of dedicated training. It wasn't a massive windfall, but Feny found the results satisfying enough.
Not to be outdone by Volstagg, Fandral and Hogun both stepped up for a bout of their own. Feny, ever the gracious host, welcomed them with open arms and happily harvested another crop of experience points. After dealing with the Warriors Three, he even turned to the surrounding crowd of soldiers, asking if anyone else felt like testing their luck.
Following his rise to fame at the banquet, Feny's reputation exploded on the training grounds. The Asgardians respected a man who could drink them under the table, but they revered a man with undeniable strength. Since Feny ticked both boxes, the name "Feny Halsey" spread through the golden city like wildfire.
Consequently, when Feny sought out Thor that evening to discuss visiting Loki, Thor's first question was: "I heard you gave the Three a proper thrashing this afternoon?"
"It was a sparring match," Feny replied with a shrug and a look of pure innocence. "They were the ones who insisted on fighting in front of everyone."
Knowing his friends' competitive nature all too well, Thor gave a helpless sigh. "So, what brings you to see me?"
"I want to see Loki," Feny said, getting straight to the point.
Thor's guard immediately went up. He shifted slightly, his voice full of instinctive wariness. "What do you want with him?"
"This is Asgard. What could I possibly do?" Feny rolled his eyes at Thor's overprotectiveness. "I just have a few questions I need to ask him."
Thor blinked, realizing the logic in that, but his suspicion didn't entirely vanish. "What kind of questions?"
"I want to know how much he knows about the person who sent him to Earth," Feny said. He truly just wanted to gauge Thanos's current status.
Thor fell silent for a moment, contemplating. Finally, he nodded. "Tomorrow. I'll take you to see him tomorrow morning."
"Works for me," Feny agreed. He wasn't in a desperate rush.
The next morning, Feny followed Thor down into the dungeons located beneath the palace. As they walked, Feny couldn't help but ask, "Why did you build the prison right under the palace?"
"Because it is the most secure location in the realm," Thor replied, tossing Mjolnir slightly as if it were a common toy. "With the palace guard, my father, and myself all right here, no one escapes."
Feny found it hard to argue with that logic. Unless something catastrophic happened, it was indeed the safest spot in the universe.
They soon reached the dungeon level. The guards were few, and after verifying Thor's identity, they stepped aside without hesitation. Feny glanced around; Asgardian prisons were a far cry from the damp, dark holes of Earth. These were clean, bright white rooms. Each cell had three solid walls and one transparent barrier, allowing the guards to see exactly what the prisoner was doing.
Curious, Feny looked at the various exotic creatures being held. He even snuck his phone out to snap a few photos as souvenirs.
Soon, they arrived at Loki's cell. Compared to the other inmates, the "Third Princess" of Asgard clearly had special privileges. He had a private room furnished with a desk, snacks, and various elegant trinkets.
"What a rare guest," a voice drawled.
Because he had lingered to take photos, Feny was a few steps behind. Loki saw Thor first and offered a sneer. But as he prepared to continue his mockery, he caught sight of Feny stepping into view. Loki's entire body gave a visible jolt. His face went pale, and an expression of pure, unadulterated terror crossed his features, as if he were staring at a ghost.
Seeing that reaction, Feny couldn't resist. He raised his phone again, captured the look of horror for posterity, and offered a casual wave. "Long time no see!"
"Why is he here?!" Loki demanded, turning to Thor with a frantic edge to his voice. His tone trembled—a testament to just how deep a psychological scar Feny had left on him.
"He is a guest of Asgard," Thor replied. Looking at his brother's panicked state, Thor felt a twinge of pity. He turned to Feny and said, "Ask what you need to ask, and let's be quick about it."
"Geez, am I really that scary?" Feny muttered under his breath before turning a serious gaze toward the cell. "That Scepter was given to you by Thanos, wasn't it? How much do you know about him?"
Loki remained silent. Now that the initial shock had passed, he began to regain his composure. He realized he was in Asgard and that Thor was present; surely, Feny wouldn't dare do anything truly drastic here.
Seeing Loki's stubborn silence, Feny turned to Thor. "Can we have a private word?"
"No," Thor replied instantly. Feny's abilities were far too mysterious. For all Thor knew, the boy had a way to bypass the barrier and harm Loki.
Feny sighed at Thor's stubbornness. He looked back at Loki. "That Scepter is incredibly important to Thanos. Not only did you lose it, but you also cost him a significant portion of his forces. He isn't the type to forgive and forget."
"I am his enemy," Feny continued. "If you give me information on him, I can deal with him for you. It's a win-win, isn't it?"
Loki wavered for a fraction of a second before speaking. "You may be powerful, but you are no match for him." He let out a cold laugh. "And I am merely a temporary captive. I have not been defeated entirely."
"So you don't think I can handle him?" Feny sighed. It seemed the last beating hadn't been quite thorough enough. While he knew he wasn't yet at Thanos's level, being looked down upon still stung.
Loki didn't offer a direct reply. He simply let his lips curl into a smug, punchable smirk.
"Tell you what, let's trade information," Feny suggested, realizing he couldn't force the issue on Asgardian soil. "I'll tell you something that is vital to Thanos's plans, and in exchange, you tell me everything you know about him. How about it?"
Loki narrowed his eyes, then gave a sharp nod. "Deal." He then looked at Thor. "Can we speak in private now?"
Thor looked between the two, feeling suddenly excluded from the conversation. He frowned deeply. "No. I am staying right here."
"Fine. Then I'm not telling him a thing with you listening," Loki said with a dismissive wave. He turned his back on them, staring at the far wall.
"Now what?" Feny looked at Thor and offered a helpful suggestion. "How about you just open the door and let me in? With a brat like this, a good beating is usually the only thing that makes them listen."
Loki's shoulders visibly twitched at the suggestion.
(End of Chapter)