Odin's face tightened into a frown of disappointment. "As I'm sure you've noticed...Loki is a bit tougher to kill than a simple avian." Creed moved to shove him and was slowly driven to his knees by the agony coiling through the blonde feral's guts. "You are unable to kill me because I am King of Asgard...and like Sleipnir, you now serve me." His gaze hardened to a steely blue, watching Creed struggle. "There is a spell etched upon your very bones much like there is a spell etched onto his bridle. Like you, he fought his fate. For the better part of a century he fought, before he submitted. I have no doubt you have that long, but your daughter's safety is less assured. You might consider time and how long you wish to fight me before you simply do as I ask."
He knelt, his voice dropping to a low rumbling whisper. "I have killed Loki countless times, you see. I have killed him with blades, with fire, with magic...and each time he returns in a new body with even more vigor toward seeing my kingdom collapse. I care not if your claws can kill him...if you can put him in the ground long enough to kill his children then I will release you. The Children of Ragnarok can only be killed by mortal hands. It was the only way they could be bound. By immortal hands they were bound and only by mortal hands can they meet their true end...otherwise, like their father, they will return in another form...more hellish than before. In the meantime, I will allow you to seek out and free your daughter from whatever bonds the Trickster has made for her."
Odin paused, still looking down at the feral as he slowly rose from his kneeling position. "This spell is necessary for the time being...as you've just illustrated, I cannot turn my back to you, lest you try to take my head." He sighed again, shaking his head. "I wish it didn't have to be so. You would believe a talking bird over a man who has seen all of the ugliness that Loki can bring."
At that there was a ticking sound along the stone floor, then a harsh cry from the stairwell.
"LIES!" The magpie cawed. Its feet were slick with blood where it tread through the gore left by Odin's magic and its wings flared again as it took to the air. "LIESLIESLIES!!" It cawed in shrieking cries as it flew with frightening speed toward the King, talons outstretched. Odin's staff raised up as if to strike the creature down again but before he could fire off another bolt of magic the bird was upon him. It cawed wildly as it raked at him, talons slicing open his cheek so deeply that white bone peeked from the mess that was now Odin's face. He barely managed to keep his eye, shoving the bird away with a howl of surprise and pain. Odin stumbled back and fell to one knee while holding his face and the bird let out a hoarse, wordless cry. Before the king could rise again the creature came to land on the tile in front of Creed. "Come!" It said in an oddly powerful voice and took a few awkward bird steps out of the cage, bidding Creed to follow.
"AWAY." It cawed and took to the air once again, flying to hover just at the stairwell that was still splattered with bird-guts and feathers. Maybe not the same bird, but it spoke with the same voice and had the same piercing green eyes. Had it used a decoy to distract Odin? Clearly, it wasn't just a bird. Whatever this creature was, it was able to hurt Odin, create a force field to protect Creed from arrows, and was trying to get him out of that place! As Creed had learned ages ago...sometimes there was a time to fight...and sometimes there was a time to run.