Loki was left alone, dead. Or so it seemed.

After Thor and Jane used the secret pathway to travel from Vanaheim back to Earth, Loki slowly stirred from his presumed state of death.

Loki blinked several times, his eyes readjusting to the sandy wasteland of the world that surrounded him. The green glow of his magic that encompassed his body was the only true light shining in such a desolate world. He looked down at the crimson stain that marred his once emerald hued armor. Feeling a sudden pain, he remembered the attack that should've killed him. His fingers, caked in his own blood, slowly lifted away the tattered fabric beneath his shattered armor to examine the source. The deep, lacerating wound in his chest that had been inflicted by the Kursed's blade was slowly healing before his tired eyes. The flow of blood was naturally stemming while the bruises that would ordinarily follow, began to speckle his pale flesh in a sickening rainbow of pain. He laid his head back down on the hard ground, feeling the perpetual warm wind blowing his dark locks of hair about his face. His green eyes closed.


'I'm sorry... I'm sorry!'

'Shh! It's okay...'


The last words he had spoken to Thor haunted his memory. Were they even real? Had he imagined it? Had Thor, his Brother; the very man he had betrayed and attempted to slay, truly forgiven him? What of his Mother, Frigga? Was she really dead or had he imagined that as well?

'No, Mother is gone.' A tear escaped Loki's eye and ran down is cheek. 'If she still lived, I would not be here.'

Loki focused his memory back to the daring escape from Asgard, orchestrated by Thor.

'He trusted me. For a fleeting moment, my Brother again trusted me.'

It would've been so easy to incapacitate Thor, escape to Midgard and watch as both the Earth and Asgard were swallowed up by Malekith's darkness. Instead he found himself compelled to honor their Mother and avenge her death. The death that neither Thor nor Odin could prevent. The death that perhaps, Loki could've prevented had he not been locked away in a cell.

Loki slowly opened his eyes and gazed upon his injury. Nearly healed, the blood had stopped flowing and the tissue was regenerating. He felt faint, his green eyes closed as the images of my memories replayed in his mind.


'Loki! Now!'

The Aether flowed from Jane Foster's prone form in a brilliant flux of rose-hued energy. Thor gave the cue and Loki didn't hesitate. He revealed the illusion of his supposed betrayal to Thor and threw himself over Jane to protect her from Thor's powerful lightning.

As the dust settled the Brothers looked to Malekith only to discover their plan to eradicate the Aether had failed. Malekith absorbed the immeasurable power that the Aether offered.

Their strategy had failed. Malekith would continue his quest to conquer the Nine Realms, blanketing countless lives in an eternal darkness.

Thor and Loki stood their ground and fought back against the forces that remained loyal the Malekith. During combat Loki saw that Jane was in danger and pushed her aside, protecting her from the blast of the grenade. Unable to escape the power of the blast, Loki was ready to accept his impending death. Then seemingly out of nowhere Thor used his strength and speed to push Loki out of the blast range and to relative safety.


Loki opened his eyes, his wound had healed. The bruises were fading, revealing an atrocious scar in their wake. A long, dark line stretched from his lowest ribs to the middle of his abdomen. A reminder of the final battle that he and Thor fought together, side by side as Brothers.

Despite his miraculous recovery he was still too tired, too weak to get up. He shut his eyes again, and once more the memories came flooding back with aggression.


Loki defeated the final drone from Malekith's army and looked over to see Thor being beaten down, mercilessly by the Kursed.

Thor tried repeatedly to stand before the abomination of darkness and hatred but could not find his footing. Just as it seemed the mighty Thor, the future King of Asgard would fall, a blade punctured the Kursed's back and sheathed itself through the monster's body out of its chest. Loki walked from behind the beast, glaring into its heartless eyes. Unexpectedly however, the Kursed grabbed ahold of Loki and thrust the God of Mischief's chest onto the very blade that protruded from its chest.

Loki let out a gasp of pain and surprise, while Thor cried out in anger at the sight of his Brother's fate. Loki fell to the ground, landing hard on his back.

Looking up into the wretched face of his foe, Loki clutched at his bleeding chest before uttering the phrase that confirmed the Kursed's unfortunate denounment.

'See you in Hell, monster.'

The Kursed realized, too late, that Loki had engaged the grenade still attached to his belt. The blast engulfed the beast and destroyed it where it stood.


Feeling his strength returning Loki slowly sat up, using his elbows as leverage. There was no pain, not any longer. His magic had prevented him from fully submitting to death. During his state of unconsciousness the power that naturally flowed through his veins restored the damaged tissue, resuscitating him.

Loki turned to his side, putting his palms flat against the ground as he put the rest of his weight on his knees. He straightened his back until he was kneeling. He survived. But where was Thor and his woman, Jane?

The memories returned.


He clutched at his wound, his breaths short an panting.

"No. No, no, no..." Thor's strong hands were now gentle, cradling his fallen, dying Brother. "Oh, you fool, you didn't listen."

"I know..." His voice sounding so weak. "I'm a fool, I'm a fool."

"Stay with me, okay?" Thor placed his hands on Loki's face as he pleaded desperately to his Brother, his life fading fast.

"I'm sorry." He took a quick pained breath. "-I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

"-Shh..." He looked into Loki's eyes with much sorrow. "It's okay."

Loki looked back to Thor with regret and pain, but said nothing. Loki looked into his Brother's blue eyes, he could see the genuine emotions reflected within: Fear, anger, sorrow, heart break, regret... Ah yes, 'regret'. The one emotion Loki had never seen expressed by either Thor or Odin, he was unaware that his Brother was even capable of understanding, let alone, feeling something as sinister as regret.

Thor tried to ease Loki's distress. "It's alright. I'll tell Father what you did here today."

Loki shook his head slowly. "I didn't do it for him."

Thor watched as the last of Loki's strength had left is weakened body, his paling flesh turned a sickly greyish blue as his bright green eyes closed. Forever. "NO!" He laid Loki gently back down on the ground, folding his lifeless hands over his chest as Jane watched silently in the distance.

Loki felt himself submit to the dark peaceful slumber of death, his last vision was of his Brother holding him, near tears as he slipped away. Honor restored.


His eyes opened for the final time. Finding the strength to stand Loki took small, clumsy steps toward the entrance of his additional secret pathway that lead to Midgard. He suddenly stopped dead in his tracks, he looked at the entrance to Midgard, then back over his shoulder to the entrance to Asgard. His mind was racing, never before had he ever felt his heart so conflicted.

Thor forgave him, trusted him and even saved his life before Loki sacrificed himself for his Brother's sake. Should he continue onward and find Thor? Or should he use this invaluable opportunity to escape?

Where as Asgard was the only home he had ever known. Though his Mother, Frigga; the only person who seemed to truly understand him and love him despite his anger and hatred, was gone. His Father Odin, the Allfather, had sentenced him to death only to instead lock Loki away at the pleas of Frigga. If he returned, would Odin rejoice to see his two sons once reunited? Or would Odin take out his rage on Loki, making him suffer for years before finally executing him?

Loki looked down at his hands. His hands covered with the blood of his own body and the blood of the many innocent lives he was responsible for taking. Blood that could never be washed away.

He could no longer bear the sight of them. His magic flashed with a green aura as the armor that covered his arms changed into a generic style worn the guards of Asgard. Bronze now covered his arms, not black or green.

Loki focused his mind as he used his magic to fully alter his appearance. There was nothing left of his true self being reflected, not a soul, not even his Brother or Father would see that it was him.

His mind was made up. He turned around and walked back into the portal to Asgard. He was unsure of exactly what it was that wad driving him to return home but his Mother always insisted that Loki learned to trust his own instincts and intuition. At that moment Loki swore an oath to never fail his mother again.

...to be continued...