Loki's eyes opened when the pain stopped.
He found himself surrounded in infinite gray in all directions. Curious. He had assumed death would be less 'floating in nothing', and more 'being judged for his crimes'.
"That's still possible, you know."
He whirled, finding himself capable of whirling in this infinite darkness.
He found, in front of him, a figure cloaked in dark purple.
His eyes narrowed. "And who might you be?"
The figure laughed. Female, thought Loki.
"Let's just say, our interests are temporarily aligned." Said the female. "Follow me."
She turned, and began to walk into the infinite gray.
Loki looked around. The possibilities of someone else being out there was rather small. So, he began follow the woman.
"You know," he began, "you never told me your name."
"It's proper manners to name yourself before you start questioning the identity of your savior. As it is, my name is Xal'atath, and you are Loki of Asgard."
"Savior?" Questioned Loki. "Am I not dead?"
"Of course not." Said Xal'atath. "Though Thanos does not know that. And likely never will, unless you tell him."
"I suppose that's acceptable. But what does saving me grant you? You don't strike me as a 'whim of the moment' person."
"Indeed." Said Xal'atath, drawing back her hood, and turning to face him.
Loki stepped back, a dagger appearing in each hand.
Instead of a head, there was a mass of black energy, that whirled, roiled, and spun in fashions that brought to mind death, Ph'nglui, destruction, mglw'nafh, shadow, Cthulhu, void, R'lyeh hell, wgah'nagl insanity, fhtagn...
Loki threw one of his blades at the woman's head.
She plucked it out of the air with ease, and looked at it. Or, at least, the mass turned toward the dagger.
"That was close." She said, as though he was less than nothing.
In the next moment, Loki found himself pinned to the ground, with his own dagger, no less. The woman knelt on his chest, pulling another dagger from within the cloak, and holding it to his neck.
"Hear this now, Loki of Asgard." She hissed in a voice that was neither male, nor female. "I am Xal'atath, Blade Of The Black Empire. You are my Wielder. I cannot use my powers without a Wielder, and unfortunately for me, you are one of the few who can wield me. So hear me. I am now your servant. And you my master. Anything I do, or say, is only to benefit you, or those you choose to ally yourself with. Is that clear?"
"Clear as blood."
Xal'atath laughed. She stood, the mass of energies in place of her head taking on the familiar visage of Helya.
"Someone you'd recognize." She explained at Loki's look of utter shock. "Do not worry, the person whose visage I now wear is dead. Very dead." She held out a hand.
After a moment, Loki took it. Xal'atath pulled him to his feet.
"I'll explain what I am later. Come. We need to get out of this infernal place before my head explodes."
"Where are we heading?" Asked Loki, bemusedly.
"Alfheim." Said Xal'atath, smirking.
Loki stopped dead. "...Do you know the legends of Alfheim? Why no one ever goes there?" He asked, a note of shock in his voice.
"Yes. I know why Asgardians no longer travel there. And I also know the legends surrounding that place."
"Are you certain going there is a good idea?"
"Of course." Replied Xal'atath, confidently. "Come. I have no doubt that another Wielder is there. I have no idea who, but I am certain that the Beacon and the Truth will find proper ones. After all..." Xal'atath grinned. "Those two are stupid enough to go save the people of Alfheim from the Calamity that befell them."
"I've heard that there are many kingdoms there. What is the name of the one we travel to?" Asked Loki.
"The kingdom that destroyed all the others. A kingdom of monsters, demons, and creatures strong enough to destroy Asgard. It's true name is Hyrule."