When I run through the deep dark forest long after this begun
Where the sun would set, trees were dead and the rivers were none
And I hope for a trace to lead me back home from this place
But there was no sound, there was only me and my disgrace
Wolf - First Aid Kit
Darkness...
All encompassing darkness...
Smothering him...
Choking him...
Dragging him down...
The Void...
Not Again...
Not Again...
He was dying...
A bright light-
Familiar hands grasping him-
"My son, my child, turn back-"
"Turn Back-!"
A dying man's gasp, an overwhelming flood of air filling his lungs to the brim, eyes blind with death flashing with life-
Loki choked, his back arching and flailing against the ground as he coughed and spluttered, his breath fluttering like moths against his ribs, white fire raging against his sternum.
He let out a strangled grunt, his teeth gritted against each other, groaning against the strain of his jaw as he struggled to breathe. The soft hiss of air between his teeth filled the silence around him, unaware of the tears that slid down his cheeks as his fingers carved crescents into his palms.
The cloying bitterness of old blood sat gathered at the back of his throat, and itched as he struggled to open his eyes, blurred with agony as he struggled to take in his surroundings.
A blue sky. (Howling winds and bitter ash.)
Deep green fir trees. (Ancient rock and shattered mountains.)
A bed of pine needles. ("I'll tell Father of what you did here today.")
His eyes snapped back shut as a white hot lance of pain stabbed at his chest. Hadn't he been stabbed already?
Loki let out a feeble groan, unable to even lift his head as he lay there, the weak, pitiful thump of his heart chaining him to life. Magic tingled against his skin, and Loki knew a scar lay in the making, the skin tender and easily broken.
He searched dark and hazy memories of his last moments, trying to remember how he arrived to...wherever he was. But all he could remember was the Thunderer (Stupid, oafish, idiot Thor "You know this plan is going to get us killed don't you?") promising to tell Odin of his deeds, that he died a noble warrior. And then darkness, dragging him down, swallowing him whole-
Only to spit him back out.
Slowly, he chuckled, even as tears of pain slipped unbidden down his cheeks.
Truly, he was cursed with life.