AN: Part two of Chaos Theory: An ensemble of nonlinear Loki-centric one shots. Set between scenes, between movies, or an expansion/rewrite of an existing scene. Gen, unless the muse prompts me to write otherwise.

Part #2 Summary: Upon the dead plains of Svartalfheim, Thor grieves. (Note: This one was posted separately but has now been reposted into this collection.)

Upon the Dead Plains

by Sorrow

Thor held tight his grief when his mother lay dead in his father's arms. Though his chest wrenched with pain, he stood back and watched his father press his lips to her hair and farewell her fading soul. Silently he raged, as her life force drained away into a pool of red upon the marble floor. But he shuttered his thoughts. He buried the ache of her loss deep within himself. He channeled his sorrow into revenge.

When it came his brother's turn to fall, there was no leash upon his heartbreak. No decorum to restrain his wretchedness. He gathered Loki into his arms and began to plead.

No no no… Stay with me, stay with me!

There was no light without darkness! No sun without the moon! He could not conceive of a world where one could exist without the other. But it was to no avail. Even the might of Thor could not hold his brother back from death when the taint of the Kursed crawled beneath his skin, and his heart-blood pumped hot and thick onto the sand.

And so Loki slipped away.

x

There, upon the dead plains of Svartalfheim, Thor's anguish ripped from his lungs. His sorrow stretched up to the clouds and cracked like thunder across the sky. His world, once so whole and full of life, felt now as dead and barren as the black sands that swirled around him. His mother, gone. His father driven mad with grief. His very home brought to its crumbling knees. And now his brother…

Shoulders sagging, Thor gathered Loki tighter in his arms; a silent keen now replacing violent roar as hot tears escaped shuttered lids and tracked across his brother's lifeless lips. His clever little brother who had doted on him as a child, resented him as an adult, but followed him regardless of it all. His troubled brother, a stranger who claimed allegiance to no one, but who sacrificed himself for the very family he had fought against. Gone. Not you Loki. Not like this. He murmured against his brow. The words almost intangible as grief squeezed his throat.

x

Soft hands lit across his back and took gentle hold of his shoulders. Thor, Thor, I'm so sorry Thor… We have to go. The voice urged. He shook his head. If he just held his brother… If he just pressed against this wound a little longer… If he could just stop this blood and lend him his warmth…

Thor please. A storm is coming. And Malekith… Remember? We have to get out of here.

Both voice and hands were insistent now. Tugging him upwards, drawing him away . He had no choice but to comply, knowing there was reason in the words.

Shifting his brother's head from his lap, Thor laid him gently on the ground and staggered to his feet. Then, a last glance over his shoulder as he turned away. A final horror-struck realisation that he who died with honour and redemption now lay alone and abandoned upon this barren landscape. No final journey across the sea of space. No flaming arrow to light him on his way...

Please Thor. The Convergence… We're running out of time!

He nodded grimly, knowing these words were the truth. The fate of the nine realms weighed upon him. A heavier burden to bear than that of his brother's corpse. Loki would say so himself, were he able.

And although he had no choice but to once more set aside his despair and carry on, let no one say Thor did not grieve the loss of those he loved the most.

Let no one say, Thor did not love his brother.

END NOTE: I always wished there had been more to this scene. More to Thor's grief. A small action - Jane pulling Thor away. It would have almost been enough. This little fic is an expansion of a 146 word piece I wrote to accompany a Tumblr gifset. (Link to my tumblr via my profile or via the sidebar at godofmischief dot org

If perchance you've read this before and are wondering why it's coming up again - it was initially posted as a separate one-shot until I remembered I created 'Chaos Theory' with the purpose of collecting together these one shots. I'll likely add my other Loki-centric one-shots to this collection too.