After what seemed like hours of walking, Volstagg finally sat down. "Uh! This is so long. I'm hungry!" Thor sighed, realizing it was quite late, on Asgardian time anyway. They all decided to rest for a few moments. The souls never slept, so they continued dancing there horrible dance of the dead around them, walking by their lonesome through the endless night.
"Do you think he's… scared?" asked Sif. "No," said Thor. "He is either angry… or regretful. I know him." "We shouldn't take breaks like this!" said Fandral. "We need to keep moving." Thor rose. "You are right. We have only about two and a half days now to save Loki." Hogan scoffed. "I never liked him that much to risk my life for it. He'll just betray you again."
Thor grabbed Hogan's arm. "Do not speak of my brother in that manner! He has every right to life as we do. He sacrificed himself for Asgard, and I do and forever will believe there to be some good left deep inside of him." Hogan put his head down. "Of course. I am sorry." They kept trudging through the realm.
A bit later, they started approaching the Fields. They were atop high, high cliffs, overlooking the depressing gloom of the rest of this world. Some souls tried to throw themselves over the edge of the cliffs, but already dead, they just appeared back where they were before.
The mist was thicker, but a sickening grey colour instead of white; there were vile creatures all over the ground trying to gnaw at your legs, and what was most significant, was the merciless wailing that seemed to circle all around them, being carried in the wind itself.
All the wailing of the souls that were scorned in life combined itself and sent a chill down Fandral's spine. "Well. This is creepy," he said. "I do not disagree…" said Thor. "Now where could Loki be among these mournful souls?" He clutched the stone in his belt for protection from anything unknown.
"Look!" said Sif. They all followed her gaze. There was someone standing by a cliff, not about to jump or something of that sort, but just simply looking out, taking in the surroundings. From behind, it was hard to tell who it was, since all colours begin to blend and wash out when souls pass, but there was a distinct posture to this one, with mid length black hair was blowing in the breeze.
They rushed up to the soul. His clothes were starting to fade, but they could still see hints of Black, Gold and Green, faint traces of dried blood around his lips, and his hands were placed calmly in front of him.
"Loki!" cried Thor, coming to a stop beside him. Loki showed no sign of excitement or happiness to see his brother. He just sneered and turned the other way.
"Why must you torture me so, Hel?" he asked to the sky. "Stop taunting me with illusions!" Thor looked confused. "Hel? Loki it's us! We've come to rescue you!"
This just brought tears to Loki's eyes. He let them slide down his pale as white cheeks. "Enough! ENOUGH! Let me be! Is it not satisfaction enough that I am dead?!" He cried once again to the sky.
It pained Thor to see his brother in such a state of sorrow. He came up behind Loki, and put his hand on his shoulder. "Loki. Listen to me. This is no illusion. We are here, and we have come to take you back to Asgard."
Loki swallowed, and looked at Thor. "How can you be real? No living being can walk these fields! I know, I studied this particular realm in my youth. I was always so fascinated by it. I don't know why…" he said through gritted teeth, regarding the world around him.
"I was given a gift. By an old woman with a kind heart. But that is little priority now! We must get you out of here in two days time!" said Thor. There was a long pause. Loki looked back to Thor, and his lip quivered slightly. "Is it really you?" Thor looked him in the eye. "Yes."
Loki paused for a second, then he squeezed his eyes shut as his whole body seemed to be relieved of an enormous burden. He let go of all his emotions, and hugged Thor. Then, realizing what he was doing, let go. He walked over to Sif, Volstagg, Fandral and Hogan. "I extend my deepest thanks to you, for risking yourselves for me," he said sincerely.
Maybe he had changed a little. The incident with the wormhole and the Chitauri had made him realize he was greater and knew more than most of his kind, and for a long while he thought he had matured mentally beyond anyone else, but that was his undoing. This experience, the experience of humility on Asgard when he returned from Earth… created something partially new inside Loki, something that he had not felt for many, many years.
His conscience.
After meetings and rejoice, they began their trek back to the gates of Helheim.
