A Son's Fall

Loki stared at his brother, who was back in his Asgardian clothing. It was obvious that his sacrifice was the one thing that had reinstated his godly powers, and Loki should have seen that coming.

Selfless sacrifice always makes a person worthy, Loki thought with a sneer. I suppose I'll have to deal with him myself, then.

Loki was aware that Sigyn had not yet appeared, and he wondered if she had been detained. Loki pushed all thoughts of Sigyn from his mind and watched his brother warily.

"You were always a good liar brother," Thor said, as Frigga watched her sons in confusion.

"It's good to have you back. Now if you will excuse me, I have Jotunheim to destroy," Loki replied coolly, and he transported himself to the Bifrost Bridge. He used Heimdall's sword to summon the portal, and manipulated the Bifrost to shoot powerful rays of energy into Jotunheim.

Thor was hot on his heels, however, and before Loki could completely eradicate Jotunheim, the two came to fierce blows after Loki goaded Thor into fighting him.

Loki was physically no match for his brother, but he managed to regain the upper hand. He watched as the Bifrost's power slowly ran through Jotunheim, destroying everything in its path. Using his illusion ability, he created mirror images of himself and surrounded his brother, who was lying on his back.

"Father will see that I too, can be a worthy crown prince of Asgard," Loki said, smirking at the man he once called brother.

Thor, who was still reeling from Loki's blows, used Mjolnir to blast the different Lokis around him into the air. This broke Loki's illusion, and he saw Loki lying a few feet from him.

The only way to stop this is to destroy the bridge, Thor realized. Thor raised Mjolnir and smashed it onto the bridge. He knew that with every hammer hit he was destroying the only thing that could bring him back to Jane Foster, but he kept on going.

"What are you doing?" Loki demanded, finally coming to his senses. "If you destroy the bridge, you will never see her again!"

"Forgive me Jane!" Thor roared, finally delivering the last and final blow. The bridge exploded, and the two brothers were thrown into the air.

Loki hit the bridge with enough force to knock his breath out, and he scrambled to get a good handhold. The bridge was smooth, and he could feel himself sliding off it. Seconds before he and Thor fell off the bridge, someone gripped the staff he was holding.

The All Father.

Inside the palace, Sigyn was being held against her will by Sif and The Warriors Three. Freya, who had long suspected that Loki had influenced her daughter, arrived (having not left the palace after all).

"Let my daughter go, Lady Sif," Freya said softly. "I shall take her home."

Sif hesitated, but finally relented. Freya led Sigyn away from the four and, once they were out of earshot, turned to Sigyn.

"You have gone too far for me to save you," Freya said sadly. "I had hoped and prayed that I was wrong. You should never have married him."

"He is my destiny," Sigyn answered. "I will have no other."

Freya's eyes were full of sorrow, and Sigyn knew her mother's heart was breaking. But this was the path that she chose, and neither of them could change it. With infinite tenderness, Freya ran her hand down Sigyn's cheek.

"You will always have a home with me and Iwaldi," Freya whispered. Sigyn felt a tear slide down her cheek, and she closed her eyes. When she opened them, Freya was gone.

It was then when Sigyn noticed the flashes coming from the Bifrost Bridge.

Loki, she thought, as she ran down the hallway. To her surprise, she saw the familiar form of the All Father a few feet from her, and she stopped dead in her tracks. How could he have recovered so quickly?

Sigyn watched as Odin exited the palace and walked determinedly to the bridge. Sigyn hurried after him and saw him hunched over what remained of the Bifrost Bridge.

"I could have done it, Father!" she heard Loki cry, and Sigyn realized that he was hanging over the edge of the bridge. "I could have done it! For you! For Sigyn! For all of us!"

A moment's pause, and then…

"No, Loki." Odin's words were said softly, but they resonated deep within Loki and Sigyn.

"No, Loki!" Sigyn screamed, and as she ran towards her husband, she saw his eyes flicker over to her. He gave her a small, sad smile, and loosened his grip on the staff that he was holding.

"Loki, no…no!" Thor shouted, as Loki fell down into the wormhole that had been created by the destruction of the Bifrost Bridge.

Sigyn screamed Loki's name, watching as her husband fell into the abyss of no return.

She made a move to rush towards the edge, to fling herself over the side of the bridge so that she may join her husband, but powerful arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her back.

"No! No, I need to go to him! Loki! Loki!" Sigyn reached her arm out, as if by doing so she could grab hold of her husband, of her Loki.

But he was gone.

No, Sigyn thought desperately. He cannot be gone. He cannot.

And she felt herself slipping into darkness.

Frigga watched two figures from her position in the main hall. One was Thor, who was in his red and silver armor. His cape swept the floor as he walked, but his head was bowed.

"How is he?" Frigga asked Sif, who had joined her.

"He pines for the woman, the mortal," Sif replied. "And he grieves for Loki."

"So does Sigyn," Frigga said with a sigh. Sigyn was wandering around the hall absently, her hand on her slightly round belly. "She hasn't done anything but mention Loki's name. She is taking his loss very, very hard."

"I didn't know she was pregnant," Sif admitted. "Did Loki know?"

"I don't think she ever got the chance to tell him." Frigga found it hard to pry her eyes away from Sigyn, who looked slightly slimmer than before. She had a haunted expression on her face as she massaged her belly.

"I do not think there will be much celebrating tonight," Frigga said finally, turning away from the two figures.

Unbeknownst to everyone in Asgard, Sigyn was quietly thinking and planning.

Thor has taken my husband from me, she thought, resisting the urge to glare at her brother-in-law. I will make him pay for what he has done.

Sigyn felt her baby move in her stomach, and she ran her hand over her belly once more.

Together, my son, you and I will find your father and take our revenge on those who took your father away from us. Her eyes rested on Odin briefly. That is a promise.