The door closed behind him, finalising the situation. Loki strolled along the pavement, past the houses. He did not know where he was headed but let his thoughts lead him. Footstep began to echo on the path; the sound resounded through the street, growing louder as they closed in on him. The noise annoyed Loki; he could not understand why the Midgardians were so interested in everyone's business but their own. His pace quickened for he did not wish to exchange pleasantries with the mortals. The footsteps began to lag behind his own long strides, eventually coming to a halt.

"Loki," a female voice cried after him, "wait, Loki. Please, wait."

Loki knew the voice too well and grinned, turning around to meet it. "Sigyn." He breathed her name, feeling it on his lips, savouring how it taste din his tongue. She was his now after all this time. The smile on his lips but only grew with each step he took towards her. The pain that saturated him began to drift away as though it weighed nothing, as though it were not the laborious burden he had known for so long.

Sigyn stood waiting, smiling nervously at the approaching Loki. Her clothes had changed but he did not notice. He only noticed the storm clearing and the blues skies dawning. The gold of her hair and the blue of her eyes matched his emotions perfectly. She was the summer day he had been longing for when his pain would finally clear and nothing but warmth and picturesque surroundings could be seen. He had achieved this after the years of pain; he had gained her after a life of longing. White fingers leant out to stroke her hair, green eyes mesmerised by the blue opposite. Before contact was made Sigyn disappeared, leaving an alien creature in her place.

The white hand dropped to his side. He stood still, silent, as he watched the world transform around him. The street had disappeared, leaving Loki standing in what he seemed to be a cave of sorts. He noticed a large staircase, leading into the galaxy around him.

"Loki Laufeyson," the voice bellowed, "we require your assistance. You will give it to us."

A frown pulled Loki's eyebrows together, crinkling his forehead. "What am I assisting with, exactly? You cannot expect one to leap at your every beckon."

"He has noticed your desires, your ambition. It will be very useful for what we intend." The voice continued, ignoring his remarks before realising what he had said, "You will come, prince. Earth will be yours and you cannot refuse what you want."

"You wish for me to take over Midgard? They are not as weak as you may think, even I could not take them alone."

"Alone was not a proposition. The Chitauri grow restless for battle; they will be yours to command."

A smile played on Loki's lips; the crooked grin displaying his appeal at the realisation of his new purpose. "I will have Midgard and all of it's people. I shall be the King I rightfully am." Thoughts began to flicker through his mind until he came to a conclusion, "How do you know of me? Of my desires? Who are you?"

The hooded creature grinned menacingly, "You will suffice for his plans well. You will know me as The Other and my master you will come to know also. He saw you fall through space, saw your hatred and despair." The Other placed a sceptre on a round, stone table, "You will need this."

Loki picked it up, feeling the smooth, gold cold against his skin. "What is," he began before being cut off by the Other.

"I will let him tell you."

Pain filled Loki's head, crashing against his skull. The world fogged over, his senses lost in the haze. A scream tore from his throat as he fell to his knees, sinking to the floor. Nothing was there but the pain, the unbearable pain. A chuckle came from the Other but Loki did not hear. His mind stung with thoughts swarming relentlessly. It was building, the pain growing with every second. Loki could not hold it anymore; he began to let it take him, feeling himself drift away from the pain.

It stopped as suddenly as it had come. Loki's eyes opened, blinking rapidly to adjust. New ideas, thoughts, knowledge filled his mind. He slowly stood to his knees, relishing in what filled his mind. All that had happened made sense, clarity flooding his senses. He needed to obey him, "Thanos." Loki whispered. The word filling the space.

The Other chuckled softly, "You understand now, prince. You now posses what is required to become a king the rest is reliant on your personal actions. Your fate and ours is in your hands, Asgradian."

Loki grinned, "We will take Midgard and I will have her. He saved me for this purpose, my glorious purpose." Visions of ruling the realm filled his mind. He would be king, proving to Odin his worth. Thor would not have a rule as great as his nor a wife as glorious. Sigyn would rule by his side, returning the love he deserved. Everything would fall into place, belong where he had wished it to for so long. The world would be perfect.

"Do you have your orders?" The Other questioned him, curious to know what his master had revealed to Loki.

"I have all of my orders. I will retrieve the Tesseract immediately." Loki was still smiling at the prospects this new action held. The Other nodded before commanding Loki to go.

The street returned; the Midgardians houses standing tall above Loki. The sky was grey and dull, challenging the enlightenment Loki had found. It did not matter for Loki had grown use to the dark and the cold, living in a shadow had ensured this. "Midgard will look so much better once I am in control." He muttered as he strolled along the path.

He stopped in front of Sigyn's house, standing in pensive silence before murmuring to the walls, "I will have you, my love, along with the rest of this dull realm. The battle will be glorious but the prize will surpass all else."