Chapter XXIII

"And then came darkness "

Due to not knowing, where the Wakanda was, Loki decided to take one of the old Avengers jet. Thankfully, Friday was capable of flying the machine herself. Loki had to admit that she was better than Thor at this.

The mage sat at the left side, with Banner and James next to him, while Roger's, Widow, the witch and Vision sat across them. Captain America was eyeing him suspiciously, asking questions about Thanos and the whole ordeal.

"I just don't understand this," he claimed. "You were our enemy. You froze me and Bucky in Siberia… and now you want to work together, help? It sounds fishy to me. "

"Believe me, Captain Rogers, if Anthony and I could win on our own, I'd take revenge on all of you for what you have done to him. We, the Aesirs, are very vengeful race. Do not be mistaken. Just because I need your help it doesn't mean I forgot you hurt Anthony. I'm centuries old, I can work with anyone, foe or a friend to gain what I need or desire. "

"Like you worked with Thanos?" The Widow quipped.

"No, Thanos simply used me. When I fell into the void, after rather dramatic events on Asgard, he found me. I was lost and hurt by those I considered my flesh and blood," he explained. "At first, he tried to manipulate my hurt heart and broken soul. When it didn't seem to work in his favor, he turned to using the mind stone on me. He locked me in a cage, contained my seidr, tortured me… only to finally, after years in darkness, break me entirely. I was an empty shell, a mold to forge by him. I admit, in my weakest days I submitted to his orders. However, the moment I left his kingdom and regained some of my conscious, I realized what I was to do. Believe me when I say this that Midgard was never my goal. But I knew that my brother holds this realm dearly in his heart. I knew, well, I was certain that he will come for me sooner or later. And he didn't fail me. But I needed to stay on Midgard until he came. When I landed in SHIELD's base and enslaved Selvig and Barton, I found out about the Avengers initiative. I realized then, that you are the only hope i have to save me and the universe. I thought that with two lost stones on Midgard, Thanos will end his quest. I was wrong. He found others to collect the stones for him. After the battle, I was meant to be taken to Asgard. I was mildly happy, because I would be safe from Thanos, even though my father would lock me in a prison as well. But when I was still on Midgard, I managed to escape with the Tesseract in my hands and i found myself being brought to the Yggdrasil by Freya. "

"Ygg… what?" The witch asked.

"The worlds' tree. A magical tree that holds nine realms," Loki replied to the young woman. "I met Freya there, or the Future, as she explained. She told me of the upcoming, dark future and the end of the world as we know it. She told me my thread is connected with someone else's and we must work together to save the future from Thanos's doings. Then I learnt it was Anthony I must work with. Somewhere along, we fell in love with each other. Maybe it was prompted by the bond we share, but the feeling is real," Loki made a pause and smiled sadly to himself. "And now, I must… we must defeat Thanos and bring Tony back home. I will get the location out of Thanos, even if it's the last thing I do. "

"But what if Tony is…"

"If you value your life, do not finish it, Miss Romanova, " the mage warned her. "Anthony is alive. I know it. He's alive."

No one dared to disagree with the god at that very moment. They decided to believe Loki 's words for now.

The rest of the fly was kept mostly in a silence. From time to time someone talked, but in a hushed tones. Mostly it was Banner with agent Romanova. Loki observed them quietly. When looked closer, you could easily spot the longing looks they were secretly exchanging, as if they were lovers once. The gentle tones, the leaning towards each other confirmed Loki's suspicion. It was her that Banner talked to Brunhilde about. She advised him to look out for her, when they reach Midgard. Who knows, maybe Banner will form a relationship with her once again.

If it would make him happy, then Loki would be happy too… Wait. Since when Loki cared for Banner?! What was wrong with him?! Loki did not care for mortals, sans his Anthony. What was happening with him? Was it Anthony's influence on him that he started to appreciate the mortals? Or maybe it was something in Banner himself? When Bruce wasn't the Hulk, he was quite a good person to talk to, same as James. They understood him the same way Tony does.

Hmmm… it seemed that those pesky mortals had grown on him.

It had to be some cruel joke of the Norns. It had to be.

"He is alright, you know," Rhodes spoke to him, leaning slightly closer. "Tony went through lots of shit in his life and he came out on top of them. First the Afghanistan, then Obadiah, the Extremis, your invasion… he survived them all. And he will survive this too. You both will."

"I truly hope so, James."

Loki blinked a few times to stop the tears that pooled into his eyes from falling. Thinking about Tony, alone in the space was breaking his heart apart. He longed to drop everything and find him. He cursed Freya for not reaching out to him in his pain. How he wished to to be whisked away to Yggdrasil by her again. It wasn't that he didn't skywalked to the Yggdrasil himself lately. He did, only to find it stagnant and lifeless. There was no sign of Freya there and she did not respond to any of his calls. She shut him out in his helplessness. The god tried everything he knows to find Tony, but it was like looking for a needle in a stack. Even in a highest concentration and channeling the powers of Yggdrasil, Loki simply couldn't locate Tony in the space. He tried to use localization realms close to Titan. He vaguely remembered it was near Xandar and Spartax. He knew for sure where the Xandar was. When he was still a young man, barely adult, he and Thor traveled there with their father to learn about the customs and see for themselves how Odin kept up the connections with other worlds. He remembered that Madam President of Xandar was speaking about realms close to Xandar. Titan was one of them. However, Loki did not know the precise location. He wasn't interested in it before.

He cursed himself for he lack of knowledge.

"We'll be landing in five," Friday announced, shaking everyone off their thoughts.

Exactly five minutes later, Friday landed their jet on the ground. Captain Rogers along with Agent Romanova exited first. Vision and the witch followed their steps, and lastly Loki, James and Banner stepped on the soft grass of Wakanda. The mage looked around. The place was full of beautiful nature. The air was so clear, not like in New York. However, Loki had no more time to marvel at the surrounding, as they were approached by a black man with a company of two women and the soldier Loki remembered from the bunker. Loki quickly recognized regal posture in the man. He must have been the leader of this Wakanda.

"King T-Challa," the widow and Rogers bowed to him in their greeting.

"Captain Rogers, Miss Romanoff," the king greeted them warmly, before he looked at the rest of the company. "Vision, Miss Maximoff, Colonel Rhodes."

"Your highness," James bowed to him and turned to gesture at Loki. "Please meet, this is Lo…"

"King T-Challa," Loki stepped towards him and bowed. The ex-Avengers stiffened in their places. Agent Romanova's hand found itself on the gun she held close, while the witch called on her powers. Loki rolled his eyes at them. What were they thinking he'd do? Kill the man where he stands? This was not a princely acting. And Loki was still a prince, regardless of lacking a home-realm. "I am Loki, Prince of Asgard and the rightful king of Jotunheim. It is my honor to meet you. My thanks for having us."

"Welcome to Wakanda, Prince Loki of Asgard," T-Challa bowed to him as well, before he gestured on a young woman in equally regal attire standing next to him. "This is my sister, Princess Shuri." The girl bowed to Loki, before T-Challa gestured at the other woman. "My General of Dora Milaje, Okoye." The woman bowed to Loki as well. "And James Barnes, a friend of Captain Rogers."

"Yes, we know each other," Loki commented and looked at the man with a metal arm. He changed. His look was calmer than years ago and his posture more relaxed, despite the metal arm attached to his body.

"And this is Bruce Banner," Rogers decided to introduce their last companion. "He's an Avenger as well, King T-Challa."

"Doctor Banner, I heard a lot about you," T-Challa regarded him.

"Good things I hope?"

"Only the best," the king smiled to the small human. "Let's move to the palace and start working on this plan I heard from Steve about."

As they were following T-Challa to the palace, Loki looked around once again. Wakanda was a true marvel. The mage sensed the flow of clean energy coming from the nature. It was singing beautifully to him. He could easily grasp some power from it. He didn't know that there are places on Midgard that channels energy except Kamar-Taj. It wasn't quite the same as there, but it still possessed some quaint of magic. He'd love to study this Midgardian magic of the place, alas there was no time for this. Maybe someday in the future king T-Challa will allow him to stay here and learn. Of course, if they will survive the upcoming encounter.

As they walked to the city itself, Loki's heart squeezed painfully. It was so similar to Asgard. The high technology, the dripping gold, the regal atmosphere… yes, it seemed like his childhood home. Oh, how he missed Asgard, even though he was mistreated there for years.

"You ok?" Banner asked him, slowing to match his step.

"This place reminded me simply of my home, Bruce," Loki assured him with a smile. "A sentiment."

"It sucks that we had to blow Asgard," he admitted. "It looked cool."

"Yes, it was marvelous," Loki agreed with him. "You would love there. We had lots of advanced researches that you'd enjoy. Anthony would enjoy our technology as well."

"Maybe your people could recreate some things on Earth, you know." That was somehow a pleasant idea. Loki could definitely aid his people in this, and include Banner and Anthony into this.

If only they survive.

Finally, they stopped in front of a large room with computers and screens like those in Anthony's workshop. Princess Shuri ordered Vision to lay on a table and began her working. Loki paid her doings only half mind, waiting for his cue to extract the stone from Vision's forehead. They planned that the moment Shuri got a hang of Vision's physique and other things that were used to create him. Bruce tried to help the girl as much as he could, but at the end, it turned out that Shuri didn't need him at all. She was a genius after all. In Asgard, she would be a goddess of the intelligence, that was certain. She would be most likely in the royal court, advising the king himself.

Loki turned to look out from the big window at the width of Wakanda, letting himself feel homesick once again. It was there, when he focused on the far lands that he spotted a strange movement. The mage looked closer and realized it was a spaceship he knew.

"They're here," he announced, pointing out on the ships that were landing on the ground.

"It is time," Rogers looked out too, before he turned to Shuri. "How fast you can do it, Princess?"

"I need some time, a half of hour at least." They all nodded to this.

"Loki, you and Wanda stay here with Shuri to finish this and we deal with them." Rogers ordered.

Rhodes and Banner turned to Loki for an approval. The god nodded to the plan and ordered Friday to sent one of Anthony's suits for Bruce. It seemed that Hulk will not appear in this battle. At least with the suit, Banner will be somehow protected, even if only slightly.

Loki stepped closer to Shuri and the witch. The redhead was giving Vision a look full of sorrow. She must have known as well that there was a huge chance for Vision to die during the process. Loki didn't trust the technology of this place, and as much as his seidr was powerful, even he couldn't make a miracle. The mind stone was too powerful, it was only thanks to the Mjolnir's magic it was able to connect with Vision's form. Loki was very much certain that the creature won't survive without it. Unless Shuri will put his essence in some other metal form, like perhaps Tony's bots. Hmmm… robots, yes that was it. Perhaps this was a salvation for Vision.

Shuri worked her magic on Vision, communicating the whole process to the witch and Loki. Not surprisingly, he understood everything, even though Midgardian technology was foreign to him, sans Tony's machines.

"Ok, ten more minutes and you can retract the stone, Loki," she informed him. "Wanda, you will help me with your powers to contain Vision's nerv system, ok?"

They both nodded to the plan and circled the table Vision was lying on. They focused on the creature once again and Loki called on his seidr.

It was then, when he heard the familiar humming of power. Soft to his ears like a song, a poem sung by a lover. Loki knew this song by heart. His breath caught in his throat. His heart stopped for a moment. His soul that was lost lately forged its way it's from the hidden space. Warmth filled Loki's heart and soul, when he realized the source of this.

Before anyone could form a word Loki skywalked away from the room, the occupants long forgotten. He let his heart lead him to the source of the humming.

And there it was. Or rather, there he was.

"Anthony," Loki whispered in a broken tone, when his eyes landed on his lover.

His mortal was kneeling by Thanos right leg. His suit damaged, some parts ripped out. There was no faceplate on the helmet, so Loki could see Tony's face. It was battered. Blood was running down from his nose and broken lips. He looked horrible, but at least he was alive.

Thanos was keeping Tony in a tight grip by his neck. The Mad Titan was challenging Loki with a cocky look. He dared Loki to try and save Tony from his grasp. The mage saw the golden glove containing four colorful jewels. Strange must be dead then. Otherwise he'd do everything to keep the stone.

Tony opened his swollen eyes and looked at Loki. The sight broke the mage's heart. His lover was mouthing something, but Loki couldn't understand that.

"I know you have the space stone, Loki," Thanos spoke to the mage. Loki calculated his chances at saving Anthony. One wrong move and Thanos will snap Tony's neck before Loki's seidr will act. He needed to think this through as much as it was possible. "I can feel it on you, slave. If you give it to me, I will let your mortal live. He is quite courageous. I admit, he is one of the best warriors I encountered ever. He has my respect. And he can still live, I can keep you alive as well and you can have your happily ever after with him. Give me the stone, Loki, or I will rip his heart out, he's real one. I will kill him and there will not be a resurrection for him. He's a human. Once Mistress Death claims him, he will stay dead. Choose wisely, Loki. You can save yourself and your lover, or I will make sure you're both dead before I get all of stones anyway. Tick tock, Loki."

"Lo…" Tony groaned in pain. "Lo...ki…"

"Elskan minn…"

Involuntarily, Loki took a step closer to him, only to halt his movements, when Thanos placed his gloved hand upon the arc reactor. The titan used the power stone to melt the front of the suit, until Tony's bare skin was revealed. Thanos pushed his hand through Tony's chest. Loki and Tony shouted at the same time. Tony from pain, Loki from a fear. Thanos squeezed his palm inside of Tony's chest and the man howled from pain. Anthony's eyes were wide opened, his mouth hung agape. Loki could hear how fast his heart was beating in Thanos's hand.

"Mortals are so fragile," the titan commented lightly. "Their lifespan is so short, but they for sure know how to live it. Even though their population is the largest in the entire universe. They keep enhancing their number and thus the population of the entire universe. No one understands my vision. The planets are dying, and their inhabitants die with them too. But when I will be done, the worlds will be better. "

"It's a crazy idea."

"You will see it too," Thanos looked down at Tony, who struggled to breathe. "He can too, if you give me what I want."

"Lo… please…"his lover plead with a hoarse voice. "Plea…"

Thanos gripped Tony's heart harder, making him gasp. The Mad Titan was retracting his hand slowly and painfully, still gripping the barely beating organ. Tony's battered face was paler than Loki's. His breath labored and eyes were dulled. He was dying in front of Loki's eyes.

"Well, it seems you do not care for your mortal, as he believed so. Such a shame. Well then… I guess you will not cry when I rip his heart out. "

Before he could finish, Loki found himself shouting to him.

"No!"

The mage dropped to his knees next to his lover, with head hung down. He opened his palm up and conjured the Tesseract.

"Break the cube," the titan ordered him.

Loki quickly did so and soon there was a blue gem in the middle of his palm. Thanos snatched it from his hand and placed it in the empty space on the gauntlet. He waited for the stone to adapt. A surge of energy went through his body, feeding him with the power of the stone. Thanos smiled at Loki with satisfaction and retracted his hand from Tony's chest. The mage quickly grabbed his mortal lover into his arms and let his seidr heal him. However nothing seemed to work. But Tony was breathing, so what was…

"Foolish, little creature," Thanos laughed behind his back. Suddenly the world around Loki began to flicker in red. Tony disappeared from his arms, leaving the mage all alone. "I've told you this before, Loki. Love is the biggest weakness of every creature. You just proved me right."

An animalistic howl escaped the mage's lips. He punched the ground frantically before he called on his seidr once more. He was ready to attack Thanos with everything he had. Alas, the titan was faster. He quickly opened a portal thanks to the Tesseract and jumped through it, leaving Loki all alone.

The second Loki realized what had happened, rage overwhelmed his mind and body. Tony wasn't here and Thanos played him. He played the trickster. For all he knew, Tony could be dead now.

Loki got up from the ground, closed his eyes and focused on the feelings running through his body. The searing pain and longing fueled his rage more. Then he felt a spark of another magic waking in his body. It was pure and lighter than his seidr. It was known to Loki as well. He grasped it with his seidr and channeled it, letting it flow through his body.

The Trickster focused on the power of the stones. He could feel them not so far from him. Without much thinking Loki moved ahead with the new magic pooling around his palms. As he walked closer he spotted many creatures he had come to know in the past. Loki dropped to one knee and placed his palm flat on the ground. He whispered enchantments in his native language and let the magic flow. Soon his once acquaintances were burning alive in the light of his and his brother's magic. But Loki didn't stop there. He let the magic flow more through his body.

The pain he felt when using it was unbearable. It was ripping his body from the inside. Loki felt as every fiber of his was ripped to shreds by the enhancing power accumulated in him. It was consuming not only his body, but soul and seidr as well. The silvertongue could feel blood running out of his eyes, nose, ears and mouth. His heart was beating erratically, breath was hard to catch. He felt he was dying. He knew he doesn't have much more time.

With the last amount of a willpower Loki conjured the image of his lost lover in his mind.

"I'm sorry, my heart. I failed you. Forgive me, Elskan minn. I will always love you, Anthony. "

The warmth of the power disappeared letting the cold take its rightful place. A single beat of the heart was felt before his vision turned golden.

And then came darkness.