"You have all five Stones?" Nebula asked.
Thor nodded.
They were sitting in front of each other in Nebula's room. her room was basically naked, only a bed. No personalized items aside from a few knives… It was cold and impersonal, like her. The air was serious.
"Show me," Nebula demanded.
Thor took a deep breath, but then allowed the items out. The sphere with the Power Stone, the Tesseract, the amulet worn by the Ancient One, the Aether inside of its cylinder and… The scepter.
Nebula looked at the five objects, then she reached out a hand and… The Tesseract shattered, the amulet opened up letting the stone outside, the Aether escaped its cylinder and formed into a stone, the scepter broke, the sphere opened up letting out a stone and there were… five stones. Five stones floating next to each other, harmonizing.
Nebula nodded her head. "You really did it," she acknowledged.
Thor nodded, reaching out a hand and taking the Stones, now free of their containers, back to himself. "Now, you promised. The Soul Stone."
"I did promise," Nebula agreed. "And it's about time… Time is running out, this universe is being affected as well. Stars are vanishing here too."
Thor swallowed. "Where?" he asked.
"A planet called Vormir," Nebula informed. "At the edge of the void. Here." She held out a disk and from the disk was displayed a holographic image, a star map. "There," she pointed. "There's the realm you call Svartleheim, there's the planet Solkar… Vormir is between."
Thor nodded seriously, imprinting the images in his mind.
"Can you remember?" Nebula asked.
"Aye," Thor replied then sighed. "We are so close… I can feel it." He groaned, feeling the exhaustion overwhelm him.
"You look tired," Nebula commented.
"I am exhausted," Thor admitted.
"Then I am sorry, the hardest part has yet to come," Nebula sighed.
"I sincerely doubt that, it was really hard getting the Mind Stone," Thor replied. "Also, we now have both Asgard's fleet and Thanos's fleet pursuing us. It is honestly not pretty." He leaned back. "Well, as long as Loki and I are working together, we'll figure it out somehow."
Nebula was quiet, very quiet as she looked at Thor.
Thor blinked, then he looked up, past Nebula and saw… The older Loki, looking at him. He looked sad. And almost a little apologetic.
Thor frowned in confusion, they were almost there! They were so close! Just one more Stone.
Thor couldn't even ask, already the sounds of a spacecraft were lifting him away… Back again to the other reality.
Vormir…. Thor remembered. Vormir.
They didn't make any stops on their way to Vormir, they could not afford to. Their pursuers from both Asgard and Thanos's Keep weren't that far behind.
Thank the Norns only one Stone was left!
Both Loki and Thor felt tired, the exhaustion really was something. So much had happened in such a short amount of time, they barely even talked to each other, just rested. They were both too tired.
So tired that all pretenses of being mature and able to handle stuff alone were just thrown out of the window. Loki didn't even bother with his cat form to lay down beside Thor as he closed his eyes. They were not just sharing a blanket, but leaning up against each other. Neither one said a word, just did it, trying to draw a bit of comfort from one another.
Thor was grateful, he was still shivering, Thanos's image still too strong in his head… All those dead Asgardians. But… with the Stones. He could save them! He could save them.
It both felt like it had taken way too long, and not nearly long enough as their aircraft landed on Vormir.
As Loki and Thor stepped outside, what they saw was a desolate wasteland of gray, as far as the eye could see.
"I sense… an immense power," Loki said. "That way," he pointed.
Thor nodded and together they walked, until they reached…
A huge looked down at the massive drop with wide eyes, he could barely even see the bottom. Did they have to… Climb down?
He supposed he could just fly with Mjolnir and yet… That didn't seem right.
Loki as well was wide-eyed, looking down as the wind echoed up at them.
A figure appeared behind them. Both Thor and Loki stood up and turned to see a figure covered in a robe.
"Visitors..." a husky voice sounded from within the cloak.
"Who… Who speaks?" Thor asked.
The figure lifted his hands and let down the hood, to reveal an odd face, it looked almost like a skull but was crimson red. His mouth stuck in a permanent grin like any skull, but he looked tormented.
"My name… Is Johan Schmidt," The man informed. "Once I was but a normal mortal, now I am the Keeper of the Soul Stone."
Thor swallowed as he stepped forward. "Keeper, please. We must have the Stone," he said. "We have come so far."
The creature reached out a hand. "The Stone is yours to take, if you can pay the price."
"Name it," Thor asked. "We've come so far! The universe is at stake, any price will seem minuscule in comparison to that."
The Keeper looked seriously at Thor as he spoke. "To ensure that whoever possesses it understands its power, the Stone demands a sacrifice...In order to take the Stone, you must lose that which you love."
Thor blinked. "What?" he asked.
"A soul for a soul," The Keeper continued. "But not just any soul… A soul you hold dear. A soul which is the most precious to you. Did you come prepared?" he asked.
Thor froze… Froze where he stood… Nebula's words rang through his head.
"Soul will be the most difficult for you to get"
"Loki is very precious to you. So precious in fact, that without him you don't feel complete."
Slowly… Ever so slowly Thor turned to Loki who turned back to him, his wide eyes looking at Thor, the two staring at each other in utter shock and horror.
"When the time comes to gather Soul... you will most likely be cursing my name."
Thor shook his head. "No..." he breathed. "No, it can't be… There has to be another way."
Loki was breathing deeply. His other self... He had said...
"Thor, try to get it into your skull. I'm already dead."
"NOOOOOOO!" Thor roared as he turned back to the Keeper. "The universe is collapsing, just give us the Stone!"
"I cannot," The Keeper informed. "Only by giving an adequate sacrifice can the Stone be taken."
"You… YOU LIE!" Thor shouted, running at the Keeper and grabbing his coat. "TELL ME THE REAL WAY TO GET THE STONE!"
"That which you love must be given in exchange," the Keeper calmly repeated.
"I'll give you my hammer! I'll give you my title! I'll give you my powers! But you can't have that!" Thor stated.
The keeper looked back at Thor. "That sentiment is exactly why only that is going to work for you."
"Thor..." Slowly Loki had walked towards them and now spoke in a low voice.
Thor turned to him, tears in his eyes. "No..." he gasped. "No, I won't. I can't! I WON'T!" he exclaimed.
Loki was quiet. "The universe is at stake… Asgard."
"No." Thor shook his head, finally letting go of the Keeper. "No, Loki! I lost you once, I lost you twice… Thrice!" he exclaimed. "No more… No more," he cried.
"I could… remove you from the other timeline," Loki offered again. "That is… If there is any time left, I am not sure."
"No." Thor shook his head. "I promised Tony! He has a kid, what will happen to him and the kid? To Valkyrie? To Roskva?" he asked.
"Then you have to throw me in there," Loki said. "And get the Stones back to your first reality."
"NO!" Thor exclaimed. "There has to be another way!"
"YOU ARE OUT OF TIME, THOR!" Loki shouted. "This universe is on the brink of collapse! Thanos and his army are right behind us! So is Asgard! The stars are basically gone! There is no more time! You have to make an actual choice for once!"
Thor seethed as he squinted his eyes, then his eyes opened, tears rolling down. There was only one option… One option he could think of.
"Thor?" Loki asked.
Thor looked towards the drop.
"Thor, what are you doing?" Loki asked.
Then… Thor started to run.
"THOR!" Loki screamed as Thor ran, ran towards the drop, ran. Ready, ready to make the jump.
Then suddenly Loki appeared out of thin air right in front of him, it was too late to slow down so Thor ran directly into Loki and both fell to the ground. "YOU IDIOT!" Loki yelled as he grabbed Thor.
"LET ME GO, LOKI!" Thor roared. "It's the only way!"
"YOU ARE THE ONLY BRIDGING POINT BETWEEN THE TWO REALITIES!" Loki screamed. "If you die! Both realities will be gone! All we've done will be for naught!" he stated.
Thor halted, then tears fell down from his eyes and he sobbed. He screamed as he covered his eyes. "I WON'T DO IT!" he screamed. "I can't!"
"Thor," Loki gasped.
Thor looked up at Loki, the two hopelessly sitting next to each other.
"I… I'm so sorry," Thor sniffed. "I dragged you with me… On this crazy trip. And it's all for naught… I won't do it," he stated. "I won't."
Loki swallowed as he looked at Thor. Thor shook his head as he stood up, he staggered on his way away from the edge and then walked to a stone where he fell down, covering his eyes as he sobbed disconsolately.
Loki helplessly looked at his older brother, the pain was clear on Thor's face, then he looked up to see the Keeper in front of him.
"That which you love," the Keeper uttered again.
"He won't be able to do it..." Loki informed. "He has been through much, yet his heart is still soft. Much too soft to be able to do such a thing."
The Keeper's eyes lingered on Loki's face.
Loki smirked. "You know… I've spent a lifetime trying to find the one thing I could do which Thor could not," he remarked. "Any task Thor was given he would always fulfill…Until now." He turned to the edge.
The Keeper's eyes were on Loki, then Loki walked forward, towards the edge.
Thor was sobbing, sobbing into his hands, it was hopeless! Everything was so hopeless!
How could he have been such a fool, to think that things could just be fixed?!
"I am already dead."
Had the other Loki known?! The secret of the Soul Stone? Why? …. WHY?!
Thor screamed as he lifted his head and looked towards the edge and there he saw… Loki, standing by the edge. His back to Thor, the only thing visible his back and long black hair.
Thor's eyes widened, his heart jumped up his throat and he screamed. "LOKI!" he shouted, scrambling up. "LOKI, NO!"
The figure was standing still, frozen like a statue.
Thor stopped. "Loki, please! Step away!" he begged. "Listen, I'll let you remove me from the other timeline! We can stay here, okay! Just step away, I beg of you!"
A soft chuckle sounded from the figure. "You do have a rather selfish side, don't you, Thor?" he asked, his back still to Thor, his hair swaying in the wind.
"I admit it! I am selfish, I wanted all of it! To save everybody! But I couldn't do it… I couldn't! I wasn't strong enough. Loki, please!" Thor begged.
"Wow... You really are a fool," Loki commented. "You placed the burden upon yourself, to save two realities as if it was ever your responsibility. Then fully took the blame for something you couldn't help... And you carry the blame with you. Even though really, none of it is your fault. Nobody, no one at all... could have stopped it. So why take the entire responsibility upon yourself? That, Thor... Is what makes you so foolish."
Thor was quiet, tears running down his face... Despairingly, he looked at Loki's back, Loki's long swaying hair. "Please," he asked.
"Thor," Loki sighed. "You can't win this, if you are not willing to make a sacrifice."
"I would give my life if it could save everyone," Thor sniffed. "Gladly even..."
"That's the easy way out," Loki reprimanded him. "A true sacrifice would mean having to actually live with the sacrifice. Otherwise, what is the point?"
"Why?" Thor asked. "Loki, why?"
"You said it yourself earlier... This situation is unkind," Loki replied. "We were never going to walk out of this unscathed... However. Just for once, let the trickster god perform a trick. Let him do the one thing... the golden prince could not." Then Loki held out a hand, and in his hand… Was a shining yellow stone.
Thor's eyes widened.
Thor could not believe it... Loki, still with his back to him, was holding the Stone in his hand! The Soul Stone! He already had it! In his hand?!
"Ho… How?!" Thor asked. Not believing this at all.
"You love Loki Odinson, Prince of Asgard," Loki commented. "Funny thing is… I loved him too." And Loki finally turned his head, revealing a blue face with ruby red eyes. Only now did Thor realize, the hand holding the Stone was blue, and the nails black, more claws than nails.
"Loki?" Thor asked.
Loki turned around, now revealing his full Jotun self… Blue. Red eyes, ridges. All of it. In daylight.
"Loki of Asgard is no more," Loki informed. "My Aesir skin lies at the bottom of this divide… Now I am… no one."
Thor gasped for breath, he swallowed as his eyes dampened. "I thought… A soul."
"The soul of an Aesir lays there as well," Loki replied. "The soul of a prince, a son of Odin... The person I once was. Is gone. I am now… Jotun."
Thor sobbed, the tears ran freely, he stumbled forward and then he reached for Loki, embracing him tightly as he cried.
Loki closed his eyes, leaning into Thor's embrace.
"Asgard will know of your sacrifice," Thor breathed. "They will sing your praises as their hero. The savior of the universe!"
Loki didn't reply, he was quiet.
"Loki?" Thor asked in confusion as he stepped back. Loki looked sad.
"Thor, stop being so selfish, thinking you can have it all," Loki adonished. "They won't believe you… And I won't be able to return to Asgard. I am no longer a son of Odin nor Frigga. Loki Odinson of Asgard is dead. That was my sacrifice. At least though..." He held up the hand which held the Stone. "There will be a universe where any of that matters."
Thor gasped as he looked at the Stone, slowly he reached forward a hand then took it. He didn't even put it into his pocket dimension; it slipped in there by itself, and sang in rejoice as it was joined with the others. "So..." Thor asked. "What now?"
Just then, wind almost knocked both of them down. Thor and Loki looked up to see a massive spacecraft coming down and landing; the door opened and out stepped a purple titan.
Thanos smirked as he looked at them. "So you got the last Stone… You have my thanks."
