Author's note: Friends, we are very close to the end. I think actually the next chapter will be the last. Thank you so much for following and those who commented! It means the world to me :) Happy reading!
"Are we dead?" asked Loki staring up at the endless ceiling.
Mabel laughed. "No! No you're not dead. This is where new souls are oriented."
"What trick are you playing at Sigyn?" asked Classic, his hand at his throat.
"Come with me," she said.
She took Loki's hand again and they followed her to the table, she and Loki on one side, Classic and Kid on the other.
"Sit, eat," she said.
They sat, and although their mouths watered they didn't touch the food.
She picked up an apple, and bit into it. It was crisp and sweet and tart, and she made a noise of enjoyment to encourage them. "Eat!" she commanded.
Kid ripped into a roast chicken, dropping some to Alligator, and Zabu attacked the Boar, pulling it off the table onto the floor.
"Darling, why are we here?" asked Loki. He picked up a strand of grapes and popped one into his mouth.
"Your glorious purpose."
He cocked his head at her, swallowing.
"When Asgardian's die, it's the Valkyrie who usher their souls into Valhalla yes?"
They all nodded.
"When my memories came back, I remembered what Valhalla is. It's not so much a heaven, as a place to store someone's consciousness when they die. Right now, our conscious thoughts, or souls are here in this room eating."
"So it's not real," said the older Loki, dropping his fork full of fish.
She scrunched her nose. "It is and it isn't. Anyway, the Valkyrie are responsible for extracting this consciousness with a soul forge and storing them here in the memory bank."
Loki's eyes grew wide, his countenance shifting on the bench.
She placed her hand on his cheek. "Darling, I knew what your new Glorious Purpose was the moment I caught you in the time theater, staring at your mother's image. Why you wanted to take over the TVA. Why you fought so hard. The reason you schemed."
Against his will, tears pooled in Loki's eyes. He tried to blink them back, but they spilled over onto his face.
"You wanted to see her again. To apologize."
He choked on a sob, his fingers going to his eyes to clear them of moisture.
"I want to give you this," she said. "It's not exactly how you wanted, but she's here. Her consciousness is here. And if you're ready, I can take you to her."
Loki took Mabel's face in his hands. "I don't have the words," he said.
She placed her fingers over his as she watched gratitude pass over his features. She turned to the others, her hand still twined with Loki's.
"You all have the same chance if you want it. I've figured out how to rig the Valhalla portal with the TemPad so I can open a doorway to all of your timeline Valhalla's." They stared at her wide eyed. "Sweetheart," she said addressing Kid. "I can take you to your Thor if you'd like."
Panic swept over his face. "I can't," he said. "He'll hate me, he'll hate me!"
Mabel ran around the table and pulled him into her arms on the bench. "You don't have to. If you're not ready, or if you don't want to, you don't have to. There's no pressure from me alright?"
He clung to her as he sobbed. Loki came to stand beside them and put his hand on Kid's head as Alligator wrapped around the child's feet. Finally he calmed, and Mabel swept the tears out of his eyes. "We can always come back if you change your mind."
"I'll take you up on your offer," said Classic. He took one last bite of potato and stood.
Mabel smiled and walked over to the fire. "Who would you like to see? Frigga? Thor?" She raised her hands, and an orange light blazed from them. Two octagons with geometric patterns inside opened before her fingers, and she twisted them.
"No. I'd like to see my Sigyn."
Mabel raised her eyebrows, then bit her lips inward and nodded. She closed her eyes, rotated the octagonal discs made of magic, and the fire died. He touched her elbow in thanks and walked through.
"You only need to say, 'I'm done', and you'll be back here," she said.
Classic nodded and was gone.
Kid walked up to her, still sniffing. "I'd like to go, but only if you go with me."
"If you want," said Mabel stroking his hair.
He nodded.
She wound her hands and opened a different portal.
She looked back at Loki and he smiled at her from his eyes, his hands in his pockets. She disappeared into the hearth with Kid.
Loki looked around the hall, a nervous ball of energy settling in the pit of his stomach. His hands began to shake. He'd rehearsed what he wanted to say a million times, and it still seemed inadequate. What would his mother say to him? How could she forgive him after what he'd done?
He settled on the bench with his elbows on his knees, running his hands back through his hair. At the end of the day he was a coward. A craven loathsome worm just like Siff had said in the Time Cell. How could he begin to believe he was worthy of her forgiveness? Mabel's fingers twined in his came to mind. The steady pressure of them. He wasn't worthy of any of this, but if she said he was, he'd try to believe her.
He felt a bump against his leg and looked down into Zabu's yellow eyes. "Are you here to comfort me beast?" he said, patting the tiger's head tentatively.
Zabu just put his incisors over Loki's legs, and rested his chin. Alligator slithered over his feet and Loki warmed inside, both animal's nearness slowing his blood pressure. My god, who was he?
As he started to pet Zabu's head, Mabel walked back through the hearth, and stopped dead at the scene.
"My, aren't we suddenly popular?" she said with a laugh.
"They came of their own accord," he said.
"You're adorable," she said. She sat on the bench next to him, winding her arm through his, her head on his shoulder.
"How's the child?" he asked.
"He did great. I left he and Thor to talk alone. They were having a lovely brotherly chat."
Loki nodded, resting his head against hers.
"How are you feeling?" she asked.
"Anxious."
"We don't have to…"
"I want to."
She nodded against his bicep. "Are you ready?"
The animals moved, and they stood. "Yes. I feel a little childish asking, but I'd like it if you came with me as well."
"Are you sure?" she asked.
He took her hand. "I'm sure."
She looked down at Alligator. "Do you have anyone you'd like to speak with… erm… Loki?"
The alligator shook his flat head side to side and sat next to Zabu.
"Well… alright then. We'll be back soon," she said to the tiger, as the animals settled on the floor. She widened her hands, moved the octagons, and the hearth opened. Loki took her hand again, and they walked through together.
….
Loki swallowed. They were standing on water; a sea of glass that stretched out as far as the eye could see reflecting the soft blue of an endless sky, while white, and yellow clouds drifted unhurriedly through it.
And in front of him… In front of him, with her back turned, was his mother. Just as he remembered, half her auburn hair pulled up regally, the rest cascading down her back. She didn't have on her usual dark blue and metal armor plates. She was in a silvery white gown, shimmering crystals glittering in the pale sun.
His heart felt like it had fallen to dust. How could he do this?
He looked down at Mabel, her hand still in his. Her eyes were lit with such concern and love, he couldn't breathe. She squeezed his hand and gave him a nod.
"She loves you," she said.
He bit his lip, trying to hold everything in.
Frigga turned around. He let out a choked sob at the sight of her face.
Then his mother smiled, her eyes softening and held out her arms. "My son," she said.
He ran over the water and fell apart in her embrace.
