Well this chapter came out a lot sooner than I expected hehe, *Loki's voice* surpriiiiisssse

Warnings: Gore, torture flashbacks, some dark thoughts, and plenty of sadness

I loved, and I loved, and I lost you - Hurts Like Hell - Fleurie

The Gatekeeper and the God of Thunder ran as quietly as possible throughout the grand halls of the palace. So far, there was absolutely no evidence of Loki and Hela even being here.

Thor wondered if this was even a good plan.

Obviously he didn't care if something happened to him, he would rather be tortured and killed then knowing that he wasn't there to protect his brother.

But Heimdall...Thor wasn't sure if he was going to be able to make sure his best friend would be safe.

Hela was unpredictable, frankly she could just sink her blade into his own chest and watch him bleed with sick joy.

The Goddess of Death, oh why couldn't his father tell him about her sooner?!

Or at least give him more advice on how to defeat this daughter of the dark.

Thor couldn't lose anyone else, he couldn't. He wouldn't allow it. The loss of his mother and father was unbearable, if Loki left him too, he wasn't sure if he'd be able to continue living-

"Stop," Heimdall commanded suddenly. Thor froze. He could feel Mjolnir's power thrumming beneath his fingertips in anticipation.

"Something is happening," Heimdall says, his voice strained.

Loki had to do something. He needed to stall her, needed to get her out of the Weapons Vault somehow.

The problem was, Hela already held the Eternal Flame in her hand.

So, all he had to do was stop her from committing geocide.

And convince Thor and Asgard's armies not to murder or imprison her.

This is madness.

His eyes widened when he saw what Hela was doing. She conjured a bloodaxe while he was distracted, and was swinging it around like a mere child's toy.

"Hela"? Loki questions softly, in an anxious tone.

She didn't reply, she just smiled. A sad, yet twisted smile. Then she swung her axe and brought it down.

The floor immediately cracked under the axe's power, she continued smashing it into the ground until it finally crumbled. Loki stood frozen as if he turned to stone.

"Come darling, we have worlds to conquer".

"They're in Odin's Vault"! Heimdall shouted already running at full speed towards his destination.

The two Gods raced side-by-side, their hearts pounding, adrenaline coursing through their veins.

Thor blocked out the cruel images of his brother laying limp and dead at Hela's feet.

Heimdall practically tore the doors from their hinges and stormed in.

Scanning the room, he saw the destruction the woman, that was once his future queen, caused. And thanked the Norns that he didn't hear the disturbing sounds of the dead being awakened.

Heimdall motioned towards the hole in the ground, and Thor nodded gravely.

Then they jumped.

"Hela"! Heimdall snarled when they reached the bottom.

Hela and Loki instantly turned to face them, shocked at their intrusion.

Thor stared at his living brother with naked relief, but it was short-lived.

Loki moved in front of the mistress of death in a protective manner, with an unyielding look in his eyes.

"Heimdall, stand down. I won't let you touch her," he warned coldy, a green glow emanating from his hands.

"Loki are you mad"?! Thor questioned.

"No, he's just being a good son," Hela says briskly.

Heimdall's expression noticeably stayed the same, not showing any sort of disbelief at her words.

Loki looked at her surprised and angry at what she just blurted out.

While Thor gaped in horror and bewilderment, "what did you say"?

"I called him my son you brute," Hela responded irritated.

"She's telling the truth brother, she is my biological mother," Loki confirmed calmly.

"How...how is that possible"? Thor murmured, glancing at both of them in shock. "I, she...wait. If she's your biological mother then that would mean-".

"Well this little reunion was fun, but if you two will excuse us. We were sort of in the middle of something here," Hela gestured to Fenris and all the decaying bodies surrounding them.

"Ah of course, I hope you'll forgive us Hela. But we're going to have to stop you from raising the dead. You should really let them rest," Heimdall says placidly as he pointed his weapon at her face.

Hela let out a bitter laugh. "You haven't changed at all Heimdall. Still so charming and humorous. And don't think I didn't notice how you had no reaction to Loki being my blood. That's a little strange, wouldn't you agree"?

Heimdall kept his all-seeing eyes locked onto hers, refusing to back down. But Hela saw the briefest flicker of guilt cross over his eyes.

And she knew.

She knew.

She staggered backwards as if she'd been gutted, Hela believed Loki was saying something to her but she couldn't hear him.

Then she shrieked, her powers demanded release, and she blasted her nearest victim (which happened to be Thor). Knocking him to the ground.

"You-you knew, you saw me being raped, and you did nothing"?! Hela screamed, her voice filled with absolute rage -but no one heard the hurt in her voice-. She threw a knife directly at Heimdall's head. It nearly went right through his skull, but he dodged expertly out of the way before it did.

"I was forbidden! If I was allowed I would've-".

"No! SHUT UP! You and Odin are loathsome rats, and I'll take pleasure dismembering your corpse. And tossing it into the fires of Helheim to join the All-Father," she promised morbidly.

Loki rushed up to her and grabbed her shoulders frantically.

"Hela, listen to me please. I want him to pay as well, and he will. But if you kill him there's no telling what kind of horrid punishment they'll give-," Hela shoved Loki away uncaringly, causing him to fall as she went to confront Thor. Who was still laying on the ground clutching his head and moaning softly.

"And you, the family's little golden child. I'm going to enjoy seeing the life be drained from your eyes," Hela taunted with a crooked smile. She summoned two lean swords and hurled them at Thor aiming straight for the heart.

"No don't-"!

Someone was screaming.

It was a loud grief-stricken scream, no one could detect who it belonged to exactly. But it didn't matter.

In that moment nothing else mattered.

One of the swords was still sticking out of the convulsing body's shoulder.

His eye-

It was completely gone.

It wasn't there anymore.

There was just a empty socket.

It was empty because she tore the eye out.

Blood was rapidly dribbling down his face.

His whole face was a bloody mess.

There was too much blood-

Hela witnessed many wars (too many), she had so much blood on her hands from the souls of all the soldiers she's killed.

But none of that blood had mattered to her, because she simply didn't care about them.

This time was so much different from the others. Now she finally felt like the ghastly demoness that people had called her for centuries.

Hela felt dirty, disgusting. This blood would be stained on her hands forever, reminding her of what a vile psychopath she was.

Innocent blood will be spilled if you go through with this.

"Loki, Loki look at me. It's going to be fine, it's going to be just fine. You'll be alright," Thor rambled through his tears. He cradled his brother's head with care and winced sorrowfully at Loki making an agonized gurgling noise.

"He needs Eir to see to him now," Heimdall says, rising up to go back and get help. "I know you want to Thor, but don't take the blade out. That could possibly make things worse. The healers will do that".

Thor nodded, smoothing Loki's hair in an attempt to comfort him.

Hela knelt frozen on the ground, purposely distancing herself from the brothers.

Though she wanted nothing more than to push Thor away and take Loki into her own arms -because that was her child writhing in torment dammit-. But she knew she wasn't worthy of touching him.

And if he died, she would follow him.

Loki fell unconscious by the time Heimdall finally returned with Eir and a few more healers.

They whisked him away, Eir pressed a cloth against his eye to cease the bleeding as she barked orders to prepare for the procedure.

That's when Hela snapped.

She yelled at them not to touch him, and would've done something drastic if Heimdall hadn't gotten in her way and restrained her with enchanted cords.

The next couple of hours were a blur.

No one remembered exactly what transpired, all they knew was that the life of the youngest member of the Odinson family was hanging in the balance. And they prayed to Valhalla that they'd allow him to return.

Thor sat on the cool ground of the Healing Halls, holding a small bag with melted ice.

Eir had come over to him minutes earlier and let him know that Loki was in extreme suffering, but he would live (barely).

His head began pounding again, and he scowled before tossing the brown sack to the wall.

Why did Loki have to be such a brave idiot and shield him from Hela's swords?

Why, why, why?!

It should've been him.

He swore he would always protect his brother no matter the cost, and he failed.

His brother was forever going to be blind in one eye because he was too slow, too stupid.

Thor buried his face in his hands and wept.

Hela blinked back tears, and outstretched her hands, resting them on top of Loki's bony one.

He looked haggard, there were thick bandages wrapped tightly around his left eye and just below his shoulder.

Those bandages were there because of her. She hurt him. She was almost the cause of his death.

She made a temporary deal with the council and they agreed to let her stay with her son (much to Thor and Heimdall's disapproval, but there wasn't anything they could do. She was his true mother and Odin's daughter. She had rights).

So long as she wore chains made from sorcerers, around her wrists and ankles. That prevented her from fighting or use her powers.

She never thought she would be more than willing to wear chains.

He was back in his old cell.

He had no memory of how Thanos and his children reclaimed him, but his confusion was soon replaced by fear and dread.

They would be coming soon.

They would come and the tortures would begin.

He could hear their footsteps outside his prison and he shuddered, he didn't want to feel the whips and searing knives again.

He didn't want to be back here!

Why did the Norns hate him so?

Why couldn't he just die?

He didn't want his brain to be ripped apart, and his memories be searched through and destroyed.

He didn't complete his first mission, and the punishment for that was worse than death.

He would long for something sweet as pain.

"You're dreaming little one," a soft unfamiliar voice echoed throughout his cell.

Loki lifted his gaze uneasily, cursing himself for shaking.

Weak.

He tried to decipher where the voice came from, but it left just as quickly as it came.

No, the voice was Thanos messing with his mind, it had to be.

"Loki stop thrashing, it's going to cause more damage to your wounds. You're safe, I swear it," the voice soothed.

Safe?

Ha.

He stopped believing that lie a long time ago.

Although he tried fighting it off, he couldn't help but feel more relaxed and tired.

His bones were sore and for some reason his eye ached horribly.

Rest sounded nice yes.

"Go back to sleep".

He listened to the voice and immediately fell back asleep.

So...that was some ride. I've actually thought about what it would be like if Loki lost his eye instead for a long time. And so this happened.

Honestly I'm not sure how I feel about the way this turned out, but I hope you guys enjoyed it somewhat :)

If you have the time to leave a review and tell me your thoughts/how to improve my writing, I'd greatly appreciate it!

Also, I wrote this new little story centered around Loki and Hela (called A Wise Old King with Ruined Children), if you guys wanna check it out maybe :p

Thank you for reading you awesome humans! See ya in the next chappy (which I'm not sure when I'll post it because school right now is...annoying. But I promise ill try my best to get it out asap)