Anthony was correct. It felt although he was being torn apart from every direction by grasping demons. He didn't scream. He was at peace. Peace . . . and then a pain in his head through his right eye.

"Loki," he heard a voice that took him a long time to recognize. He felt a warm hand curl around his and he opened his eyes. The pain was gone. He appeared to be in a dark room of some kind.

"Mother?"

"Yes, it is me," Frigga, Queen of Asgard smiled at him. She looked the same as the last time he had seen her, just as beautiful as she had always been. All he had wanted for a long time was a chance to say goodbye.

"Mother," he could feel the tears pooling in his eyes, "I am sorry. I am so sorry."

"Don't be," Frigga told him, stroking his hair the way she used to, "you are my son, and I have never regretted sharing my knowledge with you. I am very proud of you today."

"You saw?" he sounded pathetic even to himself.

"Everything," she confirmed, "my son, savior of all creation," tears streaked down his cheeks, "however I did not expect to see you here so soon."

"What do you mean?"

"Your work is not yet done, Loki." Frigga explained to him, "You have much you must do."

"I cannot go back," Loki sighed, "There is no way."

"Where there is a will, there is always a way," she told him, "as surely there was a way for you to return to the Path, there is a way to return to those you love. It is time for you to go home. Goodbye, my son."

He could feel hot, wet tears flowing down his cheeks, "goodbye."

ASGARD

They had all ran from the Bifrost when it had began to collapse, and in the distance, past the gates of Asgard, Heimdall's observatory still stood. If it wasn't such a terrifying predicament, they would have turned to see the most remarkable sight. Bifrost was disintegrating, a bizarre yellow light around the pieces.

"What is happening?" the ground shook, there was a sound like the ground splitting in twain and monsters rising up from the very bowels of the earth beneath their feat

"Loki has thrown himself into the Void!" Heimdall shouted, "The realms are stabilizing!"

"It doesn't feel like it!" Fandral yelled behind them as they ran.

"By Valhalla," Volstagg breathed as his feet finally touched solid ground, "he actually did it! He actually had the nerve!"

"Of course he had the nerve!" Thor bit back at him, "the power of the Void will tear him limb from limb!"

None of them spoke during the solemn walk back to the palace. Thor had locked his jaw into place to stop himself from crying to the heavens. He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder, and glanced back for a moment, only to see Sif, looking just as morbid. She squeezed his shoulder and he made no effort to shake her off.

As they walked on, the average workers of Asgard gathered to watch them, and they cheered on their warriors triumphant even as Thor only loosely held his hammer. None got close enough to see their expressions as they walked.

They were escorted by the guards as they entered palace grounds, but none of them noticed, and as they were brought before Odin, Thor looked up at his father with his blue eyes raging with anger, of torrents that he had never known before this day.

"How dare you," Thor narrowed his eyes, "Loki died to save the whole of Yggdrasil, and you have not moved since we left you last."

"Nothing can be done to change that," Odin cast his eye down, "the past is set."

"How can you say that, Father?" Thor exploded, "Loki is dead, for real this time! Your son! My brother! The great champion! Is that all you have to say? Shame on you, Father, shame on you! Shame . . ."

"Thor has a point," Sif arched an eyebrow.

"See? Even she can squeeze out a tear! Say something! Do something!"

Odin looked back up at him calmly, almost too calmly, his eye red, "What do you want me to say, Thor? Do you want me to say that I was wrong? Do you want me to say that I should have listened? What do you want me to way to you?"

"Only that you are sorry."

A long silence ensued, but after a moment, Heimdall looked up to what seemed like a blank piece of wall, "wait," he said simply, "I see him."

"Where?" Thor and Odin said in unison.

"There!" Odin shouted, pointing at a huddled bundle among the rocks.

Thor saw too, and as they rode closer, the figure twitched slightly, and Thor dismounted his steed and went over to him. The wind whipped his cape around his face, but he fought to get closer to the figure. It was Loki, although bruised and battered, it was clearly him.

Loki was barely conscious, and looked up at him groggily, "Mother-." And then he was out like a candle in the wind.

Odin leaned over his broken son, "there is not much time, Thor," he touched Loki's chest, "every bone in his body is shattered."

"We have to get him home."

"I will," Odin told his son, "Sleipnir is faster," He lifted Loki in his arms and placed him gently over Sleipnir's shoulders before mounting his steed.

"Father," Thor breathed, "good luck."

"Fear not, my son," Odin smiled, "the wind is in the right direction."