"What just happened?" Steve asked.

There they were, the mighty Avengers, standing above Stark Tower, and their greatest enemy just…what did he do?

"Brother?" Thor said as he stepped further. He peered over the edge, there was no body. Just an empty street. "Man of Iron…where did he flee off to?"

Tony punched some buttons on his suit. "JARVIS…answer the man." The AI scanned…and scanned…and scanned.

"Signature not found."

"Well, increase the search…check the whole universe." He rolled his eyes. Was this really Loki's last ditch effort? To turn tail and run? It's just like that coward to run away." Tony said.

"Signature not found."

…what?

Natasha shook her head. "Maybe he's just cloaking his signature again."

Thor's chest heaved. "Nay, my brother has tricks, but even he could not think of a scheme to hide himself from the stones so quickly…he…"

"Wait, wait wait." Hawkeye said as he placed his bow back into its holster. "What are you saying? That he's…"

"N-no…this is Loki we're talking about. There's no way he'd just up and quit without a backup plan…right?" Tony felt himself shake. Right? "Let's just get back home and look this over. JARVIS recorded everything, maybe we can figure out where he went."

And they did. The ride back home was short and silent. Natasha shifted in her seat, and Steve…his face softened. He stared out the window and never said a word.

And then they returned home.

"L-let's get back to the war room." Stark's voice wavered…the man could take on space monsters without batting an eye, but this had him shook up.

The war room seemed darker since the last time they were there.

"So…he's dead?" Steve asked.

Tony continued to scan every realm he could think of…and some that probably didn't even exist. " We don't know that. There's no body and-"

"Stark, it looks like the guy offed himself." Hawkeye leaned back into his chair. "What do you think Thor?"

The god of thunder only sat in his chair. He hadn't said a word since they got back. "I…I do not know archer. I…I must tell father of this…all of Asgard…I…"

"Hold on, now that Loki's dead what exactly does this mean for everything else?" Steve asked. "With Loki gone…what's gonna happen to the order?"

Thor shook his head. "I do not know." His spine began to shiver. He might not have known what the fates had in store for all of them, but he did have a good idea. When he was a child he learned of Ragnorak, he had heard awful tales of fire and destruction, so great that not even the mightiest of warriors could stand up to it. Yet, as he grew he learned that Ragnorak was more than just a large battle…it was the end of everything itself…and that included balance.

In their younger years Thor remembered his tutors had tried to explain that the end could come in many different ways, more than just fire and brimstone, but in silence and darkness. The end could come in a silent whisper. No epic ballads, no great tales…just the end.

"Friends, I must go and tell father…maybe there is something we can do."

Steve nodded. "Yes, maybe there's something he missed. We can track down Loki and go from there."

Tony shook his head. "And what if there's nothing to track down Capt.?"

Hawkeye shrugged. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

And so Thor was off to the realm eternal…hopefully the All-father would have the answers they sought.

In no time at all he reached the realm eternal…even with Loki's sudden…disappearance, there had been no change. The streets were still empty, the shutters still shut, and everything was still at peace. It made Thor uneasy.

When he reached the castle, he only sighed and continued on, passing the halls his brother used to walk through, and the chambers his brother used to hide in. How could all of this have gone so wrong?

"Father?" Thor called as he walked through the throne room.

"Thor. You have returned." Odin sat on his throne and leaned forward. "Did you catch the trickster and bring him to us?"

Thor felt his knees buckle. "I am afraid not father. Loki has…disappeared."

Odin's eye grew wide. "What do you mean disappeared?"

Thor recounted the tales of his brother and the Avengers, how the man of iron used his science with the stones to track down his brother. How they found him in Alfheim, how they fought and how he resisted, and finally, how he met his end.

"Father, what do we do? Without Loki the balance will never be resolved."

"Yes my son, I am aware." Odin never expected Loki to go so far as to leave the life behind. That pathetic coward, this must have been his scheme the whole time. Ruin the balance and then finish himself in a display of pure pettiness. Regardless, Odin had to forget about that trickster for now.

"Isn't there someone else who can take up his role?" Thor asked. "Maybe-"

"Thor, do not be so foolish. You know that is not how these things function."

"But Ragno-"

"I know of it Thor!" Odin's voice filled the throne room. "I am well aware of that. But do not fret my son. I know of another way…but we must be vigilant."

Odin smiled. Loki was gone…but at the same time…

"Father?"

"I shall tell Heimdall to watch the realms with more vigilance than ever. He may be alive, but the chance is slight. We must hope he is, otherwise all is lost."

"Father? What do you mean? Loki is dead."

Odin only closed his one eye. "Yes Loki is dead. But there is a chance he may be alive once more."