Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.

A/N: The faves and alerts jumped after the last chapter so thank you everyone! Have a long chapter just for your awesomeness :)

They don't meet again. Richard is constantly surrounded by fans and security that Loki is reduced to trailing behind invisibly. Even in the shadows he is able to peel away the veil around the human. As tedious as it feels Loki doesn't rush. Any wrong move could harm his person or maybe even kill the human vessel.

"Sky Walker."

Loki feels Mayhem somewhere nearby, "Not yet."

Mayhem snickers and disappears in a rush of white smoke. Loki continues working, removing layer after layer of power and magic. His focus is so intense he almost doesn't hear Mayhem speaking. 'Wasn't he just here a few minutes ago? Or have hours passed since we last spoke?'

"Hello, Little Liar, I'm back. Look! Time is fading."

"No."

"Yes," Mayhem beams widely, dark eyes dancing wildly, "I can hear it in air. It's going to be big."

"No."

"I am the Earth..." Mayhem grins as the building trembles lightly and several car alarms are set off outside.

The god turns, voice rising in anger, "You will not rush me!"

In his fury the trickster doesn't notice the spell keeping him invisible drop or the human approach from behind.

"Hey! Elevator guy! You're still here!" Richard is grinning but stops mid step. "Are you alright?"

Loki pushes his anger down and frowns in confusion, "Yes, yes, I am."

But Richard isn't looking in his direction, he's staring at Mayhem. Mayhem who's wearing a torn and bloodied suit. Mayhem who's wearing burns and cuts across his face. Mayhem who's not suppose to be visible to mortals. "Do you need me to call an ambulance?"

The trickster's eyes widen and Mayhem laughs, "Oh, Silvertongue, he's ready!"

~~0O0~~

Richard stumbles away from the god and the being next to him. He can feel the building horror in his breast because they just teleported and now up close he can see their faces but he can't speak. The panic is so intense that his mouth and voice can't function.

Richard sees the wide gleaming teeth of the disheveled not-human and feel those endless eyes pierce right through him. Even now Richard can see the Dark and Light and Nothingness flow through the creature dressed in human flesh. He steps back again when the not-human laughs and it sounds like broken glass scraping metal.

When he sees Loffe - no, Silvertongue, that's what the other called him - he can't breathe. He can only gape in speechlessness when a mask falls and he sees another face tinged in blue riddled with barely there dark marks. They run across the tall mans forehead and swirl at his cheeks, all elegant shapes except for the jagged scars crisscrossing his lips. It's a terrible beauty that takes the humans breath away and strikes him with renewed fear.

"Richard, I am Loki the God of Mischief and Chaos. I need you to understand and accept this. I need you to help me save Gabriel the Archangel." There's a brief pause, "You may very well be the only hope in restoring the balance."

Richard shakes his head trying to clear his mind because this is ludicrous! Loki? Gabriel?

Thisisn'trealthisisn'trealthisisn'trealTHISISN'TRE AL...

"I say we just tear the Light out of him. It's not like you need the human anyway."

Terror reaches a new height when the feral male approaches with a hand reaching for his heart. As fingers graze his chest, Richard gasps as memories flood through him. They pound through him like waves and it hurts and he can't make it stop. He sees faces churn across his mind and he thinks he screams as it builds and bends and twists and fractures until-

"Got it!"

Richards eyes snap open as Loki is handed a bright rope. Rope? And the god looks relieved as he strokes the familiar piece of his others soul safely in his hands. Richard feels an emptiness bloom within him and it takes everything to keep him from snatching away the piece of gold that he knows belongs to him.

"Now, we shall take our leave."

Richard does reach out, hand tight around the thread. "No."

"Oh, what have we here!"

"Richard," Loki murmurs softly, "You need to let go. There is nothing we require from you anymore."

"Like hell!"

Mayhem laughs at the humans reaction, "The angel chose good with this one!"

Thoughts of fear vanish only to be replaced with anger, "Whatever that is is mine and if you want it then you're taking me with you. Agreed?"

"Just grab the kid and let's go," Mayhem huffs in annoyance at Loki's silence.

~~0O0~~

Together they walk through the door to a different path. A path that will take them away from the world Richard resides but also away from other worlds and other parallels of his world. This world- the one they step in- has been forgotten by time and only despair remains.

Mayhem dances through a field of burnt roses under a grey sky, singing as he casts his version of magic in the air to open another doorway. Loki is there to catch the wildness and uses it to create a frame of blood where purgatory will open. He chants old words faster and faster when the ground rumbles at their feet. Richard gulps clutching the bright thread when he hears the air groan as it splits and a black doorway opens.

"Now!"

Richard nods and tries to remember his fishing lessons as he casts the glowing line into purgatory.

~~0O0~~

The doorway has been open for too long and they still haven't caught the angel.

"Let go!"

But the mortal holds on to the thread and yells "I'm not giving up!"

"Richard, let go! You will die!"

Richard does know he might die. He knows because the thread he anchored onto himself feels like it might pull his lungs and heart through his chest.

"No!"

Loki can't say anything. The swirling vortex of darkness pulls his voice away and makes it impossible to breathe. The thundering power burns his face, numbing his bones and skin. When a roaring light bursts brightly, Loki sees the reality around them begin to splinter. He can see the dimensions crush together with the force of old magic.

Richard feels everything fade and he fights to stay conscious. In his weakened state he can feel Loki helping him stay upright. 'I'm fine', he thinks until the jolt of pain just becomes so much more when something snags the thread.

The god grips the mortal tighter to himself when Richard buckles under the tugging line. Loki chants healing spells and protective barriers but they're ripped apart by the raw energy cascading around them. Loki feels the human's heartbeat begin to slow and blood begins to pour out of the weak mans eyes and nose.

"Stay with me!"

His words are swallowed by the howling winds.

"Stay with... me!"

The god bleeds and his skin reverts to its true color.

"S-stay..."

Loki chokes from the lack of oxygen and falls to his knees. He holds onto the dimming thread, ignoring how it slices through his skin. He doesn't think of the limp mortal in his arms. He doesn't think of Gabriel trapped forever in oblivion.

In his delirious state the liesmith feels numerous arms embrace him and the dying human. He looks over his shoulder to see what creature was sent to lead him into the world of the fallen. He gasps when he sees a blue woman with blood red eyes peering back at him. Her arms wave in the wind as she pulls them. The thread connected to Richard wavers but she holds on tighter. In one powerful heave they are sent flying backward into nothingness.

Purgatory's door begins to shatter when the gold strand vanishes from its opening. Loki does his best to shield Richard as Kali maneuvers them through the turbulent winds. The goddess calls for fire and it erupts around them in a protective barrier. The fire pushes away the dark beings that escape from purgatory but they still manage to cross the flames, clawed limbs reaching for them.

"OURS."

"YES. OURS."

"WAAANT..."

Kali roars when the creatures wrap themselves around her legs to pull her towards them. Loki screams when they dig themselves into his skin and begin to climb his face. Everything is falling apart until the gods feel a familiar presence wind itself around them. Mayhem appears and the shadow beasts recoil in outrage. Mayhem laughs as he gathers Kali's fire and Loki's magic rolling both energies together with ease.

He winks at the gods, "I am Mayhem."

The explosion sends them through another doorway, sends them flying across dark space. Loki's heart drops as they fall through the branches of the Great Tree unable to find a hold as they plummet down, down, down.

Loki realizes Richard is no longer in his hold and Kali is gone. He yells, twisting around, hoping they will hear him through the fall. 'Are they alive? Are they?' And there, not far, he sees Gabriel - his confidant, his other, his Truth- drifting across the void, unconscious with broken wings.

Another explosion shakes the air separating them even more. Loki desperately calls out for Gabriel but the angel doesn't respond and Kali is still no where in sight. The god feels himself losing as tired limbs shake in exhaustion and his eyes cloud with sleep.

"Father," A familiar hiss whispers by his ear. A forked tongue brushes across his face and scales caress his skin, "Father, ressst."

Loki fights to stay awake as his serpent son encircles him and pulls the angel closer into a protective grip. The god cries tears of joy when Gabriel is finally in his arms. He cries as he strokes the angels hair and kisses the ugly wounds. He can't stop the tremble in his voice when he whispers, "You're safe, you're safe, you're safe..."

When the god finally decides to close his eyes he sees a weary Kali sitting on Jörmungand's thick coils. Richard, pale and bloodied, leans heavily against her blinking owlishly at the large snake cradling them.

They're safe.

Edited: 10-30-2013