Disclaimer: I do not own these characters.

Desperation drives him to travel the forbidden paths between realms. He does not beg for the All-Fathers help to reach Midgard. No, not after the lies and truths he's finally learned from the king. There is no one he can trust anymore except his mother.

Frigga gives him stones of magic filled with her power to help him journey safely. Even then it's not enough to guarantee he will survive and she teaches him to use his lighting for more than just destruction. It's a grueling process to learn how to harness and use Mjölnir's power to create barriers strong enough to withstand the Darkness of the in-between.

Once everything is prepared he steps through a faint doorway and on to the fragile branches of Yggdrasil's branches. There he sees only chaos and ruin. In the inky depths there are nightmares that claw and bite his flesh. Some pull him off the path singing promises of sleep and rest. Others reach for his mind whispering half thoughts of fallen gods and immortals dying at their hands but he does his best to block them out.

He needs to find Loki and apologize. He needs to show the trickster that he does love him and miss him. Somewhere deep in his mind he hopes to never find Loki because he fears he may never be forgiven.

~~0O0~~

Thor is shaking when he arrives on Earth. The taste of bile is thick on his tongue as he heaves and coughs. His mind is raw from the torment and skin numb where the creatures touched him. One of the beasts had gripped his mind tightly, forcing images of a dead Loki to play over and over.

'How many ways can a trickster bend? How many ways can we break him? How many ways can we make him scream?'

'Tell us.'

'YOU KNOW.'

'YES, TELL US.'

He weeps.

~~0O0~~

The thunder god follows a trail that leads him to Loki and his companions. The building they occupy flares with magic as he arrives. He blinks when he spots two mortals at its entrance waiting for him.

Before, he would have called them foolish and weak but now everything is different. They feel different.

The shorter one stares coldly and the way he smirks at the god makes Thor frown. A wisp of brokenkillertorturerslayer strikes the thunderer so hard he stumbles back. The grip on his hammer only increases as hate emanates around the human.

The taller man narrows eyes and it surprises Thor to see him wield Loki's knives. Even this mortal makes him reconsider his approach because there is only blood and death wrapped around the boy.

The shorter mortal glares as he speaks through clenched teeth, "What do you want?"

"I come to see my brother."

"He doesn't want to see you," says the taller one.

"I have no business with you, mortals. I will see my brother."

The pointed end of a sword nicks his cheek as he takes a step. A cascade of black feathers swarms the air and a bright light flashes. Thor stares at his brothers other under the darkening sky to demand his brother back. And yet, and yet this is Loki. This one created under the One God is the trickster god.

A shocking sting of hurt runs through the thunderer. This one holds a piece of Loki's soul and has risked more than he ever would. Somehow Thor knows this one loves Loki for all his faults.

He doesn't stop the tears from forming in his eyes. He drops Mjölnir to kneel before the archangel because he has failed.

"Forgive me, I-"

The angel dips his head as he smiles sadly, "I know."

Thor stands only to realize he's alone.

Edited: 10-30-2013