Loki stared down at the man in his arms. He couldn't believe it. Tony had stopped breathing and was pale white, a color he had never seen on him since his skin was fairly tanned.
"Loki..." Thor's kneeling beside him went unnoticed by the god, along with his voice. When Thor placed his hand on Loki's shoulder, he didn't feel it. When he called his name again, the god didn't hear him. He was dead to the world. The only thing that existed was Tony Stark. His Tony Stark. The only thing that made him move was when Odin ordered one of the guards to carry Tony's body away.
The man didn't even get to lay a hand on Tony. Loki's head snapped up and he stared deep into his eyes. Then he watched as the guard sank to his knees, eyes rolling back into his head as blood poured from them.
"No one shall touch him." Loki hissed. Beneath him spread out a thin sheet of ice, growing to cover the entire floor. The room grew so cold that the fires in the braziers sputtered out. Odin looked around as a thick layer of frost spread over the walls. "Loki." he said. The god turned to him, skin cobalt blue, eyes red as blood.
"Father, I think we should leave." Thor suggested. Odin looked at him for a moment, then nodded. "Very well then." he said, following his older son from the room. "Bring him." Odin ordered the guards. They dragged the man who had thrown the dagger into Tony's chest between the two of them.
Loki watched them go. He watched the man go. Then he ground his teeth together as he turned his head and smiled.
It was twelve hours before the doors opened to throne room. The guards left at the door, instructed to take Tony's body when Loki left, went into the room after the last inhabitant had left. They looked around, but the room was empty of a body.
Loki swept past them silently, his mind focused on only one thing.
He had to force his way into the dungeons, since Odin had ordered the guards not to lt anyone in, fearing Loki would try to enact his own justice on the murderer they were guarding. They were however no match for the grieving God Of Mischief.
Loki stared down at him, not making a sound. The man stared back, still smiling.
"What reason did you have to do this?" he asked. The man sat up. "I could ask you the same thing." he said. "I id not kill Tony Stark. You did. Tell me why." he demanded. The man leaned back, laughing. "Can you not guess why this was done?" he asked. "Disobedience deserves punishment." he said. Loki stared at him. "What-" he stopped, realizing.
"Did Thanos send you?" he asked. He smiled. "Who else?" he said. "You owe the Other your life Trickster, and on top of that your very soul. And the Other never forgets debts owed to him."
"What did you do to him?" Loki demanded. "He is not dead, not yet. But it is though he is. I cannot feel his heart beating in his chest. He is cold and as pale as a corpse. It was poison, I know. But not of the Nine Realms." he said. The man smiled. "There are worlds beyond these. ou have seen them. I know the Other has shown you. He still needs the tessaract Loki." he said. Loki glared at him. "I cannot give him that. It is too dangerous a weapon to be used by one being. No matter how powerful."
"Well then. We seem to be at a disagreement. In anticipation to this, I have been ordered to relay a message to you. A trade has been offered. The tessaract, for the antidote to the mortal's affliction."
Loki stared at the man under the glass. "He is getting worse." Hel said beside him. Loki looked at his daughter. "Tell me something I don't know." he said. "Can you do anything?" he asked. She sighed, holding her hands over Tony's body. Then she shook her head. "I can do nothing at the moment." She turned to a small table beside the bed, and picked up the bowl of water resting on it. She sprinkled a crushed herb onto the surface, and then waited.
"His soul is leaving him." she said. "Part of it in Helheim, the other in his mortal body." she told him. Loki turned away from her. "What do you think I should do?" he asked. This surprised her. Usually her father never asked his children's advice. But now he was. Hel became aware of how desperate he was.
"It is your decision father. Give a weapon of mass destruction to the enemy, and in return save the man you...care for. Or you can leave the weapon where it lies and let Tony Stark die." she said. Loki glared at her. "Why are you so difficult Hel?" he asked. She smiled. "Death is difficult." she said.