Warning: below will lie the brunt of this battle's violence, probably the most violent chapter of the case!
Gorr's and All-Black's memories played on, flashing through the butcherings of thousands upon thousands of deities as the duo traveled throughout the galaxy, over more years than Loki had lived! The detective and his Symbiote watched in horror at the montage of carnage: the gigantic, primitive gods of Indigarr impaled with chains, their corpses hanging from the ceiling of their own temple, the Slavic gods decapitated, leaving the heads floating in a pool of blood, the Egyptian council struck down in their own meeting place, the dark duo even overpowered the enormous ice-hard god, Falligar the Behemoth, who Loki had heard used to wrestle black holes for fun but never needlessly harmed a living being, and impaled the once-gentle giant's head in several places with his Necrosword!
He killed gods of death, scared the gods of fear out of their wits, drove the gods of war and chaos mad and into turning on each other before finishing the survivors, tortured the gods of torture into breaking and betraying their own families, drowned gods of blood in their own, and plagued gods of pestilence! Gods of flowers, poetry, and peace refused to fight him, some begging him for their lives and those of their families, but Gorr and All-Black slaughtered them all the same!
Many more were slain over the years, with All-Black growing stronger with each god it butchered. Then suddenly, all the relived screams of terror and agony subsided as Loki saw himself appear in their shared mind; Gorr and All-Black prepared to strike him down after finishing off the Asgardians! Gorr then looked Loki's observing subconscious dead in the eyes.
"You're next."
The enchantment was severed as Gorr and All-Black forced Loki out of their mind.
"Gorr, I'm so sorry about what happened to your family. I don't blame you for being spiteful, or for hating gods, one bit! But killing gods won't bring them back, nor will it bring you peace. We're not perfect. I… I'm not… I-I couldn't save my mother from being killed either. I know what it's like to feel helpless, but-"
"Silence! You have seen the evidence, detective; here comes the sentence!" Gorr swung his sword at Brunhilde one more time, aimed at her neck. The three figures were still, but screams and gasps broke the temporary silence as the Valkyrie's head was cleaved from her shoulders. Loki looked on in horror as the valiant warrior was executed.
"Who's next?" Gorr looked back at the actors. "Such blind hero worship… it can get you killed."
As he pointed his sword at Thor's acting double, Loki shouted. "No, don't, they're not gods: they're mere actors in a play! Please, do not harm them. They've done nothing wrong!"
"They have inherent godly power. They are from Asgard, realm of the gods, aren't they?"
"They're strong compared to humans, but to a real god like me, they're weak, ordinary citizens. Besides, physical power does not make a god. Look how powerful you are, and you're certainly not a god!"
He thought for a moment. "Are you attempting to manipulate me?"
"No, I am reasoning with you, using logic, stating the facts. I am a detective: it all comes with the trade. These people here are innocent: I'm the only one here who's committed any crimes against humanity! If you want a god to blame, blame the god of mischief." Loki half-boasted, extending his arms in his signature pose.
"You… you are noble, more noble than any god I've butchered as of yet. Perhaps… if you tell me where to find your wretch of a brother, I'll make your death as quick and painless as possible."
Loki motioned for all the bystanders to keep their distance from Gorr. "Thor? I don't know where he is, and even if I did, I would never lead you to- agghh!" All-Black struck him in the knee as he spoke.
"I can make your death as painful as possible too."
"Oh, Thor Odinson, yes, of course!" Loki grunted as the blade retracted from his leg. He forced a mischievous grin. "He's hiding out in a lovely little cottage in the woods. There should be three bears eating porridge inside, you can't miss it!"
Gorr stabbed Loki in the stomach, and as he gasped, the vengeful god butcher held Loki's mouth open, pointing All-Black inside it. "If you're not going to say anything useful, then your silver tongue will provide you no use. When I finish my mission, and every god has been slain, it might look nice mounted on my fireplace."
"Loki!" Mobius shouted.
Loki's eyes widened as his fearsome foe grabbed his tongue, but in the nick of time, Sprite charged at him, pushing against his blade with all her might and managing to hit its wielder with it.
"That one's for Thena!" Loki quickly pulled Sprite away before he stabbed Gorr furtherin the chest with Lævateinn, setting it ablaze with the largest and hottest flame he could conjure. It was a direct hit, his target going up in flames, yet as they died out, Gorr stood strong, practically unfazed with only minor burns and ash marks.
Loki gasped again. "Uh, Grievance? You said he was weak to fire!"
"He is, compared to other forms of assault; your fire is just too weak to cause him harm."
"Then give me a boost!"
"That WAS me giving you a boost!"
Gorr looked at Sprite, who Loki still kept behind him. "You wouldn't interfere with the problems of innocents, yet you interfere with my divine justice without hesitation. Hypocrite." Moving so fast he became a blur, he sidestepped around Loki and slit the former Eternal's throat.
"No!" Loki cast a wall of fire around Gorr, who easily dodged it. "She was a defenseless child, you coward!"
"Still arrogant as any god." Loki made a fist, trying his telekinesis again, but Gorr stabbed him through the other knee next and forced him down on both bloodied knees. "Let's see how the great Loki of Asgard likes to kneel for once in his miserable life."
"I'm…ugh, I told you, I do not have any idea where my older brother is…nggg, I haven't seen him… since… 13 years ago. And… I also told you… I am not the same Loki of Asgard that I once was. That ship has sailed." Loki smirked as he slammed an enormous Norwegian cruise ship down on Gorr, and he finally released his telekinetic grip on it.
"Did you get him?" Korg hoped.
"I don't know. I bought some time, at least." He checked for Sprite's pulse, just to be sure, but she was gone. "Mobius, if I don't make it out of this, find my brother and warn him!"
"Come on, don't talk like that! You're a Loki, aren't you? And what do Lokis do?"
"…we survive, no matter what." Loki smiled, but his smile faded as a black beam pierced through the ship into the sky like a beacon. The god butcher emerged from the interior, facing the god of mischief once more.
"Not today, Loki. You are becoming a real nuisance. It's true, you are no longer selfish, but you are powerless to stop disease, to stop famine, to stop death, as powerless to stop me from killing your brother as you were to save your mother, and in the end, you're still useless." Before Loki could react, Gorr plunged his Necrosword through Loki's heart. "So you must die." Gorr removed his blade, and Loki trembled as he collapsed, the air filled with more screams and gasps. "And now that there are no gods left among you, maybe you people will come to your senses and abandon your foolish belief in them. You are safe now."
"Loki, no, no!" Mobius put his hands in his hair, running to his fallen friend as the butcher flew away, sparing the Asgardian civilians as Loki requested. "It's gotta be an illusion, a trick, something! Yeah! Yeah, you've faked your death before, and you're doing it again." Tears dripped from Mobius's eyes as Loki's eyes closed. "He's gone, Loki, you can quit playing dead now. Lokis survive, remember? Come on!" He checked Loki's pulse, not feeling anything. "Hey, are there any healers around here? Do any of you have any healing stones, potions, medicine, something?!" The refugees from Asgard and Sakaar shook their heads: there was nothing they could do.
On Mount Olympus, Thor stood up suddenly while sitting and chatting with friends. He glanced around, on edge. "Hey Thor, you alright?" Starlord asked him.
"I think I'm alright, I just…" Thor said, his eyes heavy. "I felt darkness, and I saw… him. I saw Loki."
"Thor, your brother's been dead for 7 years now." Rocket patted him on the back. "It's time to move on."
"Yes, I know, but… it felt so real this time."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." Hercules consoled him. "I don't think I ever got to meet your brother. I never had any myself."
Thor sat back down. "I wasn't able to protect him seven years ago, but at least I can protect you and any other gods in danger from the creature who wants them dead. My days as an Avenger are over: no more friends or allies shall die under my watch, I swear it!"
"I am Groot!"
"I like the sound of that!" Rocket raised his mug for a toast, with the others following. "Here's to not getting murdered!"
"Here here!" As they drank, Thor paused and stood again, hearing an unexpected visitor at the door. He took hold of his Stormbreaker as the door was forcefully swung open, and his mouth gaped as he saw who was there.
"I'll drink to that! Do you have an extra seat for me, Thor?"
"Make that two seats, and an extra keg of ale!"
"Jane?! Sif?!"
Back at New Asgard, Mobius wept and embraced his friend's body. "I'll warn Thor for you, Loki, but… how am I going to explain this to Sylvie?! She'll be heartbroken, and really angry!"
"Mobius, get off."
"Huh? Grievance, is that you? Is- does that mean…?"
Grievance's head popped out of Loki's chest. "Yes, it's me. I patched up the heart. Now, I need you to move before I resuscitate him, or you will get a nasty shock!" Mobius backed away from them as Grievance disappeared back inside, waiting anxiously for something to happen. Less than a minute later, Grievance reappeared. "Okayyy, our heart is beating again, but Loki needs to rest now."
"Really?" Mobius gave an open-mouthed smile, breathing a sigh of relief. "Phew, he had me really going there! Alright Lo, let's get you back home!"
"Hey, that's great! The ghost is alive again!" Korg cheered, overhearing them.
"Hey Korg, can you help me get him through the time door? He's heavier than he looks!"
"Sure thing, man, he saved us back there!"
"Speaking of saving…" Grievance extended himself over to Brunhilde's head and ate it in one bite, freaking out everyone who saw. "Yum, my juicy rewaaard!"
"Uh… sorry guys, he has a weakness for brains." Mobius excused the insatiable Symbiote.
"It was a freshly severed head lying on the ground with no takers, practically begging to be eaten. She wasn't using it, and bringing a host back from the dead is huuungry work."
Mobius shrugged with a grossed our face. "And there you have it." Korg walked over to the sleeping Loki, but as he picked him up, a humongous snake slithered from the time door over to them. Jörmungandr scooped up his master and set him down on his back. "Good boy! Again, sorry about your king's head, but you can still do the flaming arrow ceremony with the rest of her, right? Good luck!" The great serpent followed him back to the TVA, setting Loki onto his bed. Grievance had quickly healed the rest of his injuries, and he slept peacefully, until he heard a loud shout.
"What the Hel happened to Loki?!"
"Shhh! Sylvie, he needs to sleep." Mobius explained. "He's had a rough case."
"That doesn't answer my question or explain why his clothes are full of sword-shaped holes!"
Loki wearily opened an eye. "Sylvie, my Valkyrie, you've come to take me away to Valhalla." Loki felt the left side of his chest. "How am I alive? I got stabbed through the heart."
"What?" Sylvie gasped.
"I told you, Loki, I have a talent for healing." Grievance spoke out loud. "Truthfully, I never had to restart a host's heart before, especially because I normally eat their organs when they die, but with you, I am constantly learning new things."
"Were you able to bring back Sprite or Brunhilde?"
"No. I could only revive you because of our bond, and they were too long gone besides. Of all the gods All-Black has fought in his dark crusade, you are the first to live to see another day: count yourself lucky."
"Well, for once, I'm glad to have you with me." Loki sleepily smiled.
"What were you thinking, fighting a god-killer by yourself?!" Sylvie scolded. "You're smarter than that! Why didn't you tell me and let me help you?!"
"Well for one thing, he's the one who found me, and second, I didn't want you getting killed either! If anything were to happen to you…"
"Then you at least know why I'm so pissed off at you for nearly getting yourself killed!" Sylvie countered.
"The god butcher even killed that Valkyrie I told you about. He's powerful enough to cut through this like butter." Loki conjured the shattered Dragonfang, placing it in his shocked fiancée's palm. "But on the bright side, I snagged you a souvenir!"
"All-Black is the most powerful Symbiote ever created; you should have run when I told you, you fool!"
"I hate to say it, but he's got a point: they don't call him the god butcher for nothing!" Mobius agreed. "On the plus side, he thinks you're dead now, and you'll be safe from him here."
"But my brother won't be."
"Loki, listen: don't take this the wrong way, but he's… not your brother."
"Mobius?!"
"What I mean is, he's not the brother you grew up with. He's a Thor from 13 years in your future, so don't get too attached in case he… well, you know. There's nothing you can do to help him, and we don't want to watch you die trying again!"
Loki took in his friend's advice. "You're right, Mobius, I can't do anything to help him… alone. He's stronger than me, he's faster, even with my teleportation, his Symbiote prevents enchantment, my telekinesis is useless, and my flames are too weak by themselves to burn him. I need a team, preferably an army, with much more firepower than I can muster!"
Sylvie nodded. "If it's fire you need, I've got just the dragon for the job. And you've got a fiancée with a burning hot passion for revenge!"
"We'll need more, some loyal allies, and I think I know just who would fit the bill." Mobius pondered. "It's time we paid a time and space trip to a few friends who owe us a debt."
"Great." Loki yawned. "Let's be oOoOff then."
Sylvie held out a hand against her fiancé's head, preventing him from leaving his bed. "You've done more than enough for now. Mobius is right: you need more rest."
"I'm fine, Syl. Anyway, you know you can't enchant me back to sleEeEep-" Loki mumbled as she began to stroke his head, until he nodded off again. Sylvie kissed him on the forehead while Mobius tucked him in, and they set out to build their Gorr butchering team.