"Thor?" Loki looked around New Asgard, dressed in a princely green and gold leather overcoat with a blue glacier-like paldron on his left shoulder, his black Asgardian tunic underneath with his golden crest, and knee-length black boots, with a long cape and a large golden horned helmet adorning his head. "Brother, are you here?"

"Oh, Ghost, you came back!" Korg ran outside to greet him. "Hey everybody, our hero's back, and he's okay!" Loki's eyes widened in confusion as a mob of Asgardians rushed over to surround him, cheering and patting him on the back. His eyes misted up at the combination of being celebrated as a hero and their concern over his well-being, but he snapped himself out of his emotional euphoria as he remembered his concern.

"Um… does anyone know where Thor is?"

"No, we still haven't heard from him. The good thing is, neither does the psycho-disturbed atheist guy!"

"The… god killer?"

"Yeah, he flew off into the sky when he thought all the gods here were dead!"

"Speaking of…" One of the Asgardian refugees began. "…without a king, we've been at a loss as what to do: the Valkyrie who died protecting us, she was the last warrior and the last leader we had!"

Korg nodded. "Yeah, we're, you know, in desperate need of leadership right now, so could you fill in for us?"

Loki raised his eyebrows. "Me? Wait, isn't Thor your king? He's next in line for the throne."

The Asgardian sighed. "Thor went off, exploring into the outer spaces of Midgard with his new team. He left us with the Valkyrie, and the 5 years before that he shut himself off from us, spending all his time drinking."

"What!?"

"Yes, Thor abandoned his own people." Another pointed out. "But you, you risked your life to save us all, and you came back. You were a great king, Loki: we need you now!"

Loki looked to his people, their eyes pleading him to stay. "Alright. Once again, I'll accept the burden of the throne. For Asgard!" The people all cheered and welcomed their new king, and Loki couldn't help but smile as he felt needed.

"Ahhh, it's good to be king." Detective Loki mumbled in his sleep. He opened his eyes and sat up, realizing he was still in his bed at the Null-Time Zone.

"Wakey wakey, sleepyhead." Grievance greeted him, and underneath him was a large tray of hastily cooked food on Loki's lap. "I have no idea what time it is here, but I brought you dinner in bed! I know what you like, so I roasted you some chicken, fish, and some mixed vegetables, there's a bunch of different berries, a nice glass of champagne, and your favorite pistachio ice cream for dessert. And when you're done eating, I've brought your Sherlock Holmes book to enjoy! Bon appétit, Lokums, you'll need your strength back after that terrifying near-death experience!"

"Aww, that's so sweet, Grievance, thank you." Loki took a bite of the ice cream first. "So, whose brain did you eat?"

"I beg your pardon?"

"Ehe, that phrase doesn't suit you: it's far too polite for your taste! You've never spoken to me this nicely, so you're obviously trying to butter me up for some reason. I am the king of smarm: you couldn't fool me, even if our minds weren't connected. Besides, I tasted something raw and unfamiliar while I was unconscious. Now, whose was it?"

"The mean Valkyrie girl's."

Loki took a sip of champagne. "Well, at least she didn't feel it."

"Exactly! See, we understand each other. How does the meat taste? I didn't cook it too long, did I?"

"Not quite long enough, actually, but pretty good for a creature who hates heat."

"It was my first time cooking! Next time I will roast it longer and hotter! We will just stay here, safe and comfy, and I will get better at cooking all sorts of yummy foods for us!"

"Aha, so that's what you're after. You're that afraid of All-Black, are you?"

"I am afraid for you. And remember, I feel all the pain that you do. I have never participated in battle before: I'm more of a healer. All-Black was literally created to be a living weapon! I do not want us to die, Loki."

"Is there something you want, other than our bond? Do you have any ambitions, any dreams, Grievance?"

"I… I have a recent dream in mind. Do you promise not to make fun of it?"

"Absolutely not, what is it?"

"I want to be the first Symbiote in history to try a chocolate-covered brain!"

"Of course, your two favorite foods together! Would you like that with whipped cream and a cherry on top?"

"I think you've been mistitled, god of sarcasm."

"Ehehehe. I'll make you a deal, Grievance: you help me take down Gorr and All-Black, and if he proves irredeemable, I will let you remove his brain, coat it in chocolate, and eat it, no matter how revolting I find the taste!"

"Do you promise?"

"Yes, I promise. Once we amass our mighty army, I'll figure out a plan suited to our strengths and accounting for our weaknesses, and we'll put a stop to his butchering once and for all!"

"Hmmm. We will see."

Loki made a cocked smile, reading more of his favorite book. A few chapters later, he looked up as his friends returned.

"Hey Loki, we've got some new recruits!" Mobius announced.

"Yet all familiar faces. Bold move, springing the Fire Giantess." Loki turned to the others. "Hello again, Bill, Fandral! So, we've got some real firepower, lightning power, and… Fandral?"

"Hey!"

"Don't get me wrong, you're the best swordsman from Asgard, but you'll need a Hel of a sword to deal any real damage here!"

Fandral checked out the golden sword holstered on Loki's back. "Like that one?"

"Yes. Fire is the only form of magic I know that will work against him. Well, that and maybe…" Loki's eyes lit up. "Mobius, I have an idea. Come on." He opened a time door. "We'll return shortly." Loki led him through, and they returned a few minutes later with a muscular but lean man with a very tan skin tone and an assortment of tribal tattoos. His dark, curly hair was in a top knot, and he held a fish hook at his side. "Even without her own powers, my brief reunion with Sprite got me thinking… I haven't utilized one of my oldest powers against him… the power of illusion! Everyone, I would like to introduce you to Maui, demigod of the wind and sea, hero to the people of Oceania, and fellow master of shapeshifting and illusionary magic!"

"Malō!" Maui greeted in Samoan.

"He said 'hi!' Mobius translated. "We borrowed him from around 2000 BC."

"Of course, he doesn't speak English, Latin, or Asgardian, so Mobius had to translate for us as we bargained." Loki admitted.

"And what did you promise Maui to get him on board, Lo?" Sylvie wondered.

"Mobius played a big part in that, actually."

"Yup. Lokes told me he was a great navigator, traveling across the ocean in search of new islands." Mobius explained. "So I told him a story of the future, about a boat that could travel much faster than his canoe, without the help of any wind power!"

"A beautiful union of form and function we call the jet ski!" Loki summarized. "We promised him one of his own if he helped us save the Earth. Now then, it's time to form a plan!" The gang of seven strategized and discussed ideas, and then they made their way back to 2025 AD Earth, prepared for round two.

Meanwhile, with the help of Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder, Thor and his team had Gorr surrounded, but they were still no match for his blinding speed. Thor and Jane tried to strike him with more lightning bolts, but he evaded them all as he learned from the battle. Suddenly, the Earth shook as he summoned a huge black spike from the ground with his sword, which served him as a makeshift lightning rod while he created more Necroswords, which emerged and pierced through the four fighters, holding them in place.

"You have fought hard to stubbornly prolong your meaningless existence. You are not like the other gods I've killed." Gorr admitted.

Thor looked to Jane, to Sif, and to the Guardians. "Cuz I have something worth fighting for."

"That word again." Gorr groaned, stabbing Thor in the side as he spoke. "Worth, worthy… who are you to decide who is worth saving?! I thought I could find the time to make an example out of you, just like I did with your appointed king, but I've decided now to destroy you before you break free again." He walked over to the trapped Thor and pointed All-Black at Thor's heart. As he moved his sword to smite the god of thunder, he was quickly blasted with a mighty stream of fire from above. Gorr and Thor looked above them, seeing a red and black dragon flying overhead. The butcher shook the flames off All-Black, his body a bit singed but capable of soaring after the beast. "Another one of your subjugated beasts?" As he approached the dragon, a barrier of flame surrounded the creature, knocking Gorr backwards like a fly against a light bulb. The killer steadied himself with his sword and landed. The great dragon Frelsir landed facing him, his rider strutting down his neck as if it were a flight of stairs.

"No, this one is mine." Streams of fire shot up around him for dramatic effect as Loki walked on, his arms spread outward again in his signature pose. He wore a green and black sorcerer's tunic with knee-length black boots and a small horned helmet.

"Loki?! No… not again…how!?" Thor gaped. Jane and Sif exchanged annoyed faces.

"That's impossible. I butchered you, stabbed you through the heart: you cannot be alive!"

"Can't I? Oh, then by all means, feel free to ignore me." Loki and Frelsir made a ring of fire around them, trapping the three inside while his fearsome foe was still in shock.

Gorr shook his head. "No matter. My mission is absolute: no matter how many times I have to kill you, I will keep doing so until all the gods in existence are dead. This time, I'll obliterate your entire body, and if you can come back from that… I'll have to get more creative."

"I assure you, Gorr, you cannot put a permanent end to me. No one can. Lokis survive, no matter what! However, before you make a fool of yourself trying, I'll give you one final chance to stop this mass deicide, to find a new, healthier purpose, before you're the one who gets butchered." He used his duplication casting, and over fifty Lokis materialized around Gorr, all speaking at once. "You don't stand a chance against all of me!"

"Loki, don't, he-" Thor warned, but Gorr answered by raining down Necroswords on all the Lokis. They all began to disappear until Gorr found his real target, who began to bleed from one of the attacks. The butcher rushed at that Loki and impaled him through the gut, but this time, he had All-Black send dark energy inside of Loki, who screamed as he bled out on Gorr.

"NOOO!" Thor shouted, but a familiar voice rang through his head, assuring him that his real brother was alright.

Gorr grinned creepily as he became more and more drenched in what he believed was Loki's blood, unaware of the elaborate illusion and the fact that he'd impaled a container of extremely flammable liquid, which he so disturbingly and gleefully splashed all over himself.

"Now!" The real Loki telepathically signaled his squad, who popped up from underground holes, still shrouded by the illusion until Gorr was bombarded by the combined forces of Loki's and Sylvie's fire casting, Frelsir's and the shapeshifted Maui's fiery dragon breath, Fiamma's flame powers, and Lævateinn, temporarily wielded by Fandral! Gorr shrieked in pain and surprise as he was scorched by the onslaught, and they kept it up as long as they could hold it. As Gorr began to struggle, Beta Ray Bill raised his Stormbreaker, sending his strongest bolt of lightning down on Gorr, while the rest of the team returned below Earth's surface to avoid being caught in the explosion!

When the smoke cleared, the group was relieved to see Gorr badly charred and gravely injured, All-Black scorched almost as badly. Taking a moment to catch their breath, Loki and his team inched forward, preparing another assault to finish the butcher.

"I warned you." Loki smugly told him.

"Remember to save the brain unscathed for me." Grievance reminded his host. "I don't like my dinner well done!"

Gorr panted. "It… was a mistake… to challenge all of you… alone."

"No, it was a mistake to threaten my big brother." Loki corrected him. "No one tortures my brother except for me." Loki summoned Lævateinn into his hand and sliced at Gorr's neck, but All-Black created a dark shroud of its own, and the dark binds around Thor's team dissolved as the villain made his escape. Loki sheathed his weapon and faced his brother. "Thor!"

"Loki, the brain!?" Grievance persisted.

"It can wait."

"Loki, you… you- how-" Thor sputtered, but to further his surprise, his black-haired brother walked right past him.

Loki patted Toothgnasher on head, looking the big brown goat straight in the eyes as he spoke. "Brother, you haven't changed a bit!"

"MAAA~"

Thor rolled his eyes as Loki glanced back at him, smirking. "You can't, just for one moment, act mature."

"Heh. I see a sense of humor still isn't on the requirement list for that axe you wield." Loki walked up to Thor. "I just… I didn't…" Loki's voice became shaky as his lips began to quiver. "I didn't want you to see me…" He couldn't fight back the tears any longer, and he embraced his big brother in the snuggest hug he had in him. "Big Brother, I- I missed you so much~!"

Thor pulled his younger brother even closer as he sobbed with him, more thankful to see him than he'd been in over 1500 years! "Not- not as much as I missed you, Little Brother~!"