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“I could have done it, Father! I could have done it... for you – for all of us!”
“No, Loki”
“Loki no... NO!!!”
...
Every time Thor came to this place, the memories of that event would rush back to him. Yet, day after day, he would still return, staring into the abyss that had swallowed his brother.
He would wonder, what had led up to this? Was there anything he could’ve done to change things?
He wished to see Loki again so that he could ask him – ask Loki what he could do to make things right, but it was already too late.
...
“Hey Loki, is there any magic that can bring back the dead?”
The young Thor finally couldn’t stand the silence anymore and asked.
With emerald eyes still glued to his book, Loki answered, “Life and death is the cycle that runs the universe, of course there would be fools that dare to go against it.”
Eyes lighting up, Thor continued to ask, “Then, have they succeeded?”
Loki paused, and looked towards Thor, “Reversing death is a taboo that mustn’t be crossed. Those that succeed will find the result not to be what they desired...”
...
When Thor was called to meet Odin, he was not expecting it to be for Loki.
Initially, he was happy, excited to hear his brother was still alive. He still had a chance to fix things and bring Loki back.
But Odin’s next words rained down like icy water dousing out his embers of hope.
“Loki is on Midgard. He has taken many human lives and will not stop until he is captured.
“I need you to head down and bring him back.”
...
“Why do you say that?” Thor was confused. “If you can reunite with someone you miss, why wouldn’t you be happy?
“Oh! Is it because someone evil might use this magic to bring back fallen warriors for war?” Thor suggested, slightly smug at having thought up a possible answer.
Seeing the rare interest Thor was showing, Loki couldn’t help but let out a tiny smile.
“That is a possibility, but it’s not what I’m referring to.
“In fact, if your goal is to create an army, then it would actually be quite useful.”
This only confused Thor more.
...
“Who controls the would-be king?”
“I AM a king!”
Thor didn’t know what to make of Loki’s outburst.
“Not here! You give up the tesseract – you give up this poisonous dream!”
Loki seemed so much more agitated, so much more reckless than he had ever seen. The usually composed strategist and calculating trickster that had helped Thor escape numerous conundrums was nowhere to be found.
Thor placed a strong hand on the nape of Loki’s neck, a habit he developed after the numerous times he stopped Loki from squirming away whenever he showed some sincerity.
With a quiver he wasn’t able to hide, Thor spoke the only words he could think of: “You come home…”
It was a plea truest to his heart, but all he got in return was a cold stare and an empty laugh.
...
Loki contemplated how to explain this to his foolish brother, and in the end, settled with this:
“When a being dies, its soul leaves the body.
“The soul is what gives the body life, but it is also ‘who’ the being is. It determines the being’s behaviour, preferences, strengths, and everything else that makes that being unique.
“When you bring the dead back to life, you are forcibly summoning their soul and inserting it back into the body.
“But the soul does not want to leave its peaceful rest – well, most of it anyways.
“What you summon back is only a fragment of the soul – the fragment that holds the most regret and obsession – enough for it to entangle itself back onto the body...
“And what obsession is stronger than those built on hate?”
Thor may not have Loki’s intelligence or his proficiency in magic, but nonetheless caught the implication of what he had learned...
...
The battle of two gods was not to be underestimated.
Lighting struck, magic flew.
This was a battle belonging only to them. No other living being could even hope to get close without disappearing in the collateral.
It was a battle unlike any other Thor had fought, and on a much bigger scale than any of their spars.
“Loki, look around you! Do you really think this will end in your rule?!”
Loki laughed in response.
“Oh Thor, my foolish brother,” his words dripped with venom, “You really thought I wanted to rule Midgard?”
“What—“
“I don’t want to rule Midgard, I want to destroy it!
“This beloved planet of yours, I’ll be sure to burn it until all that remains is ash. And your precious Jane? I’ll tear her limb by limb, and make you watch as I rip her beating heart out!”
“Loki, stop!”
“And after I’m finished, perhaps I’ll pay a visit back to Asgard.”
“Please, Loki…”
“After all, I still haven’t punished those lackeys of yours for ignoring my orders.”
“LOKI!”
A manic laugh filled the air, shaking Thor to the core.
Before Thor could react, Loki had already snuck up to him – so close he could feel the chill of death slowly entangle him.
Words of a whispered curse caressed Thor’s ears.
“Worry not, my dear brother, for I won’t touch you. After all, every performance needs an audience, and this one in particular... I put on just for you.”
Thor looked into those eyes that were once so familiar — now filled with vicious madness. All he saw was hatred and insanity.
He searched and searched, but the brother he once knew could no longer be found.
“Tearing up now, are we? What, the thought of your precious Midgard being destroyed hurts you that much? Or perhaps you are simply moved by this gift I’ve worked so hard to prepare?”
Loki said it with such cruel glee, as if his sole reason for being was to make Thor suffer.
No, Thor wanted to say. It’s not the destruction of Midgard that hurts me so…
But even if he said it, the Loki now would hear none of it…
And so, the battle continued with renewed vigour.
Each blow landed heavier than the last, and each spell with deadlier accuracy. With each passing second, and each thrown out attack, a part of Thor mourned.
...
“Then... Loki, how do you fix it?” Thor nervously asked.
“The problem is caused by bringing back the dead, the solution will of course be to send it back to death. Surely you are familiar with that?”
Sensing Thor’s unease, Loki started to laugh, “You foolish oaf, what are you nervous for? With your magic proficiency, I doubt you’ll ever get the chance to face such a situation.”
...
The battle ended, and chaos settled.
Just when the heroes of Earth finally relaxed, the sky began to darken.
Rain fell like tears and thunder roared in pain.
In the middle of all the destruction was a single God of Thunder, and in his arms was the brother that will never return.
The god held his brother tightly, and cried.
He cried for the loss of a most cherished kin, and for the death of an unrecognizable companion.
And for how this time, he was the one to send him away.