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“What are you going to do now?”
Thor and Tony were standing on one of the terraces at the Avengers HQ. Before them, there was a view of the lawn and the forest. It was hard to believe that only yesterday they were fighting for the lives of half the inhabitants of the universe.
“Some of my subjects survived the attack on the ship. I will come back to them and try to create a normal live for all of us,” said Thor.
“You know it might not be easy?” Tony was leaning heavily against the railing. His injuries in combat were serious, but he firmly refused to lie in bed. “Maybe it won't even be possible.”
“I know,” Thor agreed, his expression even gloomier, “but what else do I have left?”
Tony didn't answer. He had heard about what had happened to Loki, and although he had no liking for him, he felt sorry for Thor for his loss. Not when he has found out so painfully what it is like when someone you love dies in front of your eyes. Peter, however, came back to life after they managed to repair the evil done with the Infinity Stones. Unfortunately, this didn't work for those Thanos had killed before collecting all the Stones.
“Good luck, after all. Could I do something for you?”
"Do you have a space-capable ship to spare?"
“Not right now, but I know someone who might.”
***
Thor's hands were gripping tightly on the controls of the quinjet floating in outer space. Through the forward porthole, he could see the wreck of the ship they had evacuated from Asgard. A mass of debris drifted around, and Thor wondered how many of them were the bodies of his subjects. Less than ten thousand of them escaped from Asgard. He didn't know how many survived the attack. He felt that although he didn't eat anything, his stomach acid was rising in his throat. He swallowed, gritted his teeth, and steered the quinjet over to the ships bustling around the battlefield.
Their cries for help seemed to be heard in the nearby planets. He hoped his countrymen were safe now. The communicator on the console beeped suddenly – someone called him out, demanding identification.
“Thor Odinson, king…” he began to introduce himself and paused, for his title had never seemed so trivial and undeserved to him before.
“I know who you are," a male voice replied. “If that's not a problem, I'd like to meet you face to face.”
Thor agreed and a small ferry docked to the side of his ship. It hissed as the pressure equalized between the airlock and the interior of the quinjet, and soon a tall and not so young officer stood in the wardroom.
"Captain Tarr of the Alterian Space Fleet," he introduced himself and shook Thor's hand. "I'm in charge of the action of bringing the bodies of your countrymen to Alter," he nodded unnecessarily in the direction of the planet visible through the porthole. “We have already transported the survivors to hospitals and refugee camps. I can assure, Your Majesty, that they have the best care.”
“Thank you, Captain. And call me by name.”
“As Your... As you wish,” Tarr was clearly confused by the directness, but he didn't object.
“How many did you manage to save?” Thor asked the question he was so afraid to hear the answer to.
“About five thousand. We also transport the dead to the planet so that relatives can decide on the method of burial.”
Half ... Half of the handful who managed to avoid the destruction of their homeland. Thor felt faint, but he forced to pull himself together. He has something else to do yet.
“Captain, my brother Loki is among the fallen. I'd like to search the shambles, because maybe he is still… Not yet…” Thor paused, the words stuck in his throat. Talking about Loki's death was still too hard, but he overcome his feelings, because he wasn't going to show weakness. “Loki was an ice giant and my stepbrother. It will be easy to identify because his skin is blue.”
“I understand. Please, accept my condolences” captain nodded. “I'll see if it has already been found, but of course I don't mind if you participate in the search. I will inform my people.”
He clicked on his wrist communicator and described the situation to the ferry crews. When he mentioned that Thor Odinson was with him, loud cheers and shouts could be heard in the loudspeaker.
“The news of what you and your friends did went around the universe faster than light. Everyone is grateful to you,“ Tarr explained, seeing Thor is surprised.
Thor just nodded and muttered something indistinct. He didn't feel like a hero at all at the moment.
“Done,” Tarr said after he finished broadcasting. “My people know you are permitted to be in this zone and that they are to inform you if they find your brother's body. I will send you the coordinates of the place where we placed your people. Alter's airspace is open to you.”
They shook hands and the captain left the quinjet deck. Thor was left alone. He sat at the controls of the machine and steered it towards the wreckage. Up close, it was easier to distinguish ship debris from bodies. Every time he recognized a face, he felt as if something was tearing a piece of his soul out of him. So many, so many...
He was circling the bridge, or rather the hole that was gape in its place, when he heard a message from one of the crews.
“Your Highness? We found him.”
At first his heart stopped and then it began to beat like a drum. He swallowed the bile rising in his throat and acknowledged the message. After a few minutes, the hiss of the equalizing pressure was heard again and a soldier came aboard, pushing an anti-gravity stretcher in front of him. Captain Tarr was with him.
"Once again, my sympathy," the officer said, but Thor didn't hear him. He was staring at Loki's body on the stretcher. Tarr looked like he wanted to say something more, but quickly decided it might wait. He silently nodded to the soldier, and they both left the deck silently.
Thor slowly walked over to the stretcher. He felt disconnected from reality, as if it were all about someone else and he was just a spectator. He reached out and hesitantly touched Loki's hand resting on his chest. When he died, the cloaking spell stopped working and he was once again looking at the real form of his brother. This time, however, his skin was not intensely blue, but pale and contrasted strongly with the dark birthmarks. Someone had mercifully closed Loki's eyelids so Thor didn't have to endure the empty stare of the red eyes. Still, his eyes kept returning to the almost black bruises on Loki's neck.
He clamped his hand on his brother's cold hand. Loki always had cool hands, but this time it was the numbing chill of death. This time it wasn't any of his tricks.
“You wanted to be a hero, huh? You should have run when you had the chance. You're so good at it. But no, just then you had to have scruples. After all, I would have managed. I've always done well somehow, and you wouldn't... You know it's not supposed to be like that, right? I'm the older one. It is the older brothers who protect the younger ones. It's me... Why didn't you run away then?”
All the terrible truth that he so stubbornly refused to let in, fell on Thor in an instant. His brother's dead body lay on a stretcher. Loki is dead. Loki is dead. Loki is dead. His knees buckled beneath him, he staggered at the wall and slumped to the floor. Uncontrolled sobs shook his body. He didn't even try to hold back the tears that flowed down from his eyes like a salt rivers. It didn't matter to him anymore, because no one had heard him here anyway. He was alone, suspended in the silent blackness of space that had nothing to do with the black hole that had engulfed his heart. He was alone. He was left alone – without a home, without a family, he – a king without a kingdom and a crown. And now he was also heartless.
He didn't know how long he sat on the floor. He lost track of time, and frankly didn't care. When he ran out of tears and didn't have the strength to cry, he just sat there staring at one point. He was dull and tired, and he only wanted one thing – lie next to Loki and never wake up again. At that moment the communicator beeped. It was Captain Tarr who calling him out.
“We finished searching the wreckage and we are going back to Alter. Your subjects are asking of you.”
Thor closed his eyes, gathering his strength, then pushed himself heavily off the floor. Maybe he no longer had the kingdom and the crown, but he still had people to take care of. He took the controls and steered the ship towards the surface of the planet.
***
Alter's authorities turned out to be extremely understanding and generous – help for the Asgardian refugees was organized quickly and efficiently. It was worse with the burial of the dead. There were too many bodies to arrange a traditional funeral for anyone, much less bury them in the ground. Thor consulted at length with his advisers and Alter's representatives. Ultimately, they managed to reach a compromise – the dead Asgardians will be placed on two old frigates, which the autopilot will steer straight into Alter's sun. Thanks to this, at least a substitute of tradition will be preserved.
On the day of the funeral Thor, along with the remaining Asgardians, said goodbye to the dead. Heimdall and other dignitaries rested with common subjects. Tribute to everyone was the same. Loki's body was not on either of the frigates, however.
Thor, after his breakdown, pulled himself together and didn't lose his temper anymore. He succeeded only because he threw himself into work and did not allow himself a moment of free time, during which his thoughts might wander uninvited towards the body lying in the criocapsule in the quinjet's hold. He put Loki there without telling anyone, though surely many people have wondered where the prince's body is. He tried not to think about his brother, but at the same time he used to sit in the hold whenever he had time. The funeral was getting closer and Thor was aware that he should say goodbye to Loki, but still couldn't bring himself to do so as it would mean finally accepting his death. And he wasn't ready for that. He wasn't ready to live in a world without Loki. More and more he wondered if there was any way that could bring him back. Even if he was busy with something else, some part of his mind remained focused on the task, for he made sure every day that he would find a way. He had to find because he felt there was a huge hole in his soul that would not be filled by anyone but Loki. So when the frigates flew off into the sun, he holed up in the hold, that had become a temporary tomb, and thought.
It was during one of these times of solitude that an idea occurred to him. Some time ago, he began to wonder if Loki managed to get to Valhalla and if he met their mother and father there. He grew up in Asgard and died in battle, so he should have gotten this privilege, but on the other hand he was a Jotun and Thor wasn't sure if that changed anything. And then he thought that the ice giants must also believe in some kind of afterlife, so maybe Loki's soul, as one of them, shared their fate after death. It was crazy, but Thor knew he would try to find out anyway. And that she would try to get him out of there. And if that doesn't work, it keeps looking. And again. And again. Until he finally succeeds or he dies himself, then all he has to do is hope that he will end up in the same place as his brother.
He sprang to his feet, ready to go to Jotunheim at once, but stopped midway. He was still responsible for his subjects, and he couldn't just disappear without telling anyone. He leaned against the side of the ship and waited for the hurricane of feelings to calm down a little. He made up the whole plan in his head – what he should explain and to whom. He had to ensure that, in the event of failure, the surviving Asgardians were not left on their own. Some faint voice whispered to him that for a king this was selfish and irresponsible behaviour, but he ignored him – he could do anything for Loki. He ran out to find the few of the king's advisers who had survived.
***
A rainbow flash illuminated the darkness of Jotunheim. As he faded, Thor left Stormbreaker and looked around – the land hadn't changed much since the last time he was here. He winced as he remembered the circumstances. He was aware that he was not welcome here, but he was determined to obtain the information he had come here for. This time, however, he was wiser and more experienced. He left the circle and walked over to a large flat boulder. He laid his axe on it, walked away some distance, sat down on the ground and waited. He knew that the flare accompanying the Bifrost journey must have been noticed, and soon someone would be there to check it out, and then it was better to look as less warlike as possible.
Indeed, after a short time he spotted some riders on hairy beasts coming towards him. When they saw him, they stopped for a moment to consult, but then moved on. They approached twenty meters and stopped their mounts. Despite the dark marks on their faces, astonishment could be seen.
Thor didn't blame them. He knew they recognized him, and now they must be wondering what he was looking for here. His last visit almost led to a war. He decided to wait and see what the Jotuns reaction would be.
“What is the God of Thunder looking for here?” One of the riders thundered.
“Answers to questions,” replied Thor.
“And what might the son of Odin want to ask us?”
“I do not come here as the God of Thunder, nor the son of Odin, nor as the ruler of Asgard.”
“So as who?”
“As Loki's brother.”
He rightly thought that this answer would intrigue them enough to agree to lead him to their ruler. They led him towards a cluster of tall rocks, and only when they approached Thor realized that it was a city. He had no idea are they natural formations in which houses have been hollowed out or artificial structures, but they were impressive anyway. It was the first time he had seen the ice giants’ daily life, he realized. He caught stealthy glances and whispers, and a few times he had seen the face of some curious child, which a frightened mother was herding deeper into the house. It was a strange feeling, because he'd seen only warriors before, and it hadn't occurred to him that they had wives and children too.
Finally they reached the foot of the high stair leading to the palace, which was even more lofty and soaring than the other buildings. There, the palace guards surrounded him and brought him before the ruler of Jotunheim.
The throne room was a large room with austere walls, barely furniture except an icy throne on a platform. At his feet was an ornate armchair in which sat a Jotun of considerable size. His teenage years were clearly behind him, for his long grey hair fell to his waist. He kept his red eyes on Thor as he approached him.
“Greetings, Lord,” Thor humbly bowed his head as he stood at the foot of the throne.
“Welcome, God of Thunder. They call me Sigr. I must say that you amaze me because, as far as I know, you are not in the habit of bowing.”
“I'm here on a matter, so to speak, personal.”
"I heard," the ruler looked at the man thoughtfully. "You know that this throne behind me should belong to your brother?"
“I know.”
“Loki never took power, although as far as I know, he called himself king of Jotunheim. Instead, governors ruled. I don't know if it worked for us or not, but the fact remains that this land felt his death.”
"He died saving the lives of me and the Asgard refugees," Thor said, lowering his head.
“Yes, I also heard about the destruction of Asgard. Desperate step.”
"We had no choice," Thor was starting to get impatient, though he tried not to show it. “Lord, I came here seeking answers.”
“And what kind of answers can Asgardian look for among the ice giants?”
“Loki was one of you, and although he has lived in Asgard almost all his life, this does not mean that your fate is not destined for him after death. And this is what I would like to know – what happens to your souls when you die? Are there afterlife where the ice giants go, and is it possible to get there?”
Sigr was silent and looked at Thor thoughtfully. He stroked his lips with his index finger and narrowed his eyes as if considering options. Thor couldn't tell from his countenance whether his questions intrigued, amused, or offended him. He waited patiently, though deep inside he felt a mixture of fear and hope that almost burst him.
“What are you willing to do to get your brother back?” Jotun finally asked.
"Everything," Thor replied without hesitation. Sigr nodded as if he expected such an answer.
"What if you had to choose between your brother's life and saving the universe?"
This time Thor hesitated. His first impulse was to say that of course he would choose Loki, but he knew that wasn't quite true. Would he be able to sacrifice billions of lives to save one, even so dear to him?
“Don't answer,” Jotun held up his hand as Thor was already opening his mouth. “There is no right answer to this question, and I did not ask to force you to make a choice. But I'm glad you hesitated. This means that you are a wiser ruler than when you last came here. That's good.”
He bent down to the guard standing next to the throne and whispered something to him, and the guard nodded and left. Aged Jotun rose from his chair.
"Let's take a walk," he said, and headed for the door without waiting for Thor. Surprised, God of Thunder followed him.
They walked silently down the hallways of the palace as Thor tried to discreetly look around. Until now, his only experiences with the ice giants had come down to combat, and somehow he never thought about what they were doing when they were not at war. Now he saw the ordinary inhabitants of Jotunheim, civilians leading a quiet life. He realized that he had never seen their women and children before, and had not even thought that they could be capable of such obvious feelings as love or caring. Following the governor, he saw sculptures and tapestries that would not be ashamed in his father's palace. He realized how narrow his views were and felt ashamed.
"Jotunheim is an unusual place after all," he said.
"Glad you appreciate that," Sigr replied and smiled slightly.
They came to a great door leading to the terrace. Jotun motioned for the guards to stay in front of the door and they continued on their own. There was a vast view of the land from there.
“Jotunheim is a very harsh place and we are not very pleasing to the eyes, so I am not surprised that most people react to us with fear and aggression. Our militant nature is also not very conducive to maintaining friendly relations. However, we have realized long ago that if we want to survive, we cannot wage continuous wars. Tell me, Thundered, have you ever seen our women?”
"It's the first time today," Thor admitted.
“Exactly. There are too few of them to put them in danger in the war. So are our children. Too many have already died. Laufey was a typical warrior of our race, and he wanted the ice giants to rule the Nine Realms. Perhaps it was a good thing that Loki took his life. According to our laws, he should take his place. However, he didn't – do you know why?”
Thor shook his head silently.
“Loki was born as a Jotun but raised as an Asgardian. I am not surprised that when he discovered the truth, he hated both us and you. Yet you are right to believe that the Jotun blood may decide the fate of his soul.”
At that moment, the door to the terrace opened and the guard Sigr had sent for something stood in it. He walked over to old Jotun and handed him a small purse, then bowed and walked away. Governor untied it, and Thor saw a leather strap with a transparent crystal hanging on it.
"If you really want your brother back, I'll help you," he said and handed Thor the pendant, "but be warned it won't be easy or safe."
“I know. I'm ready for it.”
“We'll see. All I can really do is show you the entrance and advise you of what you may find there. The rest is up to you. And from him.”
Thor stared at the necklace in amazement, but now he looked over at Jotun.
“What do you mean?”
“We believe that ice giants were created from ice at the dawn of the universe. After death, our bodies turn to ice and our souls go to the Abyss – a place without time and space. The entrance to it is at the foot of the Mountain of the Dead” the old man pointed to a high peak looming in the distance. “We don't go there. A few daredevils tried, but either they came back changed or they didn't come back at all. I don't know what awaits you there, but it won't be good. It is not a place for the living, and those staying there do not want to return either. No one has managed to force the soul into the living world, so if you want Loki back, you must find him and convince him. There is no other way. If he agrees you will need it” he touched the crystal. “We call them «living ice» because although they are as cold as regular ice they do not melt and can be saturated with energy. The soul, on the other hand, is nothing but an energy charge. You can get it out of the Abyss if you put it in a crystal. If his body was saved, he would come back to it without any problems.
"It's safe, just…" Thor paused and swallowed, feeling a lump grow in his throat. “Thanos crushed his throat and broke his neck. I don't know if it's even possible that he... To fix something like this...”
He paused because the memory of the dark blue bruises on Loki's neck made him feel sick again. With all his will he forced himself to control his feelings.
“The magic involved is very powerful and not fully understood. If it can unite body and soul, it can heal them too,” replied Sigr. “And don't underestimate Loki himself. He is a powerful wizard. Someone like him must have been born already with great power. I think that although Laufey left him for dead, he would have survived even without Odin's protection.”
The governor's mouth twitched in a contained smile as he saw the expression on Thor's face.
“Why are you helping me?” Thunderer asked, because this question troubled him for some time.
“Your father may have destroyed Jotunheim during the last war, but he didn't. Instead, he offered us peace and saved us from imminent destruction. So let's say I'm getting even. My people and yours will not love each other for a long time, but we should do everything we can trying not to slaughter each other. Loki belongs to both Jotunheim and Asgard, so he can be a good link and help to improve relations.”
"I don't know if you know, but Loki has a very... difficult character," Thor grimaced at the mention of the knife in his ribs.
"I know," admitted Sigr, "but you yourself are the best example of how human nature can change. I hope Loki is human enough.”
***
Thor stood in front of a narrow slit that opened into a nearly vertical slope of the mountain. After an audience with the ruler of Jotunheim, he immediately set off to the Mountain of the Dead. The guide led him to the foot of the massif, but refused to step into its shadow, so the Thor had to travel the rest of his way alone. The path the guide had shown him was narrow, winding and looked little travelled. As he approached the mountain, the feeling of being watched grew in him, although he could not see any living creatures nearby. When he finally reached his aim, he felt that his resoluteness was much weaker than at the beginning. The darkness lurking inside was menacing and repulsive, and a piercing cold drifted from the crack, which, however, had little to do with the temperature of the air. Thor clenched his teeth and fists and stepped into the darkness, head held high.
Darkness wrapped him like a cloak, and just a few paces from the entrance it was so dark that he couldn't see his own hand. He stood still for a few minutes to let his eyes adjust to the darkness, but that didn't help much. What he saw was divided into larger and smaller shadows and some vague contours. He didn't care too much because Sigr told him exactly what to look for. He scanned the darkness until he saw a darker stain that might have been the entrance to the Abyss. Helping himself with his touch and checking the ground with his foot before taking another step, he made his way to the vaulted portal, beyond which Jotun said there should be a deep well. Along its walls ran a ramp leading to the bottom. Nobody knew what was at the bottom.
At first Thor made his way slowly, but quickly found that the descent was not as narrow as he had imagined. Holding on to the wall with one hand, he was able to descend quite freely, because the surface of the ramp, although smooth, was not very slippery. He quickly lost track of time, and the surrounding darkness seemed to press against him. He went deeper and deeper, but it felt as if he was moving in a void. Only the rock beneath his feet and hand was real.
He didn't know how long it had been since he began to descend, but at one point he sensed the slope of the ramp changing. The slope was getting gentler, and finally he realized that he was no longer in the well, but in what a much larger room. He still couldn't see, but his footsteps echoed differently. He moved uncertainly again. He didn't notice it at first, but the darkness around him wasn't so impenetrable either. He could see the cracks of rock and other irregularities more and more clearly, and finally realized that there was some light source far ahead. As he got closer, he recognized more and more details. He was in a huge cave, full of stalactites and stalagmites that made it look like a mighty cathedral. The light in the distance was pale and dim, so he couldn't see its ends. He felt that the temperature, already low, had dropped even further. There were puffs of steam from his mouth and he wished he had worn something warmer.
Finally, he moved close enough to the light to see its source, which turned out to be two large lanterns placed on poles on either side of a tall door. The door was smooth stone, and only along the doorframe ran an inscription in a language that Thor didn't know. He walked over to them and hesitated only a moment before he pushed them.
The place he was in was so huge that he couldn't see where it ended; perhaps it was endless at all. Everything was bathed in a pale blue glow, though he couldn't find any light anywhere. He looked back and found that on this side, the door is not rigged in anything – just standing in the middle of a great void. Although no, not the void. After walking a few meters, he saw a low plinth with a statue of a life-size ice giant encased in what appeared to be a block of clear ice. Rows of similar figures spanned around him in all directions. Having no better idea, Thor chose a direction at random and started walking.
As he moved away from the gate, he noticed a certain regularity – the closer to the entrance, the thicker layer of ice covered the figures. Now he was among those that were covered only with a thin layer. Some of the figures were standing, others were sitting, and they also differed in age and gender. Their faces were a cross-section of all the emotions available. The more he went into this strange «exhibition», the more he became convinced that these were not figures – these were the souls of the dead Jotuns frozen in the dark and cold Abyss, each of them locked in its own little world. Thor wondered if they were dreaming about what was in their lifetime, or if they were each creating their own utopia.
Thor looked carefully from side to side. If his guesses were correct, Loki, as recently deceased, should be somewhere in the farthest rows. He tried not to admit the thought that he might not find him, because this place is huge and he might run out of strength or he would just get lost and stay here forever. He walked past the skeleton once or twice, which was a clear sign of the fate of the living who dare to enter the territory of the dead.
He had no hints as to which way to go, so he decided to trust his instincts. He found it as good a solution as groping in the dark. He walked, and he had lost his sense of direction a long time ago, and the he was cold to the bone, but he did not give up and did not lose hope. The only thing keeping him alive was his desire to get Loki back, and he knew it was there long before he descended into the Abyss. The crunch of crushing bones and the sound of the body falling to the ground pierced his brain and awoke every time he fell into a restless, nightmare dream. He was sure he would never forget it, and neither would Loki's ashen face and dead eyes. He was cold as he walked through the Abyss, true, but it was nothing compared to the chill that settled in his chest.
He was very tired now, and he wondered if he should sit down for a moment to rest, even though he knew it was a bad idea. He looked up for some convenient place when he saw him – he was standing at the far end of the row, on the same pedestal as the others. Thor forgot his fatigue and started running towards his brother. He stopped right in front of Loki and for a moment just stood and looked at him. Loki looked exactly as he remembered him, though of course he was now in his true – Jotun – form. Black hair fell over his shoulders, and his red eyes barely peeked out from under his closed lids. His mouth was ajar and slightly smiling, and Thor thought that Loki was definitely looking at something nice right now. Loki's face had such a gentle expression that he hadn't seen him in a long time, and he was glad to see that, at least after his death, he didn't suffer.
He reached out and hesitated a moment before he touching his face. It was icy cold, even colder than ice if at all possible. He felt he touch him, although at the same time his body seemed ghostly, as if not entirely real. Loki had absolutely no reaction to Thor's touch either. He was still staring blindly somewhere and smiling softly.
"Loki... Loki, it's me, Thor. Can you hear me?"
No reaction. Sigr had warned him that it would not be easy to get the attention of someone in the Abyss.
“Brother, I came for you. I'll take you out of here. You'll see, everything will be fine.”
He didn't know how long he'd been standing there talking to Loki, but it didn't seem like any of his words reached the Trickster. Thor did not give up, though he felt a growing despair. He recalled their childhood memories, their joint games, he talked about his adventures on Earth, in a word – he said everything that came to his mind, but nothing worked. Finally he took Loki's cool hand in his hands and began rubbing it, as their mother used to do when they returned cold from playing in the snow.
“Loki, I know you can hear me. You must hear me! I didn't come down here to go back without you. I said I will never lose you again and I intend to keep my word. I miss you idiot and even though I said you were the worst brother I could have had, you are my only brother. I have no one else but you and you cannot leave me!”
He spoke louder and faster, and with each word, the wall he had built to hold his feelings crumbled more and more. He was so close now – Loki was so close – and an entire cosmos might have separated them as well. He knew that if he didn't manage to get his brother out of here, he wasn't going to look for a way back. They would be together, even if that meant he was about to join Loki. He felt his hands tremble and tears welled up in his eyes. He rested his forehead against Loki's chest and, clasping his hands on his shoulders in helpless rage, let them flow.
“Come back with me, Loki. The sun is shining up there. You promised! You promised it would shine for us too!”
Loki twitched. At first Thor didn't notice it, but eventually he felt a cool touch on his shoulder. He looked up and looked straight into his brother's eyes, which for sure must have seen him this time.
“Thor?”
At first, the words stuck in the Thunderer's throat, so he just hugged his brother and pressed him to his chest.
“Will you come back with me?” the blonde choked out.
"Yes," Loki replied.
The moment he gave his consent, his soul shattered into millions of luminous elements which began to swirl around Thor and penetrate the crystal hanging on his chest. The Asgardian watched with delight. As the last shard of soul penetrated the crystal, it glowed with a soft glow, and when Thor touched it, it was warm.
"We're going back," he whispered.
Unfortunately, it was not that easy. Thor had gone a long way from the entrance in search of Loki, and now he didn't know which side to go. He chose the random direction and started walking. After a long time, however, he lost his confidence and began to look around. As he turned left, the crystal on his chest shone brighter.
“Are you sure?” Thor asked and the crystal glowed again. “All right then.”
He smiled slightly and, stroking the crystal with his fingertips, went to the left.
***
The trip to Jotunheim took him over two days. His advisers were getting worried, but he only briefly explained to them that he had achieved his goal and raced to the hangar where the quinjet was standing. He closed the cargo bay door behind him and walked over to the capsule. He opened it, and although he had seen it so many times before, he couldn't help but flinch at the sight of the bruises on Loki's neck. He touched his hand and ran his thumb over the cool skin. He removed the pendant.
"Come back to me," he whispered, placing the crystal on his chest.
A cool blue glow flooded the entire hold. Thor had to pull away and close his eyes, but even then the light shone through his eyelids so he covered himself with his arm. A noise like wind filled the room, drowning out other noises. After a few minutes, everything calmed down, and Thor could open his eyes, although he had to blink intensely to get rid of the afterimages. There was a murmur from the capsule.
“Loki?” He asked and tried to focus.
The body in the capsule moved. Loki groaned and grabbed the edge of it, trying to get out. Thor was with him in two long strides. Carefully, he took him by the arm, helped him out, and settled him on a crate.
“Are you all right? How are you feeling?” He regarded his brother carefully, and his voice was concerned.
"I…" Loki began, but he had to clear his throat because his voice was hoarse. “I was dead, right?”
“You were, but you are no longer. I brought you back. Are you okay?”
"I think... I think so. My head hurts so much,” Loki said and touched his forehead, then moved his hand to the neck. "Thanos crushed my throat, so how...?"
“I'll tell you everything in a moment. What last do you remember?”
“Ache. Terrible pain that I have never felt before. And your scream. Later there was only darkness” as Loki was speaking, he stared somewhere into space. “I was alone and it was cold, although it didn't seem important at the time. I didn't care at all. I remember some pictures, maybe memories, but I'm not sure. I don't know how long it took.” He paused and looked at his brother. “Later I heard a voice. I didn't know who it belonged to, but he was familiar. He called me and said something, but I didn't understand the words. I didn't care. And then... Then I felt something hot pouring down my chest. I forgot how wonderful it feels. And then I woke up and saw you. You cried and you hugged me. I realized that you were calling me and that you needed me. Realized that I want to come back because you need me.”
He couldn't say more because Thor grabbed him and locked him in a tight hug.
“You're gonna crush me!” Loki groaned.
"Sorry," Thor muttered, and loosened his grip, but he didn't let go of his brother. “You don't even know how glad I am to have you back.”
Loki smiled and hugged him back. He and Thor have come a long way to be brothers again.
“Are you crying?” Loki asked suddenly, feeling Thor's shoulders tremble.
“Piss off!” Thor muttered “I have mourned your death so many times that this one time I think I can cry because you're alive, right?”