Across All Time

Chapter 3- He Who Remains (Loki)

(Oh god I'm really doing this... just realizing now that I got pulled into the world of fan fiction, I should get a friend to revise this for me but I'm slightly embarrassed, but I love this too much, keep. Pressing. Forward.)

What would we be? What would we be? What would we be? WHAT WOULD WE BE?!

I'm driving myself insane.

I am now defeated. My mind empty, my body hunched over as much as it can. And then something odd happens. There is a glitch. The time slips from my hands, no... slips through it, but remains suspended as normal, as if I'm still holding it.

I look at my hand, inspect it, then at the time branches. I boldly stand up. I shout.

"Hello?" The words are hard in my mouth, I haven't spoken for... for a very long time. My voice echoes for what could be hours. Until I hear a familiar sound. A chuckle. I feel his presence.

He Who Remains

I step back startled. He laughs more. Then he appears before me, in simmering purple robes. His laugh continues, until my shock wears out, then he speaks.

"My my Loki, you sure had guts to do what you did, wow!" He giggles to himself. So many feelings could be coming up. Instead I'm tired and not in the mood for taunting. Though his presence confuses me, isn't he-

"Dead?" He says, as if reading my thoughts. He looks at me and laughs some more. "Now Loki, do you really think I didn't expect to die? I am dead, but it's not like I'm letting that stop me. Sweet tree by the way, impressive design." He says, nodding at the tree, still suspended in space.

"How... Why... I-"

"Loki, Loki, Loki! So many questions that you don't even know. But I get it, we are both tired. I will make this quick. Time isn't as smooth as you think. There are, shall we call them, reboots? Made to keep everything running smoothly. Cleans up messes, and you my friend, are not needed at the time. Do you follow?"

Not really.

He laughs again, and I highly suspect he can read thoughts. He starts walking towards me. He places a hand on each shoulder.

"Loki, you aren't needed now, you can return to time, and you have about 10 days time until you're needed again. Do you hear me?"

Yes, and no. What is this? I can leave for a period of time? I can... I can leave here and go... Where? Into time? I can find people? My friends?

"If I had 5 more minutes..."

I have 10 days.

I jerk away and run towards the time tree, unsure of what I'm doing, but going just the same. But I am jerked back. He Who Remains has grabbed hold of my cape.

"Now, not so fast."