Loki

Near

Loki, Freyja, and I ran towards the Vault. We'd seen the light of the Bifrost going off. Freyja's warning came too late. We couldn't stop the Warriors 4 anymore. Heimdall betrayed us. That caused a dent in our Plans. Or rather my Plans.

While I knew Heimdall hated Loki (okay, I strongly suspected), his allegiance was unclear towards us. I hoped that we could use him to help. That looked unlikely now.

And now we got the fucking damned Warriors 4 running around on Earth

Pieces of shit

They're gonna ruin my hard work!

No- no we don't know that for certain. There's still time.

It didn't settle me. The Warriors had time too. Loki told Thor the truth, I hoped, but even that might not mean much. Thor has been known to take their word over Loki's many times. The Warriors could say Loki stole the throne regardless, that he warned Odin in the first place, any number of things to get Thor on their side.

There wasn't any time left to waste. Whatever was gonna happen, it needed to start now.

He won't fall.

I won't let him.

Loki deserved better than all of this.

The three of us walked into the Vault. Loki paused ahead of us, making slow steps towards the Casket.

The Jötunns waited for us. Thor's friends worked against us. Time to see who would win out.

Loki

Freyja walked forward, just enough so her words didn't have to echo. "Loki. You need to pick it up." She threw her arm back towards me. "Neither of us can. We'd be destroyed."

"I know." Loki stepped closer. The staff of Gunghir stomped on the ground. At his command, the wall before us fell away.

I walked up, past Freyja. She tried to pull me back. Instead I stood at Loki's side, reaching up to put a hand on his shoulder.

Loki took a deep breath, squaring back his shoulders. "It has to be me."

My hand squeezed his shoulder. Loki took another breath. He walked to the Casket, his steps more assured. Gunghir stayed standing upright as he walked from it.

Freyja came up to me. She nodded at the Destroyer. "Are we good?" Freyja asked.

I shook my head. Wherever we were, it was nowhere close to good.

Loki lifted the Casket. The Destroyer stepped forward. The wall forming back together behind him. Freyja tensed at my side, causally reaching for her weapon. I reached up, my hand touching her arm. Freyja stilled.

"Will it kill us?" Freyja asked.

"Why would it?" I countered.

Loki tucked the Casket into a pocket dimension. He looked up at the Destroyer. As he faced away from me, I couldn't make out his face. His shoulders shook some, and his hands stayed in front of him. No doubt he was doing his usual anxious gesture.

The Destroyer stayed standing vigil.

My gut took this as a bad sign.

"Loki." I spoke up. Loki kept himself turned towards it. "We need to go."

He stood still.

Freyja's arm moved again. I squeezed her, digging my nails in.

"Loki." I repeated. Letting Freyja go, I walked closer to him. "Loki?"