Loki After Endgame: Cheating Death

Chap 43: All Leads To Death

***TRIGGER WARNING***
This chapter includes some references to sexual violence/abuse. But it is in no way graphic.
Happy reading, feel free to comment!
____________________________________________________________________

Kamilla:
It's barely dawn when I wake to find Loki sitting up in bed cradling something dark and gleaming in the pale morning light. And even though my vision is fuzzy with sleep, I don't miss the heavy, black half-circles that have gathered beneath his eyes.

"Have you slept at all?" I mumble, still drowsy.

Loki shakes his head jerkily, before murmuring as if in a trance, "I've found it."

His voice is drastically deeper and sharper than normal, as small drops of sweat trickle down his furrowed brows. Loki's eyes are squeezed shut, and I feel a dark sense of foreboding creep down my spine as I watch his eyes shift rapidly beneath his eyelids.

Death is coming!

The familiar warning slams through my thoughts as I jolt out of bed, my eyes catching on the long black Z-shaped blade shimmering in his hand. Suddenly alert, I take in the fact that his normally bright, smooth skin is ashen and worn. Worry climbs up my throat as Loki's eyes suddenly snap open and land on me. A churning sense of foreboding twists in my gut as his eyes meet mine, and his iries are nearly black as his gaze darts back and forth between the blade and I.
"I found the Necrosword and pulled it from the sun, before rebuilding it with Laeveteinn." His words rush out in an excited blur, sounding slightly manic.

"But..." I reply disappointedly, even as I feel a bitter sting of jealousy that he wields such a powerful weapon. "You said you wouldn't go after it."

"I lied." He shrugs, as if it's no big deal. "You can't possibly expect me to turn down our only opportunity for survival."

"I know but you-"

"It's better this way, Kamilla. Now we'll finally be able to protect ourselves from Death." He flashes his teeth in an unnerving smile, that sends shivers down my spine. "In fact, we could rule the galaxy if we wished to."

I shake my head, "I don't want to." I reply flatly, thoroughly disturbed by his words.What the hell is he thinking?
"What are you saying? This isn't like you, Loki."

Loki lets out a terrifyingly high pitched feral laugh, that pierces me to my core and sends beads of sweat trickling down my back. For a brief moment, I want to join in with his wild laughter, but the coldness of his expressionless black eyes, bring me back to reality.

Once his laughter subsides, he shrugs once again, gazing down at the glittery weapon in his hand. "Well I must confess, the sword... ah, well... It's been expanding me. Everything is different now. The world itself is shaped differently. It's been changing me, making me faster, smarter, braver; better."

"What do you mean, better?" My stomach twists in knots, but I take a steadying breath, trying to keep the panic from my voice. "I liked the old Loki. There wasn't anything wrong with him."

Loki grimaces and turns away from me, as if my words are causing him unexpected physical pain. "I am better now!" He snaps, "Changed! One might even say, I've evolved!" He pauses then exhales, his expression suddenly going blank, as his eyes flicker back and forth between green and black.