Chapter 4

Their dark surroundings closed in fast as Loki fell to the ground, abdomen bleeding, breathing hard. Thor landed hard, sinking to his knees at his brother's side.

So they were not brothers by blood.

So he's betrayed him time and time again.

What he did then, against that evil being, was the brother he's always known and loved.

Thor let his eyes scan Loki over, determining with a heavy heart Loki was not going to walk this one off with constant complaints and a hug from mother. As Loki took in another shuddering breath, Thor ran his shaking hand over his brother's forehead.

"I'm sorry," Loki gasped, eyes wide with fear. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Thor bit his lip, trying to hold back a sea of emotions. "Sh, it's alright," he tried to comfort. Was he being gentle enough? What should he say? Take the weapon out? Leave it in? His mind raced as he tried to think of what Loki would do if it was himself lying, dying on the ground.

"It's alright," Thor tried again, his chin trembling. "I'll tell father what you did here today."

"I didn't do it for him," Loki choked out, back arching in agony as the poison spread through his weakened body. He was dying. Loki was dying.

His brother, his mischievous brother that he loved so deeply, was fading away before his eyes. He had nightmares of this, when he was young. He saw Loki dying over and over, him powerless to do anything as he slipped into death's dreadful, reaching arms. He had promised himself that he would die first; he would die before so that no day was filled with regret or pain. He would live while he could with his brother's company, then when the time came, he would die in it. There was no other way, he had convinced his younger self. Life wouldn't go on the same without his brother at his side.

And yet, here he was.

His brother sacrificing himself for Thor.

And Thor alone.

His partner in crime, his friend, his brother.

Loki's head fell back against Thor's dirt-covered hand, eyes glazed and empty of their usual fire and passion. His hair was messy. His face was gray and dusty.

"No!" Thor cried, screamed, moaned for his brother's death. It wasn't happening. It couldn't be happening. Loki always found a way to evade death.

Get help, Thor thought helplessly, thinking back to all of the tricks that he had played on the villains in their younger years. Get help, my brother, he's dying.

Someone, please. He's my only brother. Someone, anyone, get help.

The End.