Boda stealthily led the possessed Vanar by the hand from his bedchamber through the short corridor to Loki’s own, though as Thor had informed the disguised Dario, the trickster had yet to spend a night in it. Entering the room, kept dimly lit by sources of light along the base of the stone walls, the cauldron not yet lit, Boda took stock of the room which was arranged as it had been in his previous chambers and as Boda recalled it.

Still gripping Vanar’s hand, Vanar holding the idol in his other, Boda and the boy crossed to a tall object on a stand resting under a velvet cover at the far side of Loki’s bed near the wall. Boda slid the velvet off the ornate gold frame of the tall and wide full sized mirror, tossing the protective fabric aside.

“He’s rather vain…he also enjoys–” Boda said with a cynical smirk before cutting herself off as she caught sight of Vanar’s diminutive body reflected in the mirror, unsure whether the boy retained any awareness, “Never mind.”

Closing her eyes with an expression of deep concentration, Boda stood motionless in silence, concentrating, before placing the tips of her fingers onto the glass. A ripple effect originated from the center of the mirror, as if the glass had become a pond in which a pebble had been thrown as Boda drew her hand back, the mirror now converted into a portal filled with a gold glowing mist into which Boda and Vanar entered, the mirror returning to its previous state, reflecting Loki’s empty bedchambers.

The coal black glass of the slightly smaller mirror on its stand placed along the wall at the far end of Odin’s vault displayed the same golden fog before Boda and Vanar stepped through its rune carved frame, entering the subterranean warehouse of relics…Boda coming to an abrupt halt at the sight of Loki standing in front of them, his hands clasped behind his back.

“Shit…” Boda uttered.

“Second time’s the charm it seems,” Loki greeted her sarcastically.

“What is it?” Erebus asked in Vanar’s voice, looking up at Boda from the boy’s body he inhabited, Boda realizing that Erebus/Vanar was unaware of the God of Mischief’s presence, quickly reasoning out why.

“It's a bit disorienting,” Boda said aloud before speaking to Loki telepathically, “especially when I find myself in the throne room surrounded by an entire battalion of einherjar.”

“You're exaggerating, as usual. It was more like a squad,” Loki responded as Boda led Erebus/Vanar forward, passing through the image of Loki, he turning before disappearing and reappearing beside Boda, "What is this about? Revenge? I respect that but your grievance is with me, not the universe."

“It’s never treated me any better. It’s not about you. I'm setting things right,” Boda replied.

“I don’t understand,” responded Loki, confused.

“You never have. Maybe you never will.”

“Why involve Vanar in your scheme?” Loki asked.

“He's not Vanar...he is...Erebus has taken possession of him,” Boda explained.

“How--” Loki began, expressing shock and dismay.

“Your brother’s attention was elsewhere," Boda interrupted.

“My father will sense your presence! You know what will happen!” Loki exclaimed anxiously.

“I’m counting on it,” Boda replied to a confounded Loki as she spied the goblet on its pedestal near where the Warlock’s Eye rested before speaking aloud to Erebus/Vanar, “There...”

“If you're thinking what I think you're thinking it won't work! He can’t be destroyed but you and Vanar will be!” Loki exclaimed.

Boda and Erebus/Vanar reached the pedestal, Boda releasing Erebus/Vanar's hand and magically producing a bottle of wine. After filling the goblet and replacing the cork, she returned the bottle to the ether from which she'd summoned it.

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“Ssssomething else is necessssssary…the blood of a god,” Erebus/Vanar said, dropping the idol to the floor and extending his hand.

“For Vanar's sake...I beg you!” Loki pleaded desperately as a dagger appeared in her left hand.

“You're begging me?" Boda chuckled cynically in her mind, "How does it feel for the shoe to be on the other foot?”

“You said this wasn’t about me.”

“It isn't. Despite what you may believe, very little is.”

Boda used the dagger to slice Vanar's palm before dropping the weapon to the floor. As she lifted Vanar, he made a fist with his wounded hand over the goblet, crimson blood dripping into it, mixing with the wine before she returned the boy to his feet.

“He said to trust you!" Loki exclaimed, "Will! I spoke with him only minutes ago in a vision," replied Loki.

“That’s not possible. I enchanted you to relive your own memories altered to incorporate one of my own,” Boda explained.

“You kept it...the chocolate…it’s in a box under the bar, the key is in the register. He wanted to surprise you. He hid something in it.”

“Wait,” Boda said aloud to Erebus/Vannar, grabbing his wrist as he reached for the goblet, “You will fulfill your end of the bargain?”

“He will live once more,” Erebus/Vanar assured Boda.

Loki watched in helpless horror as Erebus/Vanar took the goblet from the pedestal, looking down into it with a sneer of satisfaction before lifting it to his lips, downing its contents.

Erebus/Vanar slowly lowered the goblet, his expression of smug victory transitioning to one of confusion morphing into shock and fear before an inky black smoky substance began to seep from Erebus/Vanar’s eyes into the goblet.

“You vile witch!” Erebus cried in devastation as his mouth fell open, the same black smoke pouring from it as he was forced from Vanar’s body as Loki looked on in awe.

Erebus now entrapped within the vessel, the cursed replica of the goblet dropped from Vanar’s hands onto the floor at his feet beside the idol. A moment later Vanar’s blank, staring eyes rolled into his head as his small body crumpled to the floor, Boda frantically kneeling beside him.

“Vanar?!” Boda cried out, taking his limp body in her arms, shaking him,“Vanar!”

“Is he all right?” Loki asked, his expression changing from relief to concern and then to frantic worry as Boda failed to answer, “Is he alive?!”

“My baby…no…” Boda said softly as she cradled the lifeless boy, pulling him close to her as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Standing with Vanar, moving him to one arm, his head resting on her shoulder as if he was a sleeping infant, Boda stepped over to the pedestal on which the Warlock’s Eye rested.

“What the hell are you doing?!” Loki exclaimed as the sound of heavy, metallic steps approached from behind him as he faced her, “Take him and go! Now!”

Wrapping her free hand around the base of the Warlock’s Eye, Boda lifted it from its pedestal, turning to face Loki, locking eyes with him.

“Boda!” Loki called desperately as the Destroyer drew nearer, coming to halt a few feet behind Loki’s projected image as he realized it was too late, his expression now hopeless and mournful, “I love you.”

“Though we never thought that we could lose, there’s no regrets. If I had to do the same again–” Boda said with a sad smile to Loki before his image vanished as a white hot blast of fire shot through it from the Destroyer’s head.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

As night fell over Asgard, Loki stood alongside Odin, Frigga, and Thor dressed formally for the occasion, he, his brother and father having donned their helmets, as they and other mourners looked on as the small skiffs holding the bodies of Arvid, Stian, and the other victims of Dario and Erebus were launched, floating away towards the drop off into the cold darkness of space. As Odin gave the signal, archers notched flaming arrows into their bows that they then sent flying over the water, landing in each craft, the fire spreading and consuming the deceased Asgardians’ corpses.

Once the skiffs were fully engulfed in flames, Loki turned, silently and swiftly walking away into the darkness. Frigga’s grieved and concerned eyes met Thor’s, he gleaning her unspoken message, after a moment also turning and following in his brother’s footsteps.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Loki crossed the torch lit plaza where Arvid on his last day had confronted Loki, the memory replaying in the God of Mischief’s mind. He could almost again feel the sting of Arvid’s assault. Though they’d had more than a few heated arguments in the past, it had been the first, and would ultimately be the only time that Arvid had the gumption to strike the Prince of Asgard. Though Loki would never have voiced it to him or anyone, he had felt a sort of pride in and respect for Arvid in that moment.

“Brother…where are you going?” Thor called to Loki, Loki coming to a halt, remaining with his back to the God of Thunder.

“Away.”

“Away…where?” asked Thor, concerned.

“To the cottage. If it’s not too much to ask, I’d like to be alone," Loki said in a monotone voice, Thor placing a hand on Loki’s shoulder, “If you wish to retain your hand, you will remove it from me,” Loki said darkly, Thor drawing his hand back.

“I know my words are cold comfort but I share your grief. Asgard and the universe owe them a debt that can never be repaid. I know how you loved her…both of them.”

“Sentiment...the bane of fools,” Loki replied before walking away from his brother across the plaza.