The floor of the large gymnasium was marked with painted white rings, two men sparring within each. In the hands of the men were wielded lethal swords, staffs, and maces. Those within the circle knew what they must do if they hoped to leave it the same way they had entered it...alive. Only one of them would do so.

From a walkway running the length of the far wall, Yerrick observed the proceedings below, any expression that would provide a clue as to his thoughts and feelings about what he was witnessing were obscured by the mask he wore, his gloved hands clutching the metal railing as Randolph approached him.

"You requested my presence?" Randolph asked.

"Yes. Join me," Yerrick said as he continued to watch the activity taking place below, Randolph also turning his attention to the proceedings, his face taking on a dark, glum expression.

Combatants, their individuality stripped away by their identical white masks and jumpsuits, fell in combat, Randolph watching as their bodies were dragged from the circle, the victor celebrating with machismo his triumph before stepping out, as two more entered, the action beginning once again. Any that for whatever reason left the confines of the painted ring during their bout were quickly thrust back into it to continue the fight until it had reached its fatal conclusion. Yerrick turned his head slightly, glancing at Randolph.

"This troubles you?" Yerrick observed.

"When I served with the Berserker army, if we fell, it was not by the blades of our comrades but those of the enemy."

"The Berserkers, the Valkyrie, two of the most formidable armies in the universe are no more. An army is only as strong as its weakest warrior. Odin lacked the courage to do what needed to be done. In my army, one must earn their place. The cowardly and the weak must be winnowed out," Yerrick said before vanishing in a green glow.

A blade of a short sword emerged from Randolph's chest in the area of his heart as he was run through from behind. Yerrick withdrew the blade, Randolph's body slumping over the railing, Yerrick pushing it over. Randolph's corpse landed in the middle of the ring directly below. The men within it in the midst of combat ceased fighting, looking up to see Yerrick staring down at them through his mask before he turned, disappearing from view.

********************************

Coulson glanced at the watch on his wrist as he, Loki and Verda stepped out of the sprawling S.H.I.E.L.D. facility and into the searing daytime heat of the desert surrounding it.

"Our warriors will be ready. We must see to our duties in Asgard. I will return-" Loki said before Verda interrupted him.

"We will return," Verda said somewhat testily.

"If you have need of me-."

"Us," Verda corrected him.

"Heimdall will be watching," Loki finished before turning to Verda, "I seem to remember it was I that took the sacred oath of kingship," Loki said to Verda.

"You took another oath after that one," Verda replied.

"I don't recall vowing to be the host of a likj."

"A what?" Coulson asked.

"A wormlike creature which attaches itself and drains one of their blood," Loki explained.

"We have something like that, too. They're called leeches."

"A likj is the length of one's arm. They're disgusting. I can't believe you would compare me to a likj and in the presence of another!" Verda said, angrily striding away.

"Perhaps I went too far," Loki said to Coulson.

"Maybe a little," Coulson answered.

"I only want to keep her safe. I hope to convince her to remain in Asgard."

"Comparing her to a parasite probably isn't the best strategy," Coulson said.

"I admit this is all new to me."

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"I've never been married myself but my father was married to my mother for over fifty years. As he used to say, you catch more flies with honey than vinegar," Coulson replied.

Loki excused himself, following Verda who stood with her back to Loki, her arms crossed as she brooded, he resting a hand on her shoulder.

"First I was a horse, now I'm a likj," Verda said.

"Surely you know by now to take seriously only half of what I say."

"How am I to know which half?" Verda asked as she turned to face Loki, "On the ship...I had finally gathered the courage to speak to you...I was looking for you when he came for it...for you."

"I almost lost you once already."

"I don't fear death. I fear life without you," Verda replied.

"In that we are agreed--"

Loki was interrupted by a sound similar to a jet engine but on a smaller scale, both he and Verda looking up as a man in a red and gold metallic suit descended between them and Coulson, Coulson again checking his watch. Tony Stark ignored their presence as he approached Coulson as Verda began to drop to one knee, Loki taking hold of her arm.

"What are you doing?" Loki whispered.

"It's him, he who claimed the honor of ending Thanos," Verda replied quietly back.

"You're five minutes late," Coulson said to Tony Stark as Stark raised the front of his helmet, revealing his face.

"Took a wrong turn at Albuquerque. Thought I was only a consultant. I seem to remember something about displaying 'compulsive behavior,' that I'm 'self destructive,' narcissistic...for the record I agreed with that one."

"We're consulting you now. I'll brief you on what we know so far," Coulson said as Stark turned to see Verda and Loki as they stared at him.

"You were playing Dungeons and Dragons and you didn't invite me?" Stark asked.

"This is Loki and Verda, the king and queen of Asgard. Loki, Verda...Tony Stark."

"Asgard? Never heard of it."

"What about Odin...Thor?" asked Coulson.

"The Viking God? The one with the hammer?"

"Loki is Thor's brother," Coulson answered.

Stark stared at Loki and Verda for a moment before bursting into laughter, turning back to Coulson.

"I know some people really get into role playing stuff. Didn't picture you as one of them. So what are you? Dwarf? Half-elf?" Stark turned back to examine Loki once more, "You're kinda puny for a god."

"Am I, metal man?" Loki said, stepping away from Verda, Mjolnir appearing in his hand as Stark took a step back, "This once belonged to my brother," Loki said, holding the hammer out to Stark, "Take it."

Stark appeared suspicious as he eyed the hammer before reaching for it. As he wrapped the metal gloved hand of the suit around it, Loki released his hold on it. Mjolnir dropped heavily to the ground. Stark, as had Selvig, struggled as he attempted to raise it.

"What the hell?" Stark said, bewildered.

"I am who the son of Coul says I am. I am Loki, son of Odin," Loki said, Stark finally giving up, Loki easily lifting the hammer from the ground.

"Electromagnet!" Stark exclaimed, his face lighting up.

"You wouldn't be able to move in that tin can," Coulson said.

"Ok, you got me. How'd you do it?" Stark asked before Loki turned, hurling Mjolnir far out over the desert, Stark watching in awe as it returned to his hand, "You mean for once someone from S.H.I.E.L.D. isn't lying?"

"I assume Coulson has summoned you here believing you could be of assistance to us. I leave it to him to explain the situation," Loki returned to Verda, she taking his hand, unable to help grinning at Starks astonished expression, "When I return-"

"We," Verda said, again correcting him.

"Perhaps we can have a drink," Loki finished.

"Yeah...sure," Stark said in disbelief.

Loki led Verda a few feet farther away to the area previously marked by the Bifrost.

"Heimdall. Bring us home," Loki called out, Stark bewildered as the Bifrost descended.

********************************

Loki and Verda stepped into Odin's bedchambers, the light dim, two einherjar standing inside the room on either side of the door and one in each of the two corners of the room nearest the bed where his father lay asleep surrounded by a golden field of energy. Frigga, noticing them, rose from the bedside to greet them.

"You've returned," Frigga said before embracing Loki, Loki and Verda both taking note of how fatigued she appeared to be, "It is done," Frigga said, extending her hand, in it the bag containing the Norn Stones, Loki taking it from her.

"I'll safeguard them," Verda said, taking the bag from Loki's hand, "You have an army to make ready."

"An army?" Frigga asked, concerned.

"We're close to apprehending Thor's murderers but they may have an army of their own. In the event our Midgardian allies' forces are not enough to subdue them…" Loki turned to Verda, "Remain with her," Loki told her before exiting the room.

As Loki stepped out into the corridor from Odin's chambers, past the two einherjar standing sentry on either side of the doors, Sif approached.

"Loki," Sif said before recalling his new position, putting a hand with a closed fist across her chest and falling to one knee, "My king….forgive me. It will take some getting used to."

"We can dispense with the formalities...for now," Loki said, Sif rising, "See to Verda's safety. Do not allow her to be alone."

*******************************

Hank Pym stood in front of a chest of drawers in the bedroom of his home. Slowly opening the top drawer, he pulled a framed photograph from under a few folded shirts, looking down on the face of his lost wife.

"Her death wasn't in vain," Pym heard Fury's voice say from where the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. stood leaning in the doorway, his arms crossed.

"It was all in vain. Everything. Everything I worked for," Pym replied.

"When was the last time you used the suit?" Fury asked.

"That day. I hid it. No one can get to it. Not even you. Even I couldn't if I wanted to."

"If S.H.I.E.L.D.'s been compromised I need to know by who. Think you could help a brother out?"

"You mean someone in S.H.I.E.L.D. is finally going to listen and take me seriously? You'd better be careful. I'm an old man now. I might have a stroke," Pym told Fury sarcastically.