God with Whiskers

A deal with the devil

Loki sighed deeply, lazing in his chair with his head propped in his hand, looking at the woman in front of him with a deadpan look.

Really, Loki thought, he should have seen this coming. Nothing ever went right in his life, so why in the All Father's name should anything go right in his death?

Yeah... He was dead, choked to death by the Mad Titan, Thanos. And he had been lucky at that. If Thanos had had the time, no doubt he would have stayed true to his promise to let Loki face a fate worse than death.

Death at first hadn't been too bad, he had been leading his people to Valhalla... Those Hela had killed and those Thanos had killed. They had hailed him as their Prince and willingly let him go in front, guiding all of their souls. But then suddenly Hela had been blocking his way - damn the woman - claiming all the lives she had taken herself would belong to her!

A Prince's duty was to his people, and so a deal had been made... Hela had not killed Loki; he wasn't among the people she counted as belonging to her. A trade was agreed upon - Loki's soul for all the Asgardians she herself had killed.

Hela was delighted; she blamed Loki for her defeat. He was the one who had put Surtur's crown into the Flame of Life... It felt good in the moment, being a true hero rescuing the souls of his people.

But yeah, now he was stuck here for eternity with her... Yay.

Hela was the Goddess of Death. She was also dead... But being a Goddess of Death itself granted her special powers. She was not forced to follow the same rules of death.

Between Loki and Hela was a chess board, they had been playing a couple of games. Surprisingly their skill seemed pretty evenly matched, which was good. Then at least something would be happening at this dreary place where everything was gray and their only company was the tortured souls floating around them.

"Your turn, little brother." Hela murmured.

"We are not related." Loki simply stated moving his piece.

"You were my replacement, Odinson." Hela stated moving her own piece.

"No I wasn't." Loki moved another piece. "Odin never intended for me to have the throne, it was a lie. And ever since my origin was revealed, it is Laufyson apparently." he muttered.

"Yet you had it." Hela stated as she considered her next move. "You were king of Asgard." She moved her bishop into place. "Check."

"Always in spite of Odins wishes, never because of them." Loki moved a rook, removing Hela's bishop, thus destroying the check position. "And people would always claim trickery was involved... Not really unreasonable." he smirked, amused. "Because it was."

"He chose you over me." Hela seethed, moving a pawn.

"He left me to rot." Loki replied grabbing his rook. "He promised me the world, filled my ears with assurances that if I only worked hard enough I would win his favor... But it was never enough. Any task he gave me, I fulfilled to perfection! Any obstacle he would let me face I was willing to take on, all to win his favor... But it was never enough. And it was never going to be." and he slammed down the rook. "Check mate." then he flicked Hela's king over with his finger and looked up.

Hela met Loki's eyes. "It was the golden prince he wanted, wasn't it?" She asked.

"I kind of feel sorry for Thor." Loki admitted. "Only now do I realize, he had no chance to live up to expectations either. It was always an impossible standard to begin with."

Hela laughed. "Oh, you have no idea, baby brother of mine."

Loki raised an eyebrow.

"If you could see him now," Hela shook her head, "wasting away in self pity. It is pathetic."