Above Asgard, Tony looked down at the devastation left by the great battle and slowly shook his head. Rather than return to the Palace, he turned and headed toward Asgard's border.
In the starry expanse along the border, traces of the old battle against the Dark Elves still remained. It all seemed like yesterday.
But the Asgardian guards who had once held the border were long gone. Of the Nine Realms that defended the frontier, only eight remained, and even the lofty Gods had now vanished completely.
Tony took it all in, his expression still calm. He merely reminded himself that weakness was the original sin, and he had to keep growing stronger.
As Tony strolled along the border, the space beside him suddenly rippled. A moment later, Loki slowly stepped out.
Tony turned to glance at him, a faint smile lifting his lips. "You're late. Thor and the others have already left Blue Planet."
"I know."
"Oh?"
Tony gave Loki a puzzled look.
"I felt the fluctuations of Odin's power."
At that explanation, Tony nodded in understanding.
"Anything you want to ask?"
Tony's tone was calm. He knew Loki must have plenty of questions, or he would not have appeared at a time like this.
Loki fell silent for a while before finally asking, "Has Odin fallen?"
"No, but he will soon. Why? Want to plead for him?"
Tony was somewhat curious.
"If I pleaded for him, would you let him go?"
"No."
Tony refused outright. Though he valued Loki, that was all it amounted to.
"Then I suppose it makes no difference whether I plead for him or not."
"I just feel a little empty right now."
"When someone I've hated all this time is suddenly gone one day, it feels as though a piece of me is