Epsilon
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(One year later)
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[Asgard]
His eyes see everything, yet what he seeks is not there. Heimdall, the gatekeeper of Asgard held an internal burden that not many knew. The burden of the fallen prince was a heavy toll on his shoulders.
As a seer, he could watch what others thought and saw. The way Loki Odinson had fallen, had never sat well with him.
In fact, it was never the outcome he desired.
As he did yesterday and the day before, Heimdall would cast his eyes into the abyss of darkness in hopes of finding the slightest glimpse of the second prince. At the very least, to confirm he is safe and happy.
Regret was not a normal experience any Asgardian would ever readily admit to. Yet, given that Loki was no mere Asgardian, but a prince, it affected him differently. At first, Heimdall thought that it was his fault. After all, under his reign, Heimdall was nothing but a plague to the young prince. But as his gaze sauntered across the whole of Asgard, he realised the guilt that plagued his memories was a shared concept amongst most. As expected, it was not long till the whole of Asgard was privy to the accounts of the fallen Prince.
Heimdall understood the chain of events. Loki had fallen. He had let go willingly with the intent of dying, but even he knew it was more than that.
Loki had given up on Asgard.
“And what a shame it was,” Heimdall noted selfishly. “Through your fall… Asgard has bettered itself, so that no citizen of any realm may feel unwelcomed. Even your brother, as well as his friends have found redemption,” Heimdall continued in a whisper.
Yes, in a year, many things had changed. Word of Odin visiting Jotunheim was met with applause and congratulations.
Statutes of Loki had been forged across the whole of Asgard.
Taverns now told stories of Loki’s great feat of how he used seidr, an art commonly used by the female populace, to save his brother and friends. Loki finally had the recognition he deserved. Yet, as Heimdall’s eternal gaze flickered into the darkest skies, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
And suddenly, it all changed.
A piercing pain flickered into existence and he grabbed the side of his temple as he fell to his knees.
The tesseract has been activated.
His breathing was erratic as he watched the scene playing out on Earth.
He saw him, the lost boy of Asgard.
He saw him standing weak, disoriented, and tired.
He saw a mere mortal holding him upright as he safeguarded the fallen Prince.
He saw the fallen Prince laughing mechanically as he used a weird staff to cause pain and destruction.
And then he heard him.
I am Loki, and I am burdened with glorious purpose.