Dr. Strange had thought that the afterlife would have been different. He had expected everything, except this desolate plain field. No grass, no blue sky, nothing. Grey floor, grey sky. Not even fifty shades of grey, only two. Only he himself has color like normal. There is no sun, no shadow and yet he can see as if there is light. He walks around, wandering. Not knowing what to do with himself. He had given his life so that Tony Stark could live. To be part of the puzzle to get the desired outcome. His part was played. Now what?
Only the gods know how long he has been walking around when he notice a figure afar. It’s staring into a pond, filled with grey water. Thus this world itself has another color of grey. Dr. Strange walks to this stranger, the first ‘living’ soul he has seen here. As he comes near, he starts to recognise this blue stranger. He had met him on the astral plane before, when he was searching for the desirable outcome between all the undesired ones. The stranger wears black leather armour with a hint of yellow here and there. His face is blue and carries a distinct pattern of ridges, very mathematical. His left and right side are perfectly mirrored. From his head, through the jet black hair, are two long pale blue horns curved backwards. He remembers from last time, the man had red eyes that looked like rubies that shined and twinkled. Now these eyes carry a worried glow in them while he looks into the water.
He silently goes next to him and stares in the pond. At first, he sees nothing. Then slowly an image appears. An image of Tony, sitting on a rock on that desolate world of the Mad Titan. His head in his hands. Mourning the loss of Peter and all those he just had to come to know. After a while he lifts his head up and looks at the big pile of junk that used to be a spaceship “How is your guy doing?” The blue man asks without looking away from the pond. Dr. Strange smiles. “He’s doing quite nice, considering the circumstances. And yours?” “Inconclusive” Spoken in a sigh. “You did all the things you had to do?”, Dr. Strange asks. “Yes, including dying.” The blue man's voice sounds strangeld. “I rather have another large two hander rammed through me then being choked to death. But there was no other option available at that point.” Dr. Strange gets a bit closer to the man. “Then I was lucky with mine, I suppose.” “How did you go?” Dr. Strange smirks with a wry face. “Dust in the wind.”
The eyes of blue man flings wide open. He jerks his head to look at Dr. Strange. “Wait, you died that way?” He looks back at the pond and sees how Thor parks Stormbringer into the chest of Thanos. He groans as he facepalms. “The big oaf. I thought I had shown him well, before I died. And he still manages to mix them up.” Dr. Strange looks at him with a puzzled look on his face. “What do you mean?” The other man sighs as if he has told this a thousand times before. “I have tried to make him remember: Green Titans the chest, Purple Titans the neck.” He shakes his head. “ I lunged to put my dagger into his neck. Literally pointing to the spot where he should plant this new axe of his. And yet, again, he puts it in the chest.” Dr. Strange is standing close, looking with the blue man into the pond. He sees how the axe of the man is stuck in the chest. The man trying to pull it out of Thanos and failing. Dr. Strange starts to recognise the man. Sure, his hair is shorter, carries a scar and one of his eyes seems off. But other then that. “That’s …” He looks up to look at the man, narrows his eyes, staring at the blue man. “Then you must be…. Why do you look so different?” Loki laughs. Presenting himself to Dr. Strange. “In death, your true form is seen. This is what I really am, a jotun runt. Enjoy looking at it while you can.” Dr. Strange’s expression gets sorrowful. “That means that you… “ He swallows. There is a sigh. “Yeah, I know. I had never wanted this outcome. Planned on going back when Ragnarok would concluded its course and we all would bathe in the sun again.” A deep sigh follows. “Now I must try to resurrect myself, again. And in deep space.” He groans. “Of all the places, it has to be deep space. And it will be hell to let Ragnarok run it’s correct course. All because of Thor NOT remembering which one he has in front of him.” Dr. Strange smiles encouragingly. “If anybody can come back from the dead, it’s you Loki. I know you can.” A playful grin plays on his lips. “Wish me luck, Dr. Strange. I’m going to need it.” Dr. Strange nods. “Good luck on fixing things, Loki. I will be watching.” Loki’s expression saddens a bit. “Yeah, like the half of the universe will.” He straighten his composure, standing tall and proud. “There is nothing like a good challenge.” He winks playfully at Dr. Strange while his appearance is changing to the more well known Loki of Asgard. His bright green eyes twinkle, a forebode of the games he’s going to play. Dr. Strange smiles as Loki disappears.
He takes a step forward and looks in the pond. He sees Loki, floating in space. His eyes flicker briefly and he’s gone. The scenery changes to a modern living room on Earth. The Avengers and some other heroes are hanging around listless. All having a drink in their hands. Nobody talks. There is a sudden loud boom in room as Loki appears with a Tony, who’s half and half in his suit. Loki strides through the room with large steps. The heroes are too perplexed to do anything. They stare at Loki and at Tony. Thor’s eyes are wide, his face pale. Loki stops in front of him, jabbing his pointy finger to his brother chest, speaking with a risen voice. “How many times do I have to tell you, green the chest, purple the neck. Now I have to clean up your mess as usual, brother.” Thor doesn’t say a word. He gets up, slowly as if in a dream. His big hand wraps around the hand with the prodding finger. Loki stares at him, still angry. Thor tugs him into a big brotherly hug. His voice raw with emotions. “Bother, you’re alive.” Loki’s expression softens, his anger fading. He leans his head against his brothers. “Of course I am. I never stay dead. You know that.” Both chuckle like little kids. Loki continues in a soft voice. “Come, let’s fix this mess.”