EPILOGUE:

ASHES TO ASHES

Risei Kotomine pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation and fatigue. Covering up this little clusterfuck had been a trying experience all-round, and it was, ironically, thanks to the Wizard Marshall that any headway could have been made at all. Mount Enzo was mostly gone, Ryuudou Temple was completely destroyed, and the Fourth Holy Grail had ended with two Servants still alive, with no winner. Then again, if the price of a miracle was to unleash all the evils of the world…

Zelretch was uncharacteristically solemn as he spoke to Tokiomi and Risei. "The Greater Grail is inert, for now, and given what happened to it, Angra Mainyu has been mostly purged from it. Thank goodness. The last thing we need is something like that accessing Akasha."

"So it was Avenger?" Tokiomi asked.

"Yes. I've already told Kiritsugu Emiya. He tried telling the von Einzberns, but they, being prideful, called him a liar, and by extension, myself. So, I've decided to play a little prank on them. I unleashed Loki and Medea on them."

Tokiomi, after a moment, remarked, "Good. About time they felt what it was like."

"Oh, there's a side benefit. They've retrieved the Magus Killer's daughter, Illyasviel. I've looked the girl over, ensure that her family haven't tried to make her into another Lesser Grail, though Emiya believes they had already started as an insurance policy, in case Emiya failed."

"Loki and Medea retrieved the Magus Killer's daughter voluntarily?" Tokiomi asked.

"Arturia urged them to do so. Loki probably agreed because…well, the Magus Killer is a broken man now. His dream of a peaceful world is forever out of his reach, as it will take decades to try and recreate the Grail War here, especially as we would need to put in safeguards to prevent Avenger or something similar from being re-enacted."

Risei didn't know it, nor did Tokiomi, but Zelretch was lying through his teeth. He could, with some help, reinstate the Grail within a year. But he wanted to make a point here. In any case, he was recreating the Grail on Sakaar.

In any case, Emiya was not the only broken Magus. Risei knew that his old friend was also broken. There was a hollowness to his eyes that wasn't there before. He had finally realised that his daughter wasn't coming back to him. And with the Grail destroyed…a shortcut to the Root was now gone. The only consolation Risei could offer his old friend was that he still had Rin and Aoi.

It was at this point that Kirei walked in. "Kirei…why are you here?" Risei asked.

"I came to say goodbye, father. At least for now. Loki intends to depart back for his home universe, and I confess myself curious. Will I find answers to my existence there that I cannot find here? Can I find pleasure in anything but the sinful? Can I do evil to do good and find pleasure in that that I could not in the Burial Agency? I intend to go with Loki. Should I find my answers, and decide to return, then perhaps we may meet again. Under better circumstances, of course. Thanks to Medea, I have said my goodbyes to Caren and my in-laws." After a moment, Kirei embraced his father. "I am sorry, father, for what I have done to you."

"…Kirei…I will forgive you as your father. But I must warn you, your actions have roused the ire of both Clock Tower and the Church. Going to this other world will be helpful. I will use what influence I have to help Caren."

"Thank you. And goodbye, father." With that, Kirei left, without even acknowledging Tokiomi…

The reunion between Sakura and her former family, sans Tokiomi, was a little awkward, but eventually, Rin was playing with her sister like she used to. And Sakura felt her heart thawing a little, at least towards them. Arturia sat down next to Aoi as they watched the former sisters play. Loki watched on from a little closer.

"…So, this is what it's like to be close to a Heroic Spirit," Aoi murmured in awe. "And King Arthur, no less. I'm surprised that you still exist in this world with the Grail gone."

"Sakura's adoption by Loki and Medea gave her reserves of mana that are…well, larger than most Magi alive today," Arturia said. "And in truth…because it is a different kind of magic, I can feel myself becoming more and more…alive. I mean, I am different to the usual Heroic Spirit, given the deal I had made with the World. But now…in a way, with the Grail gone, I should be feeling despair. Instead, I feel relief, as if a burden has been lifted. I may never be able to go back and correct my rule…but I may now be able to live my own life. Aoi…how do you feel about Sakura being adopted by Loki?"

"…I feel sad. Even a little angry. Tokiomi wouldn't tell me what the Matous did to her, but whatever they did to her must have been bad. I…I dearly want to have her back, but…I let her be sent to the Matous. I should have protested more, I…" Her voice caught in her throat.

"…Aoi, Kariya wanted to save Sakura. He went back to that family willingly to save her. He died knowing she was free of them. He was a good man. Had he lived during my time, I would have honoured him many times over. So many good people died during this Grail War. Diarmuid, Iskandar, Lancelot…Maiya and Irisviel…and those people in the fire."

"Didn't you save some of them?"

Arturia nodded. "One of them, a young boy, he's taken an interest in. When Loki and Medea brought back Illyasviel, she seemed eager to have a little brother. They have just adopted him. They borrowed Avalon to heal his wounds, but the poor boy is a blank slate thanks to the cursed fire. He only remembers his name, but nothing of his original identity. I believe Kiritsugu is eager to help someone, a life he saved instead of the many he took during his career…"

Medea watched as the albino form of Illyasviel began dragging the redheaded boy with golden eyes around the Emiya household. "You have an energetic daughter, Emiya," she remarked to the dark-haired Magus, who emitted a bitter chuckle.

"Yes…even Iri wasn't quite this spirited," Kiritsugu said. "I hope Zelretch removed all traces of the Lesser Grail from her."

"I checked myself. She'll still be a bit of a slow grower, but at least she'll look more like her age," Medea said. "Those Homunculi who defected are currently repairing the castle. You could live there if you wanted to."

"…No. This is more of a family home," Kiritsugu said. "And Zelretch told me…Tokiomi was right. It was Angra Mainyu at the core of the Grail. And even if it wasn't…it couldn't have granted my wish." Another bitter chuckle wormed from his lips. "Not in the way I wanted to. Iri…Iri died for nothing."

"…She was the canary in the cage," Medea said quietly, deciding, in a moment of kindness, to reassure the man who was not so long ago a bitter adversary. "If it weren't for you finding her just as she changed…things may have been worse. And you got to say goodbye."

"And the von Einzberns?"

"We crippled them, and warned them that if they tried to retaliate, we'd annihilate them outright. Zelretch will be protecting you from any reprisals anyway." After a moment, Medea said, "If you wished, maybe you could come with us to the other world. You and your children would be safe from the von Einzberns there, if they could ever muster up the force to do so."

Kiritsugu shook his head. "No…I'd rather stay here and raise my children. Try and raise them. Give them ideals for the future, to find a way to be heroes without sacrificing the few to save the many. Or at least not travel down the same path I did."

"…You're not angry about what I did to Maiya? My abduction of Irisviel? Stealing your Servant?"

"…It was the Grail War. I am angry, yes. Maiya was a good assistant, a good friend, and Iri…but…it was war. Given what I did to Lord El-Melloi and Kariya Matou, it's rather hypocritical of me to criticise the dirty tricks of others."

"Speaking of Lord El-Melloi, Waver's actually being taken under the wing of Lord El-Melloi's former fiancée, and helping him gain advancement in Clock Tower," Medea remarked, remembering what Zelretch had said to her after retrieving Illya. "The boy has a good brain on him. He should go far…"

The next day, Loki, Medea, Sakura, Arturia and Kirei gathered in at a park, with Zelretch ready to take them home. They had said their farewells to those who needed them. Zelretch promised to bring messages to Rin from Sakura.

And then, in a swirl of colour, they found themselves in Heimdall's Observatory, the dark-skinned sentinel looking startled at their appearance, before he was on guard. Understandably so, given that Loki had frozen him not so long ago. "A cold reception," Medea remarked.

"Understandable, given what I had turned Heimdall into an ice block," Loki said. "My apologies for that, Heimdall. I wasn't quite in my right mind."

"I will call for an escort," Heimdall said, making it clear that said escort would be more guarding the rest of Asgard from Loki than the other way around. And that he didn't accept Loki's apology.

"No need. I know my way around," Loki said, before striding down the Rainbow Bridge, his entourage in tow, along with Zelretch…

They were indeed met by an escort that seemed more like a prison escort than anything else, whereupon they were escorted before Odin on his throne, looking down at Loki belligerently. After a moment's silence, Odin said, "Do you have anything to say for yourself, Loki?"

"…What is it that you want, Odin?" Loki asked quietly. "An apology? I doubt that would suffice for what I did to Jotunheim and Thor. I feel contrition, true, towards Thor…and towards my mother." He looked towards Frigga, and shot her a tired sad smile, before he returned his gaze to Odin. "But you also kept my heritage from me. You did nothing to discourage the hope that I may take a throne that was never mine to attain in the first place. Zelretch told me that you witnessed what I did on that world. So…am I worthy at all of your attention, All-Father? Or would you rather I exile myself to Midgard here and now?"

"ENOUGH!" Odin roared. Calming himself with an effort, he said, "While you indulged yourself in your selfish whims on that other world, you nonetheless acted decisively to remove a threat to that world. True, the hands that did the deed were these two Heroic Spirits, but you and Sakura Lokidottir acted to save that world through them. And it is true, I have erred where your heritage was concerned. So while you will have to work hard to redeem yourself in the eyes of Asgard, and myself…I do believe you are capable of redemption. But know that my patience is finite."

"…Why are you so mean to Daddy?" Sakura asked quietly.

"…Because his heart was rekindled by you, child, after it was extinguished," Frigga said. "We want to be sure it won't be snuffed out again."

Odin nodded, before he descended from his throne, the more official part of the audience at an end. Thor walked over to Loki, his eyes sad. "Brother…"

"…Brother," Loki admitted grudgingly. "You actually missed me."

"You doubted this?" Thor asked.

"Given what I did to you, what I am…can you blame me?"

"…True. But…I mourned you. I missed you. Your exploits on that world…and your thoughts on kingship, they have given me much to think about."

"Indeed," Odin said. "Loki…I am proud of you for showing such wisdom in considering a throne and a crown a burden, even if it was a belated revelation."

Loki scoffed. "…I'd rather be myself than a king. Incidentally, I should introduce my travelling companions, even if you have been a voyeur towards my exploits. This is Princess Medea of Colchis." The Caster Servant curtsied. "Our daughter, Sakura Lokidottir." Sakura also curtsied, albeit somewhat hesitantly. "King Arturia Pendragon." Arturia bowed. "And…my protégé, I believe you could call him, Kirei Kotomine." Kirei gave a short, insincere bow. "Oh, and Zelretch, who needs no introduction."

"Indeed," Odin said, shooting the vampire a wary look with his one visible eye.

"…Why are you looking at me so suspiciously?" Zelretch asked. "Haven't you forgiven me for the incident involving the menagerie here and the glow-in-the-dark paint?"

Odin merely glared back, unamused.

Loki and his entourage retired with Thor and Frigga to private quarters, Odin intending to find something for the Frost Giant to do, to keep him out of mischief. He may have been accepted back to Asgard, but it was on sufferance (as was Kirei, being human). Only Thor and Frigga seemed truly glad to see him back, and even that was tempered by wariness.

Which Loki could understand, even if he didn't like it. What happened went well beyond a mere brotherly spat. Still, he actually had a smile on his face as Frigga and Medea began talking with Sakura.

"Brother," Thor said, gently clapping a hand on Loki's shoulder. And Loki looked at Thor, truly looked at him, and saw the depth of the pain and loss there. He hadn't been acting, Loki realised, when he screamed in horror when Loki let himself fall into the abyss. His thinking otherwise was spiteful self-delusion. "Know this. While I have not forgiven you for all that happened before, I wish to start anew. I have done you some wrong in the past before. You have been a brother to me more than you were a Frost Giant. I want to have a brother again."

"How sentimental," Loki remarked, a rueful smile on his lips rather than a sneer. Then, a little reluctantly, he admitted, "I too want my brother back."

"You have him," Thor said quietly. He looked over at Sakura, who was giggling at something Frigga told her, as was Medea. "You did well, brother. You saved that girl from an abominable fate, and that world from devastation."

"Yes…it seems heroism does agree with me a little," Loki said, his smile turning sardonic.

"You can be a better man than you are, Loki," Arturia said. "When the Grail was destroyed, you could have tormented Kiritsugu and Tokiomi more. Instead, you left them alive and with their families."

"That doesn't necessarily make me a good man," Loki said, sighing. "Thor…what do you think Odin intends for me to do? I mean, to supposedly keep me out of mischief?"

"Father has been speaking of finding the Tesseract," Thor said. "When Heimdall turned his eyes to its former resting place, he found that it has been gone for some time. He cannot find it. I had spoken with him about possible ways to find it. The SHIELD organisation of the humans, the ones who were examining my hammer and questioning me, it's possible that they know."

"The Tesseract was stolen by a man known as Johann Schmidt, the leader of HYDRA," Zelretch said. "A man called Steven Rogers managed to stop the Tesseract from being used as a weapon of mass destruction…but it fell into the sea, and Rogers crashlanded in the frozen waters of the Arctic. SHIELD has a vested interest in both, so you are correct, Thor, in assuming they may know. Still…I have something going on soon that you will be interested in. I'll let you know when things are ready. Toodles." And with a swirl of colour, he was gone.

Kirei eventually said, "Did the Wizard Marshall just say 'Toodles' as a farewell?"

Loki nodded. "Yes. Yes he did…"

They spent a couple of weeks in Asgard, with Loki slowly mending bridges with Thor and Frigga, helped by Sakura and Medea. During that time, Loki and Medea grew ever closer, their wariness towards a relationship with each other now eased with the lack of a Holy Grail War. They were encouraged by Thor, Frigga, and Sakura. It was, admittedly, difficult. Loki had little in the way of romantic desires until now, and Medea had been burned once where Jason was involved. But the pair seemed made for each other. Bound by past experience of betrayal, done to themselves and to others, of being intelligent but scorned.

They went on little walks, had dinner together, and, gradually, they began to accept what they knew, but had denied. They were falling in love. And they were actually fine with that. It wasn't exactly a wholly healthy relationship, given their tainted souls…but they were doing it, more for the sake of Sakura.

Arturia and Thor, along with Odin, had interesting conversations about what made a king, and while Odin agreed with Iskandar in some regards, he also recognised Arturia's steadfast devotion to her realm. Arturia may not have liked what Odin did with Thor and Loki, but she knew that one could accumulate many mistakes as a monarch.

Upon coming to Asgard, Sakura was healing at a rapid rate. It helped that Frigga and Thor doted on her almost as much as Loki and Medea did, not to mention Arturia, and even Odin. Sakura, in fact, helped bring the royal family back together, even if it was only to a degree.

Soon, though, the time had come. Odin did decide to send Loki and his entourage to Earth, along with Thor and, as extra insurance against any betrayal by Loki, Sif. They were to find the Tesseract and bring it back to Asgard. Neither Heimdall nor Medea could pinpoint where exactly the Tesseract had ended up, so it was decided to ask at the SHIELD HQ at New York, which they found using Phil Coulson.

It was a motley group that appeared in a flare of light in a park not far from the SHIELD HQ. As they made their way there, drawing stares, Loki smirked to himself. A Frost Giant, two Asgardians, Princess Medea, King Arthur as a woman, a girl who is part-deity and part-Frost Giant, and a sociopathic priest…hmm, if this was a bar, it'd be the start of a joke.

He knew that their appearances were gaining attention. He could see weapons being readied. They seemed to recognise Thor, though, as they weren't being aimed at them, not just yet. So he approached the rather grizzled-looking receptionist, walking over the hawk-like emblem on the floor. The elderly, moustached man looked up as he approached. "Can I help you?" he asked, bemused, his eyes blinking behind dark-tinted glasses. "Who…are you?"

Loki grinned. "I am Loki, of Asgard. And I, along with my companions, are burdened with glorious purpose. At the risk of sounding gauche…could you take us to your leader? We have much to discuss…"

THE END

LOKI, MEDEA, ARTURIA, SAKURA, KIREI AND THOR WILL RETURN…

EPILOGUE ANNOTATIONS:

Fair warning: I'm posting this simultaneously with the previous chapter, so if you've come to this chapter thinking that I screwed up…well, go back a chapter.

So, there you have it. Wrapping up the loose ends, and, well, sequel hook. I very nearly threw a title out there, but I can't think of one for now. I did intend to end the story with Stan Lee as Ruler being summoned…but I quickly inserted a cameo as the receptionist at the end.

The next part of the story will be an interquel, set between the events of this story, and the Grandmaster's Holy Grail War. It'll be mostly a character piece, with Loki and Medea strengthening their relationship, Arturia meeting Steven Rogers, and the Asgardians negotiating for the return of the Tesseract. We'll have meetings with the usual suspects…as well as seeing the Avengers not only assemble, but gain their Servants.

Anyway, I'm glad you guys enjoyed this story. It's in the top five of my most-reviewed fics, and it's certainly one of my longest. It's also one of my longest fics that isn't a Harry Potter story. If I'm lucky, this posting will send it into the top 10 of my works by favourites. I hope you like the next story. 'Nuff said.

No numbered annotations this time.