Sullivan tilted his head.
"What are you talking about, Loki?"
He waved a dismissive hand, and the shimmering, complex image of the multiverse tree, Yggdrasil, that Loki had been envisioning, dissolved into nothingness.
"You misunderstand. You were born with a glorious purpose, yes, but not to be some sort of cosmic timber. Your purpose is to live it, to carve your own path, not to be a sacrifice."
Hermione, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke, her voice calm but firm.
"Sol, has no need for such drastic measures. He is the grandson of the Almighty. He can untangle any timeline, stabilize any multiversal branch, with a mere thought. The concept of a 'catalyst' is… quaint, in his dominion."
Loki, who had been steeling himself for his heroic, albeit tragic, end, blinked.
He looked from Sullivan to Hermione, then back to Sylvie, who was now looking at him with a mixture of confusion and relief.
The grand, poignant kiss he'd just shared felt rather… anticlimactic now.
"So, I don't become… a tree?"
Loki asked, a hint of genuine bewilderment in his voice.
Sullivan chuckled, a deep, resonant sound that vibrated through the air.
"A tree? My Loki, the multiverse is already stable. It always has been. Your role was never to become something, but to realize your potential. Your glorious purpose is to lead, to inspire, to perhaps even rule, if you so choose. But sacrificing yourself? Utterly unnecessary."
He then snapped his fingers again, and a holographic display of countless timelines, neatly separated and flowing harmoniously, appeared before them.
"See? Everything is in perfect order. It has been for quite some time now, ever since I took over the TVA."
Even though it was just a few hours ago.
"You don't have to be a tree. Congratulations to you and your soon-to-be queen."
…
Wade, who had been admiring his newly enhanced golden desert eagles, suddenly piped up.
"Wait, so Loki doesn't die? And we don't have to worry about our universe? Does this mean I can finally get that action figure of myself that actually looks like me and isn't just a repurposed Wolverine toy with a bad paint job?"
Logan just sighed, but a small smile touched his lips.
The weight that had been pressing on him for so long had finally lifted. His universe was safe.
He had a new, albeit strange, friend.
And perhaps, for the first time in a long time, he felt a flicker of hope.
Sullivan looked at Loki, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"Loki, your path forward is your own to forge. You have seen the void, you have seen the consequences of a restrictive fate. Now, you are truly free. What will you do with that freedom?"
Loki looked at Sylvie, a newfound spark in his eyes. The weight of glorious purpose had been replaced by the exhilarating lightness of choice.
"I suppose," he said, a mischievous grin spreading across his face,
"my glorious purpose was always to choose my own glorious purpose."
He then took Sylvie's hand, a genuine, joyful smile replacing his earlier solemnity.
"And perhaps, for now, that purpose involves a very long vacation."
Wade cheered.
"Yes! No more cosmic trees! This calls for a celebration! Who's up for chimichangas and a trip to the action figure store?"
Logan just rolled his eyes, but a small smile played on his lips.
He was just glad the universe wasn't in danger anymore. He looked at Sullivan, a silent thank you in his eyes.
Sullivan beamed, a picture of calm power.
"Indeed, Wade. The multiverse is quite resilient, even without a 'cosmic timber' to hold it together."
He looked at Loki and Sylvie.
"So, a vacation, eh? A wise choice. Every king and queen deserves a break."
Loki, still grinning, squeezed Sylvie's hand.
"A very long vacation, perhaps somewhere with less impending doom and more sunshine. And maybe," he added, looking playfully at Sullivan, "a really good spa."
Sylvie laughed, a bright, clear sound.
"Sounds perfect, Loki. And no more glorious purpose, just glorious relaxation."
Sullivan snapped his fingers, and a comfortable-looking portal shimmered into existence.
"Consider it done. Enjoy your well-deserved freedom. The multiverse can handle itself."
Loki and Sylvie stepped through the portal, hand in hand, leaving behind the looming threat of universal collapse for the promise of a peaceful future.
Wade, ever the opportunist, eyed the departing portal.
"Hey, can that portal go to a place with all the chimichangas I can eat and that action figure of me?"
Logan simply shook his head, a genuine chuckle escaping him.
The weight of the world was off his shoulders, and for the first time in a long time, he felt a lightness in his step.
The multiverse was safe, Loki was alive, and maybe, just maybe, everything was going to be alright.
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