[They shake their head. There is something behind the look in their eyes, a sense of loss perhaps.]

No, he cannot be allowed to exist. Not fully.

[Which is why the spell was limited to a certain period of time. It's difficult to say whether that was truly "him" or not. The spirit was like what Ikol once was, an echo of a scream.]

As a result of one of his schemes, a powerful weapon was crafted. A crown of pure fear stuff, sourced directly from his mind. And the fears of the gods are something terrifying indeed. Mephisto got hold of the crown, and with it, he was poised to take over Midgard and beyond.

But if Loki ceased to exist, the crown would too. The boy accepted his death for this reason, because he was good. Too good for his own sake.