Chapter Text
The sea tossed and turned as Jane looked out to the sea. Its gray skies and green sea bellowed as the ship continued to rock back and forth. Next to her, Darcy puked her guts out as she collapsed onto a nearby bench,
“Seriously? We had to go to Norway?” Darcy said, trying to steady herself as Jane handed her a breath mint, “I mean, why couldn’t we go to Spain or Italy? Why Norway?”
“Because, strange astronomical anomalies have been reported in the area, Darcy,” Jane said, “We were sent to study what is causing the disturbances, and if it’s something unknown to the world!”
“Relax,” Darcy said, “It’s probably just the Aurora Borealis or some crap like that.”
“We shouldn’t leave any stone unturned,” Professor Erik Selvig said, approaching Dr. Jane Foster and her intern/best friend, Darcy Lewis, “I have a feeling, ladies… I think we may prove your father’s theories, Jane,”
“On wormholes?” Jane said, “Are you sure? His theory relied on wormholes being a common occurrence, that one pops up on Earth once every two hundred years from his estimations, and that there were at least nine spatial dimensions in our Universe. But he could never get any evidence of any wormholes opening, and he never lived long enough for String Theory to advance,”
“Until now,” Selvig said as he showed them his laptop, leaving Jane and Darcy to be stunned at the data, “You see the gravity fluctuations? They occur the most here, in some remote sight in Norway.”
“If that’s true,” Jane said, “Then we need to go there, and run tests on the gravitational waves, see if any random particles are being produced in the area. I’m talking Neutrinos, Tachyons, Muons, Higgs Bosons, and Pym Particles, any sub-atomic particle not too common within our universe.”
“Good thing we have the particle detector,” Darcy said, pointing towards the weird-looking device, made by Fantastic Four Inc., “But, you guys realized that we’ll have to camp out in the middle of the Norwegian woods in the mountains, to find a nexus point for different dimensions.”
“Yes,” Erik said as he looked out into the sea, “I’ll acquire some supplies, but we’ll need a guide to help us through the woods.”
“I think we’ll be fine,” Jane said, “The site’s only a few miles from a rural town, we’ll just need to take a train up there and hike the rest of the way! It can’t be that bad!”
It rained the whole ride through Norway, large mountains sprawling as snow landed at the peaks. Jane, Darcy, and Erik stepped off the train, the pouring rain unrelenting. The team carefully carried the highly sensitive gear through the rain under tarps, making sure no water go onto the equipment,
“You’re right Jane, this isn’t bad: It’s horrible!” Darcy said through the booming thunder,
“Come on! We’re almost there!” Jane said, stomping through the mud,
“Jane, we can regroup in the morning after the storm passes!” Erik said, lightning flashing across the sky,
“We’re already out here, we might as well--” Jane felt her foot stuck as she tripped, stumbling backward as she fell down the muddy hill,
“Jane!” Erik and Darcy called out, setting the equipment down as they rushed over to Jane. Jane rolled through the forest, yelling as she twisted an ankle. She grasped her leg in pain, looking around the dark, muddy forest. She then shrieked as someone stood over her, reaching his hand down,
“Are you alright?” The man said in a strange, calm voice. One not disturbed by the raging storm around them. Jane reached for his hand, touching his rugged and calloused fingers. The rain then stopped, the thundering rumbling to a still as rain droplets still dripped from the branches of the forest, “Your ankle, is it broken?”
“Uh… No,” Jane said as she was able to see the man’s face. Dark blue eyes that shone through the night, and his dirty blond hair was rugged with leaves and twigs in his oily golden locks. His face was covered in dirt, with rough stubble stretching across his cheeks and mouth, “I just twisted it. Who are you?”
“Call me Donar,” The man said, his voice stiff and strong, “What are you doing in the woods? Don’t you know there are trolls out sniffing for Christian blood?”
“Please, I’m a scientist,” Jane said to Donar, “That’s just superstitious nonsense, there is no such thing as trolls,”
“Ah, in the old country, there is,” Donar said, “As there were once Giants and Elves, Dwarves and Gods. But they’re all dead now, after the last twilight. The trolls hide in the darkness, for even the light from a twilight sun shall turn them to stone.”
“Charming,” Jane said, “Look, I’m just here to examine a nearby site, for research and--”
“You mean the ruins?” Donar said, astounding Jane,
“Ruins? You know where we’re going?” Jane asked,
“Yes, ruins… To the old gods…” Donar looked grave as he clutched his head, “You mustn’t go there, for it is a cursed and sacred land. Tread there, and the dead of Vahalla shall defend their last hold on Midgard!”
“How can you even believe in this stuff?” Jane asked, “Why are you so afraid?”
“If I told you,” Donar said, “You would think of me as mad,”
“Like how I’m not doing right now?” Jane said each word dripped of sarcasm, “Look, whether or not you’re going with us, we’re going to those ruins.” Donar looked at the defiant woman, and although reluctant, bowed his head,
“Fine. But whatever may transpire there, it will be your head.”
“Don’t you mean, on my head?”
“It can mean many things,” Donar said, taking his walking cane and helping guide Jane back from the forest. They met flashlights that pierced through the darkness, and Jane was met with a tackle hug by Darcy, and a warm smile from Erik,
“We’re so glad you’re okay!” Darcy said as she took a step back. She then eyed the tall, blond stranger who held onto a walking cane, “And who are you?”
“He’s Donar,” Jane said, “And he’s our new guide!” Erik and Darcy looked at each other, raising eyebrows at the strange man. Darcy thought he was handsome, in a rugged, Conan the Barbarian way. But Jane thought he was kinda grody, a true wilderness man.
Donar led the group through the muddy marsh of the forest, taking the utmost care to respect the forest around him. He spoke in another language, one Erik almost recognized,
“Ó, faðir minn, blessaðu ferðir okkar,” Donar said, one of the many sentences he muttered,
“Is that Icelandic?” Erik said, “It’s either that, or you’re an expert on Old Norse!”
“I wouldn’t know either way,” Donar said, “I don’t remember where I come from.”
“What do you mean?” Jane asked, “You just popped up one day?”
“I remember waking up on a beach, my veins were on fire as I coughed up blood,” Donar shook his head, visibly disturbed by his recollection, “I remember reaching my hand out, as though I was… calling for someone, or something…”
“What happened after?” Erik asked, “If you don’t mind me asking.”
“I woke up in the hospital. Apparently, there was some sort of poison in my system, a sort of neurotoxin. It’s what made my foot crippled,” Donar rolled up his sleeve to show two nasty, puncture scars. Almost as though a humongous snake bit into his leg. Donar smiled, however, as he remembered the memories of spending those weeks with the doctors and other patients of the hospital, “They didn’t know who I was or where I came from, but they took care of me anyways. It’s what made me volunteer as a nurse for the hospital.”
“Then what made you into Bear Grills?” Darcy asked as she offered a Dorito to Donar. He shook his hand as he chuckled,
“As time went on, I remembered certain memories of my life. I know my mother was an environmentalist, caring for the smaller things of nature. I know my father was a mean old bastard, and we never saw eye to eye.”
“Anything else?” Jane asked,
“Nothing else, just those memories…”
“Then why do you believe in trolls?” Jane asked as Donar looked gravely at her, but kept his reasons to himself,
“I rather not--”
“Trolls?” Erik said, “My grandfather told me stories filled with trolls and giants. My favorite was the one where a giant stole the hammer of the gods, Mjolnir!” Donar flinched upon hearing the name of the mythical hammer, but was unnoticed by the others,
“Millner?” Darcy said,
“No, Mjolnir! A hammer made for the thunder god, Thor!” Suddenly, a crackle of thunder boomed from the mountains. Donar looked very agitated, his leg was bothering him even more now, “He, and his father’s blood brother, Loki, went to Jotunheim to get it back. However, they disguised the thunder god as a bride-to-be, tempting the giant to reveal the hammer! And when the hammer was revealed, he--”
“Bashed their brains across the floor,” Donar said, cold as stone as his steel eyes grew darker, “Teeth flew as the guests cried out in panic. Thor leaped from foe to foe, until his once elegant, white dress picked out by his mother was crimson and torn apart. His blond beard stained red.”
“I thought Thor’s beard was red in the myths,” Erik said,
“Common misconception,” Donar said, “He has blond hair, it’s just that in battle it becomes red.” Donar then looked ahead, his stern frown looking through the darkness of the forest, “Enough talk, let’s go,” Donar said as he led the group toward the ruins.
Donar looked up at the trees, seeing a raven in the trees. It looked down at him, studying his every move as he led the scientists through the dark woods. Donar shooed the raven away, tossing a rock at the branch to scare it away. But it remained, looking down at Donar,
“Damn birds!” Donar said as he kept marching,
“I thought you liked nature,” Jane said, “What did that bird do to you?”
“They’ve done nothing but stalk me. They watch me when I walk into town. They watch me when I walk through the woods,” Donar leaned forward towards the group, “They even watch me when I try to sleep.”
“That’s… Kinda odd,” Darcy said, “Maybe they think you have food?”
“Even when I do toss out food, they don’t go for it,” Donar said, “They just keep watching me… Maybe I’m just cursed,”
“Donar, you may be the unluckiest man I’ve ever known, and the strangest too, but I don’t think you’re cursed!” Jane said, “And hey if we’re able to prove our theories with the findings from the ruins, we’ll acknowledge you in the book!”
“Oh, I appreciate that, but I’m alright,” Donar said,
“What, why?” Jane asked,
“I’m not anyone special, I don’t want fame or praise, I just wanted to help,” Donar said, pointing ahead, “We’re here.”
Below them was a valley that sunk below the nearby hills and trees, a small lake forming around a moat around a large knoll in the valley. On the large hill, protected by the moat made by natural geography, was a large temple that was constructed from stone and wood. The wood was rotted, and the stone had stretched of vines and moss growing over the temple. Around the moat was a half-constructed wall of stone, most of the stone eroded away,
“My God,” Erik said as he looked at the temple, “It must be over a thousand years old at this point, how is it still standing?”
“The valley,” Jane said, pointing at the ridge of the decline and mountains, “It’s protected from the wind by the terrain, The only thing we have to worry about is water damage, but the foundations seem to be made of stone.”
“Man, that’s a cool hill,” Darcy said, “Can’t believe how lucky these Vikings got!”
“It’s a burial mound,” Donar said, “And not all Norse people were Vikings.”
“Y’know, for an amnesiac, you have a comprehensive history of the Norse, Donar,” Erik said, “Perhaps you were a professor before you were found stranded?”
“No,” Donar said, looking at his hands, “These are not the hands of a man of philosophy… I think I was a farmer…”
“Or a warrior,” Jane said, touching the rough skin of his palms, “But, I don’t know how a gun would make your hands so calloused over,” Donar blushed as Jane’s hands were in his. Something made his heart flutter as he looked into her eyes, like finding new lands on troubling seas. He shied away, placing his hands on his walking cane as he looked at the temple,
“We need to go to the Hof,” Donar said,
“Hof?” Darcy said,
“It’s the Old Norse word for Temples of Heathenry,” Erik then smiled, “Heck, even if we don’t find the data we’re looking for, the sheer discovery of this place alone would get us on the front page of a science magazine!”
“Right now, let’s aim for the first bird before we try to strike for two birds at once,” Jane said, carefully taking the equipment down the hill as Donar trailed behind. His leg was aching more than usual, causing him to rely on his walking cane more. He looked glumly as Jane and her friends, struggled to take the heavy equipment down safely, wishing more than anything to help them.
Donar then looked as two ravens flew overhead, peering down at the humans below. Donar furrowed his brow, and his heart began to race as the sky began to rumble. He glanced behind him, and for a moment saw an old man staring at him from afar, cloaked in dark robes as he held a staff. Donar looked back again, finding nothing as the clouds loomed in the sky.
The group made it to the moat, the temple just on the other side. Across from them was a drawbridge that was lifted. Jane groaned as Erik rubbed his forehead, Darcy tapping at her chin at the drawbridge. Donar caught up to them, trying to hide his smile at the drawbridge,
“Looks like we can’t cross it,” Donar said as he looked at Jane, whose face was as sour as milk. Suddenly, running past them in a dead sprint was Darcy, who leaped from the distance and splashed into the water. Darcy then swam to the other side, approaching the dry land. Donar widened his eyes, his frown unnoticed by Jane’s and Erik’s smiles. Darcy then approached the winch of the drawbridge, lowering it for everyone else,
“Nice job, Darcy!” Jane said as she handed Darcy a towel from their emergency supplies,
“Quick, look at this!” Erik said as he picked up the Particle Detector, which was going haywire, “The amount of disturbances in the quantum field here is insane! Hell, positrons are flying around here!”
“Wait, anti-matter particles?” Jane said, “Are you sure that machines are tuned?”
“It is!” Erik said, getting more readings of particles that were so theoretical, they fizzled out of existence by the time Erik got the next reading, seeing even more particles popping in and out, “I think… I think this is the Kirby Krackle!”
“What’s that?” Donar asked,
“It’s a hypothetical phase of matter, right before it converts into pure energy!” Jane said, “The general consensus is that they only exist at the heart of stars, but… For it to appear here on Earth…” Jane looked at the temple, raising an eyebrow, “What the hell is in there?”
“We should get out of here,” Donar said, “We’ve come far, and you’ve got your readings, now we--”
“We still need to understand what’s causing the astronomical anomalies,” Jane said, “Why are you so scared?”
“Because I…” Donar looked glumly at the group, and hung his head low, “Because I went here before, months ago.”
“What?” Jane said,
“I didn’t know why!” Donar said, “It was like some tug on my mind, that this place was always on my mind. No matter where I am, I can always trace my steps back to here!” Donar said as he stared at the large doors, “I don’t know why, but I think this place was important to me when I was myself when I was whole… But…” Jane grabbed Donar’s hands,
“But what?”
“What if I don’t like who I am when I’m whole?” Donar asked, looking at his hands, “But, when I came here, there was something… moving around. Trust me, when we go in this temple, we are not alone .”
“Doesn’t look disturbed,” Erik said,
“Besides, that was months ago!” Darcy said, “It was probably some kid that wanted to scare the crap out of you!”
“And, we’ll make sure to be absolutely careful,” Jane then softly smiled at Donar, “Will you come with us, make sure we don’t get lost?”
“… Fine, but I shall lead,” Donar approached the doors once more, placing both hands on the old wood, “Remember to stick together, and stay alert.” Donar opened the doors of the temple, and they were greeted with a large hall.
The hall had a long table, surrounded by wooden chairs. At the head of the table was a stone throne, with two ravens resting on the top of the throne. Past the hall, through two doorways, was a large ritual chamber, with a stone bonfire pit at the center of the room,
“The Norse would drug themselves with hallucinogenic plants,” Erik said as he stepped into the chamber, “They would light the bonfire and dance around the flame, spinning faster and faster. The legends claim that when the warriors did this, they saw Odin dancing at the opposite side, whispering the fates of the warriors that danced with the war god.”
“Metal,” Darcy said, “Sorry, I know that’s unprofessional, but that was the most metal thing I’ve ever heard,”
“Then, when in time’s war, plague, or famine, their Gothi would orchestrate a Blot Ritual, killing either one of the livestock or a human as a sacrifice to the gods.”
“That one is cruel,” Donar said as he took in the space of the ritual chamber, “To kill someone, not in such a manner would send their soul straight to Helheim, where they shall join the army of the damned,” Donar shivered to even think of such a fate,
“So, do you believe in Odin and Thor, like, for real?” Darcy asked, “Is that your religion?”
“Not in the sense of a faith… I don’t believe that the Aesir or Vanir were gods,” Donar said, “They were people, powerful people, that fought the Jotnar here on Earth, and when… the twilight occurred, it killed them off.”
“Aesir? Vanir? The Jotnar” Darcy said, “The hell is this, Lord of the Rings ?”
“The names of the gods,” Erik said, “The Aesir were the gods of the sky. The Vanir were the gods of the Earth. The Jotnar were beings of destruction and chaos, their father Ymir being torn apart to create the world, and Surtur destined to destroy Asgard at the end of Ragnarok. The most worshipped god by the Vikings, Thor, could be argued as a result of the order of the Aesir, and the chaos of Jotnar, creating the champion of Midgard.”
“Why do you know so much about Norse Mythology?” Jane asked Erik, “I get the Amnesiac over there, but the Professor of Theoretical Physics?”
“My mother and my grandmother were from Sweden,” Erik said, “And they instilled upon me the myths of my ferocious ancestors.”
“Professor,” Donar said to the Professor alone as Jane and Darcy began to prep their supplies, “I know much about the old tales, but… Whatever happened to the gods… After Ragnarok?”
“Why so invested in these myths?” Erik asked, “It seems to take up the most space in your head. More than your own parents!”
“It’s just… They bring me comfort,” Donar said, “I can’t explain it, but they make the pains of existence a little bit more bearable,” Erik sighed, and recounted the hours of stories his grandmother would read to him when he was a little toddler,
“Well, the first thing that kicks off Ragnarok is the death of Baldur the Great,” Erik said, “With his death due to the trickery of Loki, Fimbulvinter rolled through Midgard, giving mankind three years of winter,” Donar shook his head at the terrible plight, “During the long winter, the sun and moon are eaten by the wolves, Skoll and Hati. Finally, the Jotnar will make their towards the gates of Helheim, led by Loki and Hel on the helm of Naglfar, the ship of the damned, and head their way towards Asgard.
“Heimdall shall signal the coming of the armies of Asgard’s enemies. Odin, Thor, and Freyr lead their armies of Asgardians, Fallen Midgardians, and the Elves of Svartlheim and Alfheim. The halls of Valhalla and Folkfangr are opened, the armies clashing. However, they weren’t enough.
“Odin, the all-father, is devoured by Fenrir the giant wolf. In a fit of sorrowful vengeance, Tyr, the previous owner, and friend of Fenrir slays the wolf that killed the allfather, the friends slain by each other. Freyr, lord of the elves and the summer days, shall die in a duel to the death with the fire giant and lord of Musphelheim, Surtur, scorching most of the realms in the process. Finally,” Erik said, Donar listening intently, “Thor shall fight the world serpent that wrapped itself around the bottom of Midgard’s seas, Jormungandr! The skies and seas shall clash as thunder and lightning strike the waves. Finally, as the beast bit into Thor, the Thunderer slams his hammer down upon its skull. He survives long enough to take nine steps forward, before falling over as the serpent’s poison stopped his mighty heart, his hammer laying down near him.”
“Is… Is that the fate of the gods?” Donar said, “And the Allfather knew of this?”
“Afraid so,” Erik said, “He was trying to change things at the end, recruiting as many warriors for the battle. But it wasn’t enough, and he was devoured.”
Donar shook his head, folding his arms across his chest, “All the things he has done… All the wars he caused to fill Valhalla and Folkfangr… For nothing.”
“Hey, Erik!” Jane called out, “We’re picking something up, almost like… Gravitational waves!”
“Really?” Erik said, stepping towards the fellow scientist, “If that’s the case, then that means there is something here causing the astronomical anomalies!”
“What anomalies?” Donar asked,
“Things like stars not being where they should be in the sky,” Darcy said, “Either something millions and millions of years ago moved that star over and we are now just getting the light from the event, or the light from the star is being distorted by an object with great gravity.”
“But it has to be as dense as a neutron star to make it distorted this much,” Jane said, “And if there is such an object here on Earth, why hasn’t it immediately become a black hole, sucking the whole solar system up?”
“Hmm,” Donar said, “Well if there is an object like that, where is it?”
“I’m picking up the source,” Darcy said, pointing the piece of equipment towards the ground of the ritual chamber,
“A secret chamber!” Erik said, “Of course! This burial mound must have a hidden tomb inside! Perhaps there’s a secret door, or trapdoor that leads to it!”
The scientists began to sprawl around the ritual chamber, pressing against every tile of stone. Donar looked at them all and looked at the bonfire pit in the center of the room. Donar wiped his fingers along the dusty, ashy stone, and felt an indent in the stone. He began to wipe away the dust, attracting the attention of Jane,
“Guys! Donar’s found something!” They raced over as Donar uncovered a symbol in the ground. It was eight lines, each with an intricate, unique symbol at the end of each line, which was aligned around a circle. Within the circle was a tree, with roots that sprouted out to each of the eight symbols. Erik gasped as he smiled,
“It’s the world tree, Yggdrasil!” Erik said, “Each of these runes is the symbol of the other eight realms, outside of Midgard!”
“Look,” Donar said as he pointed toward the line of Asgard, having multiple notches. Jane looked at the notches, then at the stone tiles,
“They match the floor!”
“If they match,” Darcy said, “Why are there only five notches? There’s, like, twelve in front of us!”
“Then that means…” Jane said as she went towards the fifth tile, wiping away the dust to reveal the symbol of Asgard, “That this should be the spot!” Jane pressed against the tile, pushing it down as the bonfire pit began to open. Donar, Erik, and Darcy backed up as stone tiles began to move down, creating a staircase to the hidden chamber underneath the ritual chamber,
“What’s down there?” Darcy asked Erik, seeing nothing but the darkness within its depths. Donar peered over Erik’s shoulder as the professor mused,
“It’s probably going to be filled with old bones and dust,” Erik said, “Hand me the flashlight. I’ll go in.”
“I’ll go with you,” Donar said, holding his walking cane, “Who knows what ungodly things may dwell down there.”
“Calm down. It’s probably just some rats.” Erik said as he descended with Donar, leaving Jane with Darcy,
“So…” Darcy said,
“So what?” Jane said back,
“Oh come on! The private moments, the way he looks at you, the way you look at him!” Darcy said as she leaned forward, “I think you have a crush on the guy!”
“As if!” Jane said, “Besides, you’re the one making googly eyes at him!”
“But he isn’t looking at me, Jane,” Darcy said, “He’s been only looking at you. Maybe he’s got a crush on you!”
“Well… I would like him… If he wasn’t so…”
“Crazy?”
“Yeah, exactly!” Jane said, “He’s done nothing but spout mad ramblings about myths and speak a whole different language to freaking trees! ”
“Give the guy a break!” Jane said, “He’s an amnesiac in a land with weird as-hell geography! I would think trolls exist with only seeing half the boulders here if I had amnesia!”
“I don’t know, it’s--” Suddenly, the women heard a howl into the night. Not a wolf’s howl, or even a mock howl of a human. No, it was the howl of something that neither Jane nor Darcy have ever heard. They looked at each other as there was an explosion of rock and the wall of the ritual chamber was shattered down. Jane and Darcy looked ahead they saw numerous pairs of glowing eyes, their yellow sharp teeth slathered in saliva. Panicking, they rushed down the steps of the temple, hearing the roars and curses of the creatures,
“What the hell was that!?” Darcy said as she ran with Jane down the long corridor,
“I don’t know, and I don’t care! We need to get the others and--”
“And what!?” Darcy said, “They were blocking the only way out, we’re trapped!” They took a turn of a corner and saw a light down the end of the corridor. They ran towards the light, and were glad to see Erik and Donar,
“Darcy, Jane, what’s--” Jane grabbed Erik by the shoulders,
“There’s no time, we need to get the hell out of here now! Have you found another way out?” Jane rapidly asked, looking over her shoulder as they began to hear echoes,
“What is that?” Erik said, looking over Jane’s shoulders as Donar’s face began to darken,
“This way!” Donar said, taking the flashlight and pointing it towards the hallway, running as the echoes began to catch up with them. Snarling and gnawing began to ring as the ground began to shake as though there was a stampede approaching.
Donar lagged behind, his leg throbbing in pain as he clutched onto his walking cane. He looked up to see the ceiling of the tunnels, rocky earth being held back by wooden beams. Donar took his walking stick and jammed it into the support beams of the tunnel, using all of his mortal strength to unlodge the wood. He looked ahead at the other end of the corridor, seeing glowing yellow eyes looking back at him. He grunted as he applied more pressure, but nothing was working.
Running over to his side, Jane helped Donar as they worked together. As the beam gave out, rocks began to fall on the creatures that chased them, killing most of the front runners. Donar, Jane, and the others gasped for air as the dust began to settle. However, began to see the large boulders begin to shake and move as the creatures tried to push their way. Jane shook her head as she looked over at Donar,
“What the hell is going on?” Donar got back up, clutching the wall as he kept going,
“We need to keep going. We need to find a way out,” Donar said, feeling faint as his grip loosened. Before he blacked out, he saw Jane reach out for him, worry in her eyes.
“Hurry! Barricade that door!” Those were the first words that Donar heard, his leg screeching out in pain as he snapped his eyes open. He staggered on his elbows, his spine and nerves working out as he could barely breathe. A slick layer of sweat covered his face and neck, wiping it off his brow as he struggled to keep his knee on the ground,
“W-what… What is happening?” Donar asked, his heart running a marathon. Around Donar, he saw that he and the scientist were in a chamber within the knoll of the temple, a stone door barricaded with old suits of armor, weapons, chairs, and tables, “Where are we?”
“Donar!” Jane said, running over the injured stranger as shakily got back up on his feet, “Thank God you’re awake! After the tunnel collapsed, we grabbed you and dragged you down the tunnels until finally, we ended up in this room.”
“Yeah!” Darcy said as she pointed at the giant stone door, “And that fell down as soon as we entered in here. But I am not taking any chances, those… things tore down a stone wall!” Erik sighed, looking around as he grabbed an extra chair, sat down,
“We seem to be in some sort of burial chamber,” Erik said, “My best-educated guess was that warriors of Odin would awaken once more, taking up arms to fight for Asgard,” Erik then looked at the suits of armor and weapons that blocked the stone door, “I’m sure they’ll understand in our circumstances if I remember Beowulf correctly.”
“Good,” Donar said, clutching at an axe that lay on the ground, resting the ax blade on the stone floor as he rested his weight on the pommel, “Grab weapons. If it comes to it, we must be ready!” Jane, Darcy, and Erik looked at each other and looked at the weapon pile.
Darcy tried to pick up a greatsword but almost fell over from the weight. She then picked up a shortsword, a Seaxe , and held it close. Jane picked up a spear, knowing that the oldest weapon of man must work if it lasted this long. Erik picked up two handaxes, making sure each axe was balanced enough if he had to throw them.
They ventured down to the end of the chamber, made to look like a hall for thirsty, hungry adventurers of the sea. They looked to their left and right, seeing two doors that lead out of the chamber. Donar opened the door on the left and gasped as the smell of death and dust seeped out. Inside were tombs of skeletons, each having some decayed, rotted, leathery skin. The hair of these skeletons that still have scalps or skin on their faces still had bright red and golden hair, covered in dust and cobwebs,
“Ugh…” Darcy said, feeling her stomach squirm, “They couldn’t even cover them up?”
“Why?” Donar said, “Their brethren thought they would rise again, to aid Odin in his time of need. If they covered them up, they couldn’t breathe or get up to have a feast in the honor of the Allfather.”
“I don’t know,” Erik said, pointing at the sigil around the room, “I don’t think this temple was meant for Odin.” Donar raised an eyebrow and looked around. He gasped, as all around were symbols of the same hammer, its hilt too short,
“It’s a temple… For Thor!” Donar said,
“I would make sense,” Erik said, looking at the corpses in their coffins, “Look at them. They do not have the circlets, rings, or crowns of Jarls or Kings. They are common warriors, common farmers, and common raiders. Mortals that, when they die, would not go to either Valhalla or Folkfangr.”
“Wait, I thought you said that’s where the honorable dead go!” Jane said,
“Well, as much as the Poetic and Prose Edda’s can tell us,” Erik said, “But some oral stories and poems indicate that Thor had his own hall, one for the common soldier to drink merrily till the end of the world.”
“Bilskirnir,” Donar mumbled, feeling something twinge in his heart. He then shook his head, “The Lightning Crack.”
“Cool! Sounds like a bar!” Darcy said. Suddenly, they heard a loud BOOM against the door. They looked over to see dust shuffle off the stone door. Jane yelped, hiding behind Donar as she pointed toward the burial room,
“OH, GOD!!!” The four then gasped as something began to stumble out of the room, its ghastly, gnarled, and thin body standing still as it held itself against the door frame. It cracked its neck upwards at the humans, its bright, blue eyes showing no sign of natural life. Its jaw creaked open as a chill escaped the dry, cavity-filled teeth of the shambling thing. It looked down and reached its spine through the space where it would have a stomach, shaking it back straight as it stood up straight.
The undead creature shambled towards the stone door, reaching down for a sword and helmet. Coming out of the room, more of the shambling undead moaned and creaked as their bones ground against each other, passing by the mortals as they reached for their weapons. Donar gulped as the undead warriors formed a line, pointing their blades at the barricaded stone door. Those who didn’t have weapons broke off pieces of the tables and chairs, lighting them on fire as they stared ahead, unblinking as the pounding got more intense,
“We should leave,” Donar said, pulling and tugging at the flabbergasted scientists, who had no logical way to explain how these thousand-year-old corpses are now suddenly walking again. He opened a door on the right, seeing a spiral staircase that descended deeper into the earth,
“Holy shit! This place goes deeper!?!” Darcy said, “Was this place even made by Vikings?” The scientists rushed down the spiral staircase as Donar kept pace behind them, hearing a loud CRASH echo throughout the temple, the sound of battle going on as the cracking of bones and the slashing of iron raged on.
Finally, they made it to the bottom of the staircase, seeing an iron gate that they immediately shut and locked on the staircase. They then backed away from the gate, seeing another gate that they closed down as well,
“Whoever made this place,” Jane said while gasping for air, “They were prepared!” She smiled at Darcy and Donar, and looked over at Erik, who looked behind the group with wide eyes, “Professor Selvig?” She, along with Darcy and Donar, looked behind them.
Standing still, the dust and pebbles floating around, was a hammer. The large, metal block that made the hammer was even more comically huge as the handle was too small, leaving barely any room for anyone to grasp the thing with two hands. At the end of the hammer was a strap, as though anyone would find a belt strong enough to hang the weapon off of. On the hammer, engraved with glowing, arcane words, are:
“Hver sem heldur á þessum hamri, ef hann er verðugur, skal hafa vald Þórs”
“What… Is it?” Darcy asked, slowly moving closer to the hammer, her fingers getting closer to the hilt,
“Darcy!” Jane said, “Be careful!”
“Don’t worry,” Darcy said as she wrapped her hand around the hammer, “It’s not like it’ll… What the…” Darcy yanked and pulled at the hammer, refusing to move as the archaic words glowed brighter and brighter, “What the hell! It won’t move!”
“Maybe you need some help?” Jane said, wrapping her hands around the hammer with Jane, each of them pulling in the same direction with all their strength, “Jeez! It’s heavier than a ton!”
“Or perhaps…” Erik said as he stepped forward, “It’s manipulating the gravity around it!”
“What?” Jane said,
“The astronomical anomalies, the mythical creatures…” Erik said as he looked at the hammer, touching the engraved enchantment, “This is Mjolnir!”
“Wait, the magic hammer?” Jane said, “How can a hammer--”
“I don’t know!” Erik said, “But… Something is telling me that this is the reason why the stars and weather have been acting weird, the hammer has been resting here for over a thousand years!”
“What are the words on the hammer?” Donar asked, “I can’t read it.”
“It’s old Norse,” Erik said, “You can’t read it?”
“I can speak it, for some reason,” Donar said, hesitating to touch the hammer with his hands, “What does it say?”
“Hmm, it’s a bit much, but…” Erik cleared his throat as he translated the enchantment on the hammer, “ Whosoever holds this hammer, if he is worthy, shall possess the power of… ” Erik then looked up, his eyes dawning on the hammer in a new light, backing away in righteous awe, “ Thor! ”
“So what? We’re not worthy?” Darcy said, “Who decides who’s worthy of things?”
“It doesn’t matter!” Jane said, looking around the chamber, “Look around, do you see an exit?”
“Uh…” Erik tore his eyes from the hammer, looking at the cave that had runes carved around the cave. He gulped as he looked at the sheer cave walls, “Oh no…”
Suddenly, the clanging of iron interrupted their growing fears, their fear boiling over as the snarls of the creatures echoed throughout the chamber, their clawed hands bending and breaking off the iron bars of the gate covering the staircases. Jane, Darcy, and Erik raced around, trying to see if there were any secret tunnels or buttons like last time, to escape from these horrid beings. But, alas, they found nothing.
Donar lifted his axe as the creatures broke down the first gate, barging against the iron door, flinging curses, and reaching out with their razor-sharp claws,
“We cannot flee this time, friends!” Donar said, “This time, we must fight!”
“Donar,” Jane said, waving at herself and the other scientists, “We stay inside labs all day long, with a little exercise! We’re screwed!!!”
“We must fight,” Donar said, “Otherwise, what’s the point of living?” Donar then snapped his head at an arm that failed to take a swipe at him, slamming his axe down. The beast cried out as it backed away, black blood spilling out as Donar gripped his axe, groaning as his leg acted up again, “Damn this leg!”
“AAAH!!!” Darcy screamed out, jabbing and stabbing her shortsword madly at the beings, making them flinch as they held their missing fingers, “COME ON MOTHERFUCKERS!! I WILL DESTROY YOU!!!” Donar chuckled as Jane stared in disbelief as Darcy entered a rage, unlike anything she had ever seen before. Erik then roared out, throwing one of his axes through the gates into the heads of one of the beasts. The axe lodged into its skull, causing it to wander off before collapsing. Jane shook her head, charging ahead as she entered the fray of battle.
Donar groaned and grunted as he crawled on the floor, seeing his friends fight for their lives as their iron weapons cut against the monsters. Those who weren’t killed immediately retreated back into the shadows, leaving everyone awed as the shadows began to mend their limbs back together. Donar felt his hand instinctively reach out, looking at what his hand was even reaching out for. He then saw the soft, glowing light of the words of Mjolnir, and frowned. He shouldn’t try and lift it, who is he to be worthy?
“AHH!” Jane screamed out as one of the clawed hands snatched her shirt, pulling her towards the gate. The monster pulled her towards its arms, shaking its finger as Darcy and Erik went over to swing at the monster. It chuckled and pointed towards the chain that kept the trolls back. Jane shook her head, but couldn’t say a word as the creature’s wriggly hands wrapped around her throat. Donar gritted his teeth, and grabbed the hilt of the hammer,
“Unhand her now, troll!!!” Donar screamed out, tossing Mjolnir at the troll. The hammer bashed through the gate and smashed the troll against the wall, splattering its brains against the stone wall which cracked. All around, trolls were zapped back as lighting coarse through the iron gate, electrocuting them as the smoke lifted off their bodies. They then looked up in horror as Donar stood up, reaching his hand up towards the crater.
Charging towards his hand, Mjolnir rushed to Donar’s side, reeling back from the momentum. Jane, Erik, and Darcy gasped in awe as Donar lifted the immovable object with ease in his hands, electricity crackling off the metal of the hammer, zapping at Donar’s arm. Donar then lifted the hammer in the sky, feeling lighting race through his body as he screamed toward the ceiling. Suddenly, the earth shook as a bright light shattered through the stone.
Jane rubbed at her eyelids, her eyes adjusting from the bright light that shattered the earth. She then looked up to feel a drop of water splash on her cheek, followed by more drips that came from the sky. Jane opened her eyes to see that the hill and temple that it stood upon, one surrounded by a moat, was now a smoldering crater as the ruins of the temple were laid around the valley. She then looked around,
“Darcy? Erik? Donar!?!” Jane then looked over at where Donar once stood and gasped as her heart raced. Standing tall and mighty, wearing a blue Viking tunic with the sleeves cut off, showing off his chiseled, godly muscles, was the man who once was Donar. His once scraggly, gaunt face was now a stern, watchful glare as a fiery blonde beard connected his hair while his grim frown looked across his field. Rain hit his winged helmet, wristguards, and golden greaves as his blood-red cape flapped in the wind.
Darcy and Erik pulled themselves together as Jane wordlessly stared at the electric warrior, gasping as they looked at Donar,
“Whoa! What happened to him?” Darcy asked, “He looks ripped!”
“He’s holding the hammer,” Erik said, pointing at the hammer wrapped in lightning, “He’s worthy enough to wield it, therefore, possesses the power of Thor!”
“Nay, friend,” Thor said, rubbing his head as he breathed in the statically charged air, “I remember now… This is my temple, this is my birthplace! I am Thor!”
“What?” Jane said, “But, you were Donar--”
“For over nine centuries,” Thor said, smiling gleefully as he felt the storm around him, “What felt like mere months was really almost a millennium of history! For nine hundred years, I have wandered and wandered the Earth!”
“But… But… Your leg! It was crippled!”
“I was injured, mortally wounded by my nemesis, the world serpent: Jormungandr!” Thor said as he raised his hand, thunder rolling through the mountains as he raised his hand, “But no longer! I have reclaimed my hammer, I am reborn!”
Breaking through the rubble, startling the mortals as they grabbed what remained of their weapons. The trolls snarled as they broke through the rubble of Earth, but weren’t able to scream as Thor leaped passed the humans, bashing his hammer into their skulls. Black blood and guts splattered across the floor, Thor grabbed a troll and rested his hammer on its chest, letting it slowly crush its diaphragm as he launched his fists of steel into the faces of the trolls, knocking off their jaws with ease,
“Are you no challenge for I? The Mighty Thor!?!” Thor spat at the ground, lifting his hand as Mjolnir charged toward him. He caught the hammer and smiled towards the scientists, “Jane Foster. Darcy Lewis. Erik Selvig. You have freed me from my own hubris. Without you three, I would never have learned to fight for anything but my own lust for battle!”
“But… You were the guardian of Midgard!” Erik said, “You died at the end of Ragnarok, how are you--”
“I do not know, Erik Selvig,” Thor said, “But I do know one thing: The battle is far from over,” Thor then whirled his hammer, grasping the leather strap at the end of his hammer. Thor then threw Mjolnir into the sky while keeping his grip tight as steel on the strap, being pulled away as he flew above the valley.
Thor looked down at Midgard, feeling the freedom of the air around him. He then stared down the forests, hills, and mountains, and scowled. Coming towards the temple, his temple, were more and more trolls. They held crude metal weapons and wooden clubs, ready to slam them into the nearest foe. Ready to try and fight the thunder god. Ready to tear apart his human friends. Thor lifted his hammer, his eyes flashing with electricity as he roared.
Blasting down around the valley, bolts of thunder and lightning shattered the earth, turning the packs of trolls into nothing but ashes. The trolls looked up in the sky and screeched in horror as the Thunderer returned to Midgard. One of the trolls, terrified, lifted a horn and blew with all the air in his lungs before he was reduced to ashes.
Thor turned his head to see one of the many Norwegian mountains begin to move. It lifted up and up into the air, almost piercing the sky with its head, as a giant made of shadow and rock stared down the thunder god. Thor gritted his teeth and flew toward the Troll king, thunder and lighting flashing against the dark cloud that surrounded the giant being. Jane, Darcy, and Erik hid behind the boulders and rubble, covering their ears and eyes, trying not to have their eardrums burst or go blind from the lightning.
The battle raged on as pieces of rock flew across the valley, the giant being roaring in pain as Thor smashed his hammer upon the living mountain. Thor roared and laughed, the world becoming redder and redder. Red, red, red, it was all he saw as the berserker rage consumed him. He could destroy this mountain giant, reduce his molecules into atoms and turn the lands around them all into black glass as the sea became a plain of salt! He was a god!! He was Thor!!!
But Thor then caught a glimpse from below as he flung his hammer into the giant’s shoulder. His electric eyes widened to see Jane, Darcy, and Erik cower behind the rubble and ruins of the temple in fear. Thor then looked around, seeing the forest that he whispered to for centuries burn. He looked at the mountains that he has wondered at for nearly a millennium, cracked and ruined. Thor let out a soft sob, coming out of his rage as he grabbed Mjolnir from the air. Finally, Thor let the storm zap his hammer, flinging it at the heart of the giant. With a loud, earsplitting explosion, the giant roars out in fear as it is obliterated.
The skies cleared as the rain stopped, Jane slowly opened her eyes and raised her head over the rubble. The once carefully, natural environment of the valley was now torn apart, trees and rocks blasted apart as the gravel and pebbles of the giant landed on top of a mountain. Rain poured on the forest, putting out the fires as Thor commanded the storm. Thor then descended down to the ruins of the temple, letting the storm pass as he rest his feet down and looked at his human friends,
“Oh thank God, is it over?” Darcy asked, “Wait, is it even God? Or--”
“Don’t strain thy brain, Darcy Lewis,” Thor said, approaching his friends, “Are you all alright? I… It’s been a while since I used my powers, I didn’t mean to use this much power!” Thor said as he looked at the destruction around them,
“Are you hurt?” Jane asked, which made Thor smile softly,
“I have dealt with things worst than trolls and rock giants,” Thor said, looking at the rising sun. He then gasped to see someone on the beach side, the same cloaked stranger from before. Perching on each shoulder of the cloaked man was two ravens, “Stay here, I must… Go…” Thor said, walking over toward the cloaked man. Jane raised a finger,
“Is that…”
“Yes,” Erik said, I believe it is…”
“What!?!” Darcy said, still trying to get hear over the ringing in her ears.
Thor felt his boots dig into the sand as he walked over to the cloaked stranger. The cloaked stranger smiled, his one sky-blue eye looking at the mighty warrior. Thor put his hammer on his belt, folding his arms as his cape slowly drifted with the calm wind of the sea,
“Allfather,” Thor said, slowly bowing his head,
“Odinson,” The old god said, smiling as his gray beard reached down to his chest. Thor looked at Odin’s face, seeing how his scars were still deep in his old man’s face. The one thing that will forever stick out for the memory of his father was his eyepatch, black as the feathers from his ravens, Huginn and Muninn, “So, how has your lesson over the last few centuries?”
“Lesson?” Thor said, “You trapped me in the body of a mortal! I could’ve stopped the horrors of mankind, Allfather! Stopped the ruthless conquerors and tyrants--”
“To what?” Odin said, “To gain praise? Worship?” Odin shook his head as he rubbed the wrinkles on his forehead, “When the dwarves made you that hammer, I should’ve known to place that enchantment on it in the first place!”
“Why!?!” Thor said, the wind slowly picking up, “My hammer was a weapon of Asgard, without me the giants would’ve torn down the foundations of our home!”
“It made you focus on might! You were focused on showing off to the mortals that you stuck around with your godly powers!” Odin then pondered as the ravens whispered into his ears, frowning as he looked at Thor, “Boy… My boy… I’m sorry that I have not shown you love in your childhood…”
“So?” Thor said, “It made me into a warrior!”
“But not a hero,” Odin said, leaning on his staff as he looked back at the scientists, “I needed you to learn what it feels like to live like a mortal being, to fight like hel for the people you love! Not to fight out of pride and might, but for the love and compassion of Midgard! Only then would you be worthy.” Thor scoffed, pointing towards his head,
“You didn’t have to mess with my mind!” Thor then turned away from his father, looking up at Jane Foster. He felt his heart burn with heat more intense than any bolt of lightning that he has ever tossed,
“I never messed with your heart, Thor,” Odin said, walking over to Thor’s side, “Inside you, Thor, is the mortal Donar. Now promise me, son,” Odin then lifted his hand, a ring on his finger that had runes that were unlike anything Thor saw on Earth before, knowing it only as some form of Dwarvish, “Promise that you shall keep Donar alive inside of you, and protect Midgard from the plights that have yet to come.”
“Why?” Thor said, “Ragnarok has passed, right?” Odin looked grimly at Thor, and slowly shook his head,
“The cycle must repeat,” Odin said, “It has to, until…”
“Until what?” Thor said, “Until mankind is reduced to cave-dwelling brutes who gather around fires again? Until the sun becomes red and destroys the Solar System? Until the universe ends? Until what, father!? ” Thor clenched his mighty fists, feeling his rage surge through his veins once more, “
“Until Asgard stands, son,” Odin says as he stares off into the sunrise, “Promise me, my boy. Promise me to keep your mother alive, keep the evils of man from tearing her apart,” Odin then looked over at his son, a tear going down his face, “Promise me, to protect the world that I love.”
Thor looked at his father, and at the sun. Was his father being honest? Or was he lying to Thor again, manipulating him into bashing down some mountains? Or… Maybe his father truly loves the Earth, the world his father helped made by slaying the primordial giant, Ymir. Thor, confronted with all these feelings, looked towards his father for guidance, only to see nothing there.
Thor sighed, and leaped back to Jane, Darcy, and Erik, putting careful restraint to not destroy the ground underneath him. He landed by the mortals, and showed a smile to his companions,
“My friends, I hope thy research has not been besmirched by the horrid trolls,”
“No problem, Thor!” Darcy said as she pulled the Particle Detector out of her bag,
“Darcy!” Jane said, “I thought--”
“You thought wrong! I manage to put this in my bag while we were running through the tunnels, and completely forgot about it!”
“What readings did it get?” Erik said as he huddled over Darcy’s shoulders, seeing the data they were able to obtain. However, Jane looked over at Thor, who was looking around the shattered valley,
“What’s going through that mind?” Jane asked out loud. Thor glanced at Jane, and sighed,
“I know I should help clean this up, but I wouldn’t know where to start!” Thor looked at the snapped trees, utterly flabbergasted, “I mean, how could I, a thunder god , replant a forest!”
“Start with one tree?” Jane said, shrugging her shoulders, “I don’t know, but… Maybe you’re on the right track. You want to help, you want to make a change. But… before you do… You should learn about the world a bit more.”
“Perhaps… Is the Danelaw still around?” Jane raised an eyebrow, causing Thor to shake his head, “Probably not… Oh! What of Vinland? I have heard legends and tales of Leif Erikson’s discovery of the forested lands. Are they only rumors?” Jane dropped her jaw as she chuckled,
“Wait, where do you think I’m from?” Thor raised his hand to his beard, stroking his mighty blond hair as he clicked his tongue against his teeth,
“Hmm… England? I guessed you were Christian, but--”
“No! I’m from America! Thor, there are two whole other continents across the Atlantic, filled with people!” Thor gasped and gazed at the rising sun. For across the horizon, lay the lands of America. Was it a vast, disconnected land of warlords of jarls? Or was their one high king, ruling the lands of Vinland and beyond?
“Who rules America? One of the descendants of Harald Hardrada?”
“Uh, no! Technically, the people rule the nation,” Thor looked back at the sunrise, and roared with laughter. He slapped his knees and buckled over, his merry laughter echoing across the valley,
“The people? Slaves and freemen? Farmers of the common land? I can’t believe thine words!” Jane simply reached into her pocket and pulled out a dollar bill. Thor grasped the small piece of green paper, feeling the intricate patterns as he looked at the man on the front, “George Washington?” Thor then turned the bill, his eyebrows lifted up as he looked at the pyramid looking back at him, “In God we Trust? TWO THOUSAND AND NINE!?!” Thor handed the paper back to Jane, rubbing his head, “I guess… I could do some catching up to do!”
“Jane!” Erik said, running over to the two, “I managed to get a signal, the board wants us to show our data as soon as possible!”
“Really?” Jane asked, “Why?”
“We managed to detect absurd amounts of Kirby Krackle in the area! It proves that something truly cosmic was here on Earth, distorting our gravity and fundamentally warping the laws of physics itself!” Erik then pointed at Mjolnir, “That hammer is something that proves your father’s theories, and this is the adrenaline talking here, but may get us a Nobel prize!”
“Well… It can’t be enough!” Jane said, looking at Thor, “Thor, we have to know more about that hammer, about you, about… everything! If we don’t… We can’t call ourselves scientists to not delve any deeper!”
“Nay,” Thor said, holding up his hammer, “I am sorry, Jane Foster, but I cannot come with you.”
“What!?!” Jane said, “Why!?!”
“Jane… I’m not the only god on earth…” Thor said, feeling the wind that rushed through his hair, “Out there is my friends and family, and… Only I can wake them.”
“Wait…” Darcy said as she strode over, “Why do you need to wake them up?” Thor looked glumly at his friends, and sighed,
“The cycle of Ragnarok has started once more. It may be a century, it may be a decade, it may even be tomorrow, but Ragnarok is coming,” Thor then looked up in the sky, seeing the last stars visible from the sunlight, “Earth shall be put to the test, for these Trolls are only the beginning of the tides of chaos that has yet to come,” Thor then looked at his friends, and sternly looked at them, “I swear to you all, no matter what may come our way, I shall make sure Midgard survives Ragnarok, and that man shall be spared! Farewell!” Thor then grabbed his hammer and grabbed onto the strap as he threw it, flying into the cloudy skies.
Jane slowly shook her head, looking at Darcy who just shrugged her shoulders. Suddenly, lightning crackled in the sky, landing on the beach. Jane looked over, and written in the sand was black glass, that said,
“When I have acquired a ‘Telephone,’ I shall call upon you, Jane Foster…” Jane blushed heavily as Darcy pumped her fist in the air. Erik, confused, recorded the sudden weather anomaly, to prove that the dawn of the gods is upon humanity.
Rain poured on Newfoundland, and Canadian and Englishmen gathered inside their pubs and bars, drinking as the sky poured. Inside were many bar regulars, drinking to memories long forgotten inside The Ash Lad . The bartender looked around the bar, looking as though he were an Irishman.
In front of the bartender was one of his regulars. A tall, pale man with hair as black as night. He always ordered a pint of Guinness every time, and every time the bartender would give out a drink. He never said a word, for why waste breath on words that would not matter?
To the left of the bartender was a beautiful regular, a tall man with golden locks of hair. He ordered two shots of whiskey, one for him and one for which lady he took out that night. His laughter was merry, and his feet were always dancing. But, no matter how many women he lay with, none could fill the hole in his heart.
To the right of the bartender was a large, stout, fat man. His fiery red hair was laid about as he ordered two pints of dark ale at a time, along with a basket of chicken tenders and fries. No matter how much food the stout man shoved in his maw, he always had more room. In times when he wasn’t eating or drinking, he was drunkenly rambling about some imaginary battle.
Suddenly, the door to the pub opened, and cold wet air rushed throughout the bar. However, none of the patrons looked up as Thor walked in. The blond warrior raised an eyebrow and peered across the room. None were looking at him except, of course, the bartender. The bartender did nothing to hide his wiry smile, and prepared a pint of beer,
“ Tropicália , stranger?” The bartender said, “I believe it will satisfy your tastebuds!” Thor furrowed his eyebrows, folding his arms as he looked at the drink, “Oh come on, it’s not roofied or poisoned!”
“Stop this charade, Loki ,” The utterance of that name caused the tavern to flicker, the bartender’s image flickering along with it, “I’ve come on business of the Allfather, come out trickster!”
“Thor,” The bartender said, raising the glass to the thunder god, his image flickering away. Standing in front of the thunderer was a younger-looking man, no hair on his face as his pointed ears were covered by hot, fiery locks of hair, wearing dark red and yellow cloth in the fashion of a jester, “Let’s talk, old friend!”
Loki jumped over the bar, snapping his fingers as he set up a table for him and Thor. The Thunderer sipped the glass of beer, remarking how delicious the flavor is while detecting no poisons or enchantments,
“It’s nice, right? Who knew these mortals could create such fine ales and mead?” Loki said as he leaned back in his chair, setting his boots on the table, “Of course, they pale in comparison to the meads and ales of Asgard--”
“Don’t you DARE say that name!” Thor said as he smashed the glass onto the floor. Loki chuckled, his toothy grin flashing like a flame, “You are a traitor, a villainous liar, and a murderer !”
“Okay, first: I am a god of trickery and lies, it’s in the title. Two: villainous is such an abstract and relative word. And three: I wasn’t the one who threw the arrow of mistletoe at Baldur, that was Hothr!”
“But you gave him the arrow! You caused Ragnarok, and you led the armies of giants and the damned dead to our doorstep!”
“After you, Odin, and the rest of the Asgardians imprisoned my children, and bound me in the intestines of my sons! My wife, Sigyn, went mad trying to keep the acidic venom of the snake that you hanged above me from burning me! If anyone should tear apart Asgard, why shouldn’t I!?! ”
“Your children were hellspawn!” Thor said, feeling an old ache in his leg, “Fenrir, that monstrous wolf, could eat the sun, moon, and Midgard, but was fated to eat the Allfather!”
“He would’ve been a valuable ally if the Allfather hadn’t locked him away!”
“Jormungandr, that vicious serpent, was going to flood all of Midgard in the battle of Ragnarok! I had to slay the beast, only for it to slay me!”
“You’ve always wanted to kill the world serpent!” Loki said, the fires around them growing hotter, “You tried to yank it out of the sea, to hit it with that damned hammer of yours!”
“And let’s not forget your horrid daughter, Hela!” Thor spat out, the golden thunderbolts above his eyes arching as he looked into Loki’s fiery eyes, “She is the one assembling the damned army, she is the one who wields the mists of Niflheim!”
“She was banished by Odin for seeing only her appearance!” Loki said, remembering his daughter’s tears, wiping them away from her gaunt, pale cheeks, “No one could look at her, so he banished her away! A little girl, Thor! My little girl!” Loki stood up, fire emanating from his hands. He then closed his hands, and blew a breath of smoke from his lungs, “But, that was in the past. We are in a new cycle, Thor!”
“And what? Am I to forget your misdeeds?”
“You already forgot your bindings, Thor, why shouldn’t I assume?”
“My bindings?” Thor said,
“I know what lies in your heart, Thor! The love for a mortal?” Loki snickered as he tapped his sharp fingers together, “What would your wife and the mother of your children, Sif, think of that?”
“Sif!?” Thor said, his brain blasting him with numerous images of the golden-haired warrior he was smitten with long ago, “Loki, you--”
“Ah, ah, ah, I had nothing to do with this,” Loki said as he wagged his finger, pointing it at the warrior, “You’re the one who was almost smooching that girl, saying that you’ll call her! I was here, tending to my patrons!”
“Yeah, about that,” Thor said with a scowl, lifting his hammer at the three patrons at the bar, who began to look back over their shoulders, “ Fandral . Volstagg . Hogun . AWAKEN!!! ” With a neon light, Mjolnir glowed as the three men at the bar began to magically shift. The quiet, pale man stood with dark horns on his helm, his swords on his side. The gorgeous, blond man stepped forward clad in green leather, readying his bow and arrow. The stout man jumped out of his seat, his large red armor clanging against his great axe,
“No, no, no, no!” Loki said as he backed away, “You… You aren’t supposed to do that!”
“Thor?” Fandral said, shaking his head, “What is happening?”
“I shall explain soon, my friends, but first we must deal with a trickster!” The Warrior’s Three knew right then and there, that this was connected to Loki, and scowled as they blocked the exit. Loki looked at the four mighty warriors, and frowned,
“You know, Thor, we could’ve been friends again,” Loki said as he folded his hands behind his back, slowly backing up, “Have adventures in Jotunheim, get drunk in Alfheim even!”
“Those days have passed, weaver of plots!” Thor said as he patted his hammer, “Now, be still!” Loki then closed his eyes and grinned.
Loki rushed forward, smoke coming off him as two more Loki's rushed along him. Next to those Loki's were more Loki's, who had more Loki's that had Loki's next to them as well. They all laughed with glee as they all transmuted into different animals. Salmon flew in the air, wolves snarled and howled, horses neighed and galloped, and snakes slithered and hissed as they all made for the door.
The Warrior’s Three let's lose firing arrows and flinging daggers in the air as Volstagg twirled on the floor, swinging his axe around and around. One after another, the ash copies fell apart as they tried to outmaneuver the warriors. Finally, Thor smashed his hammer on the floor, thinking he smashed Loki as a snake. But they then looked out the door, seeing a wolf running into the woods, the copies all falling apart,
“Damn! That trickster could be anywhere and anything by the time we enter those woods!” Hogun said,
“Ah, let the coward run!” Volstagg said as he walked behind the bar, grabbing barrels of ale, “Let’s celebrate our reawakening!” Thor smiled as he grabbed a barrel, looking at the people who looked confused,
“Peoples of Midgard! I am Thor, and with me are the Warrior’s Three!” The warriors cheered as Thor addressed the people, “We have freed you from the ensnaring enchantments of Loki, and you are now free! As such, we shall take the beer, for we are thirsty gods who shall bless this village! Fair thee well!” Thor then walked out of the pub and raised his hammer into the sky.
Descending from the sky through the clouds, was a floating castle that touched the top of the ocean. The Warrior’s Three rushed into the halls of Bilskinir as Thor pondered where to place such a mighty fortress, one of the last remnants of Asgard! He just rested his mind and looked out into the ocean, and smiled at his mother. He then cracked his hammer on the stone of the castle, the entire structure vanishing without a trace to the small town in Quebec. But looking up in the sky, many could see a large rainbow going nowhere, towards the stars.