Asgard burned brightly as the war entered into the birth stage. Odin, the Allfather, stood in his throne-room and sighed. Behind him stood his sons, Thor the God of Thunder and Loki, the Trickster God. With them was Sif, the fiercest warrior of the Gods and Týr, the almost self-proclaimed God of War.

"Father, Asgard burns! What action do we take?!"

"Have silence, Thor! We do not have knowledge of our enemies!"

"But we do, Allfather. Volstagg saw the first warrior enter. They were demons!" Sif proclaimed.

"Who dares bring demons to Asgard?!"

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An ancient evil stirred in the deepest pits of Hell. It had lost any form of physical embodiment, but had so very recently been given a vessel, an empty body with which it could roam the land again. Its fingers hold the keys to destruction once again.

It could bring with it dread, for it was alive again. Dormammu was alive again.

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The 'demons' Sif referred to were man sized red beings, with curled horns like a Ram and black soulless eyes. They all carried golden swords, and wore leathers across their chests. They had a high-pitched chilling screech to them.

"Allfather, they come for you!"

"How did they enter Asgard?!"

Another figure, in golden armour, limped in.

"I can explain that." He said.

"Heimdall, you are injured!"

"Thou fret too much. A mere flesh wound. They said but one word when I was overcome."

"Repeat it."

"Dormammu."

Odin knew the significance of the word quite clearly.

"What is it father?"

"I have brought this war to Asgard. I have allowed the past to be reborn."

"How? How father?"

"I am the one who gave Dormammu to his prison."

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Eons ago

Odin had brought the essence of dread to the pits of Hell, the realm of Mephisto. The Prince of Flames sat proud atop his throne of bones, a goblet of dark oily liquid grasped in his clawed right hand. His brash, red hair wavered into the air like the flames that surrounded him. His eyes, two white fogs, reflected nothing but the coldness of his heart.

"The Crown Brain of Asgard enters the darkness. Pray tell, what despair has dragged you to me?"

Odin sighed, his hand on his sword and his other holding the orb.

"Mephisto, thou hast the power to hold back evil. I have brought thou evil."

"Not so simply done. I require payment, a soul for an essence!"

"I bring you the soul you strive for."

"You mean?"

"The dragon of the skies. The skies beyond."

Odin reached for his pocket and removed a scaly, green stone. He handed the orb and stone over, and turned.

"Oh, Odin."

He turned.

"Damn the Gods."

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Thor nodded once the story was over, while Loki sighed.

"Father, I suggest we use the Destroyer-"

"No Loki! We have hidden it in the Destroyer! We cannot let them-"

"Then send out the hordes of Valhalla!"

"Loki, you may create soldiers of illusion. Thor, summon a storm, Sif and Týr must join the fight. Heimdall, you are injured. You must enter the inner chambers, you shall be safe there."

"And you, Allfather?"

"I shall face my demons, my son."

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Thor walked with Loki.

"I do not trust Heimdall."

"Why Loki? He has served well for many-"

"He has served, but he may also have betrayed. For all we know, he released those demons on us!"

"Loki, you doubt your senses!"

"And you doubt yours!"

"I am your brother!"

"You are not!"

There was a silence. Loki sighed and looked around.

"Father...Odin, revealed to me the truth months ago. I was the son of a Frost Giant slaughtered in battle. Odin found me within a basket, and raised me with you. I am your brother, but only in the sense of war."

He skulked away. Thor heard a shuffle, and turned to see a demon approaching. He spun his hammer, Mjolnir, a stone head on a short leather-covered handle, and flung it towards the demon. It shot through the horned head, spraying blood out onto the halls and walls. The demln fell, while the hammer shot back to Thor. He followed Loki, and walked in to find the Destroyer. It vanished in blue light, and Loki laughed.

"Loki, why do you do this?!"

"Because he was right. We must not allow the cube to be taken!"

"But now we are surely doomed!"