Earth-717: Thor Vol 2

Chapter 10: Castle in the Sky

Having heard Jane's screams, Heimdall ran up the stairs and unsheathed his sword. He kicked down the door to the observatory chamber, and found only Loki inside. Heimdall held his sword with both hands and glared at Loki.

"Where is Jane Foster?!"

"You really should be more attentive to those who are left in your charge," said Loki. "To think, what would Thor say, knowing that you lost his little girlfriend?"

Heimdall stepped closer, keeping his weapon at the ready.

"I always knew you were scheming against your brother, but I could never act until now. If you have some dark design, or a part in all of this madness . . . ."

"What will you do?"

"I am pledged to defend Asgard and its people from all threats, including those that come from within. I ask you again. Where is Jane Foster?"

"Oh, she is far beyond your help. Perrikus has her now."

Heimdall shouted and lunged for Loki, but at the same moment, Kurse burst into the room, smashing the doors off their hinges. Heimdall was completely caught by surprise, with the bestial Dark Elf charging into him and goring him with his tusks. Kurse slammed Heimdall into the wall, but the Asgardian managed to kick off his attacker.

Amora casually walked inside, watching the battle with satisfaction. Heimdall slashed Kurse with his sword, but the Dark Elf's armour and skin was far too durable. Kurse punched Heimdall in the chest, knocking the wind out of him. Kurse then lifted him with both hands before savagely bringing his body down on his knee, audibly snapping several of his bones.

Heimdall shouted in pain as his body hit the ground. Loki smirked before kicking him in the chest. Heimdall coughed blood onto the floor.

"Pick him up," said Loki.

Kurse looked at Amora, who nodded. The Dark Elf grabbed Heimdall and slung him over his shoulder, before grabbing the Mirror of Mysolljh with his free hand. Together, the three villains returned to Odin's chambers, where two Einherjar were guarding the doors. Amora held out her hands, enshrouding their minds with green mist that instantly put them into a catatonic state.

Loki opened the doors to find Frigga at Odin's bedside, holding his hand through the flickering golden aura that surrounded his body. She felt her breath get caught in her chest as Loki, Amora and Kurse entered the room.

"What is this?" asked Frigga.

"I'm sorry, Mother," said Loki. "I wanted to pull away, but I couldn't resist."

Frigga gulped as she looked at Kurse, who dropped Heimdall on the floor. She rushed over to him and placed her hands on his chest.

"My Queen . . . ."

Heimdall groaned and lost consciousness. Frigga glared up at the villains.

"You can still do what's right," she said. "I know you can."

Loki picked up his sceptre, which was hanging on the wall. He twirled it around and aimed it at the door. He fired a magic blast that covered it in a thick sheet of ice before turning back to Frigga.

"I can't," said Loki. "It's far too late. All I can do now is watch my vengeance unfold."

"Put me down, you big, dumb, ridiculously over-designed garbage can!"

If Perrikus was annoyed by Jane's ramblings, he did not show it. He carried her into his grand hall, where she saw what he had accomplished after regaining his power. The Shadow Orb was spinning on its pedestal in the centre of the room, while dark blue capsules of magical energy held seven people of various species in a circle around the pedestal.

Jane blinked as she looked at the various people. They were all being kept in a form of stasis, each one unconscious. There was a Light Elf, a Dark Elf, a Dwarf, a Vanir, a Frost Giant, a Fire Demon and an Undead Soul amongst the roster, although Jane herself did not recognize every single one. Perrikus walked to a gap in the circle.

Perrikus moved his free hand in a rhythmic pattern over the Shadow Orb, drawing out some magical energy from it. He generated an eighth and final magical capsule, and then sealed her inside of it. She thought about shouting and pounding her fists against her confinement, but she knew there was no chance of escape.

"Okay, I'll ask the obvious question. What's with the collection? You startin' an art gallery?"

"You are the final sacrifice that is required to cast my divine spell and fulfil my final purpose. A single descendant of each realm, to channel my energy through the Shadow Orb. One hundred thousand years ago, before I was condemned to this purgatory, I sought to remake the universe. To draw from Yggdrasil's cosmic power and reshape the Nine Realms into a single domain. I was destined for greatness, and it was stolen from me."

"Ah, I get it. Another one of those 'I was supposed to rule it all!' types, huh? Man, you guys just pop up everywhere, don't you?"

"My purgatory will now consume the universe. Everything that once was shall be restored to nothingness. The only thing left in the cosmos . . . . will be me."

Jane weakly chuckled. Streams of dark energy from the Shadow Orb latched onto the capsules.

"Oh. Great."

Perrikus and Jane both looked up as a green portal suddenly appeared just outside the front of the castle. It was a swirling circle of energy, with a clear window to another world at the centre. Thor stepped through the portal first, followed by Sif, Faradei and Verden. The four heroes held their weapons at the ready, only to all give pause when they saw Jane in her capsule.

She awkwardly waved at them.

"Hey guys! Small universe, huh? Can I get a save?"

"Jane!" shouted Thor. "How did you . . . .?"

"Odinson," said Perrikus, turning towards his great-grandnephew. "The last defender of the false line. Has the All-Father succumbed to his wounds?"

"He won't," said Thor. "But you will."

Perrikus took a step forward.

"This timeline is unjust. My rule was true, and it was taken from me. My children were never born. You are the illegitimate product of my dethroning."

"No. You were cast aside for abusing your power. For betraying your people, your own brother! Any king who was vile enough to force Surtur to unite with Asgard deserved to be brought down."

"And you believe you can bring about my end? You may be a god, but I am a true eternal. Bound to the realm between realms, clad only in darkness. Nothing can pierce my resolve. My form is indestructible. My will is irrevocable. My purpose is . . . ."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," said Jane, making a time out gesture with her hands. "Okay, can I, uh, can I call time for a second? Gonna cut the evil monologue short. End of the universe spell goin' on here, and we should probably wrap this up. Especially cause, Perrikus, sweetie, you don't really have a personality. Thor, kick his ass already!"

"Gladly!"

Thor leaped forward, holding his hammer over his head. Perrikus formed swirls of energy in both palms. The two Asgardians charged for each other, ready to battle for the fate of the cosmos.

Loki clenched his fists as he watched Thor and his allies battle Perrikus through the Mirror of Mysolljh. Kurse had placed the Mirror against the back wall of Odin's chamber, and everyone still conscious was watching the battle unfold. Kurse stood behind Frigga, ensuring she wouldn't move. Amora, her arms crossed over her chest, leaned against the bed.

Loki sneered as Thor smashed Perrikus in the side of his helmet with Mjolnir.

Frigga shook her head.

"Is this truly what you wanted, my son?"

"I'M NOT YOUR SON!" shouted Loki, snapping around and pointing a finger at his mother.

"You think you have such venom in your heart that you deny who you are," said Frigga. "What are you truly wishing for? The destruction of all who care for you? Even now your resolve wavers, but you'd rather see everything fall than admit you made a mistake."

"SHUT UP!"

Loki screamed as he wildly flung his sceptre, firing a laser blast from the jewel against the wall, searing part of the wall. Kurse softly growled, eyeing Loki as if he were a feral beast. Amora pursed her lips, clearly unimpressed with Loki's tantrum.

"He took everything from me," said Loki, staring at Thor through the mirror.

"He loves you."

"He stole my throne."

"He would give it to you in a heartbeat if you asked."

"He killed the woman I loved."

"He tried to save her. It wasn't his fault. None of this is his fault."

Loki sighed.

"You know I'm right," said Frigga. "You could end all this now. Don't let your rage at losing the family you never knew tear apart the family who have always cared for you."

Loki looked over his shoulder.

"You always saw more good in me than there is," he said.

He saw the heartbreak in Frigga's eyes.

"Yeah! Hit him again! But really hard this time! No, wait . . . .!"

Thor was blasted back by another energy attack by Perrikus, sending him crashing against one of the castle walls. Jane winced and placed her hands over her mouth.

"Okay, not like that . . . ."

Perrikus was unable to use Thor's incapacitation to his advantage because he was subsequently barraged by magically imbued gunshots and arrows from Verden and Faradei, while also besieged by a an jumping attack from Sif. Her sword also charged with Verden's magic energy, Sif slashed across Perrikus' chest, finally dealing explosive damage that managed to put a crack in his armour.

"UGH!"

"Indestructible?" said Sif. "I don't think so."

Perrikus tried to strike Sif, but she deflected his attack with her shield before bashing him with it, causing him to stumble backwards. Faradei leaped at him from behind, his daggers ablaze with green flame, and carved two tears into his back plate. Perrikus shook side to side, but was unable to throw Faradei off before vaulted Verden upward with her shield, launching him towards the villain and allowing him to unload a double magical revolver blast into his face.

"Yeah, yeah! More of that!" said Jane.

Perrikus roared as a maelstrom of purple energy formed around him, slashing at the heroes and forcing them away from him. He then fired off a series of blue electricity blasts, leaving them all crumpled on the floor. Before he could overwhelm them, Thor flew into the villain, crashing into his side and pinning him against the wall.

Thor wailed on Perrikus with his hammer, blood flowing down his face, his words punctuating every blow.

"You! Are! No! King! You! Are! Not! Worthy!"

The eighth and final hammer strike hit Perrikus with enough force to break the wall, and segments of the castle started to fall apart as the Dark God was blown out onto one of the balconies. Thor trudged over to him, watching Perrikus as he wobbled trying to push himself off the floor. Thor groaned and held his side, his wounds from the Dark God's attacks draining his vitality.

"You posture, but you weaken, God of Thunder. Strike me with all your rage, but it shall not avail you. We are in my domain. You shall crumble, and my spell will be complete."

"You fight without honour," said Thor. "You fight for nothing but yourself."

Perrikus got back to his feet.

"Do you not do the same? You fight for your future, for your world, for your throne. I am only doing the same as you."

"You have no idea what I fight for."

"Then tell me, my nephew. If not your kingdom, if not your duty, if not your life, then why do you raise your sword against mine?"

"Because you threaten something you could never understand," said Thor, pointing his hammer at Perrikus. "You threaten everyone I love."

"The shield maiden? Your father?"

Thor narrowed his eyes.

"No. Not them. Someone else. The one your heart craves most of all."

Electricity lashed around Mjolnir.

"The mortal."

A beam of electricity fired out of Thor's hammer, but was countered by a dark energy beam emitting from Perrikus' hand. The two beams crashed against each other, but Perrikus doubled up with his other hand, his power growing as Thor's faded. Jane pounded against the capsule with her fists, watching in vain as Thor desperately held onto Mjolnir's handle with both hands, his muscles struggling to maintain their composure.

"You will die with her."

Perrikus' beam reached Mjolnir, the beam subsequently collapsing into an explosion of energy that sent Thor flying back into the centre chamber. He smashed into the floor, his body tearing up the tiles as he slid along it. Thor looked around at his allies, but they were all still struggling to stay conscious. Jane cried out to him, but was unable to do anything.

"Thor! Come on, get up!"

Jane sobbed. Thor gasped for air as he felt blood pooling around him.

"THOR! PLEASE!"

Perrikus marched towards Thor, energy swirling in his hands again.

"And so ends the reign of Odin's son . . . ."

Suddenly, Perrikus arched his back and let out a horrifying scream, as if his entire body was igniting with agony. Thor and Jane both looked at the centre pedestal, where a sceptre was piercing the Shadow Orb.

A sceptre held by Loki.

Perrikus turned his head to look at Loki, who glared back at him.

"He's not Odin's only son," said Loki.

Loki tore the sceptre out of the cracked orb, and Perrikus fell to his knees. The magical capsules collapsed, the Shadow Orb's energy streams faded, and all the sacrifices fell to the ground. Immediately regaining consciousness, most of them ran for the green portal formed by the Shadow Runes, but Jane ran for Thor. She cradled his broken form, wiping blood off of his face.

"Is it over?" he asked.

"Yes," said Jane, smiling with the tears. "It's over."

"Are you out of danger?"

"I think so."

"Then we won."

Sif, Faradei and Verden all got up, and surrounded Thor. All of them were shocked at how damaged Thor looked.

"But are you okay?" asked Jane.

"I don't know. I feel . . . . I . . . ."

Loki stepped into Thor's view.

"Brother. You saved us."

"I saved you."

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet. We have much to discuss."