Chapter 10 – The Ballad of Beta Ray Bill
Avengers Mansion
"And you are who again?" Iron Man asked a well-dressed man, Iron Man had just arrived from the meeting he had with his company's board of directors.
"Mr. Shinzou, please listen…" The man said.
"Whoa, how did you know my name if I am wearing my helmet?" Iron Man asked surprised.
"I am from S.H.I.E.L.D, we know everything. I was sent by Nikolas Fury to ask for the hammer wielding avenger." The Agent said.
"You want Thor? Are you sure he doesn't us to be part of his looney bin?" Iron Man asked.
"No, he is not that kind of man until you mess up." He said smiling. "Is Thor around?"
"Well, I haven't seen him for a while." Iron Man responded, Korra had walked down from her guest bedroom and saw Iron Man standing in-front of the main doors.
"Kuro, you are here? I need to tell you…who's that?" Korra asked when she saw the well-dressed man on the other side.
"I am Agent Koul-son of S.H.I.E.L.D." The man said. "Avatar, you surely have seen Thor."
"No, I haven't." Korra answered when a portal opened behind them, out of it came down a man with a long red cape and a mighty hammer.
"Ho Avengers! Ho Butler! Thor has arrived!" Thor cheered.
"Thor, I need to talk to you." Korra said as she approached Thor.
"Actually, I need to…" Koul-son was about to say.
"No, I need to talk to him first." Korra seriously said.
"Okay." Koul-son responded.
"Don't get mad, she is like that." Iron Man said. "So…who is this Fury character?"
Korra brought Thor upstairs; they stopped in the hallway to the rooms.
"What is it, Korra?" Thor asked.
"Remember when you told me that I was called by the council this morning?" Korra said.
"Aye, what happened?" Thor once again asked.
"Well, in the council chamber I met this guy called Doctor Doom, ruler of Lutvia, he said he wants your power." Korra said.
"Mine power? That is impossible, but this man clearly sounds serious." Thor said.
"He is, and he reminded me of…" Korra was about to finish her sentence when…
"Thor, the good agent needs to you!" Iron Man said from the main entrance.
"I am going, Korra do not worry, I am Thor Odinson, and nothing wrong is going to happen to me and most importantly you" Thor said as he grabbed her arms and looked at her in the eyes. Then he left to answer the Agent's call, leaving a still worried Korra alone.
"What is it thou need agent, for Thor has left important matters for this." Thor asked the agent.
"Well, some of our people have seen an unidentified craft outside the atmosphere of the planet and we thought that the only person to investigate what is going up there is you." Agent Koul-son said.
"Indeed, I shall see what it is." Thor said as he stepped outside the doors and swung his hammer upward to the sky.
"Wow…" Koul-son said.
"Yep, that's Thor." Iron Man said.
Earth's Atmosphere
Thor wasn't new to being out of the Earth's atmosphere, but something was happening. When Thor got high up into the heavens he saw a ship drifting, orbiting the planet. Thor thought that whoever occupied the extra-terrestrial ship might be in trouble so he swung his hammer towards it. When Thor arrived on the hull of the ship, he found a sealed bay door; he easily opened it with his arms. The Thunder God dropped down into the hallways of the ship, metal surrounded the God of Thunder.
"What an unusual way to construct a vessel." Thor said as he aimlessly wondered through the metal hallways, and then he found a big room full of dead individuals, aliens and…fire demons!
"What in Odin's name?!" Thor said surprised when someone landed a punch on the back of his head, knocking him to the ground, who could have such strength aside from the Hulk to actually damage the Thunder God? "Who dares to strike the Son of Odin?"
A tall figure, cladded in red and white armor approached Thor, its face was one that resembled that of a horse, an animal native to Asgard, but its eyes were white as if no life were in them. Thor has never seen such creature in any of the accessible eight worlds.
"Demon, you shall not endanger anyone else again!" The creature yelled as it hit Thor with its armor cladded boot. Thor was knocked away by the force of the strike and Mjolnir fell of his hand, something that has rarely happened before.
"Od's Blood!" Thor said as he rubbed his head, his helmet had been broken into pieces from the blow of the strike. Thor stood up, and then saw that the creature leaned to grab Mjolnir, and so it did. The power of the Thunder God flowed through the creature's body.
"Is this your weapon demon? I will use it and its power to vanquish all those who have done wrong to my people!" The creature yelled as it raised Mjolnir high. "I am Beta Ray Bill, champion of the Kornobites!"
"Ymir's Skull…Mjolnir has never deemed none worthy aside from father and I…but this creature…" Thor said but then was hit by his own power as lightning struck him. Then Beta Ray Bill was again enveloped in awesome power, his armor suit was now replaced by replica of Thor's garb but different in some parts.
"This power…" Beta Ray Bill said as he looked at Mjolnir. Then a mighty voice was heard, it echoed across the ship.
"SON, RETURN TO ASGARD." The voice said as it teleported the wielder of the hammer of the gods back to realm eternal, leaving an unconscious Thor alone in the derelict alien ship.
Avengers Mansion
"Alright Korra, what is it you want me to hear about?" Iron Man asked as he took his helmet off and placed it to his side.
"This guy, Doctor Doom, wants the divine power of Thor to rule the world." Korra said.
"Doom?" Kuro asked.
"It's that creep with the armor." Jan said.
"Jan, don't be mean to Kuro." Hang said all the way from his lab, Jan giggled.
"Ha ha, I do know who this guy is; I just can't believe that he just straight up told you. He is well known for being cryptic." Kuro said.
"Well he did and you will have to deal with it." Korra said as she crossed her arms.
"Okay, what else did he tell you?" Kuro asked, now he was a little more into this Doom guy.
"Well…he said that I was the key to Thor's heart." Korra answered.
"That's not good." Kuro said.
"What? What do you mean?" Korra asked as she saw Kuro stand up.
"It means that if he ever wants to steal Thor's godly power, which I think is impossible to do, he will go after you." Iron Man said. "Jan, Hang take your positions, we might be in for a party."
The couple moved, they prepared themselves for anything.
"How can you be sure that he will attack?" Korra asked she followed Iron Man to the main floor.
"Doom is someone who wants power, and fast. He might be coming as we talk." Iron Man responded.
Asgard, the Realm Eternal
"You are not THOR!" Sif yelled as she took her sword out. The Warriors Three and Balder the Brave attacked the one who impersonated the God of Thunder. They all attacked, but Beta Ray Bill easily pushed all of them away. Balder was the only one who resisted the attack by making a hard light shield with his divine power as the God of Light. But he too was blasted away by the power of the Thunder God.
"You!" Beta Ray Bill yelled as he pointed Mjolnir at a watchful Odin who sat on his mighty throne. "Demon King, you shall pay for your crimes, and this mighty mallet of power shall be your death!"
Beta Ray Bill threw Mjolnir with great force at the All-Father, but with a wave of his hand, One-Eyed Odin stopped the hammer's trajectory.
"How?!" Beta Ray Bill said.
"Mjolnir is mine; it shall never strike its master." Odin said as he stood up and grabbed Mjolnir. "I called the hammer back to Asgard, thinking that my son would be here, but who art thee?"
"I am Beta Ray Bill, and I don't need a mallet to strike you down!" Bill yelled as he dashed at Odin, but he was easily stopped on his tracks. "What is this power?!"
Then Thor appeared out of nothing, he was teleported by Odin back to Asgard. The others stood up, still shaken by the strikes of Mjolnir.
"Father…" Thor said once he saw All-Father Odin keeping Beta Ray Bill at bay.
"My son." Odin said as he looked at Thor.
"Father? Son? You called yourselves in those names with soft voices not sounding like the demons I seen." Beta Ray Bill said. "But…your aura is so similar."
"Beta Ray Bill, who art you?" Thor asked the alien.
"I am the chosen champion of the Kornobite race; I am half-biological and half-machine, the best of my kin. I was chosen to defend my people from a race of demons, demons who destroyed our world." Beta Ray Bill revealed.
"Demons? Father does that mean?" Thor said.
"That would explain why you see that our auras are similar to these demons, they are Surtur's minions." Odin said.
"I do not know who this Surtur is, but he will pay for what he has done and that hammer is the only thing that gives my people a chance to survive. I am just but one against many since my ship, The Skuttlebutt, is just a reconnaissance vessel and not a warship." Beta Ray Bill said.
"If Mjolnir gives your people to survive and life…then take it." Thor said.
"No, Mjolnir is Thor's and Thor's only." Odin said. "I have seen great nobility in you, Beta Ray Bill, you have proven yourself by lifting Mjolnir and using its power in the right way, for you, I have something special in mind."
Undisclosed Location
"I believe it's time for you to get your revenge." Loki said.
"I thank thee and Lord Hades for this opportunity." A man wearing a dark armor that had wings and wore a horned helmet said.
"But this time you won't be alone." Loki said.
"What?" The man said.
"Rhadamanthus!" A voice was heard behind him.
"Aiacos and Minos!" Rhadamanthus said with surprise. "The other two judges of the Underworld!" Two men in dark heavy armor stood on the darkness, their aura pulsating with infernal energies.
"We have been summoned to aid thee." Aiacos said.
"And more importantly, to bring Hercules and his friends' heads on a golden platter to Lord Hades." Minos said.
"The Three Judges of Hell, Rhadamanthus The Wyvern, Aiacos The Garuda and Minos The Gryphon, go and kill our enemies." Loki said.
"We will do so." Rhadamanthus said.
Asgard, the Realm Eternal
"For you, a weapon worthy to a god." Odin said as he held a golden hammer, it glowed with awesome cosmic power. "Forged from the very same mold that gave birth to Mjolnir, the hammer of the gods, blessed with the Odinpower, I thereby baptize this hammer with the name of STORMBREAKER."
Beta Ray Bill kneeled before All-Father Odin; he accepted the gift that Odin had bestowed upon him, a gift that would save his race from extinction.
"Thank you, All-Father Odin, thank you for such gift." Beta Ray Bill said.
"Stand up; noble warrior of the stars, for Thor wants to speak with thee." Odin said and Bill stood and faced Thor.
"Bill, never have I seen someone of such bravery and chivalry that has rivaled those of Asgard's. I would be honored if you were my oath brother." Thor said as he extended his hand.
"Aye, brother." Beta Ray Bill said as he shook Thor's hand, there were now two Gods of Thunder among the stars and cosmos. Let the evil doers fear for the might of Mjolnir and Stormbreaker shall undo thee.
Avengers Mansion
The door knocked, the other Avengers had been called to protect the mansion and the Avatar until Thor's return. Iron Man approached the door awaiting an attack. When he opened them, a man stood on the other side. He had yellow hair and golden eyes and wore a dark tunic; his aura was dark and infernal.
"Who are you?" Iron Man asked.
Then two more men appeared from behind the first man, they were tall, as tall as Hercules. They approached even closer, too close. Then the first man turned his head and looked at Korra.
"The Avatar…" He said, then Hercules's ears catched something unusual…it was him!
"Iron Man get out of the way!" Hercules yelled, Iron Man turned his head to look at the man again. This time his eyes glowed in a dark purple color.
Earth's Orbit
"Thy ship is impressive indeed, Bill." Thor said. "But tell, thy will resume thy voyage across the stars?"
"I will, for my people need protection from the demons." Beta Ray Bill responded. "I know we didn't meet in the best of circumstances, but I thank thee for everything."
"I shall be thanking thee, Bill, for thee have shown me that there art others that have the courage and nobility of an Asgardian." Thor said.
Then the entire ship shook, the alarms turned on, and the computers began to flash warning signs.
"What is it?" Thor asked.
"Demons." Bill said, on the outside, hundreds of fire demons appeared and attacked the ship. "They are here to finish the job."
"But they do not know the power we possess." Thor said with a smirk.
"Indeed, my oath brother. Let's show them our power." Bill said, and then the two Thunder Gods exited the ship. They attacked the fire demons of Surtur with their awesome combined power. The demons were not match for the mighty Gods of Thunder.
"They just keep coming!" Thor yelled as he smashed the incoming demons.
"There!" Bill yelled as he pointed towards a bigger fire demon. "That one keeps bringing more demons to this place!"
"To it!" Thor yelled as they both moved onward towards the Fire Demon Commander, it was big, really big.
"Thy keep bringing demons to attack my know oath brother and conquer Midgard?" Thor said. "I SAY THEE NAY!"
Thor and Beta Ray Bill strike the demon with their hammers, lightning came from the emptiness of space and thunder was heard through the vacuum. The beast could not handle the combined divine power of both god warriors, it fell.
"These beasts are but the beginning, I hate to leave you in such dire situation." Beta Ray Bill said. "This is but the calm before the storm."
"Do not worry, Bill, for I am not alone to face Surtur and his legions of demons, the warriors of Midgard and Asgard stand by my side." Thor said as he places his hand Bill's shoulder. "Go with thy people, they need you."
"We will see each other again, Thor, I promise you that." Bill said, and then he turned around and entered his ship. Thor smiled; he now had a powerful ally and brother in oath and arms. Now he had to return to Midgard for someone waited for him, for she wanted to tell him something. He hoped that they had enough time to be with each other before the storm arrived, but not even gods have such luck.