Chapter 33:
It had long been debated who was stronger. Thor or Hulk. To be perfectly honest, it was one of those things which Thor did not want to touch. Still, Hades had control of Hulk and stirred Hulk up. Hulk's large green fist almost impacted the side of Thor's head.
Thor caught a glimpse of the Amazons out of the corner of his eye and they had not moved. Or perhaps had been unable to do so thanks to some mystical force. Hulk smashed down onto the chest of Thor. Thor blocked Hulk's hand and smashed the Incredible One a few steps back with a huge windup punch. Thor swung for the fences and nailed Hulk with multiple punches to rock him a couple more times.
"You need to snap out of it friend!"
Hulk decided that he would rather throw a large marble statue at Thor. Thor dodged the attack with about as much precision as one could in Thor's state. The heaving breathing of the God of Thunder showed he was not having a good time. If Hades was not bad enough, Hulk now took him.
"You can't hope to defeat my pet, Thunder God."
Those words from Hades sparked an idea in Thor's mind. Simply bad and at the same time, simply genius. It would have to work. Thor dodged the attacks from Hulk.
"Hulk strongest that there is? I think not!"
Thor's bellowing voice caught Hulk's attention. Hulk rattled the entire island.
"Hulk weakest that there is. Because Hulk let puny god control his mind. Hulk might be strong of body, but he's not strong of mind. Because he allowed himself to be controlled. It just proves that I, Thor, God of Thunder, and Prince of Asgard is the strongest that there is."
Three huge hammer swings punctuated every single word out of Thor's mouth. The vein bulging on Hulk's head.
"And he's just getting madder," Tony said. "Thor, what are you doing?"
"I may have an idea," Hela replied.
Thor thundered towards Hulk and hammered him with the full force of Mjolnir.
"You might be able to defeat me, if you weren't so pathetic in being guided around by this puppet on a string. You can't even scream Hulk Smash, you're so brainwashed. This is quite sad."
Hulk's fist swung in the air and Thor blocked it. Thor grabbed Hulk in a full nelson and jumped him high into the air before he threw Hulk back down onto the back of his head. Hulk took a large fall onto his thick neck and snapped back up only for Thor to come down with a violent hammer strike down onto the man's head.
"HULK….NOT….PUPPET!"
Despite the fact Hulk backhanded Thor, Hulk turned his attention to Hades.
"Finish him off, you vile creature."
Hulk decided to turn his attention to Hades and abandon his fight with Thor. Hulk had gotten so angry, he was a force of nature and he trampled across the island like a tornado.
Diana hoped that this distraction would allow her to break free. The magic in the island protected the Amazons from Hades, but unfortunately, it had been a double-edge sword in some way. They had been unable to be touched by Hades, but at the same time, unable to fight him either.
Hulk rammed down onto the top of the head of Hades. The god caught a flying Hulk and hurled him through the air with the javelin.
"Thor, to your right!" Iron Man yelled.
Iron Man super charged the biggest most intense blast and struck Hades. This allowed Diana to slip in through the other side and slice Hades in the side. Hulk and Thor brought the attack from either side and the piece of staff Hades held flew out of his hand.
Hela caught the staff and snapped it back together. Almost fully charged, but not quite.
"There's a piece missing!" Hela shouted.
Thor and Hulk had been flung off. Hades almost crushed Iron Man like a tin can. Wonder Woman jumped on Hades and tried to take him down to the ground only for Hades to hurl her off to the side.
"You will stay away from my daughter."
Hippolyta finally arrived, sword in hand. The Queen of the Amazons did not look too pleased at the uninvited guests upon her island and showcased her displeasure by attacking Hades by stabbing him. Hades grabbed Hippolyta by the throat, but she broke free and allowed Thor to come down and hit Hades with the full force of his super charged weapon which managed to rock the god.
"We have to get the final piece out," Hela said.
"It may be lodged in the gate," Hippolyta said.
That made way too much sense. The piece of the staff lodged in the gate and Hades got a whiff of its power, which started this entire convoluted scheme.
"Hulk and I will keep him busy," Thor said. "The rest of you work and getting the weapon out."
"Once the staff is out, we'll send him back."
Hades pulled himself up and sent many of the Amazons who surrounded him flying. Some returned to the battle and Hades summoned Amora and Lorelei to act as a way to block their charge.
"You think you can use me as your pawn," Hulk said. "Hulk doesn't think so!"
Hulk rushed at Hades and drew his attacks away. Thor grabbed Hades by the arm and snapped the man back to the ground.
"You're trying to distract me!"
Hulk punched Hades as hard as possible in the face which even could rattle the god. Several swinging punches rocked Hades many times over.
Hela, Diana, and Hippolyta extracted the final piece of the staff, while Tony and Artemis watched their backs. Finally, the staff had been one once again.
"Hades!" Hippolyta said. "You will not win."
Hades realized something. With the final piece now out of the gate, Hippolyta was able to seal him back inside of the gate. Hulk and Thor gave him a parting double punch to suck him back into the gate.
Hela waved the now completed staff, tauntingly at Hades, who had been sucked down onto the gate.
Amora and Lorelei dropped down to the ground, completely drained, but still breathing. Everyone on the island stood, in the aftermath. Hela waved her hand and several strands of light shot from Amora and Lorelei, straight into Thor's being.
The staff in Hela's hands felt like a bomb just about ready to go off. The entire world watched to see what she had done.
"Queen Hippolyta?" Hela asked.
Hippolyta nodded. Being in the presence of this Death Goddess had been quite humbling indeed. What happened next was even more humbling as Hippolyta passed the staff off to Hela. Hippolyta blinked, unable to believe the great gift she had now possessed.
"I know of not a person who will be able to secure the staff better, until I am in position to do so myself," Hela said. "But, given recent events which have come to light, perhaps it would not be wise to keep this staff in my domain."
"I thank you for your gift, and I will honor you by keeping it as secure as possible," Hippolyta said. "Today could have gone much worse, but by standing together, we took down Hades and stopped his plans."
Hulk nodded. He folded his arms. Island was beautiful, but he did want to return back home. He had not been back for a very long time.
"Now, men are not generally allowed on this island."
Thor just gave the Queen of the Amazons a smile.
"Well, given the circumstances, your highness, I believe that it was unavoidable."
"Yes, I understand," Hippolyta said. "And tonight, we celebrate your victory, before you head home."
"Thank you and we will not intrude on your hospitality for too long," Thor said.
"Although, I wouldn't mind setting a vacation home up here," Tony said, which got him his fair share of cross looks from the rest of the group. "Kidding, kidding, kidding, of course this is your island paradise. I would only bring my fair share of baggage along. Nice place to visit."
"It truly is," Thor said.
After they all had a chance to regain their bearings, Hela invited Thor to talk with her for a moment.
"Amora and Lorelei?" Thor asked.
"They were bound to Hades," Hela told Thor. "And now their bonds have been transferred to you."
Thor rubbed his chin. Well that was fascinating, to say the very least. Amora really did get what she wanted, although perhaps not how she wanted it.
"You could release them," Hela said. "But that would send them to an afterlife of torment."
Thor responded with a deep, heaving sigh and offered his assessment on the matter.
"Despite all that they have done, I would not wish that upon anyone. No, I believe it will be time to claim them."
"Do not be soft on them, Thor Odinson, for they would have both enslaved you if they had the opportunity," Hela offered.
Yes, of course. Thor intended to deal with a firm, but fair hand to them. Still, today had gone well. Hulk was out of the control of Hades, as was Hades back to where he is.
"So, what of Faust?" Thor asked.
A loose end which needed to be tied up.
"Well, his deal was more willing and less coerced," Hela said. "His torment will be eternal and ironic."
"Much like rain on your wedding day," Thor said. "Which is tormenting and not ironic."
Perhaps, with Hades out of the way, Thor and the others could catch their breath. Although, if Thor understood one thing, that was adventure lurked around any corner.
Now, Thor had two lovely, although very naughty, goddesses to deal with.
The Shameless Smut Commences In the Next Chapter