Thor notices that he is being moved. He can feel that he is in a sitting position. He wakes to see that he is in total darkness. Soon everything lights up and a soothing voice started to speak to him.
"Fear not, for you are found," it soothed him. "You are home, and there is no going back. No one leaves this place." Thor started to struggle against his restraints as if he was trying to prove the voice wrong. "But what is this place? The answer is Sakaar." Images of Sakaar started to emit from the walls. "Surrounded by cosmic gateways, Sakaar lives on the edge of the unknown. It is the collection point for all lost and unloved things. Like you. But here on Sakaar, you are significant. You are available. Here, you are loved."
"What…the Hell?" Thor became distracted by the tunnel walls and the soothing voice emitting from them.
"And no one loves more than the Grandmaster." The image of the Grand Master was shown on both sides. "He is the original. The first lost, and the first found. The creator of Sakaar and the father of the Contest of Champions." Images of aliens battling each other appeared. "Where you were once nothing, you are now the property of the Grand Master. Congratulations! You will meet the Grand Master in five seconds." The images started to increase and a melody about going into a world of imagination and purity. "Prepare yourself. Prepare yourself. You are now meeting the Grand Master." Thor started to panic and started to scream!
The tunnel was gone and he arrived to place full of different creatures in colorful robes. He noticed some were guards. He stopped screaming as he was now fine. Music started to fill his ears again.
The Grand Master was intrigued by this new found item. He was by two ladies in golden and one warrior woman. The two golden clad ladies left the two. S142 came over to the Grand Master.
"He's wonderful," the Grand Master expressed his feelings to S142. "Is it a he?" He never knew. S142 made her way over to Thor.
"It's a he," she replied. The other two came closer to them.
"Yeah," the Grand Master continued. "I love when you come to visit 142, you bring me the best stuff." He looked over to the warrior woman. "Whenever we get to talking, Topaz, about Scrapper 142….what do I always say? 'She is the..' it starts with a B."
"Trash," Topaz, the warrior woman blurted. She did not care about S142.
"No, not trash," the Grand Master was thinking. "Were you waiting just to call her that?" He was perplexed. He highly fond of S124. Everyone else should be as well. "It should start with a 'B.''
"Booze hag," Topaz blurted again. S142 didn't care about Topaz either. Her words were meaningless.
"I'm so sorry," the Grand Master was letting Topaz know that her two guesses were completely wrong. "No, 'Best.' I was thinking 'best.'" He looked over to S142. "Because I always say you're the best. She brought me my precious beloved Champion, you know."
Topaz was annoyed. "You say that every time she's here."
"What have you brought to me today? Tell me," the Grand Master was pleased with her. He wanted to know what the golden goose would be.
"A contender," S142 explained.
"A what?" Thor piped in. A contender? I must leave this place. Asgard is probably already taken over by Hela.
"I need to go closer," the Grand Master wanted to be next to Thor. "I want a closer look at this. Can you take us closer? Thank you." The group was now right next to him. The Grand Master examined him before standing in front of him again. "Pay this lady."
"Just wait a damn minute," Thor wanted a word in this. This was his life. "I'm not for sale." He used all of his strength to break out of the shackles only to have been electrocuted by S142.
"Man, he is a fighter," the Grand Master was excited.
"I'd take 10 million," S142 spoke her asking price.
"Tell her she's dreaming," Topaz did not want her to get anything.
"For heaven's sake, transfer the units," the Grand Master was becoming annoyed. Once Topaz transferred the units, S142 started to leave.
"You'll pay for this!" Thor threatened.
"No, I got paid for this," S142 did not care for what happened to him.
Thor tried to get the disk out of his neck. It came by only a little but it clung back onto his neck causing more pain. The Grand Master waved his key to move Thor's chair to follow after him.
"Here's what I wanna know," the Grand Master started to ask. "Who are you?"
"I am the God of Thunder!" Thor roared as he thrusted his arms up to show his power but instead of immense power, there was only a trickle. Electric currents fizzled out on his hands.
"Wow," the Grand Master blinked. "I didn't hear any thunder, but out of your fingers, was that sparkles?" He couldn't figure out if it was glittery or sparkles.
"We located your cousin," Topaz informed.
Thor's chair stops next to another chair with an alien strapped in similarly to him.
"There he is," the Grand Master smiled. "Hey, cuz. We almost couldn't find you. What, have you been hiding?"
The alien started to cower in fear and looked over to Thor. "Hi," Thor greeted.
"So…" The Grand Master tried to hurry along an excuse.
"Please, I'm sorry," Cousin Carlo pleaded.
"Carlo, I pardon you."
"Thank you, thank you."
"You're officially pardoned…from life," the Grand Master takes a guard staff and kills Carlo.
"Oh, my god!" Thor started to fear for his life just a bit.
The liquid from Carlo started to seep everywhere. The Grand Master picked up his robes. "I'm stepping in it. I'm stepping in it. Look out!"
"Oh, the smell," Thor was repulsed by the pungent death odor.
"What does it smell like?" The Grand Master was curious.
"Burnt toast," Topaz interjected.
"What happened to my manners?" The Grand Master was perplexed about himself. "I haven't properly introduced myself. Come on. Follow me." The chair followed the Grand Master to an area where the music was louder. The Grand Master started to play a different type of music. "My name is Grand Master. I preside over a little harlequinade called the Contest of Champions. People come far and wide unwillingly to participate in it. And you, my friend, might just be part of the new cast. What do you say to that?"
"We're not friends," Thor refuted. "And I don't give a shit about your games. I'm going back to Asgard!"
The Grand Master was amused by his strength. "Ass-gard?" The Grand Master was curious about this place. "One, two, three, four." The Grand Master started dancing with the rest of his distinguished guests.
Loki was one of these guests. He had been conversing with them, making allies as usual. A younger female started to converse with him. She had been eyeing him since he arrived.
"How did you find your way here?" She asked before taking a sip from her drink.
This was a common question among the group. Not everyone was originally from here. There were some who were from the same place, others knew of its existence, but it was a way to try to form a connection. Loki repeated his line as he did with the rest. "There was a wormhole in space and time beneath me. At the moment, I let go." Loki didn't want them to know the truth but it was partly true. Only that the time he let go, was when he played that awful prank on his brother with the Frost Giants.
Thor spotted him amongst the crowd. He was relieved to find him again but was also surprised. "Loki!?" He tried to get his attention. "Loki! Over here!"
Loki noticed his brother with a glance. He flinched and became pale. He was hoping Thor ended elsewhere, but now with him here, things were going to go different then planned. "Excuse me one second," Loki nodded to the woman before heading towards Thor. He was close enough to be by him but making it seem that he was not talking to him.
"What? You're alive?" Loki was a bit surprised.
"Yes, of course I am alive," Thor was annoyed that his brother was not in the same position as him, but he should know better by now.
"What are you doing here?" Loki asked. Shouldn't you be saving Asgard?
"What do you mean," Thor snarled. "What am I doing here? I'm stuck in this, stupid chair. Where's your chair?" Thor thought he should be in the same predicament, not conversing as if he was someone important.
"I didn't get a chair," Loki was smug. I, however, get his bed chamber and cuddles.
"Get me out of this one," Thor demanded.
"I can't," Loki didn't want to.
"What?" Thor paused.
"I've made friends with this man," Loki explained. "He's called the Grand Master."
"Oh, he's crazy!" Thor gritted his teeth.
"I've gained his favor," Loki continued. "The BiFrost brought me here weeks ago." I have been trying to get out of here and now you show up. You think I will help you out now.
"Weeks ago?" Thor was confused. "I just got here."
The Grand Master noticed the two of them conversing. "What are we whispering about?" This startled both of them. "Time works real different around these parts. On any other world, I'd be like, millions of years old. But here on Sakaar…" He turned to his hunk. There was an awkward pause. "In any case, you know this… You call yourself Lord of Thunder?" He glanced to Thor. The Grand Master was curious about his brooding new hunk. Maybe this one will know about Sigyn, and the importance of that name.
"God of Thunder," Thor reiterated. "Tell him."
"I've never met this man in my life," Loki explained.
"He's my brother," Thor tattled.
"Adopted," Loki conjectured.
"Is he any kind of fighter?" The Grandmaster asked.
Loki just shrugged. It's better to have him underestimated.
"You take this thing out of my neck and I'll show you," Thor's anger started to bubble. He didn't know what Loki was doing, but he was not helping that was for sure.
"Now listen to that," the Grand Master bemused. "He is threatening me. Hey, Sparkles, here is the deal. If you wanna get back to Ass-place, Assbeg…"
"Asgard," Thor corrected. Loki chuckled internally.
"Any contender who defeats my champion, their freedom they shall win."
"Fine," Thor settled. "Then point me in the direction of whoever's ass I have to kick."
"That's what I call, contender!" The Grand Master knew he would work out. "Direction would be this way, Lord."
"Loki!" Thor called to him.
Guards arrived to escort Thor out of the chair and towards the gladiator cells. The Grand Master turned to Loki. "Definitely adopted, nothing alike." The Grand Master wanted to ask about that name he says in his sleep. "Since it is the contest this week, I will not be in the chambers, unless you want to join us?" He whispered to Loki before walking away.
Thor asked the guards where they were taking him. No answer. He was shoved into a spacious cell with other aliens who were imprisoned. They were lurking in the back. It was a circular cell. Thor got up once the doors were shut and tried to break it down with his shoulder. A hulking Kronan, rock like creature spoke up.
"Hey! Take it easy man!" He tried to calm down the newcomer. Thor looks back to the voice calling to him. "Over here. A pile of rocks waving at you. Yeah, I'm actually a thing, I'm a being. Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Korg. I'm kind of like a leader in here. I'm mad of rocks, as you can see, but don't let that intimidate you. You don't need to be afraid unless you're made of scissors." He laughs at his own joke. "Just a little rock-paper-scissors joke for you. This is my very good friend over here, Miek. He's an insect and has knives for hands." Miek, the insect who is more slug like with a robotic exoskeleton waves hello and proceeds to show off by some moves.
"You're a Kronan, aren't you?" Thor recognized his species.
"That I am," Korg smiled.
"How'd you end up in here?" Thor was curious.
"Well, I tried to start a revolution but didn't print enough pamphlets, so hardly anyone turned up. Except for my mom," Korg explained. "And her boyfriend, who I hate. As punishment, I was forced to be in here and become a gladiator. Bit of a promotional disaster." He lowered his voice. "But I'm actually organizing another revolution. I don't know if you'd be interested in something like that. Do you reckon you'd be interested?"
Thor could not stand it anymore. He left Korg and ran around only to face him. "How did you?"
"Yeah, no," Korg continued. "This whole thing is a circle. But not a real circle, more like a freaky circle."
"This doesn't make sense," Thor didn't understand. There was too much going on for him.
"No, nothing makes sense. The only thing that does make sense, is nothing makes sense," Korg tried to explain.
"Has anyone here fought the Grandmaster's Champion," Thor tried to figure out this whole ordeal.
"Doug has," Korg perked up. "Doug!" He then remembered. "Oh, right, Doug's dead. That's right. Everyone who fights the Grandmaster's champion perishes."
"What about you?" Thor examined him. "You're made of rocks."
"Perishable rocks," Korg knocked his hopes down. A couple of rocks fell from him as he spoke. "There you go. Another one gone. Yeah, no, I just do the smaller fights, warm up the crowd and whatnot. Wait. You're not gonna face him, are you?"
"Yes, I am," Thor explained. "Fight him, win, and the get the Hell out of this place."
"That's exactly what Doug used to say," Korg smiled. "See you later, new Doug." Korg left to go back to Miek.
Thor walked around the cell. There were dead bodies and sleeping aliens. There was also lots of rubble and debris. He found the bathroom area. It was dingy and pungent. He walked around to see Korg and Miek again. Thor sighed and found a place to lounge while he thought of a way to leave this place.
Back on Asgard, the streets were silent and empty except for the occasional screams and people running away. Hela was moving through the throne room corridor, killing off any stragglers. Skurge was following behind her. She stopped to look up at the mural on the wall. Asgard palace was in the middle with the BiFrost leading to it. There were five other smaller pictures around it, not including the BiFrost leading into Asgard. Laufy and Odin was one; Thor, Hogun, and Fandral was another; the nine realms connecting together; Odin, Frigga, Thor, and Loki; and lastly Odin and Thor with maidens and a soldier.
She looked at it with disgust. "Does no one remember me?" No answer came. "Has no one been taught our history? Look at these lies. Goblets and garden parties? Peace treaties?" She headed to the throne. "Odin, proud to have it, ashamed of how he got it." She threw fire spikes at the mural, causing it to come down revealing another mural. One more bloodied and tyrannical. Odin was in the middle with a different type of helmet, one similar to Hela's only in gold. Red, the color of blood was the back drop to show soldiers, Hela on her wolf, slaves and massacres. Skurge felt disgusted to know the truth. "We were unstoppable," she continued. "I was his weapon in the conquest that built Asgard's Empire. One by one, the realms became ours. But then, simply because my ambition outgrew his, he banished me, caged me, locked me away like an animal. Before that, Asgard's warriors were honored, their bodies buried as heroes beneath this very place." Hela kept moving forward with Skurge following behind her.
He was thinking that he chose the wrong side. They were heading to the vaults. He had feelings that it was going to get worse where they were going. They descended the stairs that lead into the vault. "Odin's treasures," Skurge murmured. He had heard rumors that the Twin Flame, a powerful being was being locked away here. He tried to hide his gulp, hoping that Hela won't find that being.
Hela paused at the Infinity Gauntlet. "Fake," she pushed it over. She pasted a few more items. "Most of the stuff in here is fake." She passed the Casket of Winter. "Or weak." She spotted Surtur's skull. "Smaller then I thought it would be." The Tesseract was the next item. She paused at it before continuing on. "That's not bad." She headed to her destination. The Eternal Flame. "But this, Eternal Flame." It flickered in its chalice. She scoops a flame out that has become green with her touch. She left to head towards a ruin in the floor. She brought a claw hammer from her magic to smash through the ruin, creating a gaping hole. "Want to see what true power looks like?" She plunged into the darkness below.
Inside the hole, was a crypt. A burial for those heroes that were with Hela in her glory days. She noticed a giant canine skeleton with chains around its paws. She approached it. "Fenris. My darling, what have they done to you?" She lifted the flame above her head before slamming it into the ground before her. "With the Eternal Flame, you are reborn!" The fire spreads throughout out the room, engulfing everything.
Sigyn felt the fire's power from her home. She was gathering herbs from the garden. Sigyn tasted bitterness while her body rose in temperature. She was close to the waterfall. This couldn't be good for her child. She waddled over to the water cooling herself off as she felt the hot flashes come and go. "It's getting worse in Asgard. Hela is taking back her army. That was the Eternal flame calling me. Its fires were being turned with black magic." She looked over to her forge. The Destroyer was even acting up. Sigyn glanced over to Vali who was playing on a blanket with his toys.
It was night at Sakaar. Loki thought it was now the perfect time to converse with is brother. He found a room where he could lock himself in to perform his magic. He had tried to do this once before; he was trying to speak with Sigyn but he was too far away.
Thor was sitting against the wall. "Odin, I bid you take your place in the walls of Valhalla. Where the brave shall live forever. Nor shall we mourn but rejoice-"
"For those that have died the glorious death," Loki joined in with him on the last bit. He was standing by the other wall in front of him. Thor narrowed his eyes at him. Angry that he was free. "It hurts, doesn't it?" Loki explained to him. "Being lied to." He wanted Thor to at least see how he felt when he was first lied to. "Being told you're on thing and then learning it's all a fiction." Thor started to throw stones at Loki's image. "You didn't think I'd really come and see you, did you? This place is disgusting." Thor ignored him while he kept throwing rocks. "Does this mean you don't want my help?" He didn't stop. Loki was actually trying to help. He figured Thor with his brute strength could get them out of her faster. This time he would have to listen to him. "Look, I couldn't jeopardize my position with the Grandmaster, it took me time to win his trust. He's a lunatic, but he can be amenable." Loki thought about the night he called out Sigyn. He knew the Grandmaster was there. It was only time for him to ask about her. Thor was still disinterested. "What I'm telling you is, you could join me at the Grandmaster's side. Perhaps, in time, an accident befalls the Grandmaster and then.." Loki trailed off but gestured the rest. Another rock flew into his image. "You're not seriously thinking of going back, are you? Our sister destroyed your hammer like a piece of glass. She's stronger than both of us." I am not bringing Sigyn and my family into this. You better take the bait. "She's stronger than you. You don't stand a chance. Do you understand what I'm saying to you?" Thor scowled at him. "Fine. I guess I'll just have to go it alone. Like I've always done." Thor smirked. Loki knew he could sway him. "Would you say something?" Thor was out of stones and was looking for more. "Say something!" Loki was perturbed. He wanted to go back and he wanted to be there for his wife and next child born! He wanted to kick his sister off his throne he worked so hard to get and make her rebuild Asgard since clearly, she was the type to destroy everything. Least Thor and her shared that attribute.
"What would you like me to say?" Thor was thinking about how must Sigyn suffered because of Loki. She is probably still stuck as a statue. What kind of husband would do that to his wife? "You faked your own death, you stole the throne, stripped Odin of his power, stranded him on Earth to die, releasing the Goddess of Death." There was silence from Loki. "Have I said enough, or do you want me to go further back than the past two days?" Shall we speak about how Sigyn is still a statue or now under the control of our sister. How are you not worried about her? Did you find someone else to fancy?
Loki knew what he was thinking. He recomposed himself. "You know, I haven't seen this beloved Champion he talks of, but I've heard he's astonishing savage. I've placed a large wager against you tomorrow. Don't let me down." He teased before his image started to diminish.
Korg saw the fading image. He kicked where the image was at. "Piss off, ghost!" His foot hit the wall. "He's freaking gone."
"It's fine," Thor waved him off.
"You were taking with a ghost this whole time?" Korg looked at him. "Be careful, they could want you to lose or just to talk."
Thor smirked.