Alfheim
Thor stepped out from the Bifrost and found himself a few miles away from the plains around Ljosalfgard. He heard the Dark Elves before he saw them as they marched towards the city not realizing that the God of Thunder stood between them and their objective. As much as Thor wished to turn and head for Ljosalfgard he kept his focus on the task at hand.
Malekith was at the head of his army as they continued their approach hoping that the monster they had heard about would both distract and weaken the Light Elf defenses enough for a quick easy victory for Alfheim. He looked at Kurse, his faithful servant who had helped him reach this point. Kurse was the power behind Malekith and now Malekith would get what he always wanted and nobody was going to stop him.
Kurse saw the Bifrost come down first and immediately knew who was awaiting them on the top of the hill. He signaled for the army to stop and he followed Malekith to the top of the hill where Thor was waiting for them.
Ljosalfgard
Heimdall was pleasantly surprised when they went through the secret path from Svartalfheim to Alfheim and found themselves in the place where Loki said they would end up, he had half expected a trap and betrayal. He scanned the area and realized that the defenses within the city had already failed and that Mangog was already in the process of assaulting the palace. "Hurry" he said as he made his way to the destroyed city gates of Ljosalfgard.
Sif pushed Loki to follow Heimdall with the Warriors Three following close behind them. Loki sighed annoyingly as they entered the now decimated Elvish city. Bodies were laid throughout the streets as they ran to find the creature before he did even more damage than he already had. "He's not absorbing everyone anymore" Loki remarked as they made their way to the palace.
"Does it matter?" asked Hogun from behind as the screams grew louder.
Loki thought for a second "Mangog was absorbing as much life and knowledge as it could when I saw it last…if its ignoring the weak and small it probably doesn't need much more power or knowledge" explained Loki as they came around the corner to find the gate to the palace destroyed and Light Elves fleeing for their lives.
Plains of Alfheim
Thor was not surprised when Malekith appeared with the large elf from Earth by his side. "Kurse right?" he shouted remembering what the Dark Elf had called him back on Earth. Kurse nodded and looked Thor over very carefully.
Malekith smiled "All alone Asgardian?" he asked knowing that with his army behind him Thor would be unable to prevent him from going to Ljosalfgard and eventually Asgard.
Thor shrugged "Yes, I'm afraid the monster attacking the city is proving to be the bigger deal so here I am getting the light duty."
Malekith snarled but a hand on the shoulder by Kurse seemed to bring him back to reality "You can't stop us all" announced Malekith as the Dark Elf army joined Malekith and Kurse at the top of the hill.
"True, but the army can get past me. Mangog will simply destroy them when they get to the city" stated Thor hoping the truth of his words might just get through to Malekith. Kurse looked around, Thor was being truthful.
"That creature is insignificant compared to what is at stake here" explained Malekith as he stepped forward with Kurse very close behind. "I will do whatever it takes to reach Asgard" he stated prompting Kurse to stop walking.
"Asgard?" Kurse said to himself as Malekith continued towards Thor. Malekith continued to speak to Thor but Kurse had his mind elsewhere, the Warrior's words were beginning to spin in his head. Malekith's goals were not the same as his own and in the best interest of the Dark Elves.
"This monster?" asked Kurse getting both Thor and Malekith's attention "What does it want exactly?"
Malekith was scolding Kurse with his eyes but Thor spoke "It's killing everything in its path trying to gain more power and knowledge, he is apparently coming after my father but if he succeeds I doubt he would stop after that. This threat does not end with Odin it is merely only beginning."
Kurse weighed his options, he could see the smoke above the city from where he stood. The entire Dark Elf army would have had trouble taking the city and this monster was doing it singlehandedly, he looked around and could see the death around them, clothes blowing in the wind, the smell of blood, and sense of fear. This was not a battle they could win and more importantly Kurse was beginning to doubt that Alfheim would even be worth the trouble at this point.
Malekith raised his hand "End this Asgardians useless small talk" he ordered as the Dark Elves began to charge against Thor.
"Stop!" shouted Kurse bringing the entire attack to a halt. Malekith turned with a look of anger and shock. Kurse turned his back to Malekith and looked at the army "Go to the hill overlooking the city and wait for me there and then we will decide our next move" he ordered with the Dark Elves stunned and not moving.
One elf stepped forward "We serve Malekith not you freak" he said which was greeted with hand to his throat as Kurse lifted him into the air in plain sight of everyone.
"This isn't about who's in charge anymore…this is about the survival of our race" Kurse explained as the last light of life vacated the elf's eyes.
The rest of the army looked on and then looked to Malekith who was clearly steaming, all the while Thor looked on from behind Malekith unsure of how to proceed. The army began a slow march away as Kurse turned back towards Malekith and Thor.
Ljosalfgard
Mangog was slowly approaching Aelsa the Queen of Alfheim, she had drawn her sword and was ready to go down fighting when it heard them enter. "Ahh, so the warriors of Asgard have finally come to the party" Mangog said as it turned to find Heimdall, Loki, Sif, and the Warriors Three with weapons drawn.
Loki was still chained up "Can I get my hands free here?" he asked not wanting to be here in the first place much less be here with his hands tied.
"No!" said Sif and the Warriors Three in unison.
Aelsa approached Mangog slowly and quietly from behind as he looked upon the new threat "For Faradei" she whispered as she struck Mangog who didn't even flinch when the sword hit him, he turned his attention to her and grabbed her by the neck and lifted her into the air. Sif launched herself at Mangog and struck it with her sword distracting Mangog enough for Aelsa to break free and deliver another strike.
Volstagg and Hogun approached to enter the fray when Mangog unleashed a wave of energy from its body that pushed all the warriors back. Mangog turned around and charged Aelsa stomping on her "No" shouted Sif knowing that the Queen of Alfheim was gone. Sif moved to charge again when Heimdall's hand shot up to stop her.
"We have to do this together" Heimdall said getting a nod from Sif who stood behind Heimdall with the Warriors Three falling in behind her. Loki was trying to find somewhere to go and get out of the way.
Mangog looked at the challengers and let out an excited giggle, Mangog had grown bored and finally it would be able to challenge itself. Mangog moved before the Asgardians and tackled them sending the group through a wall and out into the courtyard of the Ljosalfgard.
Loki had managed to avoid the attack and stood up to look out over the city, the destruction caused by Mangog was absolute. He hoped to get to somewhere far away from Ljosalfgard when Mangog turned and looked back at Loki from the courtyard "Where do you think you're going?" it shouted as it raised its hand and fired an energy blast at Loki. Loki avoided the attack but it caused the palace to crumble around him forcing him to leap to the courtyard where the others already were.
Plains of Alfheim
Malekith was steaming as Kurse stepped forward placing himself in the middle of Malekith and Thor, Thor seemed distracted by Kurse and Malekith decided to take advantage of the situation. Malekith launched into the air and fired a magic blast hitting Thor in the chest.
Thor was knocked backwards as Malekith continued the attack and fired several blasts at Thor keeping the Asgardian off balance. Thor managed to deflect a few of the blasts with Mjolnir as Kurse stepped back and allowed the fight to continue. Malekith got up close and personal delivering a few punches to Thor as he tried to block the blows but was failing to do so.
Malekith raised his fist to deliver another blow when Thor caught his fist, Thor stood up and forcibly lowered Malekith's fist. Malekith struggled against Thor's incredible strength and Thor delivered a headbutt that knocked Malekith for a loop and then landed a punch to the midsection that sent him flying across the plain.
Thor threw a quick glance at Kurse who was simply watching the fight take place "Mangog is a threat to us all, we could be facing extinction if we don't stop him right now" pleaded Thor as Malekith picked himself up off the ground.
Malekith shot a scornful look at Kurse "nothing will stop me, I will destroy you and then I will take Asgard for myself, this Mangog is simply giving me what I want" he said to Thor launching himself at the god of thunder.
Thor raised Mjolnir above his head and summoned a bolt of lightning that fired into Malekith sending the Dark Elf flying. Thor then used Mjolnir to follow close behind him.
Kurse considered following but instead chose to see Mangog up close. As he turned and walked the opposite direction of Thor and went to the hill overlooking Ljosalfgard.
Ljosalfgard
Loki stood up from the rubble and looked out, he could see the light elves fleeing for their lives. His ears were still ringing from the explosion of Mangog's attack and the fall from the palace to the courtyard. He swore he heard of crack of thunder and then looked to see Heimdall and the others fighting Mangog.
Heimdall was caught off guard by the quickness of the monster, a large beast like this should not be able to move like this. The armor that served as the creature's skin was deflecting most of their blows but Heimdall could see that the creature was at least taking some damage from their assault.
Loki looked at his handcuffs and attempted to use magic to dismantle them but found that they had been somehow magic proofed by Odin. "Of course, now I'm stuck here and I can't even defend myself" he said to himself before Fandral dodged an energy blast that landed near Loki knocking him back into the rubble he had climbed out of.
Sif spun and saw her opening as Mangog swung a fist toward Volstagg, she moved faster than she ever had and drove her sword through Mangog's chest. The monster cried out in pain before delivering a back hand that sent Sif and Hogun back.
Mangog grabbed Sif's sword and pulled it out of it's chest and flung the sword away as dark energy poured out of the wound.
Heimdall kicked Sif her sword back and the five warriors of Asgard readied to continue the fight. They were about to charge when Mangog began to laugh "Well, that is certainly a strange reaction to a sword through the chest" said Fandral as the five watched cautiously. Mangog stood at its full height as the dark energy that was spilling out returned and the wound closed as if nothing had happened.
"It heals!" shouted Hogun.
"What kind of monster is this?" asked Volstagg as the group charged again.
Asgard
Odin watched all of it unfolding before him, Thor was going to defeat Malekith but Mangog was something else entirely, the monster's ability to heal had changed everything that Odin had thought. He needed to do something and he needed to do it now, he looked around and spotted Frigga standing with Jane and Darcy.
Odin sighed and went to the group of women, "I need your help" he said to them. Jane and Darcy looked at each other confused and nodded as Odin frowned at the worried look on his wife's face. "I need you to get to Volla and bring her here to speak with Thor once he returns, she will know what he needs to know" he said as he approached his wife and whispered into her ear.
As Odin spoke into Frigga's ear, Jane began to wonder what the All-Father was saying to make his Queen begin to sob.
Plains of Alfheim
Thor landed as Malekith pulled himself up very slowly, the lightning blast had clearly had its toll and Thor could tell the fight was over. Malekith stared at Thor with disdain as he held his midsection and blood began to trickle from his mouth. Malekith was overmatched and he knew that for sure now, Kurse had abandoned him and now the son of Odin was about to finish him off once and for all. Malekith scanned the area looking for an escape, he was a survivor after all and he would find a way to survive this.
Thor was going to continue the fight when his mind shifted to Sif and the others, this fight was over, Malekith was finished and he needed to return to help the others. "I'm giving you this one chance Malekith, give up this fight and walk away now" Thor said as Malekith seemed to weigh his options. "I don't want to kill you Malekith but I will" he said as he started to call more lightning.
Malekith was out of time and options and made the survivor choice, he dropped to his knees and raised his hands in surrender. Thor calmed his power and turned flying back towards the city and the defeated Malekith rose to his feet and began the long walk back to his ship where his escape was assured.
Hills overlooking Ljosalfgard
Kurse saw the smoke from the city long before he got through the ranks of the Dark Elf army and to the top of the hill. Kurse saw the destruction and realized that taking Alfheim was no longer an option for the Dark Elves they needed a new home and there was not one on Svartalfheim or in Alfheim.
He sighed before turning to his lieutenants "Get back to the ship and get it ready to leave, the rest of you scavenge what you can, we can't stay here and we can't return home" he said as his men moved quickly and Kurse began the long march to the ship and to whatever future the Dark Elves had. He looked up and saw Thor fly past them toward the city, Malekith had lost and now Kurse hoped that the Asgardian could stop the monster that had done so much damage.