Cometh the Hour, Cometh the God, Cometh Ragnarok

by Doctorsprettybaby

Hemsworth wants RAGNAROK let's give it to him. This is a reboot of THOR #154 to #157. Stan 'The Man' Lee and Jack 'King" Kirby finest hour! This is not the mythological Ragnarok as Balder is still alive and Loki has yet to eat the witch's heart. IT IS FINISHED!.

12. Chapter 12

12

Thor did enjoy a peaceful night's sleep and as he lay in his bed staring at the ceiling he was lost in thought about all that had happened in the last few days. Since some of the brigands were of the same band as those that had attacked Vanaheim, could those men have been hired by this hidden traitor? He would have to talk to father about that, and then see if those imprisoned in the dungeons already had knowledge of this traitor's identity. Mayhap he had hired them to attack Vanaheim as a prelude to attacking Asgard, but, there hadn't been any complete surprise to any of those attacks. So possibly it was after that defeat he hired the witch, or warlock, to disguise his men as tiny rodents to inspire such terror among the people with abject brutality. Also, how could he get to Jotunheim and Niflheim without Heimdall seeing him to catch and bring back the Jotun Black Rock spider and the Niflheim Shadow Viper unless it was by witchcraft?

He most likely had the murdered librarian thrall under his sway as well. Could he have dangled freedom from the collar as the bait to get the man to steal the Vizier's scrolls and murder the Vizier as well? Perhaps looking into this thrall's dealings in the past would be advisable as it might reveal clues as to who was behind all this butchering?

The only thing that proved to be disturbing to the Thunder god was Mangog and how his father seemed to have no knowledge of a creature who claimed to have been imprisoned by his father. As well as the fact that there was absolutely nothing about the beast in the Chronicles of the Kings, not even the briefest of mentions. Why would his father deliberately withhold information? Was it senility or something else?

His man thrall entered his bed chamber and greeting him with news that the Allfather requested his presence at a special breakfast for his sons and their families while he began to bring out his finest livery (to wear for the great feast later that day) and started to shine up the metal parts as Thor climbed out of his bed stating he was going to make for the steam baths. His man thrall stopped what he was doing with apologies and fetched washing clothes and towels for his master. Thor thanked him and left the thrall working on his ceremonial armor and when he entered the hallway he was greeted by Balder as he led blind Hodr and his son Forseti who were also headed for the steam baths.

"Did you sleep well brother?" Balder greeted Thor with a sleepy grin.

"Since I had nothing to distract me from a good night's sleep, yes I did" Thor jested with his older brother whose ears colored slightly which brought a wide grin from Thor.

"It was a worthwhile distraction little brother" Balder recovered nicely, "very worthwhile indeed."

A group of well-armed Einherjar followed the Odinsons to provide protection as per their King's orders as all in the kingdom now knew of Thor's victory over the western raiders.

There were several men and women using the baths this morning as all wished to be in their finest livery and the women were chattering about new hair styles as well as perfumes and jewelry collections as they entered their respective bathing rooms. The rising sun was shining a cascade of dawn's colors through the glass ceiling of the bathing rooms as steam rose up from the heated waters creating miniature rainbows. The Odinsons returned greetings from other nobles who entered the baths or who already enjoying massages while soaking in the hot steaming waters.

Thralls scurried about with towels and massaging oils tending to their charges while others took sleep clothes from bathers to clean and return once the bather was finished and ready to leave the baths. Thor removed his sleep shirt and handed it to an elderly thrall before he stepped down into a rectangular sunken marble bathing pool for an individual. A thrall offered him a bar of soap then did the same to Balder, Hodr and Forseti before going to wait upon another nobleman.

Balder helped Hodr step into another sunken bathing pool then eased himself into the one next to Thor, "Congratulations are in order little brother for this timely victory over these raiders."

"Is it true there were ten thousand raiders slain?" Forseti asked his uncle excitedly as he looked over the edge of his bathing pool.

"Ten thousand?" Thor glanced at Balder, "When I left they had only dug up a thousand of those butchers and they were stripping the armor off to line the roads while burning the bodies."

"We got a message during the night from Hogun that they found at least ten thousand drowned brigands from your attack and they are still searching for more" Balder explained as he washed his neck. "Perhaps now there will be peace in the western borderlands for the first time in four years."

It was a beautiful dawn as Amora woke up to the song of the Treasure bird while it sat on its perch. She smiled happily as today was THE day, the day she would become Queen of Asgard and wife to THE most crafty and cunning scoundrel in all nine realms. She turned over onto her back and with her eyes still heavy from sleep reached over to his side of Odin's bed but her hand felt nothing but the bed sheets. Forcing her eyes open she looked for him and found Loki sitting on the edge of the bed with his back towards her dressed in his sleep shirt.

"You're up early this morning" she grinned as she slowly ran her right forefinger down his back, "don't tell me you're getting pre-wedding jitters as all this was your idea?"

"No" he said with little feeling in his voice as he slowly turned to face her, "but you may change your mind about marrying me if you saw the real me"

Amora gasped as she saw that the flesh of his face was blue with genetic clan scarring upon his face and forehead and his eyes were red.

"I had heard that you were half Jotun after Thor destroyed the Bifrost and you disappeared…" Amora stared hard at him and then she blushed when she realized that she was gawking at him. Reaching up with her right hand she gently touched his face, "Your flesh…it's so cold, so rough."

"If you change your mind and call off the wedding because you…because I am a monster to be shunned…I will understand."

He turned away from her but she refused to release his face and gently turned it to look at her, "This is not your fault Loki, Odin forced your mother to marry Laufey…a marriage that my father was opposed to…you are not the monster here my love, Odin was."

Rising up to sit next to him she took his head in both her hands and kissed him as his arms slowly encircled her waist and he pulled her closer to himself.

The arrival of Loki/Odin and the Lady Amora at the bathing rooms caused a bit of a panic among the thralls who stopped everything they were doing to attend to the King and their future Queen. Amora left Loki/Odin to walk into the women's bathing room with a score of female thralls anxious to attend her as Loki/Odin continued to the men's bathing room with Gungnir in his right hand. A unit of Einherjar accompanied the King while a unit of Valkyries followed after Amora.

A nobleman had vacated the sunken bath on Thor's right and it was being refilled with hot water as Loki/Odin walked up to it and gave his sleep shirt to the thrall that attended him before walking carefully down the stairs of the bathing pool and laying his spear on the floor next to the pool. Another thrall handed him a bar of soap and a washing cloth while the Einherjar that had accompanied their King stepped back to the walls to join the ones that had been assigned to the Odinsons.

"Today will be a day to remember my sons" Loki/Odin spoke with a bit of pride stealing through his voice, "as I honor the warriors who perished as well as your victory over these raiders and I take the Lady Amora as wife and Queen. I will have the chroniclers there as well to preserve this day's events for prosperity."

The presence of the chroniclers had been Amora's idea and it had appealed to Loki's sense of grandeur as he would have Thor's refusal of the throne recorded as well as the honors he would heap upon Thor and the Vizier as well as his marriage to, and installation of Amora as Queen.

Amora had told him that she had been reading through her father's personal scrolls and was having scribes scan them and transcribe them into books; one set of books that would record a history on Asgardian law, another set his commentary on Asgardian law, and the last set was his personal diary about his family, his late wife and Amora. Loki had told her that he would pass a law making the first two books required reading for those who wished to study Asgardian law, or sought office as a counselor to the King, knowing that this tribute would please her greatly.

Loki/Odin saw a look of conflict on Thor's face as he said nothing about the honors he would receive and it struck Loki/Odin odd. What was going on in that dull, thick skull of his brother? Could it be that he was rethinking his abdication of the throne after defeating Malekith? Or, more likely, Thor was going to hold to his earlier decision even though all his moronic friends (and especially the Lady Sif) would have an apoplectic fit over his refusal. Poor little warrior maiden; hero-worshipping, and long desiring the throne as Queen, Thor's Queen, Sif. Oh how she would find all her hopes dashed forever as Thor did not love her and probably never would thanks to Jane Foster. Was he considering what their feelings would be when he refused the throne for a second time?

He was about to probe into his brother's mind with questions to see if his suppositions were right when a shadow crossed over the glass ceiling of the bathing room. Loki/Odin looked up and before he could cry out an alarm an immense white form crashed through the ceiling. Showering the bathing room with broken glass as a giant bull spider-ape from Nornheim landed only a few feet away from the disguised Loki. The creature looked at him with an angry look on its face as it opened its mandible mouth and roared at him while pounding its chest with all four arms before it leaped at him.

An alert Einherjar hurled a spear at the bull which found its mark, and enraged the beast stopped, turned and hurled itself at the warriors who now sprang into action to protect their King. With swords drawn the King's Guard braced for the brute's attack, when there came the sound of more glass shattering as a dozen more bull spider-apes fell down from the roof and they now heard terrified screams of the women.

"Amora!" Loki/Odin cried out in fear as he climbed out the bathing pool and heedless of the fact that he was naked and barefoot he scooped up Gungnir and made for the women's section of the bathing room over the shattered glass that covered the marble floor. Heedless of the beasts he charged into the women's room.

"A sword, a sword, someone hand me a sword" Balder bellowed as the apes began to converge on him, his helpless brother, and his precious son! A warrior with a javelin pulled his sword from its scabbard and tossed it to Balder who caught it by the hilt and braced himself for the creatures attack. He did not have to wait long as four brutes charged him, "Stay in the pool and keep down" he ordered his brother and son as he decapitated the first ape to reach him and chopped an arm off the one behind it.

Screaming in pain and rage the beast hesitated briefly before renewing its attack and that brief moment was enough for Balder to cleave its skull. A warrior cast his spear at the third ape hitting a vital spot which felled it before it reached the Odinson. The fourth spider-ape leapt at Balder roaring in anger and he barely managed to free his sword from the head of the ape he'd killed to face the brute that fell upon him.

"NOOOOO!" Thor screamed as he saw both brother and beast fall into the bathing pool that Balder had been using and the brute thrashed viciously about in the water. He'd been given a sword from another warrior (who had charged after the other apes in order to protect the other nobles there in the bath) and Thor jumped upon the creature's back to attempt to pull it off of his brother. Encircling his arm around its neck he pulled with all his might and managed to raise the brute's head out of the water while its arms and legs flailed about. That's when he saw blood mingling with the bath water and with a bellow of rage he buried the sword in the ape's side. The creature stopped its thrashing and went limp as Thor saw a gasping Balder rise up from the water and scramble out of the pool coughing and gagging on bloody water.

"You're lucky these brutes are thick skinned little brother or you would have been skewered on my sword" Balder coughed up some more water, "for it is buried in its heart."

The Einherjar had killed the last of the spider-apes and Balder looking about called out for his son and twin brother. Forseti ran to his father crying from fear and Hodr called out that he was well. That's when the Odinsons heard screaming coming from the women's bathing room and Balder looked around for his father.

"Father, where is father?" a look of panic crossed his face when he realized that Odin wasn't with them. "The women…Amora!" and with that Balder made all haste for the women's bathing room with Thor right behind him.

A company of Einherjar and Valkyries had rushed into the bathing room being alerted by a handful of screaming women fleeing from the giant ape creatures and they quickly move to protect not only their King, but future Queen as well.

When Loki/Odin rushed into the women's bathing room he quickly spotted Amora who, with sword in hand, was holding off a giant bull spider-ape. Still dressed in her sleep gown Amora demonstrated remarkable skill with the blade and despite his terror of possibly losing her he felt pride in his heart also.

"Amora," Loki/Odin screamed at her "get down!"

Lowering Gungnir, Loki/Odin took aim at the beast and when The Enchantress fell to the floor, a golden bolt from the King's spear blasted the beast into atoms.

There had been nearly a dozen spider-apes in the bathing room, but the fast acting Einherjar and Valkyries dealt with them, and still in readiness to defend the bathers, they kept wary eyes on the glass ceiling in case more should fall through to attack.

"My dear, are you all right?" Loki/Odin asked breathlessly as he approached her.

"Yes, I am but…"

"Father, Amora are you both all right?" Balder stopped to catch his breath with Thor right behind him. Thor caught the look on Amora's face when she turned to face them and her eyes traveled down their forms and that's when he remembered that…

"Balder!" called out the embarrassed and mildly peeved voice of Nanna, wrapped in a large bathing towel, as she stood nearby with a bloody sword in her hand "you're naked!"

Both Thor and Balder developed red faces as they came to the realization that, indeed they were both nude, as well as their father. "Have no fear" Amora said with a hint of laughter in her voice as with a wave of her right hand, that glowed with a greenish light, caused bed shirts to appear upon Loki/Odin and both Odinsons "see, propriety and dignity restored."

"Thank you little sister" a slightly relieved Balder spoke up as he made to go to Nanna's side but then cried out with pain with his first footstep. Looking down he saw that there was blood coming from his feet and he realized that he'd stepped on broken glass.

With the danger from the apes over both Loki/Odin and Thor checked their feet as well and discovered that they too were bleeding from glass embedded in their feet. Loki/Odin's concern for Amora's safety and the Odinsons' concern for their father's well-being had put aside any minor pain they may have felt and had paid it no heed.

"Guards" Amora called out "take your King and Princes' to the Healing Room and help those who are bare foot to the exits or to the Healing Room, then clean up this glass."

Taking a look around the bathing room she sighed and then also ordered them to attend to the dead and remove the carcasses of the beasts. Six Einherjar threaded their spears through their shields to use as a seat as they then carried out their King and his two sons to head to the Healing Room.

Calling two Einherjar to her she ordered them to take her and the Lady Nanna to the Healing room and picking both women up in their arms they obeyed their future Queen as their booted feet crunched the broken glass that covered the floor.

"Damn them to Hel" the black cowled man roared in anger as he watched the scene in the bathing rooms through the smoke that Angurbodi conjured up as the King, two of his sons and the Einherjar dispatched all the spider-apes the Jotun witch had sent to kill them all. With fists clenched he raged at this bad turn of luck as the Jotun witch kept her distance from him. Bellowing his disgust he left the hidden chamber and Angurbodi breathed a sigh of relief as she half expected another beating from the bastard.

She turned her attention back to the pillar of smoke to spy on Odin and the Asgardian witch as they left the Healing Room with a company of Einherjar for protection. Odin had the guards thoroughly check his quarters for poisonous beasts and when they found nothing they exited the King's rooms to stand guard just outside. Catching a small spider Angurbodi quickly returned to the vision in the smoky column and with a gentle gust of her breath she blew the spider into the smoke and transported it into the Asgardian King's room and muttering a spell she was able to see through the tiny arachnid's multiple eyes. As was his habit Odin muttered a spell of concealment and Angurbodi saw a green glow envelope Odin's body and she watched it change into the long dead Odinson Loki.

So Loki lives and Odin, if he wasn't dead, must be down in the dungeons. With a smirk of satisfaction on her face the Jotun witch realized now why she hadn't been able to break through his spells of concealment. The half Asgardian bastardized son of Laufey was clever and strong in his magic, magic learned from the Nornheim Queen, but not clever enough to sense he was being spied upon as she watched him drink a toast of good fortune with his soon-to-be Queen. With a wave of her hand she made the image disappear in the smoke and laughed quietly to herself as she was going to keep this new development to herself. Perhaps someday, Loki Laufeyson would prove to be very useful to her, yes very useful.

Loki changed back into Odin-form when he heard Thor and Balder's voice at his antechamber doors and granted them entrance. Both of his 'sons' had dressed in swede shirts and leather pants before coming to their father's chambers. Thor stated he had come to explain his theory about the brigands in the dungeons possibly coming from the same cohort that perished in the western valleys and that the interrogators should question some of them to see if his assumption was correct.

"Yes my son, this would seem to be the wisest thing to do, but I think it would be better if they were turned over to Karnilla instead" Loki/Odin said after a brief period of thought "as she is far more adept at getting information than even our interrogators."

Turning to Amora Loki/Odin requested that she contact Karnilla and inform the Norn Queen of what had just transpired. This Amora did by closing her eyes and concentrating while mumbling a spell. A small column of smoke appeared in front of her and as it grew it began to take shape and form until the savage Queen of Nornheim stood before them. Karnilla's form was draped in smoke as she stood in front of her ivory throne, as proud as ever, dressed in a black gown whose front was attached to a golden chain with large, thick links draped upon her neck.

It split in two halves, covering her breasts and joined to another golden braided chain at her waist to flow like black water about her form.

"Why does the King of Asgard summon Karnilla?" She spoke with an angered tone in her voice as she looked about the bed chamber of Odin spying the Thunder god and when she saw Balder her expression lightened somewhat.

"An attempt was made to assassinate the royal family O Queen" Loki/Odin answered back with respect, "with at least a dozen bull spider-apes just this morn."

"Hum-mm, your traitor did not waste time trying to get back at you for the loss of so many of his men" Karnilla threaded her fingers together, "And it seems he now knows of my involvement." Balthar and another Norn guard now came into the image dragging the giant black striped carcass of an Asgardian mountain beast. The cat-like creature had two rows of pointed horns starting from its eyebrows to the back of its head and long dagger-like upper fangs that protruded a centimeter past its bottom jaw. Wickedly sharp curved claws extended from its four forelegs as it was dumped at Karnilla's feet for all to see. "This climbed through one of my bed chamber windows and attempted to devour me. Which, as you can see, it failed to do as my knife was faster than it and found its heart before it could devour mine."

"There are, in our dungeons brigands from Vanaheim, who bear the same amour and tattoo markings of those I slew in our western border valleys" Thor spoke up as he stared in amazement at the beast as it was larger than any he'd ever seen.

"I will have half a dozen brigands selected, O Karnilla, for you to integrate along with our own interrogators," Loki/Odin offered "as they may have been hired by this traitor before he obtained a sorcerer to disguise his marauders."

"It won't be necessary to disturb your interrogators as I can easily obtain the information we both desire" Karnilla spoke plainly to Loki/Odin as she walked through the smoke to stand in Loki/Odin's bed chambers. "Merely have someone guide me to your dungeons and show me these mercenaries. I can assure you it will not take much time to get the information we seek."

"Very well O Queen" Loki/ Odin looked at Thor and continued. "My son will escort you and allow you to work undisturbed."

With a bow of her head, Karnilla followed Thor out of the King's chambers as they, with plenty of dropped and gaping jaws from men and women of the Court, as well as Einherjar, walked to the dungeons.

Thor stopped in front of a cell that held six men taken captive from the battle on Vanaheim and with a wave of her hand the force field that held the brigands' prisoner opened up a gap large enough to allow Karnilla, who walked up invisible stairs to reach the platform to go through it, before closing it behind her. Thor was about to protest when she reached out her hand, fingers extended and all six cutthroats rose up in the air their arms and legs flailing about in helplessness.

"Now I am going to ask you some questions" the Queen of Nornheim stated nonchalantly as she stood before the floating men, "and I expect you to tell me the truth or…"

The raider to her far left seemed to burst into flame and he screamed in terror and pain before he floated to the cell floor as so much ash. The eyes of the surviving brigands grew wide with fear as Thor's jaw dropped and his eyes nearly flew from his head at this display of power from the Norn Queen. She walked up to the man who had been floating next to the unfortunate mercenary and it seemed to Thor that he couldn't tell Karnilla enough, but no matter what she threatened them with, none of them could tell her the identity of their employer, only that he was an Asgardian noble man who lived in the western borderlands of Asgard. They never at any time saw his face, as he was always cloaked in a black traveler's cloak which also muffled his voice somewhat as well, and they did not know where he lived as they always met in caves or clearings in thick groves in the forests of Vanaheim.

Turning from the cutthroats Karnilla waved her hand in front of her and the gap in the force field reappeared for her to walk through and down the invisible stairs as the marauders fell to the floor of their cell as the force field closed behind her. "How very disappointing "The Norn Queen spoke dispassionately as she glanced at Thor, "we are only slightly closer to learning this malcontent's name."

"Then we can only hope that he will make a serious blunder which will give us his identity" Thor answered back as he escorted Karnilla out of the dungeons and back to his father's chambers.

When the two of them entered Loki/Odin's chambers they relayed what the raiders had told them and this did not please Loki, but it did confirm his theory that this traitor was from the western borderlands.

"My warriors shall continue to keep watch in the three valleys" Karnilla spoke with regal determination "as sooner or later either, he or his cutthroats, will make a mistake and when he does, he will find Karnilla at his heels." With a flourish Karnilla turned into a pillar of smoke which then slowly dissipated to reveal that she had left to return to Nornheim.

"Have Heimdall continue to watch all the Lords with lands in the western borders" Loki/Odin spoke up after some contemplation "as for us, at the moment, let us enjoy our breakfast."

Four thralls entered the antechamber with trays of food for the morning feast with Odin's sons and their families as Balder, his wife Nanna, son Forseti and blind Hodr entered first. All gathered about the long table waiting for the Allfather to take his place at the tables head. Loki/Odin led Amora to the chair at his right then sat down with a nod for all gathered to sit as thralls served their masters and mistresses.

When the breakfast was finished Loki/Odin spoke saying all should prepare for the celebratory feast and requested Balder and Tyr to increase the guard to protect themselves and the people who would be attending.

"Then I shall have to leave you my love to prepare in my chambers" Amora smiled when she caught the slight look of disappointment on Loki/Odin's face "as its bad luck to see the bridal gown before the wedding."

When she exited Loki/Odin's rooms she was met by a unit of Einherjar who escorted her to her rooms and she hurried her steps as there was something that she had to make certain of before Loki could get to the dungeons.

The old man just stared at the bread and water the dungeon guard had brought him earlier and he wondered if he actually should use the powder that Amora had given him. Today was the day of "his" wedding to the Lady Amora and his usefulness to his adopted son was over. A movement to his left caught his one remaining eye and he saw a glowing green light that spiraled upwards like smoke from an enchanted fire and the form of Amora appeared before him. At her feet was the dead body of one of the brigands from Vanaheim and with a wave of her right hand it transformed into him.

"Take the powder with your water" she spoke urgently to him "as the guard will be here any moment to take away the dishes and Loki will be here soon to kill you, so if you want to live do as I say."

"You take a great risk in coming here now" Odin answered back weakly "the guard will wonder why and how you come to be here."

"I would be at risk if the fool could see me and this carcass, but I am hidden by a spell of concealment so all he will see is you."

Odin took out the small leather pouch from the fold of his ragged shirt and undoing the binding cord he poured the powder into his water and then drank it. He gagged briefly and it was proving hard for him to breathe as he collapsed upon his right side and seemed to breathe his last.

The Einherjar guard entered the cell and picked up the plate of uneaten bread and the dropped metal cup that had spilled what little water that was in it. Reaching over to touch the old vagabond's throat he straightened up and with a sigh walked out of the cell as he was now going to have to lug the old carcass to the furnaces to dispose of it before it would begin to stink.

When the guard was out of sight Amora began to mumble and chant an incantation and the brigand's body replaced that of Odin's unconscious form as she and Odin's unconscious form were transported to another holding cell on anther floor in the lower levels of the prison. Pulling a small vial from her sleeve she poured it into Odin's mouth and she hoped that he wasn't so weak that the antidote would fail to restore him to consciousness. She was rewarded by Odin coughing and gagging as he woke up from his drug induced stupor. With a flourish she raised her arms up over her head and she disappeared as Odin sat up to watch her fade away with a surprised look upon his face as she actually had been true to her word.

Loki/Odin watched as two Einherjar guards slid the old tramp's body into the furnace and closed the furnace door. Neither guard dared to ask why the Allfather would concern himself with an old vagabond's death, nor did they think it worth incurring his wrath as he didn't look too happy that the old man was dead. Loki/Odin turned about and stalked out of the prison fuming to himself as he had wanted to torment the old bastard one last time before draining his life–force completely. It seemed that Odin had robbed him of one more thing, but no matter, as Loki was now the most powerful man in all of Asgard and there was no one to deny to him what was rightfully his. What his beloved mother had given to him. The throne, all of Asgard, was now his and his alone…no not alone, his and Amora's and the son she must have within her womb…yes, all of it was theirs.

Servants carrying platters of food scurried along the long tables for the noblemen and women, freemen and their wives, as well as Einherjar guards who were entering the feasting hall buzzing with conversations and laughter. They all waited anxiously for the appearance of the Allfather and all the Odinsons, especially Thor as rumors flew fast and high that once again Odin would offer the throne to his only son by their late Queen and today would be his coronation. Others gossiped that Odin was going to take The Enchantress, the Lady Amora as wife, since he'd already taken her as mistress.

There came the blaring sound of Einherjar blowing curled, gold covered ram's horns to announce the entrance of the King. Loki/Odin entered the feasting hall wearing ceremonial armor forged from the gold Balder and Thor brought back from the western valleys. With purposeful strides Loki/Odin walked to his gold plated chair at the head of the long table where he and his 'sons' would sit.

The table was covered with a long and wide linen cloth with knot-work dragons embroidered with gold cut into fine threads running along the hem and one large, golden, long twisted pair of dragons running down the middle of the table cloth. Thralls had placed gold cups and gold platters at each chair and with gold pitchers they filled each drinking cup with blood red wine. The assembled courtiers and freeborn gentry found their places at the other long tables to stand next to their chairs as the Allfather came to stand in front of his own chair. The assembled Odinsons, the sons of the former Queen, the Lady Bertha, stood at the chairs to their father's left according to their order of birth; Tyr and Uller, Bragi and the empty chair next to him would have been for Skjoidr who died in battle with the Frost Giants, Balder (who would escort the Lady Amora to the great feasting table and her marriage to his father) and Hodr, and Hermodr, the last two chairs were also empty as they would have been for Freyr (who lived in hosterage in Vanaheim as the captain of the King's body guard) and his late sister Freya.

Thor was directed to the second chair to his father's right next to the chair which was for the Lady Amora. There erupted a loud wave of cheering and clapping as Thor stood next to his seat and he acknowledged it with a smile and nod of his head.

Thor's friends and the Lady Sif, now recovered from her injuries, stood by him with Sif right next to him. Each of them had smiles of anticipation upon their faces as they were all assured that today would be the day that Thor would take his rightful place as the next King of Asgard, despite the fact that Odin seemed determined to marry the Lady Amora and make her Queen.

"Nervous little sister?" Balder spoke up with just the hint of a smile on his face as he and the Lady Amora stood in the west entrance to the great hall waiting with the new High Councilor for their cue to enter.

"That obvious is it?" she answered back with a small laugh which did nothing to hide the fact that, yes, she was nervous for the first time after many a wedding to various lords and soldiers during her lifetime.

"It wouldn't be normal if you weren't as today you will become our Queen" Balder gently patted her hand to assure her "and long many you reign."

With a nod of Loki/Odin's head Tyr began to slowly read the names of the fallen Einherjar that died on N'as-Keroth and when he spoke the last name Loki/Odin reached down to the table to pick up his cup of wine, "To the heroic dead." He raised the cup in salute and drank while from the corner of his one seeing eye he saw the scribes busy recording the names of the dead as well as his toast. Inwardly Loki was pleased for his schemes seemed to be falling into place exactly as he had imagined that they would. The assembled host before him also raised their glasses and gave salute to the fallen warriors.

Turning to Thor, Loki/Odin raised his glass to his older brother, "To my son, whom I now proclaim to be Lord Protector of Asgard and guardian of all nine realms, I now ask again, are you prepared to take up the throne, your birthright?"

A hush fell upon the assembly and Loki/Odin saw a huge grin erupt on Sif's face as well as on the faces of the three cretins as all eyes were now on the Thunder god. Who remained silent and his eyes seemed to retreat inwards in thought unlike his behavior some eight years past where he was all boastful noise and self-centered. The scribes had ceased their writing to gaze at the heir-apparent waiting for his answer.

Thor took a deep breath and then answered, "I will defend my homeland with my last breath, my last drop of blood and I hope to be worthy of the trust you have bestowed on me Father…" the Odinson paused, sighed then with a resolute expression on his face he continued "but I am not worthy of the throne…"

"NO!" Sif cried out in shock and dismay as she could not believe what she had just heard and she grabbed his left arm forcing him to face her. "You are the rightful heir to the throne…"

The Warriors Three stood dumbfounded as Thor tore his arm out of Sif's grasp, "I could not save my mother, and my brother died needlessly, because I was fool enough to think I could destroy something that was indestructible."

"With this you leave me without an heir" Loki/Odin spoke with pretend sorrow as he quietly stared at Thor "and leave me no other choice."

The echo of Gungnir slamming into the floor brought silence and Loki/Odin released it to extend his right hand to the west entrance. "I commanded the Lady Amora and the Second Highest Councilor to be brought forth."

"Thor, what are you doing?" Sif sputtered in unbelief as her years of dreaming of seeing him sit the Golden Throne vaporized.

"What I know to be right in my heart Sif for I am no King, I never was."

All eyes now turned to the west side of the celebration hall as Balder led the Lady Amora through the doorway as the two of them followed the High Councilor to the gasps of the stunned crowd. That Thor should throw away his birthright, that the Allfather would seek to marry again and to The Enchantress of all people, was lunacy to the warrior maiden.

"Thor, you must stop this she has the Allfather under a spell…"

"Be silent Sif" Thor growled at her, "Father isn't enchanted as if anyone could possess the power to warp his mind. Father has a right to be happy and if he has found happiness with Amora, as I have with Jane, then so be it."

Sif stared at him with open mouthed confusion as he couldn't mean what she just heard him say.

Balder led Amora up to Loki/Odin and gently transferred her hand from on top of his own to his father's and made for his seat as the newly appointed High Councilor took his place behind the Allfather.

"By the power invested in me by the crown I have come to join together this man and this woman in the life-bond of marriage" with all solemnity the High Councilor spoke as a thrall held open a book of law and he began to read the vows of matrimony.

"Do you my King swear to bind yourself to this woman of your own free will to become her husband?"

"I do so freely swear" Loki/Odin replied with just a hint of a smile upon his face, "to bind myself to the Lady Amora forever."

"Do you my Lady swear to bind yourself to this man of your own free will to become his wife?"

Sif wanted to scream with all her strength as this could not be happening and Thor was just standing there allowing it to happen.

"I do so freely swear to bind myself to Odin, my King, forever."

From the east entrance to the great hall old Ake and young Magnus appeared dressed in fine white linen tunics. The older thrall held a scarlet pillow that bore two golden rings of fine knot-work dragons with ruby eyes as well as a gold diadem of knot-work dragons and young Magnus carried a challis filled with wine. Both thralls came to a stop as they reached the High Councilor.

"Freely take the ring my Liege and place it upon the finger of the Lady Amora and repeat this vow…"

Loki/Odin picked up the smaller of the two rings and slid it over the ring finger of her left hand.

"With this ring I am bound to you forever."

"With this ring I am bound to you forever" Loki/Odin repeated.

"Freely take the ring my Lady and place it upon the finger of our King and repeat this vow 'With this ring I am bound to you forever."

Her hand trembled slightly but she took the larger ring and placed it upon Loki/Odin's left ring finger without dropping it "With this ring I am bound to you forever."

"With all the power invested in me by the King, I now pronounce you Husband and Wife" the newly appointed High Councilor said with a smile. "You may now kiss your bride my Liege."

Gently with both his hands Loki/Odin pulled the delicate vail over the emerald head piece and taking a hold of her head with both hands leaned forward and kissed her.

Balder reached down to pick up his gold cup and when his father and the Lady Amora parted lips and raising it up cried out "Long live the King, long live the Queen!"

Thor reached for his cup but Sif stopped him, "This is an obscenity! Thor you must put a stop to this…"

With a growl Thor glared at her "Be silent, father has made his choice and I have made mine."

Raising his gold cup up Thor joined in with Balder in wishing his father and new Queen long life as Sif turned and stalked out of the feast room burning with rage and humiliation as this was not right, not right at all. Sorcery was at work here and she would find out how Amora wormed her way into the Allfather's heart, and bed, and expose the filthy whore.

Soon all in the room, save for the Warriors Three who were stilled stunned by Thor's refusal of the throne, were holding up their cups and toasting long life to both their Lieges and Loki/Odin smiled back at them as he let them continue to shout their praises to him and Amora, praises long over-due to him. Reaching for Gungnir he picked it up and slammed it down on the floor and the thud reverberated throughout the room silencing the people.

"My Lady Amora" Loki/Odin spoke as the crowd grew silent "do you swear to protect the realm with all the might, wit, and cunning you possess?"

"I do swear before all assembled."

"Do you swear to protect all the realms to your last breath?" Loki/Odin continued.

"I do so swear before all assembled."

"Do you swear to cast aside all selfish ambition, vainglory and rule with justice and mercy?"

"I do so swear before all assembled and to honor the memory of my late father."

Reaching for the gold braided diadem Loki/Odin placed it over Amora's head and emerald head piece "In the name of my father and his father before him I now proclaim you…Queen of Asgard" reaching for the challis that Magnus held he took a sip from it and then handed it to Amora. "Drink now and stand by my side as we two rule the mightiest realm of them all."

Amora took the challis from Loki/Odin and drank before handing it back to Loki/Odin who passed it back to Magnus and taking her hand he turned her to face the crowd, "Behold Asgard, your Queen!"

It was Balder who led the cheering that seemed to slowly grow throughout the crowd till all were chanting "Long live the King, long live the Queen!"

Loki/Odin let it go for what seemed a might long time to Amora then he took up Gungnir and slamming its point onto the floor to silence the crowd before taking his place at the head of the great table with her as he nodded his head to his 'sons' to allow them and the crowd assembled to take their seats and begin to feast.

From the time that Amora learned of her father's scrolls and had read through some of them she'd employed scribes to transcribe them to books. They were still working at it as there was so many thousands of hand written scrolls to scan and then record them for publishing that they didn't have the half of them done. One scribe, a nearly bald, thin man with a hawkish nose was scanning a scroll from the early days of Odin's reign when he stopped in amazement and began to actually read it. Amazement turned to fear, fear turned to panic as he dropped his scanner and dashed out of the late High Councilor's private chambers with the scroll in his hand.

All seemed to be peaceful enough with the cosmos this night as Heimdall scanned the heavens for any potential threat to the realm either from outside Asgard, or from inside it, while the kingdom celebrated the marriage of the Allfather to the Lady Amora and her coronation as Queen. Turning his gaze to Earth he saw Jane Foster giving a lecture on the convergence and the gate-keeper thought she looked slightly tired from all the traveling she did to speak to other learned mortals or to students. He saw Erik Selvig working on research at the newly constructed Avenger's base of operations. Thor's compatriots were either enjoying their new found freedom or training for the next crisis that would require their stopping the evil forces that would impugn their will on the peoples of Midgard.

Heimdall cast his eyes upon the lifeless world where Thor had defeated the beast and scanned it for any sign of the monster. All he saw was an immense ocean of incredible depth and he could see that the newly formed ocean floor was completely covered with rubble. Islands had formed and unstable shelves of diverse depths, where soil was still settling into cracks and crevices, to form solid masses of rock. A slight tremor shook the land next to the ocean then the land was still, but only for a moment as another tremor manifested.

The scribe came upon the eastern entrance to the feasting hall and stopped to catch his breath and an Einherjar strode up to him to inquire as to why he was there and what did he have in his hands?

"I must speak to the Lady Amora" he gasped in pain from unaccustomed exertion "it is vital that I show her what is written in this scroll of her father's."

"Can you not see that our new Queen celebrates both her marriage to the King and her coronation? What makes you think that this is so important that you could disturb her from her revels?"

"You fool! This concerns…"

There came a booming crash of the heavy gold overlaid doors at the western entrance which cause many to soil their clothes with either food or wine as an Einherjar came flying through them to run to the King's table.

"What is the meaning of this intrusion?" Loki/Odin roared with rage at the guard who nearly fell over from fear of his angry Liege and his inability to breathe.

"Heimdall has…has sent me" the younger warrior finally gasped. "Mangog…the beast…it lives and is free…it heads for Asgard and with be here within the hour!"

Mangog, Thor's jaw dropped in shock, how could the creature have survived being frozen and buried alive by the entire half of a planet. He looked at his father who sat in his chair stunned by this news until the people assembled began to panic and standing up Odin slammed Gungnir's point into the floor which brought some composure to the assembled Asgardians.

"My sons, arm yourselves and every able-bodied man and boy, we go to meet this brute and deal with it once and for all" Loki/Odin turned to speak to Amora, to order her to evacuate Asgard proper but she was not at his side. He caught a glimpse of her running away with a scribe and he was about to call after her but she exited the feasting hall holding what seemed to be a scroll. What, was she deserting him? What could make her abandon him, unless she cared nothing for him at all and was only concerned with her own survival? Only Balder seemed to be in control as he shouted orders for all men to head to the armory and to follow him as he left to obey his father's command.

Confusion ruled in the feasting hall as women panicked catching ahold of children and each other as the Allfather shouted at them to head for the long boats and leave Asgard as quickly as possible. Balder caught a hold of Nanna and shouted over the din, "Lead the women and children to the long boats and get out of Asgard with all haste." He kissed her then releasing her he dashed for the armory.

"Women of Asgard, to me" Nanna shouted and began to lead them out of the feasting room to where the great long boats were tethered.

Amora had been greatly peeved that her moment of glory was being interrupted by lowly scribe until he showed her the entry in her father's journal and then the Einherjar breaking in to inform Loki/Odin about the beast. Now she couldn't run fast enough to her father's quarters as she had to make sure that all his scrolls would be safe as they were among the few things that her father had that she felt deserved to be kept safe, kept for her remembrance, kept for future generations of her children so that they would be proud that they were his descendants.

When she entered the Vizier's chambers Amora ordered her father's entire collection of scrolls to be collected as fast as they could for removal to safety. They began to gather all of them up but then realized they didn't have enough pouches to put them in and Amora commanded them to take the blankets off her father's bed and place the scroll upon them.

"Hurry you fools" Amora screamed at hem as they yanked the covers off the bed threw them on the floor and piled the scrolls on them. Amazingly they managed to get all the scrolls wrapped up in the blankets and sheets and The Enchantress had them stand around the piles as she began to chant and from her hands a green glowing smoke began to rise and it floated towards the scribes and scrolls till they were completely encompassed by it. When she stopped chanting the smoke began to dissipate and the scribes and the scrolls were gone with only a wisp of smoke curling up from the floor where they had stood. Still holding the scroll the scribe had given her, she sprinted to her father's wardrobe and spying a long rectangular chest she snatched it from the top shelf, turning she ran from the room, she had to find Loki and show him the entry on the scroll.

The company of Einherjar at the Bifrost portal stood in preparation for the monsters arrival as Heimdall said it would land there first as more men joined them. Heimdall held his sword in readiness though he didn't think it would have much effect on the creature, but, they would make a stand even if it would be their last.

Confusion was king as people scurried everywhere; soldiers to the gates of Asgard, women and children to the long boats, as Loki/Odin mounted Sleipnir and rode to the head of the assembled warriors to lead them into battle. He had just seen the dreams of childhood fulfilled and he wasn't going to lose it all because of some beast with a grudge against Odin. With the entire corps of Einherjar behind him Loki/Odin rode out of the palace grounds for the main gate of the Bifrost.

He had Uller split his archers into three groups; one for the main gates of the city, the second midway into the city along the main roads leading out of Asgard, and the final third at the palace itself as lines of defense should the beast break through the united front that Loki/Odin would mount against the beast.

"Brace yourself!" Heimdall bellowed as they could now see the beast approaching and all stood their ground as it landed in their midst.

When Mangog landed he went through the dome of the Bifrost portal and with a snarl charged at Heimdall and his warriors. Swinging his massive fists the brute sent brave Einherjar flying in all directions and the gatekeeper himself bounced off a far wall as if he were nothing more than a child's cloth doll. Slowly as he picked himself up from the floor Heimdall took up his sword that lay on the floor not far from him and calling out to what Einherjar that were left standing raced after the monster as it strode down the rainbow bridge towards the city proper.

Uller's archers stationed upon the outer wall of the city rained arrows down at the creature but it did no good as they didn't impede Mangog's advancement. When he reached the city's outer gates he pounded on them and they shivered and cracked until they exploded from his battering fists.

"At last" Mangog bellowed, "Odin!"

Loki/Odin sat tall and straight upon Sleipnir with countless legions of Einherjar both afoot and mounted behind him. With Gungnir in his right hand and his sons mounted and alongside him Loki/Odin let loose his own bellow and charged the monster as all of Asgard followed him.

Letting lose a blast from Gungnir he was rewarded by hearing the creature scream as it braced itself from his blast. Raising his fists high above his head, Mangog roared in rage and slammed them down on the bridge and the warriors of Asgard and their horses were all knocked off their feet and several fell off the bridge to sink below the fast flowing waters that cascaded over the edge of the realm.

Loki/Odin scrambled to his feet as Sleipnir raced back to the stables with the other horses that were driven to fear and confusion by being separated from their masters. Once again Loki/Odin blasted the brute with the King's spear and scowled that it had no effect. From behind him he heard the metallic whine of Mjolnir as it flew past him to bounce off the brute's head.

"My son, we strike together" Loki/Odin shouted back as the hammer returned to Thor's hand and he lowered Gungnir to take aim at Mangog. Twin blasts of golden energy and lightning struck the attacking fiend and it seemed to slow it down, but not stop its advance. Arrows and spears showered down upon the demonic form of Mangog but still he advanced through the warriors of Asgard as if they were naught but grass.

"Odin" the creature snarled as he reached out a clawed hand to snatch Loki/Odin from the bridge, "you still live. Good, you shall live long enough to see me take my revenge as I draw the Odinsword from its sheath and destroy all you hold dear." Again Mangog struck the bridge with his massive fists and he destroyed a section of the bridge which exploded sending Asgardians flying everywhere. With a roar the monster leapt into the air and over the blast to land behind this first defensive line and heading to the other side of the second bridge gate it preceded to wade through the soldiers tossing them like refuse in his wake.

Thor was fortunate that he landed on the bridge and he rose up and roared in fear and anger as he watched the fiend carry his father away. Balder was trying to hold on to Tyr who had fallen over the side of the Bifrost and called out for help. The Thunder god went to his brother's aid and helped to haul his oldest half-brother back upon the bridge.

It seemed to Thor that the creature was slowly, deliberately taking its time wading through the forces of Asgard as if it was enjoying the carnage it was causing. He watched as brave men threw themselves at the beast to attempt to rescue their King, wielding sword, mace, axe, spear and javelin as small gunships fired upon it to no effect.

"We must make for the palace" Balder called out in terror as Tyr rose to his feet, "Should this brute pull the Odinsword from its resting place then all is lost."

Thor saw Tyr's face turn ashen with terror and he didn't understand, "Odinsword? What are you speaking of?"

"Father created it nearly four millennia ago as the ultimate deterrent to alien conquest" Tyr gasped as he tried to catch his breath.

"We must stop this monster as the Odinsword will destroy, not just the Realm Eternal but the entire cosmos" Balder looked at Thor in terror, "We must get to the Golden Throne room and defend it at all costs."

"Get the attention of a gunship" Balder told Tyr "and have it ferry as many men to the palace as possible"

Grasping Thor's wrist while the younger Odinson twirled his hammer, and who took hold of Balder's wrist, Mjolnir hurtled the two of them towards the palace.

As she stood on a palace balcony that faced towards the Bifrost Amora looked in horror as the fiend decimated the warriors of Asgard and then captured Loki/Odin in its clawed hand. She still held in her hand the scroll that the scribe had given her at the feast as she watched the monster approach the palace, and the long, rectangular gold covered chest in her arms. If what her father had written was true, there was only one way and only one person who could save them now even if it meant losing Loki's love. Turning away she ran as fast as she could and hoped she would have the time to do what was necessary.

The monster plowed through the Einherjar as if it was taking a leisurely stroll through a grassy field as it clutched him in its fist. Loki/Odin strained to free his right arm, which still held Gungnir, so he could blast it and free himself but he was held too tightly and the brute took great pleasure in squeezing him tighter. The gun towers had ceased to fire upon the beast when they were told it had captured the Allfather and the gunnery ships now just helplessly flew by not wishing to accidently strike him. Loki/Odin saw Thor and Balder fly towards the palace overhead and he surmised that the two Odinsons were going to make a last stand at the palace with however many Einherjar were left standing.

Thor landed at the palace gates and Balder straightway took charge in ordering and encouraging the warriors to make their stand for the King and Asgard as well as their families. With Thor at his right Balder drew his sword as they watched Mangog approach the palace royal. With a fowl smirk upon his monstrous face Mangog roared and leapt over the Odinsons to grasp the outer wall of the palace and begin to climb.

"No!" Balder screamed. "The fiend heads for the Golden Throne Room and The Odinsword, men of Asgard, to me!" Balder and Thor turned and hurried to the Golden Throne Room with the warriors of Asgard at their heels. Thor hoped in his heart that they would reach this "Odinsword" before Mangog did as he ran with all speed at his brother's side but then he reasoned that on foot they never would. He stopped running and began to twirl Mjolnir until he gained enough speed and then released his war hammer which went through the ceiling and continued on until it reached the Golden throne Room and taking a step to his right reached his right hand up to summon it back. Crashing back through the floor, making the holes in the ceilings larger, Mjolnir returned to its master's hand.

"What are you doing?" Balder yelled at Thor as he dodged rubble falling from the ceiling as he and all the warriors stopped and stared at his younger brother incredulously.

"Taking the fast lane as Jane would say" as Thor began to whirl Miolnir over his head, creating a whirlwind that sucked all of them up the holes in the ceilings.

They landed on the floor of the Golden Throne Room and they heard and felt the tremors of the monster climbing the outer palace walls as they braced themselves for the monster's attack.

"Where did father hide this "Odinsword" Balder?"

"What, you mean to tell me that father never once told you about it?" Balder stared at him in unbelief then grabbing Thor's right shoulder he spun him around and made him face the throne. "Now tell me what you see little brother?"

"Father's throne" Thor said back with some confusion.

Balder unsheathed his own sword and holding it hilt up he held it in front of Thor, "Father had this made for me, as at one time, I was the heir-apparent to the throne."

He then pushed Thor over by one step, "Do you see it NOW little brother?"

Still confused Thor looked back at Balder's sword and shrugged. It had a flat hilt and an upswept cross guard that…that…that resembled the upswept; gold, reversed arch attached to the back of the throne and the hilt of his sword was decorated exactly like the pillar directly behind the throne.

"Yes, I do" Thor stared at the colossal cross guard and hilt, "now."

"The beast cannot join the cross guard to the hilt" Balder explained as the heard Mangog roar and felt the tremors of its ascent of the palace side and they knew it was close. "The sword will rise from the floor and if it is pulled from its scabbard it will mean the utter destruction of all existence."

"Why would father create such a thing?" Thor enquired as all present prepared to face the brute in defense of the Throne Room.

"Stop and think about it little brother, would YOU attack a people who had a weapon that could destroy, not only them as well as you, but the whole of reality?" Balder gripped his sword in readiness as the tremors grew worse.

The engines of a long ship could be heard to their left as Sif, the Warriors Three and two companies of Einherjar disembarked onto a balcony and hurried to their Princes.

"My friends, I am glad to see you" Thor welcomed them.

"If this is to be our last battle" Hogun grasped Thor's arm, "then we should die together."

There came a deafening roar and Mangog climbed unto the main balcony to The Golden Throne with Loki/Odin still in his cruel grasp, "Finally, after all these ages, my revenge against you will be complete you maggot."

Mjolnir smashed into the monster's face and Loki/Odin screamed angrily "I will not allow you to destroy MY ASGARD!"

Mangog only laughed as he leapt into the amassed warriors and using Loki/Odin as a club slowly plowed a path towards the throne. Einherjar archers laid down their bows and arrows to take up their swords to attack the brute as they feared they might accidently hit the Allfather as they charged the beast yelling at the top of their lungs. Thor smashed his hammer into the floor in front of Mangog and the monster's left foot fell into the resulting hole. Leaping up the Thunder god struck the creature in the face before Mangog's fist sent him flying a crossed the room to crash into a wall.

"Fall back to the throne" Balder called out to those Einherjar still standing, "he must not reach the throne!"

Balder stood in front of the warriors that stood in readiness to defend the realm with their last breath, "I am Balder Odinson, Lord of light and you will go no further monster!"

No sooner had the words come from his mouth then a burst of blinding pure white light erupted from his body and enveloped the form of the brute. With a shriek of pain, Mangog attempted to shield his eyes with his clawed hands when he felt a smashing blow to his fist and he released Loki/Odin who fell to the floor. Landing where Loki/Odin fell Thor looped his father's arm around his neck and getting the Allfather to his feet moved him swiftly away from the murderous monster. Thor took Loki/Odin to the nearest pillar to hide him behind it.

"Can't breathe" Loki/Odin gasped with a rasping voice as he collapsed to the floor, "armor…is crushing me…"

Setting his war hammer down Thor searched for the seam of his father's chest plate and when he found it he slipped his fingers under it and ripped the chest plate off which brought a gasp of relief from Loki/Odin.

"Oh my love" Amora appeared from nothing to kneel at Loki/Odin's side to take hold of her husband's head with her hands, "you're safe." Turning to Thor she spoke commandingly, "I will protect him, go and destroy the beast."

With a nod of his head Thor picked up Mjolnir rose to his feet and returned to the fray.

With Thor's concentration entirely on stopping Mangog, Amora revealed the rectangular box to Loki/Odin and opening it she showed him two long bladed daggers with runes engraved on both blades. "The beast does have a weakness that you can exploit but you must plunge each dagger clear to their hilts…"

"The black spots on the brute's back…" Loki/Odin grimaced in pain as he picked up one dagger to examine it, "that was the only oddity about it, but how do you know of this creature when there was nothing about it in the chronicles."

"Odin deemed that it was too dangerous to record in the chronicles, as then it would be common knowledge for traitors or invaders who might use the beast to destroy Asgard. Fortunately my father recorded it in his journals and he was caretaker for these which Odin had created especially for the beast."

"Once the daggers have struck their marks, what then? Will these slay the beast?"

"No, they are just the conduit for…" Amora was cut off by the roar of triumph from Mangog as he made his way to the throne. Grasping the upswept back arch of the throne the monster, with a mighty kick, sent the golden throne flying through the air straight towards the pillar where Loki/Odin and Amora were behind. Throwing up her hands and screaming out a spell of protection as a giant green bubble enveloped them as both Amora and Loki/Odin were struck by the throne as it went through the pillar.

Thor picked himself from off the floor from where the beast had sent him flying with its tail and he saw the monstrosity tear the back arch from the throne and then kick it towards his father and Amora.

"Noooooooooo!" he screamed. He could not, would not lose another parent to a monster as he reached out his right hand to summon Mjolnir and when his war hammer was back in his grasp he threw it and it bounced off the back of the monster's head.

Mangog ignored the blow as he pushed the cross guard towards the pillar while Balder and the small number of warriors that were left harried him the whole time desperate to stop the brute from his foul quest.

A stunned Loki coughed and choked on dust from the still settling debris as his mind cleared and realized that Amora was gone, and not only was his Enchantress missing so was Gungnir.

He reached for the daggers and looked at the runes written on both sides of the two of them; one side of both had written "Punishment" and the other side said "Absolution". He attempted to transform back into Odin-form but with a shock he discovered that he could not as he stared onto his reflection in the shiny steel of the blade in his right hand. How was that possible? If he could not transform then all would know that he was alive and Odin dead, but if he did not slay the monster there would be no place to escape to as all of reality would be destroyed. Grasping a dagger in either hand Loki transformed his armor as his familiar horned helmet appeared on his head and a gold breast plate affixed to his chest and to a gold back plate with his green cape flowing out of the shoulders. Looking out from under the demolished throne he steeled himself and made to charge the beast.

Mangog paid no further heed to the Asgardians that attacked him as he pushed the cross guard towards the great pillar behind the throne and with a satisfied roar joined the arched guard to the pillar. Instantly a golden light spiraled up the enormous hilt and shot skyward. When it hit the edge of the atmosphere the sky began to turn black and even in the throne room all could hear the screams of terror coming from the people of Asgard. The floor of the Golden Throne Room began to shake and debris started to fall from the ceiling as the pillar hilt began to rise from the floor with a deep rumbling.

"At long last I shall be avenged for my imprisonment" Mangog roared as the hilt began to tip downwards towards the floor as it continued to rise up and he reached up to grasp it as it descended.

"You fool" Balder screamed at the monstrosity "you will destroy yourself as well!"

"That matters not to me as long as you Aesir scum are dead" Mangog bellowed back as he made to pull the blade free from its scabbard. Lightning flashed through the sky and ominous thunder crashed as Mangog grasped the hilt under his right arm and began to pull it forward. The ground beneath them shook violently and buildings began to collapse as deep cracks appeared in the palace walls and sections of it broke off and crashed into the streets below.

Thor picked himself from off the floor and with a bellow he charged Mangog swinging his war hammer over his head he leaped up and smashed Mjolnir squarely in the brutes face. It did nothing to deter the beast who simply swatted the Thunder god away like an annoying insect. Thor sailed a crossed the room to smash into a wall. His helmet fell off as he slid to the floor and all went black for a few seconds then his eyes cleared. Wearily, slowly he rose from the floor to his unsteady feet and gamely ran back to confront the monster again. That's when he saw a flash of green dash from where his father had been hiding to sprint around behind the brute and he slowed to a stop not believing what he was seeing. It was Loki! With two long bladed daggers in his hands his "dead" brother leaped upon the scabbard and with them upraised raced towards the monster's back. Was he really seeing this? With a roar Loki leapt up and plunged both daggers into Mangog's back. Mangog released the hilt of the Odinsword and screamed in agony as he tried to reach behind himself to seize the source of his pain. Loki managed to avoid the clawed fists of the brute as he shoved both daggers clear to their hilts in the two black spots. He slipped as the creature writhed and twisted its bulk and grasping Loki's left leg with his right claw, Mangog pulled him off his back and screamed enraged as he crushed him until Loki screamed in acute agony. With not even so much as a glance Mangog threw Loki away like a broken toy and Thor's brother crashed into a far wall and slid, seemingly lifeless, to the floor.

"NO, LOKI!" screamed Amora as she seemed to appear from nowhere to rush to her beloved's side. Dropping to her knees she picked up his head and hysterically shook him trying to awaken him, as she could not tell if Loki was dead or simply unconscious. She dissolved his helmet and she stroked his forehead as her hand slid behind his ear to cradle his head to her heart as she wept.

Thor stood rooted to the spot, stunned at what he had just witnessed until his face contorted into a snarl and he turned to charge the screaming monster roaring at the top of his lungs as he sprang up to smash Mjolnir in Mangog's face. The monster took a hold of him with his right claw and began to squeeze, crushing the life out of the Odinson.

"Release my son creature!" a commanding, but week voice shouted and all stood still as they saw the Allfather enter the throne room. He was dressed in grey raggedy clothes with a floppy pointed grey hat upon his head that dipped over his missing eye and he had Gungnir in his hands.

"Odin!" Mangog growled as he dropped Thor to the floor. "My revenge will now be complete as I watch you die for imprisoning me all those millennium ago."

"Your memory has grown faulty after so long a time brute" Odin raised Gungnir up and pointed its blade at the fiend as a bolt of golden light shot forth and struck the twin daggers in the breast's back, "you were not imprisoned, you WERE the prison!"

A horrific scream erupted from Mangog as Odin explained further, "I defeated a heartless race of invaders and formed them into you. I sealed you in the asteroid until your penance should be complete. Now I release them and return them to their home world to begin their lives again to live in peace with the cosmos."

As Thor looked on from the floor he saw the beast grow smaller as he could now see the shapes of an alien race that divorced themselves from Mangog's body and through a vortex of time and space each one was returned to their home planet until the monster was no more and the vortexed was closed by the Allfather.

"Father…what happened to you? How came you to be this way?" Thor groaned, perplexed at his father's appearance.

"Explanations came be made later as we must evacuate the palace with the wounded immediately. Guards" Odin commanded what was left of the warriors to come to Thor's aid and to Balder's as he strode to where Loki lay, either unconscious or dead. He bent down to attempt to pick his errant son up but Amora pushed him away.

"Leave him" she cried out in inconsolable grief, "don't you dare touch him…you who cared nothing for him!"

"He lives, and he is my son" Odin said calmly as he lifted Loki into his arms and carried him out.

Amora gasped and rising to her feet followed the old man and her beloved as more debris began to fall from the ceiling. The wall, along with part of the floor Loki had been lying on, cracked and fell to the ground as the palace shuttered from Mangog's devastation.

"Thor, over here" called out the welcomed voice of Fandral as a flying ship hovered over the balcony of the Golden Throne room. Einherjar jumped out of the boat to aid in rescuing the wounded and when all were aboard it lifted up and flew away. Odin laid Loki's still form upon one of the cushioned seats at the fore of the ship and Amora sat next to him weeping uncontrollably.

Sif glared at both of them as she now had it figured out that Loki had been disguised as the Allfather and Amora had been his accomplice. With a righteously smug grin on her face she looked at the two conspirators who would soon be gracing the Executioner's block. Thor helped Balder to the seat a crossed from Loki and Amora as his older brother had broken his right leg. Balder slipped his arm from around Thor's neck to sit down with a grimace on his face. Thor's right arm hung useless at his side crushed in two places as he sat down next to Balder.

Loki had died in his arms on Svartalfheim, so how was it possible that he could now be here, alive and why was his father dressed so, and seemingly gaunt and ill-used. Thor could see that his father was having difficulty standing in the craft as it flew to the open plains behind Asgard proper where many of the people had managed to flee to.

Odin turned to an Einherjar standing next to him and ordered the warrior to fetch all the healers to tend to the wounded when the ship was landed and the soldier saluted his king exclaiming that he would immediately.

"Father, how came you to be so ill used?" Balder questioned his sire, speaking the words Thor wished to say.

"I was in the dungeons these last four years" Odin sighed with a distant look upon his haggard but still imperial face, "a prisoner of Loki."

"Justice would not leave you there Allfather" Sif broke in, her face painted with hatred "and now the axe will fall for these two traitors who well deserve death."

"Oh that would suit you just fine wouldn't it warrior "MAIDEN"" Amora looked up from Loki's unconscious form to glare back at Sif. Sif who now blanched and looked shocked back at her. "Yes, he told me all about it and we both had a good laugh at how easily you whored yourself to him when you thought he was Thor."

Amora caught the look of shocked amazement on the Thunder god's face as she explained further, "Loki did at one time have feelings for you, but you cruelly dashed them to the ground and trampled upon them with your self-righteous feet. He was invisible, hidden in Thor's shadow, but Loki has won this time and you will never be Queen."

With a triumphant smile upon her face the Lady Amora simply disappeared.

"Where has she gone?" Balder gasped amazed as all had thought she was on board but she'd been nothing more than a doppelgänger.

"Unknown, but it matters not my sons" Odin replied wearily, "when we land have the healers see to your injuries, with Loki's tended to first."

Sif tried to voice her objections but a stern look from her King stopped her and she bowed her head in submission but her face spoke volumes of disgust that her folly from so long ago should be made known, and in front of Thor. She turned and walked to the ship's aft where she sat down and put her head in her hands so no one could see her cry.

When the air ship settled on an open space on the plain, Odin again lifted Loki's prone form into his arms and carried him off the ship with the grave look of a worried father upon his face as Thor helped Balder down the gang plank.

Thor helped Balder to sit on the green turf of the plain, trying hard not to cause his older half-brother any more pain than he already felt as he then went to sit down next to Loki. The healers set up a portable soul forge to deal with Loki's injuries and Thor grimaced when he saw the extent of them. Loki's left side of his face was swollen and bruised with his left eye completely closed. His entire rib cage had been crushed by the monster. His left side of his hip had been neatly snapped in two and his left leg and right arm were broken. As he watched them heal his brother's injuries Thor pondered on how Loki could still be alive. He'd seen Loki skewer the Kursed with an elvish sword only to be impaled upon it himself. When the implosion grenade destroyed the Kursed elf he'd gone to Loki's side, held him in his arms, watched his skin turn black as he faded away. Loki had died saving his life for the brute surely would have beaten him to death, and then possibly, Jane would have met an equally cruel fate at the beast's hands

He also wondered how Loki could have masqueraded as their father for so long and no one noticed it. The Healers came to him but Thor waved them off telling them to see to Balder's leg first as they ceased working on Loki and moved the soul forge to the older Odinson. Thor moved closer to Loki and with his left hand sliding behind Loki's neck he gently picked Him up to cradle him in his arm. Of all the things that Loki was, the schemer; the liar, the traitor, Loki…was his brother whom he never stopped loving. Even though Sif was right, Loki was destined for the axe now for his treachery; Thor knew in his heart he would…even if he had to bend the knee to beg…try to convince his father to spare Loki's life.

The Asgardian sun had reached its zenith when Thor heard a faint groan come from Loki and saw his eyelids tremble with effort in order to rise. "Why do I feel as if I've been trampled by a Bilge Snipe" Loki groaned as his right eye slowly opened to look up at him.

"So brother" Loki said weakly and with much effort as it was painful for him to even breathe, "You survived. Strangely, that makes me happy."

"You died in my arms on Svartalfheim so how can you be here?"

"Apparently you do not have a long memory dear brother." A flash of green light surrounded Thor and once again he'd been transformed into the Lady Sif. "You still look ravishing."

Embarrassed Thor realized that if Loki, who's natural gift was as a shape shifter, could shape-shift him into Sif, it would be nothing at all for him to turn a Dark elf into himself and hypnotize it to slay the Kursed and die in his place. With a smile on his face Loki removed the spell from Thor, "Now we're even brother…life for a life."

"Which will not be a long one you traitor, as the fall of the axe will make sure of that!" Sif spat out hatefully.

"So sorry to disappoint you dear Sif" came the voice of Amora as she materialized at Loki's feet, "but why would Odin execute his ONLY heir to the throne?"

"So, my betrayer returns" Loki growled with increasing rage.

"I have not betrayed you my love" Amora's form radiated a green and gold light and all knew she wasn't really there, that this was only an illusion of her, "I have saved you, and for a wedding present, I have given you the Golden Throne of Asgard. Think my love, why do you suppose I was so insistent that the chroniclers be present at our wedding, my coronation, and Thor's public renouncing of his right to succession?"

Slowly a wicked, but satisfied smirk developed on Loki's face "Oh Amora, you clever girl. I will always bless the day I married you" he laughed softly at this monumental jest "as well as the day I thought of marrying you."

"What difference could the recording in the chronicles be?" Sir snarled back at Amora with what Thor thought was the ugliest look he'd ever seen on the warrior maiden's face.

It was Odin that answered back with a voice that sounded exhausted and defeated, "As laid down by my father's father, King Buri when he instituted the chronicles…"What is written, is written and cannot be revoked."

Amora enjoyed watching that sink into the thick skulls surrounding her and Loki before she spoke, "The axe will not fall, for either of us as Odin dare not kill his one and only heir to his throne."

"Loki isn't an Odinson" Sif growled back vehemently, "He is the son of Laufey of Jotunheim!"

"You were right my love" Amora turned back to Loki, "she is an insipid cow. For you've forgotten that Odin adopted Loki son of Laufey and Freya, Odin's daughter - his grandson - as HIS son, and when he did so, he restored Loki's blood right succession. "

Oh how Amora wished she had an illustrator present to preserve forever the look of horror on Sif's face when it dawned on her that Thor can now never be King and she, she would never be Queen, never be THOR's Queen. Loki for his part softly laughed in triumph as his murdered mother's wish had come true…Asgard was HIS!

" You'll have a difficult time ruling from the dungeons Loki" Fandrall quipped as he and the other two of The Warriors Three joined the group, each looking none-the-worse for their battle with Mangog "you and our new Queen."

Amora sighed, what cretins they were, "That will never happen for I am where Odin's reach is far too short and should he try to arrest me, it would mean war, a long and bloody war."

"So you are safe on Nornheim, under Karnilla's protection."

"No my love, I'm not. Karnilla showed me the clause in the Treaty of Blood which states that any Asgardian criminal or one considered to be a criminal must be returned to Asgard to face punishment."

"Then where are you little sister, if I may ask?" Balder spoke up for the first time while the Healers dealt with his broken leg.

"I am where every last man, woman, and child will take up arms to defend their Mother-Consort" Amora's laid her hands upon her stomach and she beamed at Loki triumphantly.

"Mother-Consort, what do you…?" Loki looked at her confused, but his confusion was only momentary. "You're on Alfheim…and you're…you're…"

"Yes my husband, or should I say, Father-Consort, for when our daughter reaches maturity she shall be crowned Queen of Alfheim and sit the Pearl Throne of her grandmother.'

"Daughter, a daughter...you…I'm…" at first it seemed to Amora that he was disappointed that her child wasn't a son, but then, with his mouth wide with unexpected surprise, his demeanor slowly began to change. Disappointment flowed into revelatory shock into the slow spreading grin of a father-to-be.

"I'm going to have a daughter!" his face beamed up at her with delight. His grin turned into one of triumph as he turned to Odin who stood by silently as this news was brought forth. "You do know what this means you bloody old bastard, don't you. That's why you're so silent now as you know Loki WINS!"

With naught that Odin could do about it and perhaps this was the better revenge. To let Odin live to see him on the throne, to see the children of Loki start a new dynasty, to live out his worthless life in the shade of Loki's shadow.

"And what of Thor? What will happen to him?" Hogun broke in seemingly disrupting Loki's revelry.

"Apparently you weren't listening at the feast when Loki honored him with the title of Lord Protector of the Realms" Amora snidely replied.

"Thor will stand at my throne as my protector, from any or all threats outside the Realm Eternal, or treacheries in it" Loki gazed imperiously at Sif when he spoke as he'd always known how much she hated him. He'd long ago deduced that it was she who instigated going to Midgard to return the banished Thor. Most definitely the Lady Sif would be the first to grace the dungeons, then The Cretins Three.

"Is that what you want?" Sif looked dumfounded at Thor, "To be nothing more than a titled thrall?"

"What I want Sif" Thor snapped back angrily, "I already have. I have my brother back and we can begin again, be what we were.'

Loki glanced askance at Thor then chortled "Sentiment, it will prove to be your downfall brother as it's your greatest weakness."

"No Loki, we can start anew, we were close once and we can be again."

"Is this the real reason why you came to me after mother died and offered me a chance to avenge her, or, was it just because you needed my craft and cunning for as long as they…I was useful to you?"

"I, plainly and simply, want my brother back."

Before Loki could reply they heard a youth's voice cry out, "Over here mother! Over here!"

"Forseti" Balder cried out and reached out to his son. His face broke into joy that not only had his son survived but he saw Nanna hitch up the skirts of her dress to dash towards him. Both of them fell upon the warrior Prince grasping him as tightly as he held them while they cried in relief.

"A pleasant thought dear brother" Loki contemplated briefly before finishing his answer "but impossible."

"No not impossible, not while we two live" Thor tried hard to reach his brother, to inspire him to break what seemed to be a melancholy spirit falling upon him.

"This is just like Stark Tower" Loki ruefully grinned. "You cannot have your brother back because that Loki died on Jotunheim eight years ago. Murdered by you while you were "…looking for the truth" Loki imitated Thor's voice "and another Loki came back. A Loki who finally KNEW the truth, that everything was a lie."

"Carrion, you dare call Thor a murderer" an enraged Sif drew her sword and rising it above her head made to separate Loki from his head.

"SIF NOOOOO" Fandrall and Volstagg grabbed her and with Hogun's help barely managed to stop her but the fatal blow did not come because Thor used his own body to shield Loki from her and he suffered a shallow stab wound to his right shoulder that made him grunt from pain.

"Enough of this, guards remove the Lady Sif, disarm her and keep her guarded" Odin bellowed as The Warriors Three pulled back a near hysterical Sif who cried that she hadn't meant to harm Thor.

"Healers, tend to my son's wound" Odin commanded loudly as Sif was removed from his presence.

"I suppose you think this puts me in your debt again" Loki tried to scowl at Thor then broke into a mild grin, "hell it probably does."

As the Healers staunched the blood flow and sealed the wound shut, though it would always leave a scar, Thor grinned back "Damn right it does."

"After your death I started to have dreams about you and many times when either falling asleep or waking up I could swear I heard your voice, calling out to me. As if you were telling me that you really weren't dead. I put it down to wishful thinking only, as I held you while you "died"." Thor looked full into Loki's face "Can you not truthfully say that, perhaps, subconsciously you were telling me you were alive? That you still love me as your brother?"

Loki looked away from him and stared out into the distance, "Perhaps I was. All my life I admired you, even worshiped you, though you were never worthy of it."

"Given time brother, I can prove myself worthy as I have changed and for the better I believe" Thor gave a half smile while Loki chortled.

"Too bad I seemed to been destined not to have had the chance while she was here" Loki grimaced, "as I really would have liked to have had a talk with your mortal, just to find out what it was she did to make you less of an annoying prat."

"That won't be necessary Loki" Thor grinned sheepishly at his brother. "For I can tell you that she made me grow up, face my responsibilities to others in need, both as a warrior Prince and a Hero."

"I hate to interrupt this little reunion but it is time to leave my love" Amora interjected smiling broadly "as your rescue party should be materializing any moment now."

With these words spoken from her crimson lips, wisps of smoke rose up from the ground and swirled into large pillars that took on the forms of warriors, Elven warriors, which formed a circle around Thor and Loki. Shields up and swords at the ready they braced for any interference from the Asgardians as a smoke column appeared behind Thor and directly in front of Odin. These too were Elven warriors as the one behind Thor held a long bladed dagger to his throat and a woman held a spear to Odin's throat.

"Move not Allfather" she said commandingly. "Though I bare thee no ill will, I will kill ye shouldst thou attempt to stop us from taking the Father-Consort."

"Oder, is it him? Be he the son of our late Queen, as the Asgardian woman Amora hast revealed to us?" The woman Wore a shiny helmet with hammered, up swung wings of a swan, with the body and head of the swan in white enamel. She wore a silver torque about her neck and her breast plate was of woven strips of brass over a green side less shirt and the back plate was solid brass. Her spear shaft was brass plated wood with a very large and menacing spear head. She dared a brief glance back at the warrior behind Thor and Loki.

"My blade is sharp Odinson, so make no move as I have no wish to slay thee."

The one called Oder shifted his position in order to gaze upon Loki's face and when he did his eyes widened and his mouth dropped in shock as he stared at Loki without answering the Elf woman.

"Oder, Be he the one?!" she cried out impatiently.

Loki stared back at his newfound benefactor curiously as it seemed the Elf man had lost the ability to speak. Slowly though the White Elf composed himself and with some emotional effort blurted back, "Aye it be him." And then softly he muttered "He be her mirrored image."

This statement and the obvious great emotional upheaval the Elf showed upon seeing his face piqued Loki's curiosity and he determined to find out why he reacted so.

At that moment though all thoughts of this new mystery were shoved roughly aside when the alarm in the weapons vault began to sound and all present reacted with shock and surprise.

"No" Odin gasped and Loki's face grew pale as he had acquired some of Odin's ability to see afar and he shouted at Amora. "To the weapons vault and take the gauntlet before he can get to it as he has come for the Tesseract! Go, now!"

With a flash of green and gold light the image of Amora disappeared as Loki had told her of the Titan, told her what he had done to him and described what the monster did to the children he "adopted". She instantly appeared in the weapons vault in time to see the mad Titan shatter the cube with another gauntlet and quickly place the stone inside it onto the metal glove. He saw her appear on the walkway and grinned at her with triumph until he saw the other gauntlet in her hands.

"This you will never have madman" Amora said just as triumphantly as she disappeared along with the gauntlet before Thanos' eyes.

"It is safe my love for I have it now."

"And because you have it YOU are not safe now" Loki cried out in fear as his left arm rose up and with a mumbled incantation and the proper hand movement he caused Amora to disappear.

"Where did the woman go?" the Elf warrior questioned, his voice tinged with awe at this display of magical power.

"To another dimension, another reality, where not even one as powerful as Thanos can follow her" Loki sighed not in relief, but fear.

"Thanos" Thor braved to speak up even though the Elven blade was still at his throat, "the mad Titan! How came you to be involved with Thanos?"

"When I invaded Earth who do you think was my benefactor?"

"And now he has the Infinity stone hidden inside the Tesseract" Odin spoke emotionlessly as he lifted Gungnir and slammed the spear's point into the ground and when he did so both he and Loki disappeared in a flash of gold light.

"What…where…" the Elf woman turned from the empty space that Odin had been standing in to gaze at Thor whose arm was now empty and the Odinson was just as stupefied as they were.

"Where is the Father-Consort!" she screamed enraged, "where is he?"

"Balder!" came a hysterical scream from Nanna just seconds later, and glancing towards where his half-brother had been sitting with his family, Thor saw that Balder had disappeared too.

"Return to us our Father-Consort" and when the woman realized that all gathered had no idea where the Allfather had taken Loki. "Upon thy feet Odinson for thou art now hostage until our late Queen's son be returned to us."

With the tip of her spear in Thor's throat the warrior Elf helped him to his feet as all the Elves and the Thunder god were enveloped in smoke that when it dissipated they were gone from the realm.

It took a brief moment for his eyes to recover from the intense glare of light from Gungnir but Balder quickly discovered that he, Loki, and his father were in a strange cave with what looked like a mouth of a tunnel of glowing lights at its back. "Father, where are we?"

"Did you think that I was unaware of your nocturnal wanderings" Odin ignored Balder to stare at Loki, "or realize what you had found during them?"

With Balder's help, Loki sat up and glared at Odin. "So you spirit me away from prying eyes to rid yourself of me. To sweep the last of your "sins" away by killing me here and disposing of my body on some foul and lifeless world…like you did my mother" Loki chortled disgustedly, then roared red faced. "Why do you hesitate, do your deed and be mercifully swift about it. Unless you wish to slowly kill me with more inane babble about wanting to "protect" me because I am your son."

"You are my son, you have always been my son" Odin sighed with exhaustion "I sought to protect you then and I will do so now." With some effort Odin raised Gungnir up to slam its point down on the cave floor and a golden beam of light from its spear head struck Loki, "I take away your powers!"

Loki gasped in shock and writhed trying to fight the Allfather's magic spell only to succumb to it and faint away in Balder's arms who cried out in shocked confusion. "Father, what are you doing, how is this protecting him?"

"To hide him from the mad Titan, I take away all his memories and render him mortal" Odin voiced weakly as Loki's hair turned from black to a golden reddish color and Balder gasped in surprise as it resembled the color of Freya's hair and the male Elf had been right, for Balder had heard him mumble that Loki was the mirrored image of his mother, now more than ever. He then cried out in shock and embarrassment as their clothing disappeared leaving both of them naked. "I will send you with him, to watch over him."

The golden light ceased and Odin held out his left hand to Balder and on his palm was the winged shape shifting charm of Freya. "Take it, for I have made you mortal too, and you will need this to protect yourself as well."

Balder took the chained talisman from his father, draping it around his neck, and once again Odin struck the cave floor with Gungnir and they were sucked into the vortex. Balder clung tightly to Loki as he feared they might be separated and his younger brother could come to harm before he could find him. The flight through the vortex was making him nauseous, but gratefully it was not long. He and Loki were deposited on a pile of rubbish next to a large container that was over flowing with trash. It was bitterly cold and they seemed to be in a narrow lane or alley that connected to another and just outside an immense building with boarded up windows and a singular door that appeared to be metal.

"Why have you brought us to Midgard? The mortals will kill Loki when they discover who he is!" Balder blurted out incredulously wondering if those four years in the dungeons hadn't affected his father's mind.

"Make sure they do not" was all his father said as a golden light flashed all around Odin changing the grey rags he wore into tattered human clothes and Gungnir into a wooden walking stick before he simply walked away.

"Father, father, do not leave us this way…what am I to do?"

A sound of grating metal distracted Balder and he saw the metal door open and a young man with dark skin, straight black hair wearing a weathered brown jacket over a black shirt. A grimy apron was tied around his blue jeans waist as he walked out of the doorway with another bag of rubbish in his hand.

"Please, help us" Balder cried out weakly as the cold was becoming more than he could bear.

The human stopped in his tracks when he heard Balder's cry, dropped the bag and ran back into the building screaming for someone called Mike. Moments later a tall, grey haired man dressed in a red plaid, unbuttoned shirt over a ribbed, white under shirt and oil stained jeans came out with a giant of a man whose head was bound with a dark blue cloth.

The giant wore a grey pull over shirt that revealed him to be powerfully muscled and both of them carried blankets in their arms. Balder was grateful when the older man wrapped him in the blanket as he helped him to his feet. The giant wrapped Loki in the blanket that he had and then, with no effort at all, picked Loki up into his arms and carried him into the building. The grey haired man helped him to follow the giant and the metal door was shut and the warmth of the room, which was a large kitchen, felt very good to the near frozen Asgardian Prince.