Topaz scowled as she limped through the streets surrounding the arena. The big lizard's second battle would take place in an hour, and people were flooding to the center of the city for it. She checked her bracer for updates from her subordinates, but there had still been no sign of her three targets. After how easy it had been to capture the mage, this should have been over by now.

She tried to scan the faces of the crowd, but that task was soon made more difficult by folded pieces of paper raining down everywhere from passing drones. She picked one of them up with her uninjured hand. The thing was brightly colored, its brief message written in large lettering:

SAKAAR IS ABOUT TO CHANGE

Do whatever you have to do to be at the arena tomorrow.

Even if you normally stay home in protest of our barbaric farce of a culture, you don't want to miss this one.

Beyond those sentences, there wasn't anything else to it. Her scowl deepened. What was this nonsense? The Grandmaster hadn't ordered these, and there wasn't anything special going on the next day in the arena that she knew of, except that the big lizard and Eggsy Mop would finally be leaving after the third battle. She looked around and saw that nearly everyone in sight was reading a pamphlet. They seemed not so much confused and annoyed by them, but intrigued and excited.

Whatever this was about, it couldn't be good. She barked orders at two of the nearest guards, then headed back to the palace to talk to the boss.

X

Maw's second visit to the cell was much the same as the first. Loki found a perverse satisfaction in denying him the information he so desperately wanted, even as his entire body screamed in pain. With every searing slice from a crystal needle, he imagined a new form of hideous revenge he could inflict upon Maw. The different scenarios were well into the triple digits now.

It was a hollow comfort. As long as they were on this ship, he was powerless. He'd tried twice more in Maw's absence to use his seidr. It would require only a tiny amount to conjure the transporter from his dimensional pocket, and then he and the Valkyrie could vanish a thousand lightyears away. But it was no good. The mere attempt had nearly made him black out. The Valkyrie's attempts to punch through the wall where Maw's door appeared had also failed. Their best hope was that Thor would manage to rescue them, but for all they knew, he and the mortals had been captured too.

"If you insist on remaining uncooperative," said Maw, "perhaps I will bring Cull Obsidian in to crush your limbs."

"Giving up already, are you?" Loki taunted. "And it only took two days. Mortal beings are so impatient."

"It's pretty pathetic," snickered the Valkyrie.

"Your resistance is pointless," said Maw through gritted teeth. He twisted one of his hands and the needles stabbing into Loki rotated excruciatingly. "Tomorrow we leave for Sanctuary, and if you do not answer to me, you will answer to Thanos."

"Then there's really nothing more to say here, is there?" said Loki.

"Perhaps not, but your pain is an end in itself."

X

Thor made his way along the stands in the arena to where Barton's and Romanoff's indicators were blinking on his bracer. The place was filling up quickly as the battle approached, and nobody paid him much attention. He was taller and broader than the vast majority of the people he passed (if they weren't from a larger species), but his familiarity with the place combined with the rough fabric draped over his armor and the paint on his face (lines of blue which he had deliberately drawn to imitate Loki's Jotun markings) made him look like an innocuous local.

He almost didn't recognize Barton and Romanoff. Barton was wearing the turquoise plate of the Grandmaster's guards and Romanoff looked like one of the fluttery waifs decorating his parties. If Thor didn't know them well, he never would have guessed they were Midgardians. He felt a swell of pride in his friends' abilities, as well as gratitude for their willingness to help him. He was asking so much of them.

He took the empty seat on their right. A preliminary bout was already underway on the arena floor. Two teams of seven, mostly comprised of species he'd never seen before, were fighting. They all looked terrified. One actually tried to run back to the entrance to the pits, but he fell to the ground in spasms as someone activated his obedience disk. The crowd howled and jeered as he was trampled.

"What have you found out?" said Thor, keeping his eyes on the grim scene before him.

"The Grandmaster's after us because he wants us—or you, at least—in the arena," said Romanoff. "There must've been surveillance on the spot where we arrived. Topaz got lucky and found Loki right away, but the Grandmaster's pretty pissed that Maw took the Valkyrie along with him."

"Will he try to get her back?" said Thor.

"He doesn't want to give Maw any leverage."

"Then they're only allies of convenience. Good."

"I got the access codes," said Barton. "There are four pairs of guards posted along our route. Everything's pretty spread out, so if they call for backup, it'll take a few minutes for more to show up."

"What about Maw's ship?"

"Thing's huge, but it doesn't look like it's designed to deploy foot soldiers quickly. They're marching them onto it two-by-two."

"Is the distraction going to be big enough to draw them all out?" said Romanoff.

"By morning, everyone in the city will know to come to the arena tomorrow night," said Thor. "The guards alone won't be enough to quell any unrest breaking out in that kind of crowd. They'll have to call in the army."

"Is there any way this doesn't turn into a bloodbath?" said Barton.

"Likely not," said Thor. "But a smaller one than if the army is able to be used for its intended purpose."

"Maw also mentioned uncooperative prisoners," said Barton. "He said they might have to use the Mind Stone to change that."

Thor barely succeeded at tamping down his rage at the thought. It wouldn't do to start another storm right now. "Then Thanos does already have it." That confirmed some of what he had suspected about Loki's time in the Titan's clutches. He had a window one day wide to make sure it didn't happen again.

"Are we sure the army will come?" said Romanoff. "What's to stop Maw from cutting and running?"

"Thanos is willing to treat fairly with the Grandmaster rather than destroy him and take what he wants by force," said Thor. "That could only be because he knows he can't destroy him—or that it would cost him too much to do it."

"So Maw can't leave early without making a dangerous enemy for his boss," said Barton.

"He's also arrogant and fanatically devoted," said Thor, his lip curling. "He won't run after the insult I'm going to give him."

Down in the arena, only one wounded alien was left standing. He put on a half-hearted show of triumph. The crowd roared, and he hobbled back to the pit.

The Grandmaster's voice blared out over the stands. "Let's hear it for our brave victor!" Cheers and applause surged for another minute or so before he spoke again. "And now it's time for tonight's main event. You saw what he can do last night. How long are his new challengers going to last? Give it up for our guest, Scales himself, Cull Obsidian!"

By his forced tone, it didn't sound like the Grandmaster really believed this was going to be a spectacle worthy of being a main event, but the crowd cheered loudly anyway.

Cull Obsidian came lumbering into view. He looked exactly as Thor remembered from the Statesman. Huge, strong, mean, and stupid. He wore the same studded leather armor and carried the same massive weapon that worked as both scythe and club. Many of the Aesir who died on the ship had fallen to that weapon—most of them women and children.

"In the opposite corner tonight, we have the Broodling Brothers!" Five creatures that looked more like enormous wasps than anything emerged onto the arena floor. Only two of them had wings, but all of their movements were exactly in sync with each other. Cull bared his teeth and ran a hand along his weapon's blade. "They might not be pretty, but their telepathic link allows them to work together more effectively than any other team we see in the arena. What do you think—does Scales have enough raw strength to exterminate the bug squad?"

As it turned out, he did. The Broodlings' psychic link didn't just enable them to coordinate their attacks; it clearly also had the significant disadvantage of sharing the pain of their wounds. On their first charge, Cull dodged two and sliced cleanly through the wings of one of the third. They all shrieked in unison and the other winged Broodling dropped out of the air. Before any of them could recover, Cull used his weapon to crush the skull of the nearest one. It only took him a few more seconds to do the same to the other four.

The crowd's reaction to the rapid victory was mixed. Most were startled that it was over so quickly, and a few people were already getting up to leave. The Grandmaster's voice sounded out again, now clearly frustrated. "Well, it looks like Scales was a lot more than the Broodling Brothers could handle. But don't head for the exits just yet. We're going to give him a little more to do."

The door through which the Broodlings had entered the arena opened again, and a group of guards led out a couple dozen people whose hands were bound with shackles. "Each of the people in chains has been sentenced to death for grave crimes against me and against Sakaar. Normally my guards would take care of them, but as an extra treat for all of you, we're going to have a little public execution elimination round. The last one standing might just earn a pardon."

This tactic was enough to recapture the interest of most of the crowd. Beside Thor, Romanoff looked like she might be sick.

"Are you still sure about this plan?" said Barton, eyes on the remains of the Broodling Brothers.

"I'm sure," said Thor, watching Cull run down the first pair of prisoners. "You have everything you need to do your part?"

Though they both clearly had misgivings, they nodded.

X

Loki emerged from a haze of pain to find the Valkyrie working on his pressure points again. Maw and his needles were gone, and her callused fingers felt marvelous. "Why are you helping me?" he mumbled.

She shrugged. "Nothing else to do in here."

"You should hate me."

"What makes you think I don't? I hate everyone."

"I don't think that's true."

She raised her eyebrows at him. He made an effort and caught one of her hands in his. She went very still but didn't pull away.

"If hatred was all there was inside you, why would you do such a kindness for the fool who got you into this situation?" She wouldn't meet his eyes. He continued. "I think the only person you hate is yourself, and you hold yourself away from everyone else because you don't think you deserve anything good."

"Norns, I'm too sober for this."

"Am I wrong?"

She closed her eyes. "If you're so sure I'm more than just a bitter asshole, then why do you think I should hate you?"

"You don't know what I am."

"A smartass prince who can't help mouthing off even when he's being tortured?"

He laughed, then instantly regretted it when it agitated about thirty separate wounds. He should tell her. Letting her touch him to ease his pain when she thought he was Aesir was a serious betrayal. How many Jotnar had she slain in the war? How glad had she been to do it? What would she think of someone like Freyr, who married a Jotun and had a halfbreed child with her? There couldn't be many Aesir who wouldn't think it an abomination.

"Brunnhilde," she said.

"What?" said Loki, pulling himself out of his grim thoughts.

"You asked my name. When I was on Asgard, I was Brunnhilde Sigursdottir."

"Brunnhilde," he repeated, smiling. "I suppose I don't need to tell you mine."

She smirked. "That won't be necessary, Prince Loki."

He cringed. Then he'd been right; she'd seen him as a baby. How mortifying.

"What did you end up being the god of?" she asked.

"I thought that would be obvious by now," he said. If he were stronger, he would've struck a dramatic pose with his hands spread wide, but he settled for a dramatic pause instead. "Be awed, for you are in the presence of none other than the God of Mischief."

She laughed. It sounded much lighter than it had before, though still not entirely without wryness. "It suits you."

X

Thor marched confidently from the arena to the palace. Except for the face paint, he had dispensed with his disguise. Mjolnir swung openly at his hip, and he smiled broadly at anyone who looked at him. By the time he reached the large doors, he had attracted at least five pairs of guards and a gaggle of curious civilians. His boldness seemed to confuse the guards, because they trailed awkwardly in his wake rather than trying to stop him.

"Hello," he said to the guards at the door. "I come seeking an audience with the Grandmaster of Sakaar. I hear he's been looking for me."

They stared at him in bewildered silence. One of them eventually snapped out of it and tapped his bracer. "Uh, boss, that big blond guy just showed up. He wants to talk to you. Should we throw him in the holding cells or just shoot him?"

"No, no, this is the most exciting thing to happen all day!" said the Grandmaster's voice. "Bring him to the throne room."

He and the rest of the guards did, though they kept their weapons loosely pointed at him the entire way. The throne room was just how Thor remembered it, except that he wasn't strapped to a chair. The Grandmaster came into view, sitting on his throne in a relaxed posture, sipping at a drink. Topaz stood behind him, and she was glaring over his shoulder at Thor, clenching her jaw so hard that her teeth were in danger of shattering.

"Well my face is red," said the Grandmaster. "I've had my guards running around trying to arrest you, but you were just trying to come to me!" He looked Thor up and down like a collector at an auction. "I love it." He waved his hand in a circular motion. "The hair, the cape, the hammer. Whole thing. So tell me a little about yourself. What brings you to our neck of the universe?"

"I am Thor, Son of Odin, God of Thunder, and Crown Prince of Asgard. My home is a realm of warriors, and over the centuries, my brother and I have traveled across galaxies in search of good battles. There seemed no better place to test our mettle next than in your arena, but we were accosted by a band of savages before we could present ourselves to you, and then my brother was taken."

"Wow," said the Grandmaster. "I'm not used to my fighters being volunteers. This is interesting territory. How attached are you to this brother? Would you still want to battle if someone happened to have recently traded him away?"

"If he is a prisoner, then Asgard will have to go to war with his captors," said Thor, trying his best to imitate Loki's negotiating style instead of getting angry. "There will be no time for mock battles in an arena."

"Hmm," said the Grandmaster. "To tell you the truth, I feel like I didn't get a very good deal when I traded your brother for three nights of Scales in my arena. He's all business in there, and he's putting the spectators to sleep. And he and Wrinkles were no help at all when it came to tracking you down, and they took my favorite Scrapper in a terrible mix-up." Topaz snorted. The Grandmaster pointedly ignored her.

"Perhaps you dealt with the wrong people," Thor suggested.

"And you're the right people?" The Grandmaster stroked his chin. "I like your moxie, Lord of Thunder. How about this? I need a final challenger to go up against Scales. He'll tear apart any pit fighter I throw at him, and there's only so much value in watching him execute prisoners. But you might last a little longer."

"What's your proposal?" said Thor.

"If he beats you, then he and Wrinkles are square with me. If you somehow manage to win and give us all a good enough show, you get your brother back as the prize."

"You can guarantee that even though you don't have him?" said Thor.

"No ship leaves Sakaar unless I let it," said the Grandmaster.

"Very well," said Thor. "Agreed." He stuck out his hand, and the Grandmaster shook it. "I'll give you a fight Sakaar will never forget."

A smile spread over the Grandmaster's face. "Yeah?" He laughed and clapped his hands, glancing over at Topaz. "That's what I like to hear! I should get volunteer fighters more often. This is gonna be good."

"It's a trick," said Topaz. Her face had gone a deep reddish-purple, which made sense; the guy who'd set her ship on fire yesterday was now buddying up with her boss right in front of her. "This has something to do with all those papers that rained down earlier."

Thor smiled blandly when the Grandmaster turned a questioning look on him. "I thought I'd do a little advertising. If I'm battling for sport, I want the biggest crowd possible."

Forgot to mention in last chapter's notes that when Valkyrie was reminiscing about battling the Kree, that was a reference to Thor's line in Age of Ultron about the ale "aged for a thousand years in barrels built from the wreckage of Brunnhilde's fleet." I see no reason for this not to be the same Brunnhilde. :)

The Broodlings are a type of alien from Marvel comics. I just googled until I found a species that would make good cannon fodder for Cull Obsidian. Giant sentient wasps that operate as a hive mind seemed like the perfect fit.

I don't think Brunnhilde ever gets a last name in the comics, so I decided to make her the daughter of Sigurd. I don't think the timeline works for him to be *the* Sigurd, legendary dragon-slaying hero of Bor's reign, but I imagine the name would be pretty popular thanks to that guy.

Things are really heating up now! I'm so excited for what's next, you guys!