Episode 21: Revenge of the Dark Elves!

Upon reaching New Asgard Town's southern entrance, Peter realized this was where he, MJ, Thor, Eddie, and Jane came through when they ran from the Shadusk the previous night. Standing in a protective line were the Warriors Three Marémon, including the axe-mouthed dragon Volstagg, the mace-wielding dinosaur Hogun, and rapier-wielding bird Fandral. But unlike before, their eyes were no longer glowing blue. While the sky was becoming lighter on the eastern sea, the green field between New Asgard Town and Vanaheim Forest was darkened by hundreds of marching beetle-shaped Svartelm and the larger Kurseed. Leading them was a man in a dark robe with pale skin, pointed ears, and piercing blue eyes. Accompanying this man were a computer-shaped Marémon and masked brown-haired youth that Peter recognized.

"It's Ar-I, and White Wolf!" Peter exclaimed, pointing at the computer-shaped Marémon and masked youth.

Odin looked down at Peter with his one eye. "You know them?"

"They're members of Team HYDRA," MJ explained. "Your son Thor helped me and Peter fight against them when they tried to steal our Marémon."

"But that doesn't explain what they're doing here with that man," Thor interjected.

"You should know 'that man' from your history lessons, Thor," Odin said. "He is Malekith, leader of the Dark Elves."

"Dark Elves?" Thor flinched. "I thought they were eliminated by our people a millennia ago."

"Yes, in the official story," Odin nodded. "But in reality, a few of them survived and retreated to their home world of Svartalfheim including Malekith, who went into a death-like state to regain his strength until the next Convergence of all Nine Realms. Then last year, the Convergence happened again."

"So Malekith took advantage and came to this world, where he multiplied the Svartelm that were already living here through breeding while collecting Kurse Stones to Mature them into Kurseed when the time came to use them," Jane speculated. "My guess is Team HYDRA helped Malekith get the Kurse Stones, though I'm not sure what they hope to gain by cooperating with someone who presumably wants revenge for being defeated by the Asgardians."

As Jane spoke, the advancing Svartelm and Kurseed stopped. Malekith stopped as well, along with Ar-I and White Wolf. Then Malekith took a microphone-shaped device attached to the side of Ar-I's monitor that displayed his pixelated face and spoke into it.

"Odin of Asgard!" Shouted Malekith in a menacing voice. "For a millennia, I, Malekith, have dreamed of the day when I would regain my full power to defeat you once and for all! Now, that day has come! Thanks to Team HYDRA's aid, I shall realize my people's dream of returning the Nine Realms to the darkness from which they came starting with Midgard! Do you wish to surrender to my army of Svartelm and Kurseed, or die by my hand?"

"How is Malekith speaking to us through Ar-I?" Peter wondered.

"He's using Mega Voice, an attack that turns Ar-I's voice into a sonic blast," Jane answered. "But in this case, Malekith's using it to talk to us from all the way over there."

Before Odin could answer Malekith's ultimatum, the sound of thundering footsteps caught everyone off-guard. Then a great shadow passed over the crowd of Marémon Wielders before landing in front of them and the Warriors Three. It was a large black wolf that had emerald-green eyes and covered in battle scars. Riding on its back were Hela and Loki.

"You may have taken away Elarein and Lokeen, Father, but you forgot to take away my Fenwolf," Hela said, glaring down at Odin. "So Loki and I were able to break out of the prison easily with the Marémon Odinspear confiscated."

Immediately, Peter aimed his card-shaped MarGuide at the giant wolf.

"Fenwolf, the Iron-Jawed Marémon," EDITH responded. "Said to be the God of Wolves, Fenwolf is known for its shapeshifting powers and incredible strength that can even rival Thunderthor in battle. Thus, it is a God/Weapon-Type that will allegedly bring about the end of the Nine Realms in an event known as Ragnarök."

"Jeez," MJ remarked. "It's a good thing Hela didn't use Fenwolf when she and Loki battled you and Thor."

"Yeah," Peter agreed.

Odin sighed. "Why must you make things difficult, Hela?"

"Because you refuse to recognize that I am worthy of being the Asgard Realm Champion!" Hela snapped. "You know I'm more powerful, and thus afraid of me. So I will prove myself by defeating these ancient enemies of ours singlehandedly!"

Then Hela pushed Loki off Fenwolf's back and rode toward the Svartelm/Kurseed army.

"Well, that didn't go the way I expected," Loki remarked as he got up. "But she'll make a good vanguard for the battle. Would you agree, Father?"

As Odin looked away, Thor was perplexed and asked, "Did you two know this would happen?"

"No, but our father did," Loki explained. "You see, a year ago our mother Frigga had one of her clairvoyant moments. She foresaw Malekith's attack, and told Father about it while expressing concern about me finding out my true heritage during the battle that was to come. This was the conversation Hela overheard, which she told me. I then went to confront Father, and he confirmed everything Hela said. He agreed to let me use the Mind Stone to put him in a coma and take down Thor so long as I kept Hela in check, because Frigga predicted she would meet a terrible fate when Malekith attacked. But obviously, that didn't work out."

"She's still our sister, though," Thor said, grabbing Loki by the collar of his robe. "And now you've sentenced her to death by letting her fight on her own!"

"Not if I can help it," Sif said. "I may not like what she's done, but as the current Shield-Maiden of New Asgard it is my duty to protect the Odinson family along with the town itself. Now, go, Shieldsif! Aid Hela and Fenwolf!"

Standing next to Sif, the shield-faced triceratops Shieldsif snorted and then she went charging out into the field after Fenwolf with Hela still riding it.

"Let's help her, guys," Thor said as he tossed Loki aside while Thunderthor raised its hammer in anticipation. "Thunderthor, Lightning Storm!"

To be continued…