Ernie saw the whole thing and he was mad as hell. No one was going to believe him. He was sitting a his computer, harmlessly chatting with some friends, when this freak smashed into his neighbor, Teddy's, car. The guy was douche-bag but Ernie was going to tell Teddy when he got off the night shift at the plant. Ernie wasn’t interested in doing the right thing, not for that douche, he just wanted to see the look on Teddy’s face.
He was seriously considering calling the cops when another car pulled up behind the crash. Ernie was about to get back to the ladies online when those two guys started beating on a crippled guy that crawled out of the wreck. They just beat him down. Maybe this guy deserved it, Ernie didn’t know, so he wasn’t going to get involved. Besides watching that is.
That ain’t fair though, two guys on a guy with a busted arm. I should really call the cops, Ernie thought.
Then the cripple-guy stabbed one guy in the eye with his cane and bashed the other across the face with the handle. Then it happened. Both guys turns into trees! Ernie couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He grabbed the phone but couldn’t stop staring.
The cripple got in his attackers car and took off. Someone else must’ve called the cops because sirens were getting louder. Ernie was about to tell the ladies everything when the really weird thing happened. What Ernie initially took for a gray ribbon flying through the air descended from... somewhere. The longer he looked at it he thought it might be smoke from maybe a meteor crashing. It changed direction and even stopped over one of the men-turned-into-trees.
Then the ribbon of smoke turned into a man. Well, it was kind of man, while at the same time it looked like no man he had ever seen. The guy was in some kind of weird armor, with white skin and he didn’t have no nose. He walked over to one of the wooden things and kicked it like he was checking to see if it was dead. He either spat or cursed at it but Ernie didn’t understand what he said.
Then the sirens became the focus of Ernie’s attention and the man turned back into a ball of smoke or ribbon or what ever and flew away. His quick-messenger chimed from the computer. One of the ladies wanted to talk to him. What could he say though? Everyone would think he was off his rocker or back in the bottle.
Was there a web site for something like this? Ernie smiled. There was a web site for everything.
MARVEL REBORN PRESENTS...
THE MIGHTY THOR
#7
by
C. William Russette
and
Doug Bookey
“No!” Thor yelled and the dark clouds rolled in overhead. Thunder punished all within earshot.
“It will take more than-” Grey Gargoyle was cut off.
Lightning arced from Thor’s eyes as his left shoulder became petrified. The energy streamed over and through Grey Gargoyle but with little more than blackening effects on his organic-stone flesh.
“You are weak, phony-Thor! I can barely feel that!” Grey Gargoyle bellowed over the howling winds.
“I know,” Thor said and smiled as his returning hammer crashed into Grey Gargoyle making him grimace in pain and slump to the ground.
“Stupid and weak am I?” Thor summed his hammer to his fist and brought it down on Grey Gargoyle’s head. “A phony, you said?”
Thor took the hammer in both hands and brought it down into the center of Grey Gargoyle’s back. The stone man cried out. Thor kicked him on this back and stamped his food into his chest cracking the pavement below them. Grey Gargoyle grabbed his foot with his petrifying right hand. Thor brought down the hammer on his face.
“You dare lay hands upon your better?” Thor roared.
The hammer fell on the Grey Gargoyle.
“I am a god, you miserable mortal.”
Thor stopped dashing his foe with the hammer when there was little left of the Grey Gargoyle but rubble. Thor placed one foot on the largest piece of gray rubble and roared at the sky. He was answered with thunder and rain. Arcs of blue energy poured from every piece that was once the Grey Gargoyle and shot through the air into the hammer of Thor. His chest heaved with each bolt that he absorbed and laughed, scaring those that were brave enough to stand in the tempest and watch the fight.
“If you are quite finished, there is work to do... Thor.”
“Marnot! What are you ding here?” Thor walked toward the gold and silver armored being.
“Do you feel better? Stronger? Vindicated? Just?” Marnot said.
“I am stronger. I took that idiot’s strength and added it to my own. It feels good. How long will it last?”
“How long? It is yours. You took his life and stole his power, his will, his future, everything. It is now yours.”
“He’s dead?” Thor asked.
“What did you think you were doing to him by pounding him into gravel? Use your head,” Marnot said.
Thor locked his gaze with Marnot’s. Neither flinched.
“You will never have to face that foe again, Thor. He will never hurt another now, ever. You can use what you took from him in whatever way you desire,” Marnot said impassively.
Thor stood close to Marnot, their faces inches apart.
“I can think of a few ways,” Thor said.
“That would be unwise. We can test your mettle soon if you so desire. First there is a task you must perform if you wish to keep this gift I have given you. Do you wish to continue your just mission and save your people from themselves?”
“Of course, I was born to do this,” Thor said.
“Why have you not sought out Blake?”
“I did. I used the SHIELD database to find him but there’s no record of that Blake guy you described. Aerial searches haven’t produced anything. This city is just too big. How am I supposed to find him?”
Marnot sighed and closed his eyes.
“I know where he is going. My other agents have failed. Are you going to fail me as well, Thor?”
“What happened to your other guys?”
“Blake killed them without remorse. On his way to his goal he will no doubt murder more innocents. Do you care at all, Jake?”: Marnot’s voice was softer than usual.
“Where do I find this Blake?”
“I don’t know where he is but I think I know where he’s going. There is a yard of refuse on this island you call Manhattan...”
====================
Doctor Don Blake eased the car to a halt outside the scrap yard. The area was largely the same as in the dream minus the carnage and stink of rotting human flesh all over the place. He checked his watch. The sun would rise soon. Blake turned off the car and carefully got out. He knew there was a lot riding on the next few moments. Blake found that he was rather calm, curiously so given that someone was coming who threatened the nine worlds with his very existence.
The drive over had been eventful. The closer he came to the scrap yard the more his memory fragments grew and interlinked, finally making sense. He had a successful practice once. Had been in love once. And Thor had ruined everything with the bonding that Blake dimly recalled taking place in a cave on some Norwegian vacation. There were rock-people involved somehow. He recalled with great warmth and affection an old man with one eye and a great white beard. The rest were just faces, total unknowns. Except one, the green eyed devil with the black hair and a heart to match.
Who are you Mr. Green Eyes, Blake wondered. Are you the other? Are you part of this?
The scrap yard was larger in person than in his dream. At least the rolling fence-gate was open, that’s something. I don't know how much climbing I can do with a double handicap of a broken arm and a lame leg. Blake wondered if he was expected. The cane had already proven itself but Blake suspected it was more luck than anything that allowed him to get this far. Was it fate? Maybe. Blake wasn’t sure he believed in fate.
Beyond the fence Blake felt a powerful sense of deja vu. He thought he might, and walked carefully on the tightly packed earth so as not to lose his step and suffer a further handicap.
The scrap yard was heaped like in his dreams. He turned the corner of discarded appliances ranging from refrigerators to air conditioners to find a massive pile of wood ripped from destroyed furniture and porches. I have to dig through that?
The wind picked up. Something was happening. Blake heard flapping sounds from overhead. He just registered that the sound was closing when he was blown off his feet to his back. Lightning flashed so brightly he had to shield his eyes. Seconds passed before Blake risked a glance.
Thor now stood between Blake and the woodpile.
This was the other?
“You’re the enemy I have to fight? You’re just a man and sickly one at that.” Thor smirked.
Something is wrong with him, Blake thought. His eyes are shadowed but practically glowing. His cheeks are sunken and even his hair looks different-whiter? That hammer I thought was Mjolnir is black now. He has a big black belt too. Thor looks angry but strained. What is happening to him? Blake, leaning heavily on his cane, got to his feet.
“Who are you really?” Blake asked.
“I don’t see how that’s any of your business. You’re about to die after all.:
“You’re going to kill me? I always thought Thor was a hero, a protector.”
“I protect those that are worthy . Not assassins.”
“Someone told you I’m an assassin? Was it the same person that gave you your belt and hammer?” Blake said.
“Yes, mortal. I enlightened Thor to the truth about you and issued his weapons.”
Blake did not recognize the new speaker stepping into view from behind an old wooden shack. He wore yellow and silver armor and sought Blake out with softly glowing yellow eyes.
“Do you deny killing three men this very night?”
“I-”
“Tis hard to kill what was ne’er alive,” another new voice said from behind Blake.
Thor, yellow-eyes and Blake turned but found no one to whom the voice might belong.
“You may reveal our presence, Amora,” the voice said.
The air rippled, became translucent and two forms appeared. An old woman of maybe seventy years, and a man in his thirties. The man’s right hand was heavily bandaged with a filthy rag. Absurdly, Blake had the desire to change the dressing.
“Enchantress... and is that you under all that mortal meat, Loki?” yellow-eyes said.
Images exploded in Blake’s mind. A younger Enchantress: beautiful beyond compare, a man with an axe-Skurge? Loki, Blake knew and recalled most vividly of all. Dread filled Blake to the point of near-exploding. I am hopelessly outnumbered and overpowered here. A mosquito has better odds killing an elephant. I have to reach that cane somehow.
But how?
“How did you slay three men, Blake?” the man accused of being Loki asked.
“I don’t know that they were men,” Blake said.
“How Blake?”
Blake looked down at his cane and motioned to it intending to answer but was cut short.
“An iron handle, by chance?” Loki asked.
“Maybe, what does that matter?”
“Because iron is the bane of dark elves.” Loki faced the man with the yellow eyes.
“What are you talking about,” Blake asked.
“This Marnot has not been entirely honest,” Loki said.
Amora finally focused her attention on one thing, Marnot.
“Did you see the men that attacked you, Blake? Of course you did. Were they elves you would not have. Mortal eyes cannot behold elves. The things you fought were not real but elven glamour easily destroyed with a touch from iron.
“I am still in Asgard in retreat but yet on the move. I came upon the corpse of the true Marnot, son of Zelia of the Dark Gods. You should have hidden him properly Accursed Malekith,” Loki said.
Marnot cursed and waved his arms in outward circles. His fingers and hands performed complex motions and in a blur worked their glamour. Gold and silver armor became red and black cloth. Half Marnot’s face was completely black with a totally white orb for an eye. Long white hair grew down to his waist.
Malekith snarled. “A pox upon thee, second son of Odin!”
“What the hell is going on here?” Thor bellowed.
“You have been played for a fool, Thor-that-is-not,” Loki said. “Malekith is playing both sides though I admit I know not to what end. I don’t envy you when Zelia discovers you’ve killed her son, dark elf.”
“She will never learn. None of you will survive to reach Asgard and report what has become known here,” Malekith said.
“I know the name Loki, he’s Thor’s brother and the god evil. The Avengers have fought against him more than once.” Thor said.
“Destroy him, Thor! He is a threat like his murdering lackey here,” Malekith said.
“Shut up, Marnot or Malekith or whoever you are. You’ve been lying to me this entire time! Why did you do this to me? Why me? And why am I so angry all the time? It wasn’t like this in the beginning,” Thor said.
“Thor, whoever you are, listen to me. You have to give this up. The power is affecting your mind as well as your body. When was the last time you were mortal anyway?” Blake asked.
“I... tonight, I think...”
“If you surrender, Loki and the witch will take everything from you. You will be stripped of your power and become a mere mortal again. People will die if you give up the power. People you could have saved,” Malekith said.
“He’s lying, Thor. Give it up. Be yourself. I think you’ll be able to think clearer without the magical influence. I know you'll feel better-” Blake said.
“He is with them, Olson. They want what is yours out of jealousy. They covet your power because they need it to take with them back to Asgard to help aid their kin, murdering Asgardians all. Without Thor they are lost,” Malekith said.
“Such lies, dark elf. What care I for this plaything of you-” Loki said.
“Enough!” Lighting came down blasting the center of the group, sending everyone back. The wind began to rise in intensity and carried on it the blackest of clouds.
“Control yourself, Olson! You’re anger is affecting your power!” Blake yelled, hoping to be heard over the storm, “I was Thor once! I know what you’re going through!”
“You don’t know anything! You lie! Marnot lies! Loki is the god of lies! How can I be sure of anything?” Thor’s face reddened, the veins stood out on his neck and temples.
“I’m trying to help you, Olson! Give up the-” Blake said.
“NO!” Thor yelled.
A blast of wind lifted Blake off the ground and slammed him into a rust covered, green Ford pick up truck. The gale held him in place, his hair blew back, he had trouble keeping his eyes open against the winds.
“I see what is going on. Malekith wants me to be his weapon. You’re here to take my power from me! You think I’m weak! You think you were a better Thor and want to be Thor again!”
“Kill the fool!” Malekith shouted under a lashing mop of white hair.
Thunder smashed overhead as lighting forked from gray cloud to gray cloud. Blake saw Loki’s borrowed body clinging to a pile of tires. Amora lay in the fetal position behind him. The wood pile beyond the enraged Thor began blowing apart then Blake saw it. The cane that might still be the hammer if his hallucinations and dreams were real and not some trick of his amnesiac mind. There’s is so much madness and magic here it could be the hammer or it might not be. Blake looked at Loki again but couldn’t decipher the god’s intent. Has Loki ever been trustworthy? Blake honestly couldn’t remember.
“You don’t deserve the power flowing through you, Olson!” Blake yelled stilled held aloft by the winds.
“Don’t call me that! You have no right! I‘m Thor! God of thunder and the storm!” The boom from the sky confirmed the claim.
“You got the power at random! Malekith chose you because you are a fool!” Blake shouted.
The winds rose higher still. Pieces of metal and refuse were being picked up and cast about. Blake hoped he wasn’t impaled before getting his shot. Malekith attempted to step forth and speak to the Olson- Thor but was drowned out in the wind. He narrowly avoided taking a branch to the back of the head from the wood pile when he too noticed the small stick that did not fit in with the others. It was cleaner or perhaps brighter, Blake thought. The dark elf squinted his white eye at Blake and raised his right hand mouthing the word die.
“The power is more than you can hand-”
“Shut up!” Thor yelled.
Almost simultaneously the following happened. Malekith fired an beam of eldritch energy from his white eye at Blake. Amora found the courage (commanded by Loki no doubt) to erect a half dome of force to protect Blake from the worst of the blast. Thor’s raged-backed storm sent almost everything in the area tearing through the air. Loki extended his magics to their fullest. The airborne walking stick of Don Blake’s dreams fired through the air and slapped into the crippled doctor’s hand as Amora’s protective shield faded.
Before Malekith could act, Thor summoned a great bolt of lightning incinerating Don Blake and the immediate area for ten feet.
====================
Clayton-Loki, Amora, Marnot-Malekith and Olson Thor watched the spot where they last saw Blake for the smoke to clear.
“I have asked you to relinquish your power peacefully, Olson. I will not asked again,” said a second golden haired, six foot six, heavily muscled male carrying a great war hammer, “I will take it from you. By any means.”
“Two Thors.” Amora grinned.
SHIELD tech Clayton, watching from the backseat in his own body, could sense the distaste coming off Loki in waves. It was amazing though. Another god of thunder. Whoever the first Thor was, the Olson guy, he had not done his homework. Doesn’t everyone know about the Norse gods? How many times have they shown up on earth? Not including Thor.
“There may be two beings that look like my half-witted, half-brother but neither is true. Blake can be little more than a leftover that the hammer has chosen to wield it for what ever reason. I’ve no idea what that grisly creation of the dark elf truly is. Neither are Thor. Thor of Asgard is long dead.” Loki grinned but watched none the less as the two hammer wielders circled one another.
====================
“Surrender your hammer, Olson,” Blake, the new Thor said.
“I will prove you all wrong. There is only one of us worthy to carry the hammer and call themselves Thor!” Olson roared and charged forward.
Blake brought mjolnir up blocking the hammer blow. Olson brought his hammer to bear again and again but could not get through Blake’s defense. I’ve been doing this a lot longer than you have, Olson. You are using way too much rage in your attacks. Though the number of times I’ve fought another attacking me with a hammer have been very few this isn’t rocket science. There’s plenty of time to think through to your next few strikes.
Olson fell for a feint and suffered a backhand from Blake. The younger fighter was blasted back into a stack of cars.
While the memories were returning they remained faint. In the past Blake recalled being Thor but the fighting know-how came from memory or at the very least muscle memory. Thor had been alive and fighting for thousands of years. Now, fighting the young Olson, it was almost as if the hammer was guiding his movements. Like mjolnir was showing how best to fight his opponent. Were the moves based on Thor or was it an enchantment inherent to the hammer itself? I need to get to Odin, Blake thought. He has a lot of questions to answer.
The black hammer screamed through the air at Blake. He batted the projectile into the air using a two fisted grip then hurled mjolnir at Olson. The younger fighter side stepped the attack and charged at Blake. The collision had enough power to level a skyscraper but neither warrior fell. Both took a hold of the other and the grappling began. Blake could smell the fetid breath and saw the spotting in Olson’s eyes. It’s like he’s rotting or falling apart. How stable was the magic that he was accessing in greater and greater amounts?
“Olson, you have to give up the power! I think it’s killing you. I’m a doctor, I can see how sick you are!”
Blake fought for the controlling position. Neither would falter in the test of strength and skill. Both remained straining under the other’s might.
“I know a thing or two about medicine myself and I feel fine. In fact I’ve never felt better.” Olson drove an elbow into Blake’s face.
Olson gripped Blake tightly around the arms. Blake looked skyward and heard a familiar sound. He head butted Olson and dashed backwards as the black hammer struck the ground where he had stood. The hammer shot back into Olson who was already in motion and Blake found he couldn’t get out of the way in time. The hammer-blow slammed Blake from the scrap yard and into a van parked on West 28th Street.
Blake rose and rotated his shoulder. The blow was almost crippling. Blake gripped mjolnir, enjoying the feeling of the weapon. It has been a long time. Olson came into view as he rose into the sky over the scrap yard. Lightning crackled around him. There were two real choices here, Blake thought. I can dance around with this guy, do who knows how much damage to property and probably people. Or, I can fight him hard and fast and end this thing which will likely result in his death and the end of the threat.
Olson flew at Blake with rage chiseled into his face. Blake struck mjolnir on the ground twice. The boom of thunder gave Olson pause long enough for the blinding bolt of lightning to engulf him. Blake did not hear the scream as he expected. A hand and black hammer extended from the energy and directed a portion of the bolt at Blake. He brought up mjolnir just fast enough to the let the enchanted uru metal absorb the attack.
“You’re strong but what’s the price for that strength?” Blake asked and hurled mjolnir at Olson.
Olson was flying too fast to avoid the incoming hammer that slammed into his chest blasting him out of sight.
Blake took to the air. Below he heard Loki roar in agony. In the scrap yard Malekith fired bolts of eldritch energy at Loki as the sorcerer in a mortal’s body crawled, seemingly clinging to life. Amora was already unconscious at Loki’s side.
Blake loosed his hammer again striking the dark elf down. Blake landed, catching mjolnir as he approached the fallen elf. The elf did not stir but changed shape into a massive, red armored creature, long horns formed from his helmet. It snatched Blake’s left hand and slammed him to the ground. The Malekith-thing was on Blake then, slamming his fists into his Asgardian-enchanted flesh over and over. Blake managed finally to get an arm in front of him to stop a blow, then catch the second strike and crash mjolnir across the monster's face finally stopping the assault. The monster fell away and Blake landed a second and third blow knocking it to the dirt, broken and bloody.
“Change shape all you want, monster. I am no weak willed fool to be clay in your horrible hands,” Blake said and was thrashed to the ground.
Everything spun out of control. Pain exploded in Blake’s back. He couldn’t tell the sky from the earth his head spun so fiercely. A burst of green energy and Blake’s perceptions began to return to normal. The world slowed its spinning and Blake recognized the Loki-mortal aiming his fist at Olson as he stood over Blake. In Loki’s hand sat two fingers, generating from which was a beam of energy that formed a sphere encircling Olson’s head that appeared to be choking him.
A bolt of black energy shot from beyond Blake’s sight and blasted Loki into unconsciousness. Either the mortal was dead or just unconscious. Either way, Loki’s presence in the fight was over. Blake smashed mjolnir on the ground once only to be interrupted by Olson’s dropping his hammer down on Blake’s back. The pain was beyond anything Blake had ever known. Pinpricks of numbness ran down his spine and Blake wondered if he would be able to walk again either as Don Blake or Thor. He rolled to his back and blocked the second strike from the frothing Olson-Thor. The sound of the hammers meeting made Blake’s ears ring.
Again Olson raised his black hammer over his head. Blake prepared to block it when both turned to view Malekith thrashing in the grips of Amora the Enchantress. Both of her arms were wrapped around the dark elf’s body. Her fingers drug in so deeply as to draw black blood from the dark elf. She planted her withered and deeply lined lips on the one Loki called the Accursed and muffled his screams, slightly.
Then Blake found himself lifted over Olson’s head and thrown across the yard to embed himself in the empty crawler crane. Noting the horrid wrenching in his back when ever he moved, Blake pulled himself out of the machinery. He sank his hands into the crane tracks and hurled the vehicle at Olson. It looked for a moment that Olson was too awe struck by the lifting feat to do anything but allow himself to be crushed. At the last second he raised his hammer firing a blast of dark blue energy that blew the crane apart. Pieces scattered within and outside the scrap yard. Some parts landing out of sight but Blake knew the chance for hurting civilians was very high even at that hour. It was something that Olson should have thought of before using the attack. Blake should have expected the reaction before he initiated his attack. It’s been too long since I was at this, Blake thought.
Olson fired the dark blue energy from his hammer at Blake who blocked it with mjolnir. No one else is going to get hurt because Thor was lax in his duty, Blake thought. He willed mjolnir to fire it’s own inherent energy back at Olson adding the energy it had just absorbed to the blast. The beams struck between the two empowered mortals creating a swell of discharged energy between them. When Olson felt the pressure approaching him he increased the output. Blake did the same. The difference was that when Olson did it his face grew more pale, more veins snaked across his face. It was as though the hammer was using his life to fuel it. Blake knew that his power was coming from the hammer itself though he didn’t know how long it would hold out.
The crazed look in Olson’s eyes told Blake that he was going to die before surrendering. Despite everything Olson had done Blake did not want him to die. The man was trying to do the right thing. He just bet on the wrong horse.
“Amora!” Blake yelled.
*No need to yell I can read your thoughts.* the voice came to Blake’s mind.
Well I need your help. I think Olson is going to self destruct and I don’t want the devastation to spread throughout the city.
The swell of energy was expanding between he two Thors. Eventually neither the hammers nor the wielders would be able to control the lethal energies they were expelling. While the gods might live through the explosion, any mortals caught in the surrounding areas would not.
*I do not know what you think I will be able to do. I am feeling more myself but becoming so has put me at the end of my strength.*
Blake risked a quick glance at where he last saw Amora and Malekith. The Enchantress was every bit as attractive and seductive as Blake remembered her being despite being dressed in rags. Malekith appeared to be little more than a skeleton in loose fitting skin.
Read my mind and wait for my cue. Got me?
Amora smirked and winked and Blake. An act he found both erotic and terrifying. The end is close, Blake thought and redoubled his efforts. This is risky but I don’t see any other choice if the city is going to be saved a battle of the gods.
====================
Two men imbued with the might and visage like that of the god of thunder. Two men brought down their enchanted hammers to bear on one another with every last dredge of might they could muster. The hammers met with terrible violence and fury.
The world turned to thunder and lightning and fire and destruction for those in the scrap yard.
After the smoke cleared, the scrap yard and only the scrap yard was melted, fused and burned to ash but one body remained.
When the police, paramedics and SHIELD personal arrived to examine the scene the sole survivor of the blast was a comatose Jake Olson.
THE END ... for now
==========
AUTHOR’S NOTE:
THAT’s how it ends?
Yup. That’s how this part of the story ends. These events happened just under 2 years in the past according to the timeline.
What about Asgard and Odin? The nasty old Dark Gods? Blake and Amora and Loki? And Tech Clayton?
Two years have passed. Everyone has been busy, I promise. Maybe I can convince Doug to co-write the next chapter of the tale of deities in this World Without Heroes. No promises. He gets really cranky when I pull him out of his garden.
Thanks to Barry Reese for getting the ball rolling. Big thanks to Doug for putting up with my mania.
And thank you for reading. I had a blast.
C. William Russette 2009