Seeing its error the Destroyer construct led by the life force of Baldur the brave ceased its onslaught – but too late!
Raising the magnificent OdinAxe again Thor called for Magni and the Destroyer to aid him. Together the threesome launched godblast against the rift which seemed to be growing in size every second. Magni using mjolnor, the Destroyer using the life forces of the gods that powered it and Thor employing a full OdinPower blast in unison with the OdinAxe. In mere moments the monstrous rift was sealed – those coming through it pushed back to their side. The OdinAxe seemed to sing with raw power.
Even with the dimensional rift sealed Surtur, many fire demons and vast roiling masses of fire still existed on the Asgardian plane.
Holding the OdinAxe with both hands and at arms length Thor began to rotate at a speed defying description. All that could be seen was a blinding light of pure raw cutting power. In this form Thor launched into the remaining fire demons shredding all life from their impure forms and leaving only dispersed small non sentient fires.
The Destroyer, Magni and Thor all then turned their attention to a swordless Surtur. A further visor disintegration blast from the Destroyer was enjoined by bolts of anti-force from Magni and the full force of the Odinpower launched through the OdinAxe from Thor. Is there an entity anywhere that could withstand an attack of such magnitude? Certainly not Surtur.
The remaining fires of evil that had accompanied Surtur turned even more malignant seeking to suffocate Thor, Magni and the Destroyer but at best they were a minor inconvenience and easily teleported away to distant ice worlds by a Magni needing no aid from his father.
So it was that the elemental being the fire giant Surtur was no more. The power infinity gem which he had used less than efficiently seemed to just float near where Surtur had been. The OdinAxe seemed to be manipulating it’s master to move towards the gem. Now there was a thought - the OdinAxe with the power infinity gem embedded within it and wielded by the mighty Thor could any adversary stand against such force? But no, the gem would be returned to its rightful place – Thor of Asgard had no need of it.
When Thor had recreated some but not all of the worlds destroyed after Ragnorak he had been right not to recreate Muspelheim. In this new order there was no place for Surtur and his followers. If Surtur had not sought to return to the Asgardian plane he could have lived on among the fires of evil a place to which he was well suited. His return to Asgard accompanied by malignant fires and fire demons assured his fate.
As to the OdinAxe, would the sentient weapon meekly consent to a long containment again? Would Thor have need of this weapon again? Should the great weapon be carried permanently by Thor and Magni become the permanent holder of Mjolnor? But a Thor without his hammer is not really Thor is he? End
Superman – A Herald of Galactus
Deep Space
Some time in the future
From aboard his Worldship in a vastly distant Galaxy, the great Galactus had watched with interest developments on the Earth and especially in New Asgard.
Over time he saw Lord Thor, growing in confidence and power, exercise a seemingly benevolent dominion over the Earth. Galactus saw also the decrease in the Earth's superpowered heroes and villains as older generations of them died off largely unreplaced. Not that these "insects" would ever trouble the world devourer but he noted how few entities were now left on Earth with any kind of special powers. Galactus had known of the “death” of Odin soon after it’s occurrence. Ever since that fateful day long ago when he had passed too close to Asgard, Galactus had decided to never again test the mettle or resolve of the Allfather. The still youthful and inexperienced son, a mere godling, was however another matter.
”If ever I am to claim the Earth, then it is now!” thought Galactus. “If I leave it for too long Lord Thor will become too powerful.” “Even now he has begun to understand the Odinpower at a fundamental level and to progressively draw on his elder god inheritance – the vast powers of his mother Gaea.” “A most potent combination” mused Galactus.
Though human concepts such as revenge are far below Galactus, still buried deep within him was the desire to finally devour the world which had given him so much trouble over so many years. It was not that he needed it as a source of sustenance, there were many suitable worlds, but consumption of the Earth had become symbolic for him. A matter of pride, if such a term could ever be applied to one such as he.
Watching from his Worldship Galactus took stock of the forces that Lord Thor might draw upon , the Destroyer Construct (once briefly one of his own heralds), Loki (possibly), Karnilla (possibly), Prince Magni and for that matter the bulk of the energies of the Asgardian dimension. It was Magni that concerned Galactus the most for in truth he was somewhat of an unknown quantity. Galactus saw that Magni had inherited not only the great strength of his father but the mystical ways of his mother the Enchantress. More importantly he had inherited elements of the powers of his most powerful grandparents Odin and Gaea. Finally Galactus saw that the youth was now the proud and worthy bearer of one of the greatest weapons in all of creation Mjolnor the former hammer of Thor.
”I shall need a Herald” thought Galactus “not for direction but as a source of distraction for both father and son.” Galactus had in fact been heraldless for quite some time and he searched among the heavens for one suitable for the task. In that searching he came across the Kryptonian from an alternate Universe. A dangerously powerful herald but one who could serve him well, provided he were properly controlled. Though that very act of control might limit the Kryptonian’s own initiative and resourcefulness
In his mind Galactus reviewed the powers of this ------ Superman. Vast speed, near invulnerability, a powerful heat vision, vast physical strength, vastly acute sight and hearing, super breath, super intelligence, great tactical capabilities and much more.
Galactus reviewed these capabilities against those known of Lord Thor and of Magni and he saw they might not be enough. Unaided Superman might not be able to stand against Magni and his hammer, and certainly not against the Lord of All Asgard. But with the Kryptonian’s own powers augmented by the power cosmic that would be a different matter entirely. The world destroyer then wrenched Superman from that alternate reality and bestowed upon him the power cosmic to a greater degree than he had for any previous heralds (even the Silver Surfer). For service to Galactus Superman was promised safe return to his own reality. However knowing the man of steel would never accept such an offer Galactus implanted a subtle telepathic suggestion in Superman’s mind, making the offer seem more palatable.
The Lord of Asgard and Earth had long since detected the approach of Galactus Worldship. Magni asked Thor if he might choose to inhabit the Destroyer Armour against such an awesomely powerful opponent. Thor, somewhat enigmatically, declined the invitation. The thought never even occurred to Magni to use the armour himself. Though youthful and inexperienced Magni had a confidence in his own natural strength, in his hammer and in the other powers he inherited which was not entirely without justification. Nonetheless he had heard the stories of the great Galactus and like most Asgardians was somewhat in awe of him.
So it came to pass that enhanced by the power cosmic the new herald of Galactus the Superman from an alternate reality confronted Magni prince of Asgard and Earth, the true son of Thor - blood of the blood itself - and the strongest of all the gods of Asgard.
The power cosmic enhanced Superman struck the first blow - a combination of his searing heat vision and deadly cosmic energies. For all his durability Prince Magni felt pain but no lasting damage. He whirled his hammer to deflect both the heat vision and cosmic energy then changed tactics, absorbing the energies within his hammer and throwing them back multiplied many fold against Superman.
The Kryptonian also showed great durability, shrugging off the magnified energies and changing tactics he physically attacked Magni at enormous speed raining super powered blows upon the Thor Son at the rate of hundreds or blows per s
econd.
Both Galactus and Lord Thor remained distant from the struggle as if somehow content to do battle by proxy. The former observing it from his approaching but still distant Worldship and the latter present only in the form of a large audio-visual image. Galactus fully expecting Thor himself to become embroiled. In viewing the image of Thor Galactus did note that the new Allfather had strapped across his back a weapon from antiquity – the rarely seen and even more rarely used OdinAxe. A weapon spoken of only in whispers among the great powers.
No one truly knows what happened that fateful day millennia ago when Galactus and Odin clashed, save the Allfather and the World Devourer themselves. Now Odin is dead, so they say, and Galactus keeps his own counsel. As his Worldship moved closer to the Magni/Superman clash Galactus mind turned briefly to his first and only encounter with Odin. Rumour has it that Galactus is the only entity to have felt the power of the OdinAxe and lived. Another rumour has it that Odin was forced to use the OdinAxe on that day lest all Asgard perish. While rumours of that confrontation are in abundance, facts are impossible to come by. Suffice it to say that Odin and Asgard survived that encounter as did the great Galactus.
Galactus turned his attention to the present. He saw that while Magni could not match Superman's physical speed he was able to twirl his hammer at such a speed and force that it connected with superman and sent him careening end over end for many kilometres through space. The blow also appeared to hurt superman sufficiently to slow him down somewhat. Magni then responded with a bolt of Asgardian anti-force but superman shrugged this off.
The two combatants moved in together gripping each others forearms and for a moment the battle became a test of purest strength. As limbs locked together as muscles bulged and strained they did seem to be of roughly equal strength. Both strove mightily to assert their dominance in purely physical terms. Neither appeared to be holding back in any way. Whether it was from impatience or a sense that their natural strength was not quite enough first one of them then the other sought to augment their strength. Superman through the power cosmic and Magni through mystical means. As they continued their test of strength now at augmented levels the outcome remained inconclusive.
Superman was the first to break free from the impasse resorting to his great speed in combination with his strength rather than strength alone.
Magni then hurled his hammer coruscating with bludgeoning Asgardian energies. He threw it so hard and so fast and with such unerring accuracy that even Superman, momentarily wearied by the physical test of strength, did not move quickly enough to avoid it. The Kryptonian reeled from the full force of mjolnor thrown with every ounce of the still augmented strength of Magni. Magni moved in hitting Superman time and again with blow after blow from his great hammer. Superman used the power cosmic to establish a personal force field but even that in combination with his vast durability did not seem to be enough. Reeling under the assault the kryptonian sped away from the battle just to give himself a few moments of desperately needed time-out.
Relentlessly Magni pursued his opponent trying not to allow him any time for respite. Recognising that most forms of energy assault would not prevail against Superman Magni resorted to an unusual form of attack. A low level godblast delivered in rapid pulses rather than as a torrent of energy. He had used it before – it was less draining than a full high level godblast and more effective than anti-force.
Galactus had thought that by now Magni would be close to defeat and Thor himself would have entered the conflict. Thus at the very same moment as Magni commenced his pulsating godblast attack the destroyer of worlds amplified Superman’s power cosmic level.
Unaware of this Magni saw with surprise that Superman was shrugging off his assault with apparent ease. A renewed and invigorated superman surrounded himself with a tight fitting force field energized by the power cosmic. He then launched himself at his foeman using perhaps his greatest weapon, his indescribable speed.
Somehow Magni sensed this coming just before it happened and drawing on elements of his mothers but more importantly his grandfathers powers passed on to him he mystically increased his own speed. It was enough just barely to react to the Kryptonian’s speed.
At a speed defying description the fist of the nearly invulnerable onrushing Superman met the head of Mjolnor the hammer of Magni swung with all the force that the Earth/Asgard Prince could muster. The impact of the collision surprised even Thor and Galactus now both physically on the field of battle. Which of these fared worse – the immovable force or the irresistible object – hammer or fist? Suffice to say after some alteration in it’s course great Mjolnor returned to Magni and Superman was left clutching his right hand experiencing a level of pain heretofore beyond his experience.
For the second time in the battle the great Galactus increased the cosmic power level of Superman. The pain in the kryptonian’s right hand disappeared immediately. He turned around and there was a look in his eye as he drunk in the power cosmic. There was nothing good or noble in that look.
“ You have gone too far Galactus, I can no longer brook of your continuing interference while I stay my own hand” boomed Thor. With that the son of Odin and father of Magni drew forth the OdinAxe. “You survived this axe once Galactus, let us see if you can do so again!”
For Magni his father bestowed him a temporary gift – not an increase in strength or power as such, though doubtless worth more than that. No Thor bestowed upon Magni for the duration of the continuing battle all of the many thousands of years of his own hardened battle experience. The battle experience of the greatest warrior of all time!
Thor recognized the look in Superman’s eyes. He had seen it before with the cosmic malfunctions - a polite euphemism for the failures of Galactus. Everyone knew of course of the great heralds such as the magnificent Silver Surfer, Nova, Air-Walker and others. But few knew of the failures - entities who had absorbed too much of the power cosmic and that had subsequently gone quite mad. Nor had Galactus subsequent removal of the power cosmic helped these poor entities as the madness had remained. Death following soon afterwards. Lord Thor had known specifically of two such but there were whispers of another.
Galactus had now suffused Superman with too much of the power cosmic that much was clear. Though not exactly the same thing it could bear some comparison to the Asgardian warriors madness. Thor saw the fundamental goodness in Superman and hoped he could in some way be saved.
Literally bursting at the seams with the power cosmic and totally enraged with the madness upon him Superman bore down upon Magni at a speed even greater than normal. The force of Superman’s blow to Magni’s chin could be felt everywhere upon the Earth thousands of kilometres below. Magni was hurt by the blow which sent him hurtling towards the Earth – but he knew to go with the force of the blow. To allow himself to recover from it. Never in all his experiences had he felt quite such a blow but even so it did him no permanent damage and his instinct was only to get right back at Superman.
The maddened Superman his strength continuing to be greatly augmented through the power cosmic then thrust at Lord Thor himself seeking to wrest the OdinAxe from its master. If it is true that there is almost no force that can separate Magni from Mjolnor then it is assuredly even more true that no power may separate Thor from the OdinAxe unless the Lord of Asgard so wishes. After a time of scuffling with Lord Thor, the hopelessness of his task became apparent to the enraged Kryptonian. Patiently one of the Multiverse’s most powerful skyfathers pulled the axe from Superman’s grasp and smashed him away with the flat broad side of the blade careful not introduce the Kryptonian to it’s unthinkably sharp edge. Superman only came back at Thor with even greater speed and the Lord of Asgard and Earth realized he needed to slow the speedster in order to affect his plan.
If not exactly the distraction Galactus had intended this served its purpose as the devourer proceeded down to the Earth momentarily unchallenged.
In a valiant though somewhat ill conceived effo
rt the Warriors Three, Lady Sif, Balder, Heimdall, Thialfi and several other Asgardians approached Galactus their life forces empowering the destroyer construct. Even as disintegration energies began to build atop the destroyers visor cosmic energies from Galactus eyes lanced into areas of New Asgard dangerously close to their physical bodies and in one case too close. The stalwarts withdrew from the construct and Galactus swatted away the now inert Asgardian destroyer.
As the world devourer approached the outer edge of the Earth’s atmosphere he was suddenly hit with the full force of an Asgardian godblast. Magni from New Asgard below had very quickly constructed a brace to hold his hammer. Allowing his life force to become as one with the hammer supreme he directed the torrent against Galactus bathing him in Asgardian energies. The godblast of Magni seemed to trouble Galactus as the titan held up his forearm to his face but it did not stop the titan nor even appreciably slow him down. In an eerie sight with a tidal wave of energy lashing about him Galactus began his descent through Earth’s atmosphere.
For the merest of moments Galactus seemed indecisive as he continued to descend through the upper layers of the Earth’s atmosphere bathed in the fearsome and indeed awe-inspiring energies of Magni’s unfettered godblast. Then as if coming to a decision he raised his hand and massive bolts of concussive force took form outside of the confines of the godblast energies. At the speed of thought they shot earthward curving around the extremities of Magni’s godblast and temporarily laying him low. Galactus however did not emerge unscathed, his helmet was missing possibly destroyed, his armour blackened, pitted and heavily scorched. For the merest moment he looked shaken both in his confidence and physically. Though this was only ephemeral.
For Odin, for Thor, for Asgard Page 17