For Odin, for Thor, for Asgard

by Scholes, David

  While various stories about the hammer existed, the most persistent was that it was the fabled hammer of Thor of Asgard, the long absent, and assumed dead, Norse God of Thunder. According to mythology the weapon was the greatest ever known to god or man.

  No one had ever taken the trouble to measure the weapon, if such it was, but the shaft was hundreds of feet long. Rumour had it that the mighty Thor had been of mortal dimensions, albeit tall and powerfully built. But he was a God and a God can assume any size he chooses can he not ?

  In the early days the tourists came here and the hammer became a greater attraction than Ularuu itself. Children climbed scaffolding to play on the shaft of the hammer and on its huge head. But the tourists came less and less and over thousands of years the great hammer silently bore witness to the decline of man. The alien incursions took their toll upon the Earth. Earth's myriad superheroes fought valiantly, their numbers diminishing greatly with each intrusion. The alien forays humbled the military forces of the Earth, even those of the United States, which persisted as it's greatest nation.

  As they had done in times past some men looked to Asgard for protection when the first aliens came. Beyond their mortal heroes they looked to great Odin father of the Norse Gods and to the mighty Thor strongest of all the gods of Asgard. But the cries of men were not answered. Odin did not appear on his fabled steed Sleipner with his fabled spear gungir in hand. Nor did the heavens open and the thunder bolts of Thor appear in mankind's defence.

  Gaea or Jord, the living human form embodiment of mother Earth suffered enormously. Legend had it that she was mother to Thor himself. But the son did not come to his mother's aid.

  No person still living knew why Thor had departed our Earth or Midgard as the Asgardians used to call it. Nor did any existing repository of knowledge contain that information, if any ever did.

  Although no man had ever witnessed any activity of the great hammer this is not to say that none took place. In truth there were times when great natural storms occurred in the vicinity of the hammer and they were silenced almost immediately as the hammers head casually absorbed their fearsome energies as if they were but a mild summer breeze. Also on rare occasion vast energies were tapped from the hammer. The energies were hurled skyward before disappearing on route to an unknown destination.

  If men had witnessed this they might have thought that Thor himself was drawing on his hammers energies from some vastly distant place. Only Jord herself knew the truth.

  Now no one lived within hundreds of kilometres of the hammer of Thor anymore and the only inhabitants of the Australian land mass were its original owners.

  The earth had now reached it's lowest ebb sink the dark ages and probably even before that ignominious time. There was one benefit. The alien incursions came no more – the Earth was no longer a prize even to those scavengers ranked lowest on the extra-terrestrial scale.

  Incredibly there remained a few true believers. Those that believed the son of Odin would one day return and take man back to his former greatness. Some among this dwindling group of persons made ever more infrequent visits to Australia and to the great hammer. Soon now, no one would come again.

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  The change came slowly, almost imperceptibly, and not with the tumultuous fanfare that might have been expected. Gentle yet eventually soaking rains came to lands that had not seen rain for many, even hundreds of years. Cooler temperatures began to prevail, fearsome alien irradiations abated . Glimpses of hope, all but gone, began to seep back in to the minds of men. .

  Alien intruders, scavengers of the lowest order, on one last trip to the Earth turned tail and ran scared out of their evil minds by a power beyond their understanding.

  It was supposed to have been the very last pilgrimage to the great hammer, but with things improving all over the Earth the small group resolved to return again. As the group gathered to depart the sky took on an ominous colour and for a moment they scattered to seek some form of shelter from the threatening storm.

  But the storm did not eventuate and the darkness fell away to a beautiful blue sky. A great Norse warrior over a thousand feet in height could be seen slowly descending to the Earth. Suddenly the warrior was joined by an ageless human female form and as he reached the ground the two embraced – mother and son – Gaea the Earth mother and Thor Odinson finally returned to the Earth after a very long absence.

  Was it too late one might ask? too late for the son of Odin to return to men when so much time had passed and hope had all but gone. The answer to this is simple – and unequivocal - it is never too late, while humankind still draws breath it is never too late.

  The rumours of the death of Odin had been true. Even before Thor had departed our mortal realm Odin had been laid to rest, now even his ashes no longer existed. As for Thor he had been engaged in a long and restful sleep but had been awakened by the great powers of the Universe. The great powers had sought his aid in a struggle that involved the very existence of our Universe.

  There had not even been time to retrieve his hammer, though he had drawn on its energies from time to time in a battle that lasted thousands of years. In this battle all of the great powers of the Universe, save Thor himself, had been destroyed. Yet ultimately they had triumphed. Thor, exhausted beyond all belief had again immersed himself in a great sleep of recovery.

  No further explanation was given to men, nor was any sought by them.

  With the help of the son of Odin and of his mother Gaea but ultimately through the efforts of all men and women, humankind returned to its former greatness and beyond.

  Thor never left the Earth again at least not while men still lived upon it. He remained the guardian of the Earth until, millennia later, the last man departed Earth for the stars.

  What Thor did then is another story.

  End

  The Transcender Threat

  Legend has it that from the elevated place of Hlidskialf, within the palace of Valaskjalf, Odin of Asgard can see all that transpires in the nine worlds.

  The legend is true, insofar as it goes. In reality looking in one direction Odin can see all of importance that transpires in our entire Multiverse. Looking in another direction he can see into the time stream – back into the past and also into some of the more probable futures.

  As Thor approached Odin, the Lord of Asgard was upon Hlidskialf looking forward in the time stream into a very grim yet highly probable future. “Father” said Thor interrupting Odin’s dour thoughts “I have brought them.” Accompanying Thor were no less personages than Captain America, Iron Man, the Silver Surfer, and Dr Stephen Strange himself.

  Coming out of his contemplations Odin addressed his visitors “I have requested your presence here in Asgard because of a threat faced by all of the nine worlds.” “Nor do I believe the threat will end if the nine worlds are destroyed.” “The longed feared Asgardian Ragnorak is as nothing compared to this threat” finished Odin. “Look hither” said Odin pointing into the distance “for something of a view of those who would destroy us.”

  The perception afforded the four heroes was incomplete as the enemy were among the very few in the Multiverse with the power to partially cloak themselves against Odin’s detections. However it was enough for the assembled heroes, even Stephen Strange and the Silver Surfer, to involuntarily shudder.

  “In your vast experience mage or yours Surfer” enquired Odin “have either of you ever encountered the like ?” “Can you add anything to our existing knowledge of them?” “Never” said Stephen Strange trying hard to contain another involuntary shudder “never anything like that.” “Nor I” enjoined the Surfer.

  “ While Earth has many heroes” continued Odin “you four in particular have a special place in our hearts here in Asgard.” “I ask you to join us here for the coming battle and should you agree I propose augmenting each of your powers in various ways.”

 
; “ Those who seek our destruction have not chosen any name” said Thor “but my father refers to them as the transcenders because of their ability to prevail against all they encounter.” “Odin has foreseen that the main attack from the transcenders will be here at the very heart of Asgard” continued Thor “with simultaneous subsidiary attacks against the rest of the nine worlds.”

  “ What of Earth” asked Captain America “what arrangements will be made for it’s defence?”

  “The Earth has many defenders” said Thor “The Grand Vizier, Heimdall and Hogun the Grim are advising them on the nature of the threat.” Almost as an afterthought Thor added “My father will ensure that the ordinary non super powered mortals of Earth will be interdimensionally transported to a safe haven.”

  “Ultimately all will depend on the situation here in Asgard ” said Odin “if we fail here then all is lost.”

  Without any hesitation all four of the heroes agreed to remain in Asgard, there to confront the principal threat.

  At that moment Odin gestured and energies arose from the very land of Asgard itself. The energies moved about the Silver Surfer – all around and within him. The Surfer felt elements of the Odinpower enjoin with his own power cosmic - a sensation he had known once before. He was exultant at his new found power but then humbly accepting of it.

  Both Odin and the Surfer knew of the synergistic effect of merging elements of the Odinpower with the power cosmic. Many millennia ago the great world devourer Galactus and a more youthful Odin had cooperated to defeat a Universal threat . On the verge of defeat both great entities had joined into a single being and with the benefit of the resultant synergies had turned aside the deadly alien threat. It was something neither Odin nor Galactus ever spoke of again, but the experience was never forgotten.

  Odin then bestowed upon Captain America a temporary but most valuable gift. An incredibly light yet superbly strong and durable suit of armour that in no way constrained the Captains freedom of movement. Indeed embedded in the lightweight armour was a small exo-skeleton element that greatly magnified the Captains strength and speed. The armour a combination of Asgardian magic and Brell technology each reinforcing the other was built long ago but had never been used. The good captain’s shield, probably proof against any entity below skyfather level was then mystically enhanced by the Lord of Asgard.

  Iron Man was provided with one of only three Odin gems known to exist. This near inexhaustible power source was mystically implanted as an inseparable element of his armour, vastly increasing iron mans strength, durability and raw power.

  Last but certainly not least Odin took Dr Strange aside escorting him into a most sacred place located to the side of Hlidskialf, a most inner sanctuary, the throne room within a throne room - only ever seen by a very few of the most faithful.

  I am not privy to what transpired in that place suffice to say that Earth’s sorcerer supreme emerged with a second amulet upon his person. An artefact older than any other in all Asgardian cosmology and that had not seen the light of day since Odin himself was a youth playing with his brothers Ve and Vili under the watchful eyes of Bestla and Borr.

  Elsewhere in other areas of the nine worlds preparations for the onslaught continued. Hela readied her legions of the dead for the defence of Hel. The rumbling voice of the elemental Surtur could be heard throughout the nine worlds as he reforged his great sword twilight making it even more powerful and made his followers/legions ready.

  At the edge of Valhalla the souls of the fallen warriors, the Einheriar, readied for a battle greater even than the Asgardian Ragnorak.

  The life forces of almost all of Asgard save Odin, Thor, Loki and a few trusted others entered and powered up the huge armoured Asgardian Destroyer construct to which Odin entrusted that most magnificent weapon the newly reforged OdinSword. Odin himself grew to the 1,000 feet height of Surtur at the same time teleporting unto himself his great spear Gungir and the seldom used yet magnificent shield of Odin both proportionally increased in size to reflect his own enhanced stature.

  In perhaps the strangest twist of all the seer Oracle, released from the Troll King Geirridour’s flaming mystical prison, joined as a single entity with Mimir. That combined entity moved to the side of great Odin there best to advise him on the coming battle.

  The Mighty Thor dressed in his battle armour, fabled belt of strength and magnificent gauntlets. Thor raised his hammer mjolnor high and watched as energies arose from the very soil of Asgard and entered the head of the hammer.

  As Odin had foreseen the Transcender attack was launched simultaneously against all of the nine worlds. Also as predicted the attack was strongest against Asgard itself.

  Very little was known of the entities Odin had named the Transcenders. They were understood to be capable of matter/energy manipulation on a cosmic scale and were versed in reality manipulation. Rather than overwhelm a foe by superior force it was their way to find their adversaries greatest weakness and defeat him with the minimum effort possible. Also they sometimes fought using “proxies” created specifically for the purpose. Of their true nature and numbers nothing was known.

  This Transcender attack commenced by proxy. Countless numbers of larger than human size obsidian shapeshifters appeared above all the nine worlds and descended upon them. The creatures were strong, highly durable and capable of energy projection. Their vast numbers alone posed a threat.

  In the skies above Asgard the disintegration beam of the Destroyer construct was joined by the power of Odin directed through Gungir, by bolts of anti-force from Thor, immensely powerful bolts of cosmic/OdinPower energy from the Silver Surfer, and Iron Man’s much enhanced repulsor rays.

  A not inconsiderable mystical defence was mounted by Dr Strange, Thor’s mischievous half brother Loki and Queen Karnilla acting in unison.

  The skies above Asgard turned first blinding white from the energy defence and then very dark as the Transcender proxies were melted and vaporised.

  However the proxies seemed to come from an endless source and were soon on the surface of Asgard and in close quarter combat. It was in this part of the battle with his most formidable exo-skeleton light armour that Captain America came into his own. Skilfully using his shield with its fresh Odin enchantments he slay huge numbers of the proxies. The fallen warriors of Valhalla the Einheriar also showed their mettle in this close quarter combat.

  As the close quarter combat continued the Oracle/Mimir amalgam cried out “be careful Odin we sense there may be actual Transcenders among the proxies.”

  Indeed a few instants later a proxy near Odin grew to Odin’s 1,000 feet height and seized the Lord of Asgard’s wrists firmly. The entity was too powerful to be a proxy. For a moment the Transcender occupied Odin’s undivided attention as both entities locked together, Odin in full battle armour, coruscating with energies through the length and breadth of their huge frames.

  “ How to determine which are proxies and which are actual Transcenders ?” mused Odin. Even as he fought the Transcender Odin interdimensionally teleported all proxies in the vicinity of Asgard to a pocket dimension limbo prison he had created some time ago. Including the entity Odin was engaging - three entities remained – all were shown up as Transcenders - as unlike the proxies they had the power to resist interdimensional teleportation.

  The other two Transcenders converged on Odin but the first was given pause by the attentions of the Asgardian Destroyer and the second by a massive combined attack from Thor, the Silver Surfer, Iron Man, and Captain America. The three Transcenders then gave up all pretence of corporeal form and returned to what was presumably their normal state of beings of pure energy.

  Then in a brief break in hostilities the air was filled with the dying screams of thousands of Asgardians. In that dreadful moment Odin and Thor realised that the Transcenders had detected the physical bodies of the Asgardians whose souls powered the Destroyer construct and (protected though they were) had slain them. The Destroyer crashed to the floor and th
e OdinSword fell from its grasp clattering to the ground.

  Using considerable godly power Odin almost instantly brought the Asgardians back to life. Such was Odin’s use of power that he momentarily drew on the ancient amulet he had given to Dr Strange and elements of the OdinPower bequeathed to the Silver Surfer. .

  The three energy form Transcenders looked on – Odin’s act was alien to them – what is dead should remain dead. For all their alienness they also knew full well that the act of creation was a far greater one than the act of destruction. Momentarily there emanated from them something that might have passed for grudging respect. Was it possible that they, like so many before them, had underestimated the power of Asgard ? On that note the Transcenders and their proxies that were still engaged elsewhere in the nine worlds departed the field of battle.

  In this first stage of the attack suffice it to say that others of the nine worlds did not fare quite so well as the more heavily defended Asgard. Still all, including Midgard and its heroes had held firm.

  In the temporary respite that was afforded, the Destroyer construct was re-animated again by the life forces of most Asgardians.

  The second stage of the Transcender attack was an all out energy attack on all of the nine worlds but again with the focus on Asgard. At first the source of the Transcender attack could not be pinpointed. While it may have been extra dimensional – they were clearly drawing on energies from different parts of our own Universe as evidenced by the greatly accelerated death of a number of stars. To what extent the Transcenders actually needed these additional energies was unclear.

  Under this massive energy assault Hela’s domain of the dead was the first to fall. It may be thought that killing those that are already dead does not seem to matter. However the disintegration of Hela, her realm and every last one of her followers into sub-atomic fragments that were then cast beyond retrieval amongst the solar winds effectively meant that she would play no further part in events.