Earth-717: Thor Vol 2

Chapter 12: Follow Your Heart

"Thor? Thor . . . ."

Thor's eyelids felt heavier than his hammer.

"Hey, I think he's waking up . . . ."

He finally managed to open his eyes, and was pleased to see a familiar face filling up his view.

"Jane."

"Hey, big guy. Had a good nap?"

"Yes. Verily."

"Heh, verily. Can't help but love those wacky words."

Jane stroked his hair as he got up. He was on his bed in his room of the palace, and although he knew the battle with Loki had happened in his mind, he still checked outside the window. Asgard was intact. Jane was sitting on the bed next to him.

"How much time has . . . .?"

"Not much. An hour, maybe. You guys count time by hours up here?"

Thor threw off his blanket and got to his feet. Jane hopped off the bed and ran after him.

"Hey, where ya going?"

"I must see Father. See if he's . . . ."

"Hey, hey, hey," said Jane, grabbing Thor's hand. "He's okay."

Thor turned towards Jane. She smiled at him again.

"He's okay."


With the Shadow Orb removed from Narcisson and returned to Asgard's treasure vault, Perrikus was fully defeated, once again reduced to an unmoving husk trapped in his own realm. The fate of the other villains involved in the scheme was not as certain. Loki's treachery was made fully known to all of Asgard, and once again, he stood trial in front of Odin, alongside his accomplices, Amora and Kurse.

His strength recovered after the Odinsleep, the All-Father sat on his throne, looking down at the three criminals in magical bonds standing before him. Thor, Sif, Jane, Faradei, Frigga and Verden were all present for the sentencing, with Heimdall still recovering from his wounds in the healing chambers. Thor noted how strange it was to see Odin without his spear.

"Conspiracy," said Odin. "Against me and all of Asgard. Against the universe itself, with Perrikus in the fold. And within my own house. I should have seen this coming."

Two Einherjar guards walked into the room, carrying the Mirror of Mysolljh. They placed the mirror behind the three prisoners, standing up.

"For your treachery, you, Amora the Enchantress, and your Dark Elf companion, I hereby banish from Asgard forever."

Amora's eyes burst open with fear.

"Wait, no! It was his idea! He tricked me into all this!"

"Your deceptions end here. Your crimes will be punished."

The Einherjar seized Amora and Kurse, and forced them towards the mirror. Odin turned to Frigga, who spun her hand, weaving a spell that activated the mirror's power, turning the glass into fluid. Despite Amora's screams and Kurse's roars, the Einherjar forced both of them into the mirror. Frigga then snapped her finger, and the mirror returned to glass form.

Amora and Kurse could still be seen on the other side. They pounded on the mirror from within, but to no avail. Odin then held his hand out to Sif, who handed him her sword.

"Please!" shouted Amora, her voice muffled from behind the glass. "Thor, you care for me, don't you? Don't let him do this, I beg you!"

Thor frowned at Amora, but made no effort to stop Odin, who thrust the sword towards the mirror.

"I CAST YOU OUT!"

A beam of white light fired from the sword, smashing into and shattering the mirror as Amora and Kurse both screamed their final scream in this realm. The glass shards scattered all over the floor. Loki shuddered, and everyone in the room seemed at least somewhat perturbed. Even Sif, who thought she'd find some satisfaction in Amora's punishment, felt sorry for the Enchantress.

Odin handed the sword back to Sif before turning his eye to Loki.

"Now you. My adopted son. Once again, we find ourselves at an impasse."

Loki kept his eyes pointed at the floor.

"I can tolerate your indiscretions no longer. This is no mere mischief. This is villainy, clear as the stars in the sky. You have betrayed your kin. The rage that consumes you nearly consumed us all."

Loki still offered no response.

"Yet I still feel I harbour some responsibility for what has transpired."

Everyone, including Loki, looked at Odin after this unexpected remark. Odin sat back in his seat, and there was only sadness in his expression.

"You are my son, but I have not treated you as such," said Odin. "Your actions are your own, and your consequences will be of your own doing. I make no excuses for what you've done. But if my actions spurred you faster down this dark path . . . . know that I am sorry."

As a single tear formed in Loki's eye, he stared at his father in disbelief.

He never thought he'd hear those words.

"You will spend the foreseeable future alone on the Isle of Silence," said Odin. "I know not when you shall be freed. Perhaps when my hardened heart finally gives in."

The Einherjar approached Loki. As they grabbed him by the arms, he spoke up.

"May I say something before I go?"

Odin nodded. The Einherjar let go of his arms.

"All I wanted was . . . . was for you to acknowledge it. That pain. Now you have, and I . . . . I don't know what to do. But thank you."

Loki then looked at Frigga.

"I'm sorry, Mother. For failing you, even when you insisted upon seeing my better nature."

Frigga closed her eyes and placed a hand over her mouth. Lastly, Loki turned to Thor.

"And Thor? I know not when we shall see each other again. But I need you to know something before I leave."

"And what is that?" asked Thor.

The tear in Loki's eye finally fell down his cheek.

"I forgive you."

The Einherjar took Loki's arms again, and started marching him away.

"Wait!" shouted Thor.

They stopped. Thor ran over to Loki, standing face to face with him. For a few seconds, they said nothing. Then, Thor reached out and threw his arms around him.

"And I forgive you," whispered Thor.

Loki smiled and closed his eyes, accepting Thor's embrace. Frigga held her hands together, beaming at seeing her sons share affection. Odin sighed. Sif wiped her eyes. Jane smiled. When their hug ended, the Einherjar took Loki away. He was led out of the palace and towards the docks, and his family watched as he was taken across the water towards the island.

Loki was placed on the Isle, and he sat against the lone tree. Enshrouded in mist and silence, Loki finally let out a breath, the acid burning in his veins at last fading away. All the rage that had poisoned his soul was gone, and he was left with a sense of calm, something he hadn't experienced for a very long time. As if responding to him, the fog parted to allow him a clear view of the stars.

And as Loki looked up in the sky, he heard a familiar voice call out to him in his mind.

"I love you."

Then one of the stars twinkled, letting him know she would always be with him.


"Leaving so soon?"

Verden ran his fingers along the brim of his hat.

"Yeah," he said. "Nice place, but it ain't my usual style."

Faradei rubbed the back of his neck.

"Nor mine, to be honest," said Faradei. "But I've adjusted. Maybe you could too."

"What? You'll miss me?"

"I misjudged you," said Faradei, nodding. "I misjudge a lot of things. Perhaps someday, I'll stop doing that."

Verden reached out and placed his hand on Faradei's shoulder.

"You'll get there. I know it."

Faradei and Verden shared a smile. Verden then started walking towards the Heatseeker, which was parked on one of the palace's ship platforms. As the Dark Elf was about to board his ship, the Light Elf called out to him.

"Can I ask you one thing?"

Verden stopped in place before spinning around.

"Who's Talwyn?" asked Faradei.

Verden gulped.

"I heard you say her name when we were in the Dream Dimension. Was she important to you?"

Verden shook his head.

"I'll tell you," said Verden. "Next time we meet."

Faradei nodded. With that, Verden got back in the ship. As he sat in the pilot's chair, Verden sighed and rubbed his eyes, his thoughts drifting back to the little kid he used to take care of. The one who called him "Verdy". He knew she was gone now, but seeing her again in the Dream Dimension was enough to make him reconsider everything he'd been doing the last several years.

Verden powered up the ship, and lifted off the platform. As the Heatseeker flew to regions unknown via the Bifrost portal, Verden knew that this wasn't going to be the last he saw of Asgard.


The whole sky was a twilight technicolour tapestry. Jane wrapped her arms around herself as she stood on the edge of the Rainbow Bridge, looking out at the stars. She could sense Thor approaching her from behind, but she didn't turn.

"I'm going home," said Jane.

"Already?" asked Thor. "We haven't had the chance to . . . ."

"Let me stop you right there."

Jane's voice grew hollow as she spoke, using all of her strength to keep her eyes on the horizon.

"I love you," she said. "You know I do. Part of me always will. But I don't make sense as part of your world anymore."

Thor's heart stopped.

"I don't understand," he said.

"Loki's gone. Odin's not gonna be here forever. You have a job to do. And I heard Sif say that every King of Asgard, he has to take the throne with a Queen. But that's not what hurts. What hurts is, when things got bad, you didn't trust me to look after myself. You locked me away. I know it's you being protective, but it also means you don't see me as an equal."

Thor placed a hand over his face.

"You belong with Sif. You belong here. No matter how much I don't want it to be true, it is."

"I belong with you."

Jane shook her head.

"If you choose me, you're choosing not to be King, and I would never ask that of you. So I'm going home. It will make things easier for everyone."

Thor reached out, but Jane dashed away, heading for the Bifrost nexus. After several steps, she paused in place. She then finally allowed herself to look back at him.

"Don't follow me," she said, her mouth quivering. "Please."

Thor respected her wish, standing still and silently watching as she walked away. The Bifrost nexus lit up with energy, one of the Einherjar manning the position in Heimdall's stead. Thor closed his eyes as she was catapulted across the cosmos, all the way back to Earth. His feelings were so overwrought that he did not notice his father standing behind him.

"Do I have no son who is not suffering?"

Thor looked at Odin.

"Father. I'm sorry, I did not see you."

"No apologies needed. I know where your mind and heart are."

"She's gone."

"I know."

"She won't return."

"I know."

"Is it time for me to take the throne?" asked Thor.

"It is."

Thor looked to the side.

"But it doesn't have to be," said Odin.

Thor looked back at his father with surprise.

"What do you mean?"

Odin took a step towards his son.

"I have made many errors in my life," said Odin. "This is something I haven't been able to admit until now. But I believe the one most grievous of all, is forcing both my sons to believe they were destined for something. Expectations are a burden most heavy."

Odin placed his hands together.

"My time in this life is likely coming to an end soon. But perhaps not having an heir is not an indictment of my sons. Perhaps it's an indictment of me. I decided you would be King. I never thought to ask if you wanted to be."

Thor frowned. Odin smiled.

"Go. Be with her. Even an immortal's life is far too short to not be with the one you love."

"You mean that?"

"If you were given a choice, without fear of consequences. Your heart, or your duty. Which would you choose?"

Thor didn't have to answer. His expression said it all.

"Go, my son. Your home will always welcome you, should you choose to return."

Thor couldn't contain himself. He hugged his father, his tears falling on Odin's shoulder plate. Odin wrapped his arms around his son. When they pulled away, Thor was now the one smiling.

"Thank you."

Odin nodded. Thor turned towards the Bifrost nexus and ran towards it. At the palace, Frigga and Sif watched Thor from afar, having been told by Odin what he was going to say. Both of them were sad to see him leave, but they felt nothing but tenderness in that moment, because even from this distance, they knew Thor was moving towards where he was supposed to be.


Jane rubbed the back of her neck as she stumbled off the street. She stepped onto the sidewalk, and looked up at her apartment building, reflecting on having another cosmic adventure under her belt. She was jolted out of her thoughts by a beam of white light crashing into the earth behind her. A moment later, there stood the man she was praying would come back to her.

She ran to him and leaped into his arms, and they kissed under the watchful eyes of the stars.

THE END

Thor Will Return


Epilogue

"You're certain this information is accurate?"

"Of course, Fair Queen."

Alvaeriel interlocked her fingers and sat back in her throne, considering the news her spy had brought her. Thor had forsaken his claim to Asgard's throne, and Loki was incarcerated. Odin no longer had an heir. Rumours would certainly soon begin to spread.

"Asgard's greatest protector has abandoned her," said Alvaeriel, grinning.

"What shall I tell your officers?"

"Tell them to continue preparations. It seems the winds of fate have turned in my favour."

The spy bowed and left. Alvaeriel then climbed her spiral staircase, heading for the tallest of her towers. Once she was at the apex of her castle, she opened the door to the battlements and stepped out onto the stone. She held her head up high as she looked out at the armada of airships being constructed, the ones she had built specifically for her coming war with Asgard.

She smiled with satisfaction, her long hair blowing in the wind.