What Has Come Before: Thor, seeking the answer to the destruction of a planetary system, runs into the Guardian, former herald of Infinity! Balder, taking the throne from Odin while the all-father is in his Odin Sleep, is striken by an illness, while Loki threatens to seize the throne. Galactus, seeing that Odin is asleep and Thor is away, decides the time is right to attack Asgard. Morg, seeking the power source that Galactus hungers for, follows Galactus to seize it for his own. The Guardian, a large, four-armed yellow figure, stands over Thor, as the Recorder watches from a close distance. Thor starts to get to his feet, even as the figure moves forward, menacingly, towards the god of the storms. The Recorder pushes buttons on his chest, recording the spectacle that is taking place in front of him.

"The master has dispatched me to stop you," the Guardian warns. "And you will be crushed here, on this deserted planetoid."

"Nay, villain," Thor replies, rising forward, as he points his hammer towards the Guardian, emerging released in a bolt that hits the Guardian in the chest, driving him back, smashing a pile of rubble behind him. "Well hath I seen the work of thy master's hands-the destruction he hath wrought! He must be stopped, and Thor will not allow thee to stand in my way!"

Even as the Guardian recovers, Thor is on his feet. He leaps at the Guardian, striking him in the face with a powerful blow from his right fist! The Guardian continues to fall back, but stays on his feet.

As Thor advances on his enemy, the Guardian reaches two of his arms back, grabbing two large stones. When Thor is upon him, the Guardian slams the two stones together with his two powerful arms, then grinds them quickly, creating a dust cloud that blows directly into Thor's face!

The Recorder looks on, alarm evident in his mechanical tones. "Observation: The Guardian has gained the upper hand on Thor. Hypotothesis: Can Even Thor overcome this powerful creature?"

Momentarily blinded, Thor's hands instinctively rise to his face, as he tries to clear his eyes. The Guardian, however, takes advantage of this situation, as he uses his other two arms to pound on Thor's ribs and mid-section, driving him back.

"Thy cowardly attack is without honor," Thor intones, as he rises an arm in defense, his eyes still closed, as his tear ducts try to fend off the powder clouding his vision.

"Honor is irrelevant," the Guardian retorts, using all four of his arms now to strike Thor. He hits Thor in the mid-section, and delivers blows to Thor's head, although one of his blows is blocked by Thor's forearm. "My only mission is to destroy you, and prevent your interference."

Even as Guardian continues to hammer him with powerful blows-blows that have been known to shatter mountains-Thor grabs the hammer's handle with both hands, as he raises the hammer. He slams the hammer into his foe's chest and holds it there. Within an instant, the hammer surges with electricity, and it is sent out into the Guardian's body. The Guardian's entire body is electrified with cosmic lightning, and he staggers backward, his body surging from the attack!

Thor opens his eyes, even as the Guardian continues to stagger from the effect of the powerful assault. "I needed merely to distract thee for a moment," Thor comments, advancing on his foe, "while my eyes didst clear from thy cowardly attack. And now...face the power of Thor!"

Majestic Asgard stands as a beacon in the universe. A city with walls of gold, it shines for leagues in the distance, connected to the Earth below with an interdimensional rainbow bridge. Unseen by humans, the bridge nevertheless has been traversed many times by the inhabitants of the realm for various reasons.

Standing watch over Asgard is noble Heimdall, suited in armor, and carrying his famous sword, which can cleave through mountains in a single blow. Heimdall's strength is second only to Thor's, and his vigilance and dedication to the golden realm is unequaled. Asgard, because of its beauty and wealth, is coveted by many people. Many have been the groups who have sought to conquer Asgard and convert its wealth as its own. For many centuries, Heimdall has stood guard, prepared to perish in the service of Asgard, and prepared to blow the horn hung around his neck-a horn that would warn Asgard of an impending invasion, and sound an immediate call to arms by Asgard's finest warriors.

Within the walls of Asgard, Balder sits upon the throne of the realm, temporarily placed in charge of Asgard by its slumbering monarch, Odin; who, sensing an approaching threat of cosmic proportions, needed to partake in the famed Odin Sleep, wherein his energy is restored and his body is properly rested for a coming struggle.

Seated on the throne, Balder has on either side two large wolves, who have sat at Odin's side for centuries, prepared to die before allowing an attack on the all-father. Behind him is Karnilla, who runs her hands along his shoulders and neck. Balder sits uneasily upon the throne. He is a man of action, but Odin chose him wisely, because none is more loved and respected in Asgard than the noble Balder.

To Balder's left side, off slightly in the distance, is Hogun the Grim, his arms crossed against his chest. To Balder's right is dashing Fandral, whose attention is turned to a chambermaid in the royal kitchen beyond the throneroom. Volstagg can barely be seen in the kitchen. He has offered his services to Balder during the interim as a royal taster-at great sacrifice, he has suggested, to himself, given that he would much rather be engaged in combat for the realm. During his brief stint as a royal taster, the food output has increased threefold.

Balder blinks his eye, as small gnat buzzes about his face. The gnat lands briefly on his face, but quickly departs when Balder brushes it away with the back of his hand.

"What troubles thee, milord?" Karnilla asks, her voice filled with concern.

"Only a small matter," Balder responds. "Just a gnat that has departed."

Into the throneroom walks a warrior, who kneels before Balder. Balder gestures for him to rise. "What brings thee hither?" Balder asks.

"Forgive the intrusion, noble one," the warrior replies. "Thou hath a visitor who seeks entry into thy presence."

"Bid him enter then," Balder replies. "The throne of Odin is open to all until he does return. If I can be of service to the citizens of Asgard, happy will I be to do so."

"Aye, milord," the warrior replies, hesitantly. Then, he turns to leave.

A mere moment later, Loki walks into the throneroom. Karnilla eyes him suspiciously, and Loki returns her gaze with one of his own, his eyes roaming down her figure, as his face contorts into something vaguely resembling a smile.

"Loki?" Balder asks, cautiously, as he starts to rise.

"Do not trouble thyself," Loki offers, holding his hand up, his palm extended outward, towards Balder. "I come but to offer my salutations on thy temporary seat on the all-father's throne, and to offer my services to thee in any manner in which I can."

"Thy offer is duly noted, Loki," Balder replies, more out of civility than anything else. He is aware of Loki's long history of treachery and schemes. He takes nothing that Loki says at face value, but nevertheless responds with a friendly tone. "And appreciated."

"Indeed," Loki continues. "I have surveyed the cosmos, as I sometimes to-ever vigilant, thou must understand, for the safety and security of Asgard..."

"Of course," Balder responds, with a hint of sarcasm not lost on Loki, who nevertheless chooses to ignore it.

"In my scans," Loki continues, "I have detected a great threat to the realm. Although I hath not yet identified the source of that threat, the power is significant. 'Twill be necessary to..."

Balder, who had been listening with caution to what Loki had been saying, suddenly grows faint. He can feel the blood rushing to his face, as he tries to stand. Karnilla looks at Balder, noticing how pale he has become, and alarm comes to her face. Loki looks on with interest at the spectacle taking place before his eyes.

"Milord, what...?" she starts to ask, even as Balder collapses before her.

Fandral turns from his attention on the chambermaid to look with concern at Balder. He and Hogun both rush forward to pick up Balder. "What hath happened to him?" Fandral asks.

"I know not," Karnilla replies, kneeling over him, and running her hand along her face and into his hair. "He did collapse suddenly. His face had grown pale quickly, even as he was talking to...Loki..." She suspects Loki's involvement in this, but knows not how.

"Hath he grown ill?" Loki asks, feigning concern. Hogun steps forward, preventing Loki's access to Balder. "Step back, humorless one," Loki retorts, annoyed at Hogun. "I sought only to determine what hath transpired with noble Balder. 'Tis not the time for the realm to be without a ruler."

"He is fevered," Fandral comments. "We must get him to his chambers." Turning to the warrior, who has re-entered the room to determine the cause of the commotion he has heard on the other side of the door, Fandral gives directions to the warrior: "Go and bring the grand Vizier hither. We must determine the cause of this illness, and he must receive proper treatment."

"Aye," Loki replies. "And if there is anything I can do..."

"I suspect thou hath done quite enough already," Fandral responds, "though I know not how."

"Be thee not ridiculous," Loki responds sharply. "I hath just come hither, and did not approach Balder. He hath perhaps caught some illness? After all, was he not seeing many people from across the realm?"

"He hath seen many these past few days," Karnilla replies, hesitant to agree with Loki on any point. "But the illness came on suddenly, and without warning."

Hogun takes Balder back to his chambers, as Karnilla follows closely behind, concerned about Balder's safety. Loki and Fandral follow.

"I could seek a cure for this ailment as well," Loki replies.

"Nay," Karnilla interjects. "I will use my powers and the potions I know to find a cure."

"Aye," Loki agrees. "Thy skills in that area are well known to all. I agree. At this time, after all, my services must be required elsewhere."

"What do you mean, Loki?" Fandral asks, ever suspicious of Loki's intentions.

"At this time, when Asgard is under a national emergency," Loki replies, "one that Odin himself became aware of prior to his Odin Sleep-and one that I have confirmed through my own observations...at this time, Asgard will need a ruler prepared to deal with this problem. We cannot have an empty throne at the time when Asgard will soon deal with a menace-even an unknown menace, such as the one that lurks outside our walls-that threatens our way of life, our security, and the safety of the citizens of Asgard."

"Surely thou doth not suggest...?" Fandral counters.

"Aye, I do," Loki replies. "As the only heir to the throne, I must take temporary possession of the throne...but only until the all-father awakens from his slumber, of course."

Thor continues his struggle against the Guardian on the other side of the universe. With the giant still stunned, Thor delivers a powerful blow to the giant's face, driving him back. He then punches the unliving creature in the mid-section, doubling him over, and continuing to drive him back.

The Guardian recovers, however, and blocks Thor's next blow with one of his four arms. His other three arms strike out, hitting Thor in the face and chest with raining blows.

Thor holds up his hammer, using it to block the Guardian's blows, as the Guardian's hands strike the indestructible hammer. Thor uses this to deliver a powerful blow to the giant's mid-section that drives him back, slamming into a rock formation and obliterating it with his own nearly indestructible body!

"Thou hath delayed me long enough," Thor calls out, as he flies over to where the Guardian has fallen, even as the large servant of Infinity is starting to rise to his feet once again. "I must return to Asgard to put an end to the destruction wrought by your master."

The Guardian, however, is ready for Thor's advance. He kicks out, striking Thor in the chest with his powerful foot, driving Thor back, slamming into the dusty ground beneath them.

Seizing the advantage from his assault, the Guardian rushes over to Thor, preparing to finish him before he can renew his own attack.

Thor, however, lifts up his hammer and blasts the Guardian with cosmic energy from Mjolnir...driving him back, as his arms flail at his sides from the sheer intensity of the energy attack!

The Guardian falls to his knees, even as Thor flies over to renew his attack. He flies over, striking the Guardian with a powerful blow in the face, jerking the villains' head violently to one side from the force of the blow.

"I know not what thy master seeks to do," Thor comments, as his face sets on the task at hand, "but the thunder god will not allow anyone-not e'en Infinity, powerful though he be-to harm Asgard. And, his path of destruction, annihilating the lives of innocents, must cease!"

As Guardian gets to his feet once more, Thor is amazed by the resilience of his opponent. However, Thor continues his onslaught with a fury unmatched. He swings his hammer, striking the Guardian in the stomach, doubling him over. Then, Thor swings his fist, hitting the Guardian with a devastating upper-cut that is of sufficient force to shatter a mountain range, knocking him back, slamming onto the ground at their feet.

Thor stands over his vanquished foe, the heat of battle still heavy in his heart. To his amazement, the Guardian vanishes before his eyes.

"Observation: the Guardian has disappeared," the Recorder announces. "Question: Do we now seek to find him?"

"Nay," Thor replies, as he starts to swing his hammer. "There is no time for that now. I must now find the answer to this mystery, and stop this destruction. I must return to Asgard!"

Morg watches from a safe distance, even as he sees Galactus's cubic vessel cut through the fabric of face at fantastic speeds. He knows that Galactus has picked up a fantastic source of energy, and that his former master is seeking to devour that energy source. Although he does not know the source of this energy, he has plans of his own for that energy.

"It has been difficult to follow Galactus for such a great distance without being detected," Morg comments, as he continues to fly through space in the distance behind Galactus' ship. "But I can sense that he is slowing down, nearing his destination."

In the next instance, Galactus' ship flies through an interdimensional portal that his energies have opened up. Morg increases his pace, racing up to that portal, even as it starts to close behind the world-devourer.

"He has opened a portal," Morg observes. "I must make it through that portal before it closes, else he will disappear from view, and I may be unable to trace his whereabouts."

So saying, Morg also flies through the portal. When he does so, he tries to get a bearing on his whereabouts. He immediately sees Galactus' ship starting to slow down in the distance. For a moment, he is concerned that perhaps his former master has become aware of his presence, and is slowing down to turn and attack him. However, he soon realizes that this is not the case.

Looking around, Morg observes worlds swirling in the distance, as the blackness of space surrounds him. However, he also senses power of a magnitude greater than he has dreamed. He sees in the distance that Galactus is starting to emerge from his cubic ship, as he starts to move towards an object in the distance. As Morg moves forward, he sees that the object is a city, literally seeming to be carved out of rock floating in space. The city is more beautiful, more majestic than any he has ever beheld.

As Morg watches, he sees Galactus start his approach towards the golden city...the land called ASGARD!

NEXT ISSUE: Galactus attacks Asgard! But what will Morg do when his former master seeks to consume this tremendous source of power? Loki must deal with this new threat, even as he planned to seize power in Asgard for himself! Thor returns to Asgard...but will it be in time? Also: What are the plans of the immensely powerful being called Infinity? Find out in Thor #11!

The Hammer Strikes!

Welcome to the tenth issue of THOR. This issue heats things up, with Loki's plans coming to fruition. However, Loki will soon find that even his scheming can backfire on him.

Meanwhile, I'd love to hear from all of your. What do you think of the storyline I am working on now? Feel free to drop me a line and let me know what you think. I can be reached at jx2melton@hotmail.com , and would love to hear from you.

Jeff Melton