oki fixes his eyes on the Surfer and Thor, who are administering to Firelord. He uses his own mystical energies to scan the area, then he looks back over at Firelord and the Surfer, a thought crossing his mind, as his lips contort into a smile, as the thought materializes in his mind.

“Did Ego give any indication of where the ship might be located?” the Surfer asks Firelord, who appears winded and drained.

“Only brief hints,” Firelord responds. “He made an indication that he had traveled there before, but little more than that.”

“That is of little help,” Thor remarks with irritation. “He hath likely traversed over much of the universe in his period of existence.”

“That is quite true,” Firelord replies, nodding his head downward.

Loki shakes his head with clear irritation at the events before him. He levitates over to the distance separating them, as he looks over at Firelord. “Is that all he did say?” Loki asks. “He offered nothing else in the way of explanation?”

“Loki,” Firelord responds, glaring over at the god of mischief. “I do not know why you are here, or why I should respond to your question…!”

“Silence, fool!” Loki snaps back, as he glares over at Firelord. “I seek only to open thy small mind, to seek some knowledge that is trapped behind the wall of ignorance that resides therein.”

“You would dare speak to me that way?!” Firelord responds sharply. The fiery energy on his head flares up, an indication of his inner rage.

“He dares much,” the Surfer responds, rolling his eyes, while his arms are crossed against his narrow chest.

“Do not interrupt, gnat!” Loki interjects, dismissing the Surfer with a contemptuous wave of his hand, shaking his head with visible annoyance at being interrupted by the Surfer. He looks back at Firelord. “And thou, be not blinded by thy own ignorance. I seek only to assist thee in retrieving any clues that may assist us.”

“I have already had my fill of your biting remarks!” Firelord exclaims back, his eyes flaring, as small flames spit out from his eyes. He moves confrontationally towards Loki, who stands his ground, his hands flaring with mystical energy.

“Enough!” Thor proclaims, holding out his extended palm towards both of them, as electrical energy flares from his fingertips. “Loki seeks to assist us in locating the missing ship,” he comments, looking briefly at Loki, who nods in agreement, “and thou must assist him. If he knows how to locate this information—through thee if necessary, then assist him!”

A sinister smile crosses Loki’s face, as he looks over at his brother. “How trusting thou art, brother,” Loki silently muses. “I assist thee with a small thing, and thou wouldst trust me with something much bigger. Very good.” He then directs his attention at Firelord. “Will thou now be silent and let Loki do his work, Firelord?” Loki asks sharply. “Why must I ever be subject to working with dim-witted clods?” Loki asks himself, rolling his eyes.

Firelord looks over at Thor, who nods silently. Then, Firelord returns his gaze towards Loki, nodding. “Very well, Loki,” Firelord remarks. “But, if this is a trick…!”

“I would need no trick to overcome such as thee,” Loki retorts, as he raises his hands, letting the mystical energy rise from his fingertips, towards Firelord, who takes an involuntary step backwards through space. “Stand still, fool!” Loki remarks. “This is no attack.”

“I have little reason to trust you, Loki,” Firelord responds, but does as he is instructed, and remains still.

“I couldst care less about thy trust, fool,” Loki snaps back, as he continues to direct his mystical energy around Firelord. Silver Surfer and Thor look on with interest at the spectacle. Suddenly, Loki throws his head back, loud laughter bursting from his mouth. “Hahahahahaha!”

“What is it, Loki?” Firelord asks, stunned by the reaction.

Loki waves him off, turning away from Firelord, and turning towards the Surfer and Thor, who both look at Loki suspiciously.

“Why are you laughing, Loki?” Silver Surfer asks.

“The irony, gnat,” Loki replies, while calming himself, as he looks past the Surfer, towards Thor. “Thou wouldst be surprised by the location of the ship, Thor,” he comments.

“Really?” Thor asks, raising his eyebrow. “’Lest it rest amid the hall of Bilskirnir, ‘twould not surprise me.”

“It resides not there,” Loki responds, looking over at Thor, and the Surfer, who stands beside him. “But now I do know where it doth reside.”

“Well then, reveal it!” the Surfer commands.

“I take no orders from such as thee,” Loki retorts sharply, looking at the Surfer with undisguised hostility.

“Enough!” Thor utters with authority, as he sends a bolt of lightning from his fingertips, separating the two. “Thy constant bickering doth annoy me greatly.” Then, turning to Loki, he continues: “Thou hath been a great asset to us in our quest, brother,” he offers. “What hath thou found from thy scan of Firelord?”

“His location,” Loki responds. “’Tis the same sector of space where thou did first meet Ego a number of years ago, when he did fight the world-devouring Galactus.”

Silver Surfer looks to Thor, unclear of the meaning. Firelord is likewise uncertain of what this indicates.

“Neither of thee were with Galactus at the time,” Thor explains. “But I was there during Ego’s battle with Galactus, and I do know well the location that Loki doth speak. ‘'Twas the scene of a pitched battle between Ego and Galactus, ‘ere I did interfere and drove Galactus off, fleeing for his life in his ship.” He pulls his hammer out of his belt, and starts to spin it, as he looks at the other three. “Prepare thyselves. I will take us there now.”

 

alder walks along the deck of the Starjammer. The large, ancient ship stands in stark contrast—a middle age ship in appearance, floating amidst the vastness of outer space. The noble god of light makes his way down the length of the ship, to where the beauteous Sif is standing alone, her eyes scanning the space before her. She is wearing her familiar white costume, with her sword dangling at her side in its sheath. Balder, also, is wearing his armor and helmet.

“Sif,” Balder calls out to her, as he approaches her. She turns to greet him with her eyes, which show signs of concern that troubles the noble Balder. “Why doth thou remain here by thyself?”

“I am merely thinking, milord,” she replies.

“Aye, milady,” Balder returns. “And well do I know the subject of thy troubled thoughts.”

“Am I that obvious?” she asks, allowing herself a slight smile.

“I fear so,” Balder replies, standing before her, his hand resting on the railing of the side of the ship. “But thou shouldst trouble thyself not with Thor. Thou knowest well that he hath survived far worse than…”

“But that is the problem, Balder,” she responds with concern etched on her beautiful face. “We know not what he is facing. And we are here…and he is there.”

“I understand,” Balder replies, nodding his head. “’Tis always more disconcerting when you can not even see what is transpiring.”

“Aye,” Sif responds softly, placing her hand on Balder’s shoulder. “Well doth thou understand. Thou art a warrior also, milord, and I trust that ‘tis not easy for thee, either, to be here on this ship when the quest—and the battles—transpires elsewhere.”

“There are many things that are difficult for us, milady,” Balder replies. “But we must all do what we must. Odin ordained for us to come here and do what we could to assist Thor. In truth, though, ‘twould be much easier to deal with if I felt that we were actually helping him.”

“Well do I understand that sentiment,” Sif agrees, with a slight nod.

Their further discussion is halted by the sight of Odin’s corporeal form, appearing suddenly and unexpectedly before them. At the sight, Fandral, Hogun, Volstagg, and Grand Vizier also rush over to where Sif and Balder are standing, to behold the image of Odin before them.

“My most loyal subjects,” Odin proclaims. His voice is always the very meaning of authority to them, carrying with it his own godly power. The warriors turn their heads upwards, listening to him. “Where is my son? Where is Thor?”

“He hath gone off, with the Surfer and Loki,” Sif explains. “They hath gone off to fight the villainous Ego, and free Galactus’ former vassal, Firelord.”

“You know not where he is now?” Odin asks.

“Lord Odin,” Grand Vizier responds, “I hath been tracking him, and am aware that he recently fought Ego. However, he hath disappeared from this sector of space, perhaps through his teleportation powers.” If the Grand Vizier notices the look of surprise on Sif’s face, he shows no indication of it.

“I see,” Odin replies. “We must needs get a message to him when we are able to do so. For now, though, Asgard is under attack, and in need of her warriors. I must needs call thee back to Asgard.”

“Asgard…under attack?!” Volstagg remarks. “If I were but there, I would gladly smite the enemies of the golden realm!”

“Thou wouldst sooner smite thy supper, voluminous one,” Fandral retorts.

“We are, as always, at thy beckoning,” Balder responds. “When are we needed?”

“Thou art needed now, loyal one,” Odin replies.

“But, my lord,” Sif interjects. “Thor is not here. We cannot leave him at the mercies of…whatever villains are trying to secure the ship.”

“Thy loyalty to my son warms my heart,” Odin responds, “but he can get home on his own, and thou can offer little aid in that matter beyond what thou hath already done. Asgard needs thee, and thou must come home…now.”