Satannish laughs, his sinister laugh sending chills throughout the stygian depths of the hellish dimension in which they find themselves. Thor and Hercules, fighting sight by side, take the lead in facing the demons that rush toward them, intent on their destruction. Thor swings his hammer, each swing sending another group of demons against the walls, and down on the ground under their feet. Hercules, for his part, swings his mace, likewise dispatching demons with determination in his swings.

 

“Your efforts are futile, Thor!” Satannish calls out, as he levitates just above the demons horde beneath him, behind the line that is even now rushing the brave heroes. “You will never overcome the horde that assails you now…and will never get to my fellows before we return Cytorrak to your dimension. You are fighting a losing battle. Give in now, because the result will be the same. You will spend the rest of eternity trapped in this hellish realm.”

 

“If thy words could stop me,” Thor returns, smashing his way through ever more demons, “I would have long since been felled by them. Thy minions have only numbers on their side, naught else”

 

“Numbers,” Satannish responds coolly, looking down at Thor and Hercules, battling their way through the demons’ lines, “is all that matters…and time. Both are on our side.”

 

“Though it pains me to say it,” Hercules remarks, slamming his elbow into the nose of one of the onrushing demons, sending him crashing back against other equally hideous creatures, “he hath a point. Thou art wasting time here, when the prince of power…and the others (he adds, looking around to see Forgotten One and Ikaris behind him) are capable of handling these demons. Thou canst fly. Take the battle to them.”

 

“I would never abandon my friends,” Thor responds, swinging his hammer, as several demons go flying back into the midst of the onrushing horde, “nor take myself from a heated battle.”

 

“Do not deceive thyself,” Hercules returns. “Thou wilt have plenty to battle where thou goest. Know well, friend Thor, that thou can battle far more powerful demons than these—and thou must, else all will be lost wasting our time with the likes of these lackeys!”

 

Thor leaps the distance separating him from Satannish, even as the demon’s eyes widen at the thunder god’s approach.

 

“Thou and thy associates will have to face Mjolnir this day!” Thor exclaims, calling out, as he leaps into the air towards the demon. “Thy lesser demons will not do thy work for thee any longer!”

 

As Thor reaches out for Satannish, the demon panics, using his powers to teleport away, even as Thor grabs his arm in a vise-like grip, which brings discomfort to the demon’s face. Instantly, both Thor and Satannish disappear from view!

 

Hercules looks up, while slamming the heads of two demons together, noting that a trail of energy follows the spot where Thor and Satannish were a moment earlier. Shamballa is using her powers to hold open the portal that the villain created a moment earlier.

 

“I will hold this open as long as I can,” Shamballa announces, “and soon, Thor will not be fighting alone!”

 

“Aye, fair one!” Hercules adds with his characteristic enthusiasm, as he smashes his fist into another demon, causing a domino effect to several others. “There is little here to test my metal! I await more challenging foes!”

 

Skada leaps into the air, kicking a demon in the face, while spinning her body to impale two other demons on a spiked staff. Her eyes are set and she is silent, but for her deadly movements.

 

Hermes moves with incredible speed, delivering pile-driving punches to a series of demons, driving them back with the speed, ferocity, and force of his attack. He smiles with confidence, as he continues to even the odds for the gods’ side.

Sif moves with fluid motions of a warrior, ducking under the claws of a demon, then swinging her blade in an arc, ripping the demon in half with the cutting edge of her Asgardian blade. She smiles slightly, relieved to be able to cut loose against unholy demons.

 

Apollo takes a step back, directing a flash of light at a series of demons. They instantly try to cover their eyes, unaccustomed to the intense light. However, it is more than light behind Apollo’s attack. The demons soon become piles of dust on the rocky ground, disintegrated by the light attack.

 

“Thor has the right idea,” Apollo comments, taking to the air, moving towards the energy portal held together by Shamballa’s magic. “Taking the battle to the demons behind this is the only way to end it!” Entering the portal, he looks down at the others, still fighting the demon horde. “Join me when you can!”

 

INTERLUDE

Loki looks down at the Surfer, writhing in pain, as he experiences a magical shock every time he struggles against the mystical chains fueled by Loki’s Asgardian magic. He finds that he is chained to a cot that was not made for comfort, but utility. He looks up at Loki, the only light in this closed-off room from a series of gas lamps adorning the walls on each side.

 

“I remember now…” the Surfer mutters. “You captured me in space, and apparently brought me here. But, for what?”

 

“Thy master Galactus,” Loki responds, looking down at Surfer for but a moment, before turning is back on him, his hands clasped behind his back, “who formed thee from even less than thou art now, acquired a device that did alter man’s minds. I must master it.”

 

“What does that have to do with me, Loki?” he retorts, trying to sit up, but the shocks to his body return him quickly to a lying position. He continues, through gritted teeth: “I am sure that you have experimented with the device, if you have it. How does any of this concern me?”

 

“Ah, ‘tis true that I hath achieved some small success with Skurge and Melody. But their actions, towards each other were consistent with their respective natures. Skurge hath always been an easy victim of feminine wiles. And Melody, like her sister, is but plying her natural trade.”

 

Looking down at the Surfer, Loki continues: “But thee, Surfer, a natural weak-minded pacifist…how much the device did transform thee, from one who would cower when action is required, to one who would lead thy murderous master to billions of unwitting victims...and, to keep thee enthralled to continue to do his bidding, ‘gainst all that thou art…that but shows the potential of the device.”

 

“Galactus did manage to control my mind for a time,” Surfer admits. “I do not know how he did it, but I can thank a mortal woman, Alicia Masters for…”*

 

[*Alicia convinced the Surfer not to work with Galactus to destroy the Earth, and broke him out of his programming, in the classic Fantastic Four #48-50.]

 

“Thy people are inherently flawed,” Loki continues, ignoring the Surfer’s remarks, as he walks up to a table, where a small metal device is laying. “Thou seeketh mortal pursuits, but they have ever been too prudish to achieve them. Thy pacifism defined thee. It was only through Galactus’ mind-altering device, and transferring some small measure of power to thee, that thou could prove useful to him. And only then, through controlling thee with his device.”

 

“I’m certain that you did not bring me here to…” the Surfer starts, again straining against the chains, only to be shocked back into submission quickly.

 

“A rather small device,” Loki muses, as he lifts it from the table, “but then, so was the ultimate nullifier.” Turning back to the Surfer, Loki smiles a sinister smile as he flips a small switch on the device, making it hum to life. “Let us see how it works…on thee!”

 

End of Interlude

 

 

Ikaris flies above the crowd, sending out twin blasts of energy from his eyes, which scatter the demons under him in all direction. From his vantage point, he can see his own group fighting the demons, and he can also make out Hercules and the others fighting their way towards his group, flinging demons in all directions in their wake.

 

Beneath him, the Forgotten One slams his fist into a demon’s face, shattering bone and flesh with a blow that has shattered mountains. Fighting demons is old hat for him, and he feels very much in his element, as his powerful fists reach out, destroying everything in their wake.

 

Beside him, Leir fights with the ferocity of a Celtic warrior. His lightning-charged fists slam into demons, landing like thunderclaps, scattering their bruised bodies under his mighty blows.

 

Caber moves through the demon horde like a runaway torpedo. His blows are lightning-fast, not perceptible by the human eye, but the results are the same, as the demons fly in all directions where he goes. He smiles, clearly pleased to be in the midst of a heated battle.

 

Karnilla stands behind the heroes, her mystic powers allowing her to attack from afar, her mystic energy striking deep into the group of demons, sending them back.

 

“I think I saw Thor disappear into that portal,” Karnilla thinks to herself, looking at the portal that is still in the distance from her. “I sense that it is being held together by mystic energy, probably Shamballa’s magic. ‘Tis good. If we get into the portal, we can take the fight to the real foes here—Mephisto and the other head demons.”

 

 

Satannish falls to the ground, the result of repeated blows during their transport through the energy portal. He is so beaten from Thor’s blows that he makes no movement when he hits the ground. Thor immediately surveys the scene around him, content that Satannish will not offer any trouble. He sees Pluto, Set, and Hela standing around a circle, with Mephisto and Dormammu on the near side to Thor. Above their heads, levitated by their combined dark energy, is the blood crystal, which Thor recognizes. The underworld gods, and lesser demons, are channeling their powers through the blood crystal. Behind them is a shimmering portal, which grows larger every moment.

 

“The fool Satannish has failed us!” Mephisto remarks. “And has brought the hated Thor here as well!”

 

“His pathetic attempt at stopping the thunderer was doomed from the start,” Pluto observes. “’Twould have been better had he not engaged Thor. No matter. ‘Tis done now. We must delay him but a moment longer.”

 

“There will be no more delay!” Thor calls out, sending his hammer flying towards the blood crystal. It strikes the energy surrounding it, causing the crystal to shake within the foundations of the energy, which flickers under the power of Mjolinir! “Thy attempt to bring Cytorrak to this dimension will not succeed! So says Thor, god of thunder!”

 

Dormammu sends out a mystic blast of energy, striking Thor in the chest, just before his hammer reaches his outstretched hand. “I will stop him!” Dormammu boasts. Thor grabs the hammer from the air, even as Dormammu continues his assault on the thunder god.

 

In return, Thor sends out a blast of energy from his hammer, striking Dormammu, shattering his defensive shields and sending the demon from another dimension onto the ground beneath him. He reaches up, stunned that he has been knocked off his feet so easily, used to having his own way in his own dimension. “It cannot be…” he mutters, working to get to his feet.

 

“I know about thee,” Thor responds, sending his hammer in a back-handed arc towards Dormammu, striking him in the face and sending him to the ground, unconscious. “Thou may lord it over the nameless ones, but thou art in a different league here.”

 

“You are not on Midgard or Asgard, Thor,” Hela comments, glaring over at her long-time adversary. “My touch here will send thee to thine grave.”

 

“Oft hath I heard such a threat!” Thor returns, sending a blast of energy from his hammer, causing Hela to fall back a few steps from the discharge of energy. “Yet, still, here I am!”

 

“And he is not along, lords of darkness!” A blinding flash of light illuminates the room, causing the dark lords to close their eyes, trying to shield themselves from the invasion of light from a higher source. “You cannot prevail against light. You spend your lives scurrying from it!”

 

Set shields his eyes with his left hand, as Apollo continues to illuminate the room with his control over solar energy in all its forms. “I must put a stop to his intrusion,” Set silently considers, as he sends out a discharge of his own mystic energies at Apollo. “If we remain thus distracted, they may manage to thwart out plans!”

 

The blast of energy strikes Apollo in the mid-section, sending him crashing back against the wall to the cavernous inner chamber where these dark lords have converged. Thor looks on for a moment with concern, but is relieved to see Apollo rise quickly.

 

“Thy timing was good indeed, friend Apollo!” Thor comments. “Thou wert a good choice indeed for this mission.”

 

“Seeing the defeated foes already present,” Apollo returns, “it is easy to see why you were likewise chosen.” So saying, he immediately returns fire with Set, blasting him in the face with his illuminating energy, causing the villainous Set to stagger back, his hands again returning to his face in a desperate attempt to shield his eyes.

 

Pluto reaches for Thor, grabbing him by his wrist. “Thou hath long been a source of trouble for me,” Pluto remarks. “Glad am I with the opportunity to finally finish thy annoying existence.” Pluto applies pressure to Thor’s wrist, using the temporary advantage to bring Thor to one knee.

 

“Thy previous attempts have not yielded fruit, Pluto,” Thor returns, slamming his hammer into Pluto’s ribcage. Pluto’s eyes immediately show the pain from the blow, which causes the lord of the underworld to stagger back from the impact of the blow.

 

“Aye, uncle,” Hercules calls out, as he leaps through the portal, tackling a still-recovering Pluto, causing him to stagger back, “I hath not forgotten thy attempt to have me take thy place in the underworld. I do owe thee much for that!”**

 

[**Which took place in Journey into Mystery #124 and Thor #125-130.]

 

“Long have you evaded Hel,” Hela comments, reaching out and grabbing Thor by his forearm. “You have a place waiting for you in Niflheim, and today it will be claimed!”

 

“The last time thou tried to take me ‘ere my time,” Thor returns, “great catastrophe was let loose on Midgard, and the universe entire…”***

 

[***A reference to Thor #189-190.]

 

“Your appointed time is not as it was,” Hela responds, pressing her advantage, using her powers to try to drain Thor of his youth and vitality. “The future is quite different now. You can die here and now.”

 

“And yet he will not!” Karnilla sends a mystic blast of Norn energy at Hela, striking her in the face and driving her back. With her is Shamballa, who also joins in the attack. As they make their way through the portal, the others have also emerged, and are preparing their own attacks against the dark lords.

 

“Your kingdom is not here!” Hela scowls. “And you will pay the price for your interference!” She blasts Karnilla with energy, but the Norn queen manages to block it with her mystic shield, pleased to see that Thor has managed to return to normal.

 

“Focus thy energies on the portal,” Karnilla calls out to Shamballa. “I will deal with the death goddess!”

 

Shamballa hesitates, weighing Karnilla against her powerful foe. She realizes she has little choice in the matter, and does as she is instructed, turning her own immense powers towards the portal, where the demons are trying to usher in the villainous Cytorrak, who can be seen as a large, imposing shadow lurking just on the other side of the dimensional portal. Only Mephisto has not joined the fight and continues to focus his energy on the portal separating the two dimensions.

 

“Let not the fair Shamballa labor alone!” Leir calls out, sending a bolt of energy at Mephisto, striking him in the pit of the back, even as Caber races up to him, hitting him repeatedly in the span of a few nanoseconds with his own incredible speed and godly strength. “Without Mephisto’s interference, she may be able to close the portal!”

 

“’Tis not the way of Sif to allow another to fight her battles!” Sif swings her blade at Hela, striking her in the side, slashing into her costume and the tough skin beneath. “Although I know well of thy powers, Karnilla, thou shalt not fight alone!”

 

“Nor shall I!” Skada remarks, leaping onto Hela’s back, even as she is still stunned by Sif’s sudden attack. She twists her powerful legs around Hela’s neck and squeezes, flipping her onto the ground, and leaping away before she can rise. “I know all too well of your touch. It may not affect me, but I prefer to take no chances on that matter.”

 

As soon as she is out of the way, Karnilla unleashes her Norn energy again, striking Hela in the chest, driving her back before she can get to her feet. “Our best chance is to keep her off-balance,” Karnilla silently considers.

 

“Thy impudence is well known, nephew!” Pluto scowls. He sends out an energy blast at Hercules, who leaps into the air, avoiding the blast. “Yet, ‘twill be a grim service to deliver the news of thy passing to my brother.”

 

“That will not be necessary!” the Forgotten One calls out, tackling Pluto around the mid-section from behind, bringing them both to the ground. “Your plans will be thwarted soon, and Zeus will need no such report.”

 

“The battles are well in hand, friend Thor!” Ikaris comments, hovering overhead, and blasting Mephisto in the face with his eye beams. “Let us see if we can combine our powers to close the portal.”

 

Thor looks around, seeing a blinding blur of motion, then the face of Set snap back as if it was hit by a rain of super-powered blows. Hermes slows down enough for Thor to make him out before renewing his attack, even as Apollo waits for an opening to blast the villain again. As Hermes speeds around Set for a moment, the opening occurs, and Apollo blasts his foe with solar energy, which burns Set’s flesh, as he recoils from the assault.

 

“Thy offer hath merit,” Thor responds. “Let us strike the blood crystal, while Shamballa undoes the dark magick keeping the portal together.” So saying, Thor and Ikaris fly up to the blood crystal. Thor sends his hammer towards the crystal, but is repelled by an unseen force field. “The fiends erected a barrier to protect the crystal!”

 

“It won’t hold for long, Thor!” Ikaris returns. “Without the demons sending their power through the crystal, the energy holding it where it is will dissipate.” He sends out twin beams of energy from his eyes, striking the barrier, even as Thor’s hammer returns to his hand. “We just need to keep hitting the barrier with our powers until it fades away.”

 

“Aye, eliminating the barrier is what we seek,” Thor muses, looking up at the shimmering barrier, which Ikaris continues to assault with his eye beams. “Hold back for a moment. I think there may be a simpler way.” So saying, Thor directs Mjolnir upwards, in the direction of the barrier surrounding the blood crystal. “Mjolnir can store energy, ‘twill do so now.”

 

Immediately, there is a blinding flash of light, as energy starts to flow into Mjolnir. Ikaris holds his hand in front of his face for a moment, before being able to concentrate on the task at hand once again. He once again hovers near the crystal, and starts attacking the force field with his twin eye beams, while Thor continues to drain the energy around the force field, its last failsafe gone with the blinding flash of light mere seconds earlier.

 

“I can tell it’s weakening, Thor!” Ikaris shouts with enthusiasm. He looks over at the crystal, which is shaking within the confines of the force field. For the moment, Thor and Ikaris are both immune to the sound of battles raging around them, as the respective demons sense what is happening and try to turn their attention to Thor and Ikaris, but are unable to do so, held fast by their respective opponents.

 

Within moments, the force field holding the blood crystal shatters, leaving the blood crystal to hover alone, above the ground. On the other side of the portal, a guttural sound can be heard, which sounds like: “NOOOOOOOOO!” It is a sound that shatters even the still of this arcane place, creating a momentary silence. The dark, fearsome figure, which gloated at the heroes who dared to come into this place a short time earlier now moans with anger and frustration, unable to complete his journey to the other side…to this dimension now that the blood crystal is not channeling the power of the combined demons, and is not even protected from attack. He can now feel things slipping out of his hands, and he does not like the feeling.

 

Immediately, Mephisto sends a bolt of energy at Shamballa, striking her across the chest and sending her flying back, as he notices that the crystal—and the promise it offers him—is in danger. He moves forward, reaching for the crystal. “Out of the way, fools!” Mephisto utters, his anger flares in his face, as he reaches out to claim the crystal in his long fingers.

 

However, an instant before he can reach the crystal, Thor’s hammer strikes it, shattering it into thousands of small shards of glass, even as it flies back to return to Thor’s waiting hand.

 

“Thy attempt to re-claim the crystal is for naught!” Thor comments, noting that Leir has reached Shamballa, and is already ministering to her, as she works to get back to her feet from the attack Mephisto made a moment earlier. He watches with satisfaction, as the portal that was holding on to the possibility of the evil Cytorrak entering this dimension fades from view, disappearing with a “POP!” of energy. “Thy plan,” Thor continues, pointing his hammer at Mephisto, and bringing it around to face Pluto, Hela, and the others, “hath failed. Thou hath failed. Accept thy defeat, aye, and thy punishment!”

 

“You forget where you are, Thor!” Mephisto exclaims, glaring at Thor. “You are deep within our area…you and your accursed allies. Although you may have thwarted our attempts at bringing Cytorrak here, you are in no position to speak to us of punishment. Not here.”

 

Pluto looks around, surveying the situation quickly. “Our plan was a good one, and nearly accomplished,” Pluto comments. “Put, it was the sole purpose of our alliance, and that alliance is no more. If you choose to fight these gods, Mephisto, you will do so alone.” So saying, Pluto teleports away, most likely to his own home in Hades.

 

“Pluto speaks the truth,” Hela remarks. “There is nothing more to be gained here. I will not fight your battles for you…nor for the others. Hela has much more to plan for than this small setback. Fight Thor and the others if you choose to do so, but without Hela’s assistance.” She likewise disappears from sight.

 

Mephisto looks around, quickly realizing that he is alone in this realm, and is now surrounded by Thor, Leir, the Forgotten One, Hercules, Sif, Skada, Ikaris, Karnilla, Shamballa, Caber, Apollo, and Hermes.

 

“Thy allies seem to have deserted thee,” Thor comments. “Yet, thou will find us all quite willing to continue our attack ‘gainst thee, villain…here or anywhere of thy choosing.”

 

“There will be no more battle,” Mephisto responds, his anger welling up. “I will tolerate your existence here no longer…any of you!” With a wave of his hand, he teleports all of the gods away from his presence, dispelling them from his dimension with one quick spell.

 

A moment later, the gods all return to Olympus, where they are greeted by Odin and Zeus, as the other sky gods look on with interest.

 

“Thy presence here indicates thy success,” Zeus comments.

 

“Aye, Lord Zeus,” Thor responds. “We stopped the demons from their schemes, but we could not prevent their escape.”

 

Most were defeated, or on the verge of escape,” Hercules adds, “when they left Mephisto to fight alone!”

“This is no surprise,” Odin remarks. “An alliance of beings so evil could not long last. E’en had they managed to bring Cytorrak here to our dimension, one has to wonder how long they could continue to stand each other’s presence.”

 

“’Tis no matter,” Apollo returns. “The villains lie in defeat. If thou would like to punish thy brother, Lord Zeus, ‘tis thy right.”

 

“These things will be considered,” Zeus replies. “We hath much to ponder about the events of today, but I am proud of our group of brave warriors, who faced the demon horde and laid them low.”

 

“Perhaps so,” Thor responds. “But, Mephisto, Hela…they are all free to plan their next attack. We do not know when or where, but we can be sure that it will come.”

 

“Aye, my son,” Odin agrees, putting his hand on Thor’s shoulder. “But that is for another day. Today, let us return to Asgard and celebrate a hard-fought victory. If tomorrow we fight again, then so let it be!”

 

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NEXT ISSUE: Thor and company do return to Asgard, and run into a few surprises when they arrive. 

 THE HAMMER STRIKES!

I know what you’re thinking. It has been a while since the last issue of Thor. There are a number of reasons I could cite for the delay—I finished writing a book a short time ago, I’ve been pretty slammed at work, and the usual real life issues. I haven’t had time to devote to writing it, and didn’t realize just how much time had passed since the last time I put out an issue of Thor.

But, what you have in your hands is the last issue in the current story arc, featuring the Council of the Gods. Next, I’ll be tackling the Loki storyline, which I’ve been leading up to for quite a while. So, that should be some fun for everyone. I plan to try to get back on a regular schedule for the Thor series, as I tackle this next story arc.

As always, your comments, suggestions, and questions are welcome at earth2jsa@yahoo.com.

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