Click here to read Chapter 2 of The More They Stay The Same

Chapter 3 - The Winds of Holy War

  written by Adam (Norrin2112@aol.com) Funk
   edited by E.A. (emorris738@aol.com) Morrissey

Odin sat upon his throne in Asgard. For the last few minutes there has been a bitter taste on the wind. What exactly was going on he could not explain, but he knew it was not good. He was about to summon Thor back to Asgard when a tall, blue being appeared in his throne room.

"Who dares?!" Odin shouted as he stood preparing for battle.

"Silence man of many years. Honor untold brought have I."

"Honor? I see naught save vile and villainy in your shadow. What say you of honor? Tis plain thou knows not what be honor."

"Know enough do I to know you worthy are not. Prepare white hair, time of you and yours ended it has. Diykrakus comes, falls Odin and Asgard."

"Think me old base braggart, but my power is without limit."

"So you believe." Diykrakus held out the Thunder Eye and it began to glow brighter and brighter until it was impossible to look at directly. Odin was reaching for his staff when he suddenly felt paralyzed. He dropped to his knees and began to scream uncontrollably. The Thunder Eye was literally tearing the Odinpower out of him. Asgard began to shake and tremble, a blizzard was bearing down covering it, and buildings were crumbling. All citizens of Asgard fell as the Odinpower was finally and completely torn from the golden realm.

Odin lay on the floor of his throne room, gasping for breath. Unable to move, barely able to speak he tried to stand to fight Diykrakus.

"See you do now white hair." Diykrakus said as the Thunder Eye disappeared in his hand. "Power most true escapes your understanding. Foolish you be to stand now. Your realm as yourself dying you are. Would strike your heart with sword of mine, though worthy you are not. Die well man of many years, for god no longer you are."

As the heroes gathered around the Avenger’s table discussing what should be done about this new menace from beyond, Thor suddenly stood and began to convulse and fell to the floor. Hercules and the Surfer jumped on top of him to try to stop his shaking, but they were thrown clear. Thor was shaking so violently the floor actually shook with him. Mjolnir suddenly jumped up over the thunder god and hovered there, shaking. As Thor began to calm his mighty hammer exploded. There was nothing left but dust. Finally, after a few moments Thor woke, in obvious pain.

"By Odin’s beard, what hath befallen me? I feel so weak and powerless."

"Fear not thunderer, what has transpired was mystical in nature. I will learn what has happened to you." Shadow Hunter, the pupil of the Ancient One said as he walked into the room. He placed his hand on Thor’s head and scanned him for what could have happened to him. After a few minutes Shadow Hunter stood and looked like he just saw a ghost.

"There is no Asgardian magic within him at all. It’s as if the Odinpower itself has been ripped from him and the whole universe. I can sense none whatsoever!"

"What?" Hercules bellowed. "How is that possible magician? Surely you must be mistaken."

"I’m afraid I am not Olympian. You should contact Zeus immediately and warn him of Odin’s fate."

"Olympus could never fall! But I will do as you ask, it’s the smartest thing to do."

"Surfer," Shadow Hunter started "I want you to go to Asgard and see if you can find out what happened there. As I understand you are the most experienced with Odin and dimensional travel."

"Of course. Pyreus you come with me. If there is a being who can do this to Odin and Thor, I may need your assistance."

"Don’t worry Surf, I got your back. Lets move."

"Now wait a minute!" Alicia stated as she stood from the table. "I am real tired of this macho, leave the damsels in distress behind, as you and your buddy go off to face the danger alone crap. When are you going to learn Norrin, that Frankie and I are just as powerful and don’t need to be coddled like children?"

"Alicia, now is not the time…"

"Listen! If you and Pyreus are going, so are Frankie and I. There is no other option."

"Alicia…"

"Surf" Firelord started as he placed his hand on Norrin’s shoulder "I think we are out gunned here. We better do what they say or we’re gonna get killed."

"Unfortunately you are right. Fine Alicia, you and Frankie may come, but do not leave my side."

"Now hold on a minute!" Jacob said as he stood.

"Do not even think about it." The Surfer said sternly, narrowing his eyes and pointing at his son. "This is not some field trip that the whole Radd clan is going on. You and Jaratan will stay with the Avengers and the Fantastic Four. They will need your knowledge of cosmic matters of late."

"Fine." Jacob knew when his father had made up his mind, and now was one of those times.

The Surfer turned and stormed out of the room, Alicia hot on his trail. Frankie left right behind her, the same determined look on her face. Firelord just looked at the heroes, smiled and shrugged.

"Women, eh? You’d think after all this time we’d have them more properly trained."

"What did you say?!?!" Lioness looked like she was about to pounce on Firelord, but he ran from the room before he could mutter a word. Simon, Tony Stark and Jolly Roger were having a good laugh, until Natasha, Tarantula and Barracuda gave them the look of death. It’s funny how fast a man can shut up when he needs to. 

Zeus was speaking with Hercules through a mystic window. As he learned of Asgards fate he became worried. Someone who could do that to his sky brother Odin was a threat more dire. Hercules said he was on his way to Olympus, it was in more danger than Earth it seemed. Zeus said he would be waiting for him when he arrived.

As Zeus closed the window to Hercules swirling mists began to form in front of him. There stood Diykrakus. Zeus wasted no time in idle chatter, he lunged directly at the invader. A quick move to the left and an elbow brought down upon Zeus’s head and Diykrakus was standing over the lord of Olympus.

"More sport than white hair would you seem to be."

"Speak not of my brother sky-father vile one! You are not fit to lick his boots!"

"Perhaps red beard, honor enough to leave him wilted and dead I have though."

"Liar!!" Zeus screamed. One back hand to Diykrakus’s face and a jab to his gut and he fell back a step, smiling all the time.

"Disappoint me not red beard, sport good enough a time for we see."

"Sport you say, we shall see when your severed head hangs from my wall."

"Pathetic brother you are like, talk enough ten men for. Fight wounded woman child like do you."

"Diiiieeeee!" Zeus threw himself at Diykrakus’s neck, ready to snap it in two. From within his robe Diykrakus pulled a sword and swiftly stuck it into Zeus’s stomach as he moved to the side. Zeus fell to the floor, the sword protruding from his front and back. Standing, he pulled it from his body and held it high.

"Of this enough red beard. godlings approaching I sense, end now this does." Diykrakus held out his hand and the Thunder Eye appeared within it. Zeus, holding his stomach and the sword high was about to charge, when the Thunder Eye began to glow. Zeus stared for a moment, then, like Odin, began to scream like never before. Olympus began to crumble all around them, all the gods falling in pain or under the buildings. In the end Zeus lay on the floor, barely conscious and blood leaking from his wound.

"So pathetic, gods of Earth are. Greatest of the great think they, lower than slime are they. Where boasts are now red shirt? Through blood in throat unable to speak? Die well, like brother hope I, for laughs good were you." And with the swirling of mists, Diykrakus was gone. 

Thor was sitting at the conference table muttering near nonsense. The other heroes around him couldn’t find any words to say to him to make things better. How do you cheer up a god whose godhood is now gone? Suddenly Thor stood and started getting sick. He began to look around as if he did not recognize where he was. In Thor’s mind he saw forests and fields on fire. He felt the pollution that had been dumped into the sea centuries before. He heard ice crashing into the Arctic seas, still melting from the greenhouse effect. He instinctively knew Gaea was near.

"Mother? Mother is that you" Thor said, over and over. Inside Thor’s mind the answer came back.

"Yes Thor, it is your mother. By the Great Lakes you’ve grown. It has been many hundreds of years since I last laid eyes upon you."

"Mother what is happening to me? I feel so strange. I can tell my strength is returning, but I can also sense many things around the world."

"Relax my child." Gaea said, in the most soothing voice Thor ever heard. "What is happening to you should be clear. With your fathers power gone from the land his corruption of your mind has ended. The Odinpower has left you, so now the Earthpower has room to grow and nurture within your great heart."

"So you say that the Odinpower kept your traits in me under check?"

"Yes my son. Your father knew that if the Earthpower was allowed to grow within you, you would never claim the throne in Asgard. Now you can follow your true destiny."

The Avengers around Thor could only hear one side of the conversation. All the could tell was he was talking to Gaea and he seemed to be getting stronger, both physically and in spirit more and more. Suddenly a scream came from just outside the room. Just as cold and as wretched as Thor’s a while back.

"Olympus falls, the Lion has become mortal once more." Thor said with no emotion in his voice.

The Avengers raced outside the room and saw Hercules laying on the floor, convulsing just as Thor had done.

"This is getting worse and worse." Cap said. "I only hope the Surfer gets back soon. Hopefully he can clue us in on what is going on."

Continued in Chapter 4 - Even Gold Can Turn To Dust
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