Jump 13: The Last Avenger - Episode 13: Now I'm All Alone - Part 2

I was completely and utterly defeated in just about every sense of the word. I couldn’t have begun to imagine how difficult it would be to get through Asgard. Teammates being taken by the enemy, most of them being turned against us and Loki’s overwhelming magical power. I wanted nothing more for it to be over, yet a part of me still clung on to the remnants of my fighting spirit to the bitter end. Before it was all over, I found myself worrying about the others despite my own situation. Even before being killed it seems like I can’t overlook those I become close to.

After Loki finished the job and no doubt relished in his victory I saw my world go dark. But still… my consciousness remained despite knowing that I had failed. I was lost in a dark abyss, my mind searching for some sort of exit…

“How long must you make a woman wait? Or would you have preferred to actually die at Loki’s hands?”

My eyes finally opened at the urging of this unfamiliar voice and I tried to get up and catch my bearings, only to feel two feminine hands usher my head back down onto an extremely comfortable pillow. The face that belonged to the owner of the voice made its way into my eyesight and I was greeted by her blonde hair and green eyes.

“Honestly why you think to call yourself King when there’s nothing royal about you baffles me. But almost anyone would be better than that imbecile Loki. You need to rest for a while longer, so continue to lie down. I merely wanted to talk with you.”

I begrudgingly accepted with a slight nod of my head and she released me from her grip and gaze.

“Who are you?”

“You’re quick to get to the point of things. Not even any thanks for keeping you out of Loki’s hands. The fool was so sure of himself he didn’t realize you’d survive.”

“If thanks is what you really sought you’d have handled this differently. I’ll show some appreciation once I better understand the situation.”

“A fair way to handle the situation. I am Amora, also known as The Enchantress. If not for Loki, I’d be the strongest wielder of Asgardian magic in any and all planes. The reason your male friends turned against you is because of my magic.”

“That’s not something you reveal before gaining someone’s trust.”

“I would have severely misjudged you if you were prone to anger that quickly. Besides, as you are now, you’re in no state to even sit up without pain. If we are to cooperate I would hope you’d appreciate my honesty.”

“Fair enough I suppose. So why and how did you save me?”

“The how was quite simple really. That false king Loki got caught up in the theatrics of it all and wanted you to go out with a bang. While he couldn’t detect you during his attack, I used my own magic to transport you to relative safety. He was so sure of himself he didn’t question why no trace of you remained. As to the why… I saved you because you remind me of someone I lost long ago thanks to Loki. While in many ways you’re completely different, the ways you’re alike just… Anyway, since you remind me of him, I think we can be of use to each other. We both wish for Loki to fall from power, and I know of two ways to better your chances at victory.”

“I don’t have much choice but to hear you out. What can be done to see Loki falls?”

“Firstly, you must see if you are worthy of wielding the hammer of Thor.”

“Worthy?”

“The hammer has one of the strongest enchantments placed upon it, so only those worthy are able to wield the mighty weapon. Not even Loki, with the Odinforce at his disposal can lift it. Something that he can never get over. Seeing you alive and brandishing the hammer would no doubt cloud his mind with anger.”

“And what’s the next thing?”

“Traveling to Niffleheim to confront Hela. She has reign over the souls of the dead, but her purview has gotten out of hand. She’d taken hold over more souls than she naturally should have. With the power of the hammer you should be able to stand up to her and not only break her control over the souls of Midgard, but use her to defeat Loki.”

“What stops you from dealing with Hela if you’re magic is so powerful?”

“I am no fighter, and in her domain all she allows are tests of strength and skill to determine if she’ll heed a request or not. She is stronger than most Asgardians, even those that are warriors. I’d be no match for her. But I’ve observed your battles, and I think you have the potential to make the impossible a reality. Hela normally fights fairly anyway, making whatever challenge she presents you with a true test of skill.”

“What happens if I’m unworthy of the hammer?”

“We pray that as you are now, you can stand up to Hela. Once Loki discovers that I aided you any semblance of freedom I have will be lost.”

“So we both need me to succeed with taking down Loki… Alright then. I’ll follow your plan. We need to get Thor’s hammer first, don’t we?”

“Indeed. That is the first- What are you doing? You shouldn’t be getting up yet.”

I had begun to slowly sit up and take in my surroundings. A lavishly decorated room with what I could only assume was some of the finest Asgard had to offer. I got to my feet despite Amora’s protests and began getting rid of the stiffness I felt by stretching.

“There’s no time to waste here. The longer this takes, the more danger my friends are in. I can’t just lay around while Loki has them at his mercy. Besides, I feel well enough.”

“Honestly, I can’t understand how people like you think sometimes. But if you really think you’re well enough to move around I suppose we can get started.”

I nodded and finished my stretching in time to notice Amora’s face too close to mine for comfort. Before I could state my discomfort, she gripped my face and placed her lips onto mine as she locked us in a kiss. I was thoroughly confused at this turn of events and my eyes must have said it all when she finished because she immediately explained herself.

 “Loki is unable to detect your presence in this room because he still respects my privacy just enough to let me shield myself from his magical gaze to a point. But if you had left before I kissed you he’d have sensed you and saving you would have been for naught. But, by coating you with a layer of my enchantment magic, Loki will believe you to be another to fall to my charms.”

“And it had to be through a kiss?”

“Any less and it runs the risk of wearing off, especially on you. Don’t worry, I didn’t try to mess with your mind like I did to the others. I wouldn’t have been able to if I wanted regardless. Now you must go before Loki calls for me. If you allow my magic to affect you you’ll get a sense for where the hammer is located. I’ll know when you get to the hammer. May you be worthy of its power.”

I had more questions I wanted to ask, but the urgency in her voice made me hold my tongue. She was as desperate for hope as the people on Earth had been. I leapt through an open window and teleported to the ground before heading towards the hammers location. Asgard was a big place, and it took me a number of days to reach it even with my ability to cover distance quickly. It was in a forest clearing, surrounded by vibrant flowers and in a position where the sun would almost constantly shine down upon it. It was like the hammer was waiting patiently for its destined user to come reclaim it. Very picturesque all things considered.

I felt drawn to the hammer, as if it were calling out to me and slowly approached it. I hadn’t even realized that I was holding my breath until I was close enough to reach out and grab it. I released the pent up air and focused on the task at hand. I felt the electricity within my body begin to stir as my hand drew near the hammer’s handle. Sparks chained between the handle and my hand as I grasped it and pulled… and pulled again… and a third time before realizing that the hammer was not budging.

I was extremely confused. What was the point of how everything looked when I arrived? Why did I feel the hammer was calling me? Why did it react with my electrokinesis? This hunk of metal made it seem like I was worth it’s time and then still wouldn’t budge. I went from confused to upset, and from there to anger. This stupid hammer with its dumb enchantment about “worthiness” was one of the only ways I could put an end to everything, and it decided I wasn’t fit to be its wielder that day. I wasn’t about to accept that without a fight. I put both hands on the handle and pulled with all of my natural strength to no avail. If the hammer wanted to play this game then so be it. I stopped holding back and let every sort of power I could use to augment my strength activate. My feet began sinking into the ground, but I didn’t stop. My hands began to bleed, but I refused to give in. This hammer would rise off of the ground and assist me no matter what.

I’m not sure how much time passed, but eventually, amidst my struggling the weapon finally allowed me to lift it. I held it to the sky in triumph and a bold of lightning struck down, enveloping me completely. When the energy dissipated, I felt an unfamiliar helmet upon my head and foreign armor on my person along with a red cape flowing in the wind behind me. Before I could allow myself to question what was happening, the hammer spoke to me. Its name was Mjolnir. Forged from the trapped essence of the God of Tempest in the magical metal Uru, Odin cast an enchantment on it to reign in its power so that it could be wielded. One of the last spells cast upon the hammer was the enchantment: “Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor” which meant that I was imbued with the power of the deceased God of Thunder. Or I mostly was. Something within my nature as a being not from this universe was preventing me from fully taking on those properties. Mjolnir however, was still just as capable as it could be.

With hammer in hand, I began sorting out the new power that had been granted to me, while I waited for Amora. I learned from the hammer about the history of Asgard from its perspective up until the death of Thor. Loki had always been coveting the throne and the power holding it entailed, but both Thor and Odin refused to believe he was beyond saving. With the both of them having lost their lives to an unremorseful Loki, the other Asgardians learned too late that they shouldn’t have underestimated his machinations. Many an Asgardian had attempted to wield Mjlonir to oppose their new ruler, but none were worthy, and opposition against the trickster had halted.

“Perhaps I was right to pin my hopes on you after all.”

I turned around to see Amora standing by a tree, examining my new look. She appeared to be holding back a laugh.

“While I’m glad you were able to lift the hammer, Thor’s armor doesn’t suit you at all. Be sure to change that if you plan on keeping the hammer. Shall we go? It won’t be long before Loki takes notice that Mjolnir is no longer forced to remain on the ground.”

“How are my allies? Has Loki done anything to them?”

“He keeps the women alive to not set off the Phoenix Force, and he’s let me do what I will with the others under my enchantment. I’ve been treating them well, rest assured.”

I didn’t like the way she said that last part, but I didn’t have time to be worrying about anything else. Amora urrounded us in her magic before we were warped to Niffleheim. More specifically, to Hel. We appeared to be in a dark cave, scarcely lit by stray torches that stretched on as far as the eye could see.

“So much like Thor, yet distinctly not… One worthy of the hammer hath finally appeared to quell the beast that it King Loki. So why hath deigned to grace me with his presence.”

“We’ve no time for tricks Hela. Show yourself and heed our demands.”

“Amora… yours is a soul I’ve longed to acquire for quite some time now. You should know better than anyone else that Valhalla is not what awaits you, no matter how you wish to atone. Bringing yourself to me… I didn’t expect you to be so kind.”

I saw a dark silhouette reaching their arms out to grab Amora by her head and pull her into the darkness. I raised Mjolnir and a bolt of lightning shot from it, colliding with the figure in the darkness and forces them to draw back.

“I don’t know all the details, but I know enough to realize that you’ve over stepped your boundraries quite a bit Hela.”

“Ah, so the hammer has filled you in to the workings of the Nine Realms has it? But what good will the knowledge do to you, who can’t even access the full powers of the fallen Thor? Do you wish to challenge me? What could you offer that would make me even consider?”

“For as long as I remain in Asgard, if I am to fall in battle, my soul is yours to do with as you please.”

“That would be the case regardless child. All souls from Midgard are now mine to claim once they leave their earthly coil.”

“I’m a different story. My life, should I lose it, would normally be sent back to my home. My soul is not something that can be kept by you, despite your powers over the afterlife. Try to interfere with it now and you should see the truth in my statement.”

The darkness swirled around us and when it left we were suddenly in a throne room, looking upon Hela as she sat looking down on us. Her body was covered in a dark green cloak, obscuring most of her body from view. Her eyes were covered by the mask portion of her headdress. She pointed a glowing hand at me and I felt the life nearly leave my body in an instant before returning at full force.

“It seems that you are indeed correct. How strange. I can freely take your life as I would another, yet your soul refuses to stay within my grasp. Curious indeed. It would be a great achievement to hold such an ephemeral soul for the rest of eternity. What would you wager your very soul on, mortal?”

“I want you to free the souls you should lay no claim to and let go of your hold on the souls of Midgard. And I ask that you claim Loki’s soul once I defeat him.”

“You ask much of me, wielder of Mjolnir. Too much, for a simple wager. I must receive more for the price of taking Loki’s soul, and you must plan to do something about the Odinforce. Without one to hold its power Asgard will fall to eventual ruin.”

“Hela, I offer my remaining years as an Asgardian in exchange for returning Thor to the living, and to pay the remaining price.”

“Amora, what are you-”

“A fine price indeed Amora. Even if this mortal is capable of a feat few Asgardians can accomplish, your soul shall forever belong to me henceforth. Not even Odin himself would be able to free you.”

“T’is a fine price to pay to see Loki punished for his crimes against Asgard.”

“That is not the only reason you wish to go through with this, but I will say no more. The terms have been set! Face me mortal, in single combat by the sword, with naught but your strength and skill with a blade.”

Before I could protest, darkness once again swirled around me as the room was transformed into an arena much like the coliseum. The spectators, shadowy representations of those long dead, roared in excitement at the upcoming battle. I looked up to see Hela where the emperor would have sat, a mystically bound Amora by her side. Hela stood and the masses of the dead cheered as she proceeded to float down to me.

“Now, son of man, take hold of your blade.”

Hovering besides me was a short sword of impressive quality. I placed Mjolnir inside the belt that looped around my armor and picked up the sword. It had been some time since I wielded a proper one, but I took to it easily enough. Hela had her own blade at the ready, having drawn it while I was examining the one I was given.

“Now mortal, show me why Mjolnir deemed you worthy!”

With that said our battle began immediately. Hela left me little time to think as she threw herself into the fight. Amora’s judge of her combat prowess was accurate, as I felt the strength Hela possessed in each blow I blocked and experienced her skill when my attacks were parried with ease. Hela seemed to be enjoying herself as the battle raged on. For every five or six attacks she threw at me I could only respond with two of my own. Even with some of the powers of Thor I felt that she would soon overpower me, and I dove into my reserves of cosmic energy for a temporary boost in power. The sudden increase in power took her by surprise, and I pressed on to put us on equal footing.

The sound of our blades clashing cut through the din of the crowd as we kept the battle going. I had no way of knowing how long we had been fighting, but I eventually started to find myself getting tired. I was getting ever closer to my limit. The point where my body would cease listening to my brain and do whatever it could to stop the pain. I couldn’t let it end like this. I wouldn’t allow everything I had gone through, all the pain everyone had endured, and the sacrifices made to be for nothing. I expended the last of my cosmic power to launch a flurry of strikes at Hela. Each one just a hair too short to reach her and the final one only serving to catch her cloak. I ripped the piece of cloth from her and drove my sword into the ground to keep from falling.

It was over. I had failed at every opportunity granted to me. I felt the weight of my weakness pressing down on me oppressively. Loki would go on to turn the Earth into his plaything. Amora would lose her soul for nothing. My companions wouldn’t even know what happened to me as I sat in the depths of Hel as a prized soul in Hela’s collection. It was over…

“Mortal… It would seem with the last of your strength you have bested me in my own realm.”

Those words cut through my despair more than any blade could. I had won? Looking up I saw the reason. Hela’s cloak was hiding a secret I doubt many ever come to know. The entire left side of her body was dead and decaying while her right seemed perfectly healthy. The juxtaposition most likely having to do with her control over life and death. But there had been no indication of this until then. She’d have no chance trying to fight with the state her left half was in.

“I am bound to my word. Return to me my cloak, so that I may uphold my end of our agreement.”

I finally noticed that the arena that had surrounded us was no longer there. We were back in Hela’s throne room, and she was on the ground next to her seat of power. Amora was off to the side, still bound by Hela’s magic, but looking pleased with the outcome nonetheless. I found the strength to support my own weight and moved to return the cloak to Hela. I whispered something to her as she took hold of the piece of cloth. It wrapped around her almost of its own accord and she was at once brought back to her full power. Standing back up she released Amora from her magical shackles and looked at me with slight contempt in her eyes.

“To think I would be bested by a mortal the same way that foolish son of Odin managed. The thought alone is ludicrous enough… Amora shall stay with me. I will be the one to send you back to Asgard when you feel you are ready. The souls of Midgard shall return to where they belong, and you’ll receive Thor Odinson once Loki is defeated. Thor should be able to claim his birthright, and usher in a new age for Asgard. Just as you planned, is it not?”

I remained silent at her words. While the contents of what she said should have been reassuring, I felt as though she were taunting me somehow. I placed the sword she allowed me to borrow into the ground as my response. Amora walked over to me and gently pulled my head up to face her.

“I hope you aren’t planning to suddenly kiss me again.”

“You need to lighten up. Most men would kill to even have me look at them a certain way. This is probably the last we’ll see each other, so I need to properly thank you.”

“And is your kiss going to rejuvenate me or something so I can go battle Loki?”

“That’s it exactly. You really are smarter than you look.”

I opened my mouth to protest and gave her the opening she needed to strike. The kiss was brief, but the effects were very strong. I was completely revitalized, feeling even better than before I had fought Hela. Amora returned to Hela’s side and gave me one last look of encouragement.

“I expect nothing less than Loki’s soul mortal. Go and do what you believe must be done.”

With a wave of her hand, Hela ejected me from her realm and I found myself back in Asgard. The palace where I would no doubt find Loki visible on the horizon, gleaming thanks to the rising sun. This time I wouldn’t fail… Then I realized I forgot to ask Amora an important question. What would I do about my enchanted allies? I hoped the answer would become clear when I encountered them, as I had no time for second guessing myself.