A cough broke then out of their moment as the Size Changing pair realized they were not alone.
They turned to see Gruenhilda, her fist to her mouth and a sly grin on her lips.
The pair quickly separated, and their faces were red with embarrassment. As the Red Haired Woman addressed the others.
"My apologies for the interruption, my Ladies. I thought I should inform you of the Mortal Woman's condition."
"You've done well, Gruenhilda." Lady Sif praised.
"Indeed. Your instincts are sharp as ever, young warrior." Brunnhilde added.
Gruenhilda smiled and bowed from the praise.
"So. Someone mind telling me what's going on here?" Janet asked.
A few minutes later, Hank, Sif, and Brunnhilde gave the Wasp a quick recap of the events.
"Ok, so any luck finding the others?" Janet asked, worried about her teammates scattered across the other worlds.
However, she had no doubt Ben was handling himself fine. Still didn't stop her from worrying about him.
Brunnhilde shook her head. "I dispatched scouts not too long ago to search the other realms. However, Loki's forces have made it difficult to travel. The paths along Yggdrasil are constantly watched. We have had to rely on the power of Lady Sif to move swiftly between the realms."
Lady Sif nodded as she touched her sword. "My brother, Heimdall, is keeper of the Bifrost, the Rainbow bridge that connects the World Tree. As such, I can channel a portion of its power to allow swift travel across the realms."
Her head lowered as a pained expression etched into her face. A look Wasp had become familiar with recently. Sif was worried about her brother, no doubt he's been missing for a while. Janet got the same look whenever she was concerned about Ben's safety.
It's strange to think that over half a year ago, she and the Alien Hero were little more than strangers. Now, she can't imagine her life without him. Life sure is strange.
"We've been fighting a losing battle for many days," Brunnhilde explained. "With the power of the Odin-Force at his command, Loki has almost conquered all the Nine Realms. With Midgard remaining the only free realm."
"Why didn't you come and warn Thor about this?" Hank asked. "Had he known what was happening, he would have come to help."
Lady Sif shook her head. "We attempted to. But Loki used an enchantment that prevented any travel to and from Midgard. I have tried to reach the Thunderer. But to no avail."
She then raised her head with renewed vigor. "But, if what thou speaks is true. Then Thor returned to the eternal realm. Now, all that is needed is to find which realm Thor has found himself in and join his side."
"If only we had Heimdall's eyes with us." Brunnhilde commented. "He would be able to find the Prince with nary a glance. Sadly, he and Balder were imprisoned where none can ever escape."
Sif's body tensed as she clenched her jaw at the reminder.
Seeing this, Janet raised an eyebrow. If someone was in trouble, they could try and help. "What place is that?"
Fireballs rained from the sky as Fire Demons hurled the flaming spheres at their targets.
A fireball impacted on the surface of a lava pool. Magma splashed, with a few drops making contact with Arctiguana's scales.
The Alien hissed in pain but continued to focus on generating his ice ramp. His frozen path was the only thing keeping himself and his Asgardian passengers from taking a dip in the two-thousand-degree lake of death.
Arctiguana continued blasting his ice beam to create a path. The lava vaporized the ice behind him, forming a massive cloud of steam. Fortunately for them, this cloud obstructed their view of the Fire Demon horde trailing behind, making their aim sloppy.
However, it also sent up a massive smoke signal that revealed their position like a beacon. Pretty sure every citizen of Muspelheim was now alerted to their presence.
The Ice Lizard angled his head and created a ramp in front of him, which he slipped up and was launched into the sky.
A sigh of relief echoed in his mind as Arctiguana took a deep breath. He no longer cared about the scorching air of this world burning his throat. Considering how he had to use the alien's ice beam almost nonstop during his escape, a little hot air felt like a relief.
As they began to descend, the Alien Avenger immediately fired his beam once more and continued to glide across the lava lake.
Balder patted the shapeshifter's side as if he were a valiant steed. "You are doing well, Changeling. The path is just up ahead."
He pointed to a cluster of rocks just beyond the shore of the lake.
Just a little further and they can kiss this seventh-level goodbye.
Suddenly, the Alien Teen felt this unnatural pressure flow over his body. Using his peripherals, he glanced at his passengers. Heimdall and Balder stiffened, and their eyes widened. Even Heimdall, with his injured eyes still closed, was in fear.
"He's here." The Bifrost Guardian gasped.
Before Arctiguana could comprehend what he meant. Something big slammed into the lava behind them. The shockwave knocked them off the ice path and into the air.
At their speed, the trio was propelled over the last leg of the lava lake and was now over dry land. However, that was meaningless, for behind them was a giant lava tsunami. A massive tidal wave of molten rock bared down at them, threatening to engulf them in the raging inferno.
Acting fast, Arctiguana pivoted in the air and took a deep breath, as deep as he could possibly go, to the point where he felt like he was going to burst.
Just when he felt like an over-inflated balloon, the Frost Lizard blasted his ice beam at full force.
A pure, white beam of sub-zero energy poured from his mouth like a lance of light. The power that the alien avenger unleashed was close to the beam that Iceman used against the Phoenix.
Arctiguana unleashed so much power that he could feel frost building up around his mouth.
For what was probably the first time in millions of years, the realm of Muspelheim dropped a few degrees as Arctiguana's beam solidified the entire lava wave. Hundreds of tons of molten rock solidified instantly, forming a new rock formation in the realm.
With the lava wave threat taken care of. The only concern now was the rapidly approaching ground.
Having poured everything into that beam, Arctiguana was a little short of breath. He couldn't even cough up a snowflake at this point.
Fortunately for him, the Asgardian Balder the Brave seemed to have enough stamina to spare as he grabbed both him and Heimdall in his arms and took the brunt of the impact, his legs skidding across the stone ground before finally coming to a stop.
The Warrior dropped the pair as he panted heavily.
Heimdall quickly got to his feet. His body seemingly recovering its strength as he wasn't struggling to stay on his feet like before. He was even holding his axe the right way up. Although he was still leaning on it for support.
Arctiguana, on the other hand, his four limbs trembled and threatened to collapse from the strain of using his powers so much.
"How fair thee?" Balder asked his companions. Panic in his voice
"I can walk, Brave Balder," Heimdall answered.
"Then let us make haste. We must reach the path."
"Don't need to tell me twice." Arctiguana responded. Willing his body forward. He kept pace with the Asgardians.
Even with his eyes injured, it did not slow him down as he moved around the area without any issues. Guess his other senses were just as sharp.
A screech from behind them caused Balder and Arctiguana to turn and see Fire Demons coming over the newly created rock formation. Their flaming weapons are drawn and ready to impale their prey.
Balder drew his sword while Arctiguana prepared to engage.
"Do not engage!" Heimdall roared. "The path is all that matters. We must get to it at all cost."
The Asgardian Warrior obeyed immediately, sheathing his weapon, and resumed running.
However, Arctiguana hesitated. At their current pace and the speed of the Demons. No doubt they'll catch up to them before they reach the rock cluster.
And if they get through the path, what's to stop the Fire Demons from following them?
The Alien Avenger ground to a halt before turning to face the approaching enemies.
"Ben Tennyson!" Balder cried out as he and Heimdall stopped to look back at the Teen.
"Get to the portal!" Arctiguana ordered. "I'll buy you some time."
"Nay! Do not be a fool!" Balder protested.
But the Alien Teen wasn't having any of it. "I'll catch up as soon as I can! Get out of here, now!"
Balder's hand reached for his blade, only for Heimdall to grab his shoulder and pull him along. "Balder, we cannot linger any longer. Ben Tennyson has made his choice. We must honor it. 'Ere we all perish this day."
Reluctantly, Balder conceded, and the pair ran into the rock cluster, leaving Arctiguana to face the Fire Demons.
"Ok, Bunsen breath. Looks like you got me all along." He then raised his right hand to the Ultimatrix dial on his chest. "I don't need to tell you. Ice-olation can be a chilling experience."
He then tapped the dial, and four spikes popped out.
A wave of energy washed over his body, and Arctiguana changed. His body greatly increased in size and gained more bulk, and he has what appears to be white armor. His scales became lighter, almost white, with three elongated scales growing from his chin. He has a "mustache" of sorts, growing down on both sides, from either side of his upper lip. He has pure blue ice covering his shoulders with a mass of jagged ice jutting from his back, like a glacier. A pair of organic Blunderbuss-like white cannons were positioned on his back, sprouting from behind each shoulder blade. There are also small ice growths on his arms. The Ultimatrix symbol is clear on his chest.
"ULTIMATE ARCTIGUANA!" The Evolved Alien cried out.
The Fire Demons swooped at the Walking Glacier, raising their flaming swords to strike.
Ultimate Arctiguana responded by aiming one of his cannons at them. A massive blast of ice erupted from the barrel from the muzzle like an ice volcano. Enveloping the Fire Demons in a white beam, extinguishing their fire and sending them flying.
He then aimed both cannons at the rest of the swarm that was coming over the top. Focusing on his power, the cannons charged up as mist and frozen vapor swirled around the barrels.
There was a loud crack, followed by a boom, and the Evolved Alien fired his cannons. From the barrels fired a pair of ice crystals. Each was the size of a tank shell and comprised of pure blue ice. The most durable form of ice.
The ice projectiles sliced through the hot air of Muspelheim and blasted into the Fire Demon horde. Instantly, the swarm dispersed. The shockwave of the shells passing blew apart any that were too close, and the shells impacted with the force of a howitzer, destroying the top of the rock structure.
Any demons in the path of the shells were instantly obliterated, while the blast wave from the impact site tore apart those in the surrounding area.
Seeing the sheer destructive power of the Alien Avenger, the Fire Demons quickly adapted, spreading themselves out to avoid being caught clustered together.
Ultimate Arctiguana watched the Fire Demons and aimed his cannons in two different directions. He fired his ice howitzers again. The dense ice shards blasted through the demon swarm, annihilating a couple that couldn't get out of the way. But the swarm was so spread out he couldn't make any significant impacts on their numbers.
He smirked. "You're learning. Cool. But two can play at that game."
The Ultimate Alien moved and aimed his cannons once more. Icey mist flowed around the barrels, and a blue light emanated from within.
Ultimate Arctiguana fired at the Fire Demons. Only this time, the projectiles were different. They were slower than before, and instead of sleek, sharp crystals, they were smooth spherical orbs like a cannonball, which glowed with a faint blue light inside the clear icy exterior.
The Ice spheres flew into the air and amongst the Fire Demons. The Flaming Warriors easily avoided being hit by them.
However, the sphere exploded like a bomb. Unleashing a blast of sub-zero energy from within. The cold energy struck the nearest Fire Demons, extinguishing the flames of the ones closest to the explosion while causing ice to creep up the bodies of those further away. Causing them to plummet from the sky.
The Fire Demons screeched in panic as Ultimate Arctiguana smirked with a cocky attitude. The Evolved Aliens' control over ice allowed him to produce many different kinds of ice ammunition. From high-density impact shells to anti-aircraft flak guns.
Ultimate Arctiguana's ice barrage caused such panic in the Fire Demons' ranks that the swarm was in absolute chaos. Demons screeched left and right, flying in a tizzy, smashing into each other as they scrambled to find cover from the Alien Avengers onslaught.
This confusion was just the thing Ult Arctiguana needed to make his escape. He turned his bulky body around and made a break for the rock cluster.
His large size made moving a little sluggish. This body was built for heavy artillery, not speed and agility. But, in case the Fire Demons recover and attack once more.
Just as he reached the edge of the rock cluster, Balder's head suddenly popped up from among the rocks.
"Changeling! The path is here! Quickly, we must…!" Balder's voice evaporated as his body froze and fear gripped his soul.
Mere seconds later, Ultimate Arctiguana felt the atmosphere shift. Pressure increased tenfold, and the air vibrated from intense power.
The Fire Demons went silent as Ult Arctiguana turned to see what was happening.
From the sky, the Fire Demons descended. Not to attack the hero. They floated down and formed two even line formations with a large gap in the middle with the solid lava wave before them.
The Demons collectively dropped to one knee and bowed. What followed was a booming noise. One after the other, growing louder with each passing moment.
As the noise grew, the rocks started to glow red. Starting from the top of the rock wave, creeping down like snakes to the ground, and flowing over the rocks towards Ultimate Arctiguana.
Steam emanated from the Ice Alien's feet when the glow reached him as intense heat pulsed from the ground.
Boom. Boom. BOOM! The sound grew as an ominous glow illuminated behind the rock wall, and black smoke wafted over the top.
Something was coming…
Just then, the rock wall glowed brightly. Within seconds, the massive rock wall melted like ice cream in the summer sun. Melting from the middle and parting like the Red Sea.
From the opening, a wave of heat poured out and flowed over the Alien Avenger.
For the first time in the history of using this transformation, Ult Arctiguana started sweating. The heat caused the ice on his back to drip and melt.
Ultimate Arctiguana's breath hitched. His body trembled as his eyes widened in fear.
Before him was a being shrouded in fire and smoke. The thickness of the black smoke prevented him from making out any key details.
But what he could make out was the slight silhouette of the flames glowing from within the veil.
It stood as tall as a mountain and just as broad. It looked humanoid, only with legs that looked like an animals, what might possibly be a tail flicking in the shadows behind it, and a pair of burning yellow eyes that cut through the darkness and pierced his very soul.
There was no doubt in his mind. He is exactly as Balder and Heimdall described. The Walking Inferno, the Bringer of Death, Flame Incarnate.
The Fire Demon, Surtur.
Ultimate Arctiguana thought that he had met the personification of Fire when he faced the Cosmic Fire Bird, the Phoenix Force.
However, Surtur was something completely different.
The Phoenix Force felt primal. Something similar to a wildfire. A destructive force that would sweep over the land, destroying all in its path. But is only a natural part of the natural cycle. For after the flames have passed, new life will grow, and life is renewed.
But this was raw, savage destruction. It was an unnatural agent of Evil that wouldn't rest until everything was dead and burned. It was like a supervolcano spewing toxic fumes and molten rock into the atmosphere, choking the air and burning the land before blanketing the sky in an eternal night and suffocating all life. Not because it was part of its nature, but because it wanted to snuff out every flicker of life that it saw.
Even though he still couldn't see him clearly. Ultimate Arctiguana could feel the intense aura of Surtur radiating through the smoke cloud.
Every fiber of his being was screaming for him to run. To get as far away from this thing as possible.
But if he did, that thing could get to the portal. It was too late. They found them. He knows where the entrance is. He can't let this thing get through. The destruction it would wreck on the other worlds…
As much as he wanted to reach his friend. To fight by their side and stop Loki's plan. He could not risk this monster from escaping and getting to them.
Narrowing his eyes. Ultimate Arctiguana planted his feet on the boiling ground. Dig his fingers into the glowing stone and aimed his cannons directly at that Demon's head.
"Only way out of here, you walking sparkler! And that's over my cold dead body!" Ultimate Arctiguana roared in defiance.
Upon seeing the Mortal's actions. Balder the Brave rushed forward. "Nay, Ben Tennyson! You mustn't!"
"This thing can't get to the portal!" the Emerald Avenger responded. "I'll seal it up. You take Heimdall and go."
"You know not what you speak, Mortal!" Balder tried to reason as he reached for him.
"No time! Go!" Ultimate Arctiguana cried as he turned to face him and opened his mouth.
A blast of freezing vapor erupted from his gullet. Arctic gale-force winds wrapped around the Asgardian, lifting him off his feet and sending him hurtling toward the portal's entrance.
"Benjamin!" Balder cried as he fell into the hidden gateway.
With his ally safe, the Evolved Alien turned back to face the Walking Inferno.
From behind the smoke vail, the eyes of Surtur watched Balder fall into the entrance of the hidden path. The two burning orbs turned their attention to the Evolved Ice Alien.
The heat must be messing with his vision because Ult Arctiguana could have sworn that the Fire Demon looked confused by his actions.
It only lasted for a second before he saw his expression change and an evil grin carved into the smoke.
A smile that sent chills throughout Ultimate Arctiguana's body.
But he held his ground. If this dude thinks he's gonna make it easy for him. He has another thing coming.
"Time for you to chill out!" The Alien shouted.
He then let out a mighty battle cry before blasting a full-powered beam of ice from his mouth and both cannons.
Pure concentrated beams of absolute zero tore through the burning atmosphere of Muspelheim, heading straight for its ruler.
However, just as the beams were several feet away from making contact, they suddenly stopped short, as if hitting an invisible wall. Steam erupts, water hisses, and the winds howl as the air flows at a rapid pace.
The Alien Teen is shocked. His beams were not being blocked by some kind of shield; Surtur radiates so much heat that his ice beams are vaporized before they can make contact with his body.
Massive, concentrated amounts of pure, sub-zero energy, enough freezing power to turn Earth's oceans into an ice-skating rink, are reduced to water vapor by this Titan of fire without him even moving a muscle.
The power of the two clashing temperature extremes, hot and cold air, collides and swirls together, forming a tornado between the two elemental beings.
Through the vortex, Ult Arctiguana can see the ash concealing the Fire Demon's body being pulled away, allowing him to briefly make out what appears to be a pair of red horns atop Surtur's head.
Suddenly, the Fire Demon raises his arm and swings it in a wide arc, letting out a thunderous roar as the tornado disperses. A wave of superheated air instantly overpowers the Evolved Alien's ice beams.
The force of the air current knocks Ultimate Arctiguana off his feet and sends him tumbling through the air before crashing headfirst into the rock cluster.
His head pounds, and his scales throb in pain from the heat.
Ultimate Arctiguana must have hit his head pretty hard because his ears are ringing so intensely that they almost sound like a bird chirping.
He shook his head to clear and felt the uneven ground under his feet. Pushing himself up, Ultimate Arctiguana noticed that he was positioned directly over the entrance to the hidden path. A dark hole that seemed to go on forever. The only way out of Muspelheim.
All it would take is one step, and he could kiss this place goodbye.
However, a boom drew his attention as he saw the shrouded form of Surtur approaching him. One step, and the Demon was half a mile closer to him.
He couldn't let that beast get to the portal. If he got out, it wouldn't just be the Asgardians that would be in danger. Everyone, including Earth. His team, his friends, and everyone he cared about.
The Fire Demon raised his massive shadowy hand to reach out to him.
Suddenly, the Alien Teen was back in time. He saw the fire, the smoke, his loved ones, those red eyes…
He froze in fear as the memories came pouring in….
"…No." The Ultimate Alien whispered, vapor flowing from his mouth.
His fangs bared, his eyes glowing green as an icy mist flowed from his body. The glaciers on his back grew and refroze as the air pressure spiked.
"Never again. You hear that Horn Head!" Ultimate Arctiguana declared, his body standing tall. "I am Ben Tennyson! Hero of Heroes! And as long as I'm breathing, you're not getting out of here!"
With that, he aimed his head directly into the entrance of the pathway. Opening his mouth as cold energy glowed from within.
His cold energy, combined with the heat of this place and Surtur, the sudden change in temperature will shatter the stone instantly and collapse this entire tunnel. Ceiling it off and ensuring that Surtur and his forces can never leave.
But it also means he'll be trapped here with them.
He thought about his friends and teammates: Tony, Steve, Hulk, Thor, Clint, T'Challa, Hank, and Janet. He also thought about his friends Rick, Andi, Eddie, Kitty, Bobby, Jessica, Peter, Laura and Carol.
Even those he just got back in his life, Ship, Zed, Lucy, and Grandma.
All the people he loved and cherished. He'll never see them again.
But that didn't matter. They'll be safe after this. That Demon can do whatever he wants to him after this.
As far as he's concerned. He's already won.
With that, Ultimate Arctiguana prepared to fire his ice beam into the tunnel.
Suddenly, a wave of nausea washed over him. The Ultimate Aliens head felt dizzy as the world started to spin.
He then felt something bump into him, causing him to stumble and lose his grip.
The Alien Hero tried to reach out to stabilize himself, but it was too late. The ledge slipped from his hand, and the Evolved Alien tumbled down the tunnel. Falling further and further down.
A blinding light surrounded his body, and the last thing Ultimate Arctiguana saw was the massive paw of Surtur grabbing the empty space where he was just standing before everything faded in a white flash.
Up above, the flaming fist of Surtur retracted from the entrance of the hidden path.
Multiple Fire Demons gathered around the entrance. Several screeching and roaring. But none made any attempt to get inside.
Meanwhile, the Colossal Fire Titan raised his fist in front of his face and opened his empty hand to look at his palm.
The Fire Demon then glanced at the portal's entrance. A final gust of wind flowed out of the tunnel, and a wisp of frozen mist rose from within.
Almost immediately, the heated atmosphere of the realm ate away at the mist. However, a single snowflake miraculously survived the scorching air and floated upwards until it was directly in front of Surtur's face.
The Fire Demon reached for the tiny flake, only for his flaming aura to vaporize it to nothing, and his paw gripped nothing but empty air once more.
Surtur glared at his hand, and he recalled the look that creature had given him. The sheer defiance, the unyielding will. Those green eyes that stared back into his. That dared to challenge him.
His fist clenched, and his eyes glowed intensely.
The Fire Demon's lips parted as his breath flowed out like a pyroclastic cloud.
In a deep guttural voice that shook the very realm. The Father of All Cataclysms uttered two words.
"Ben Tennyson."
Tony Stark has been in his fair share of fights before and after putting on his armor. In that time, he's lost count of the number of times he's been punched in the face.
Well, in his youthful playboy days, he's lost count. The number of times he's been punched by angry husbands and ex-boyfriends for his drunken hookups was too numerous to count.
From the moment he became Iron Man. He could count the number of times on one hand.
But the top the most painful punches would be Wonder Man, Captain America, and, most recently, Shrek's hillbilly cousin that was currently trying to cave his face in.
The billionaire received an uppercut from Ulik, the Rock Troll, which sent him flying off his feet.
Tony never thought he would ever say this, but he owed Captain America a huge thank you for those fighting tips.
Just as the hulking beast-man was about to hit him, Tony quickly jumped back, and the momentum of the first carried him the rest of the way. Reducing the impact force slightly.
Which was still painful had Tony not been in motion as that giant knuckleduster was coming at him like a freight train. His ribcage would have been reduced to a fine powder.
But that still resulted in the wind being knocked out of him as he landed on his back. Gasping for air.
As Tony tried to recover from his injury, the Dwarf King, Eitri, drew his sword and attempted to battle the Rock Troll himself.
The Dwarf King swung his blade, but Ulik blocked it easily with his knuckledusters.
Before Eitri could make another swing, Ulik grabbed a nearby stone pillar and proceeded to rip the solid stone out of the ground and used it like a bat to swat the Dwarf King away.
The impact knocked the King's weapon from his hand as it clattered to the ground of the cave.
Seeing the Dwarf get sent flying, Tony aimed his gauntlet at Ulik. The hatch on the forearm opened and deployed a mini-missile. Only one was installed in the gauntlet, as most of the munitions were shored higher up the arm to reduce the possibility of accidental detonation.
But without a targeting system, Tony had to eyeball the rocket, holding his head in line with his arm as he fired the mini explosive.
By some miracle, the missile hit its mark and detonated against Ulik's chest.
However, that only seemed to anger the Troll as he charged at Tony like a bull.
The Billionaire raised his repulsor to blast the monster away. But Ulik was much faster than he appeared as he swiftly closed the distance and brought both his fists together on the gauntlet.
Tony cried out in pain as the knuckledusters shattered his gauntlet to pieces. Reducing the last remnant of his armor to a useless pile of scrap.
The now completely armor-less Iron Man dropped to his knees, gripping his injured arm as the massive Rock Troll towered over him.
"I am going to tear you apart, Mortal! And then I will finish the Dwarf King!" Ulik growled at Tony.
Stark gritted his teeth as he rubbed his sore wrist. This was pointless. How could he possibly think that he could take on a guy like this with one gauntlet? So much for being a genius.
Tony raised his head. At the very least, he could look this guy in the eye and give him one last insult before he died with some dignity.
However, as he raised his head, he caught a glimpse of Eitri's sword lying a few feet behind Ulik.
And one last, incredibly dumb, idea formed in his head.
Well, today was the day for dumb ideas. May as well go all in.
Just as Ulik raised his left foot to squash Tony like a bug. The Billionaire launched forward, combat rolling under the Rock Troll's large frame, and dashed for the sword.
He scooped up the blade, which in his hands was about the size of a long dagger.
But, just as he turned to face the Monstrous Villain. Ulik appeared right in front of him.
The Rock Troll's massive paw wrapped around Tony's waist and started squeezing him like an anaconda. Lifting him off the ground like an action figure.
Dispute his situation, Tony still raised the dagger above his head and gripped it with both hands. Seemingly to stab Ulik in the face with it.
Seeing the attempt, Ulik laughed at the Mortal's pathetic actions.
"If you think a little knife can hurt me?" The Rock Troll mocked with condescension.
"No," Tony stated with a cocky smirk. "But I think this can."
With that, Tony thrust the dagger down…
Directly into his Arc Reactor.
Tony rammed the tip of the blade into the outer rim of the Arc Reactor. Slipping into the gap of the transparent cover.
The Genius Billionaire used the knife as a lever and, with a big pull, popped the top of the Arc Reactor clean off.
Like opening a hatch on a submarine, repulsor energy blasted out of the reactor. A massive amount of blue energy erupted from Tony's chest, hitting Ulik at point-blank range in the face and sending the Troll flying across the cavern. With Tony being blown in the other direction.
When the energy beam died down, Tony landed on the ground with a loud thud. His chest was smoking as Arc Reactor energy continued to flow out of the exposed core.
Ulik, on the other hand, was blown through several walls and rendered unconscious. Smoke bellowed from his mouth, from where the beam hit him.
The Rock Troll let out a weak groan before sliding down the wall and collapsing on the floor.
Tony weakly raised his head to see the result of his handiwork. He gave a small chuckle.
"Yeah. That showed him." He panted before his head dropped and closed his eyes.
He could already feel his head getting lighter and his breath shallowing. With the core exposed, the Arc Reactor will continue to leak energy until it runs dry. By his calculations, the core would continue leaking for a good hour or two before shutting down.
Unfortunately, he will be long dead before that. With the reactor leaking energy into the air, none of that energy is being used to keep his heart going.
But he did it. He beat that monster and saved the life of the Dwarf King.
He didn't waste his life. He only hoped that it was enough.
With one last sigh of satisfaction. Tony Stark's consciousness slipped, and he accepted his fate.
Just then, the Dwarf King Eitri rushed towards the Fallen Hero.
Having bore witness to the Mortal's heroic actions, the Dwarf King could not simply stand by and do nothing.
He noticed his blade lying on the ground. Next to it, a small round transparent disc.
The Dwarf King picked up the small disc and examined it before rushing to Tony's side.
Eitri saw the glow emanating from the mortal's chest. He did not understand this magic. Nor could he comprehend how this Mortal device functions.
But, from what he witnessed, the magic that gave this mortal life was now flowing out of his body. Which only happened due to him removing the seal that contained it.
Acting on faith, Eitri placed the cover back on the Arc reactor. With the power sealed, energy flowed back into Tony's body as his heart sprung back to life.
The sudden sensation of life back in his body caused Tony's eyes to spring open as he let out a sudden gasp and lurched forward. Panting heavily, his lungs filled with air. It never tasted so sweet until that very moment.
It was so sweet that he almost choked on it. Coughing and heaving before letting out a sigh and a big, goofy grin on his face.
The Dwarf King was taken aback by the Mortals display, but it was quickly replaced with a smile as he offered his hand to his saviour.
"Come, we must get to the forge before more of Loki's forces arrive," Eitri said, pulling Tony to his feet and proceeding to lead him down the path.
Just as Tony was about to leave with him, he looked back to the fallen dwarves. Both guards lay where they fell in combat against Ulik. It didn't seem right to leave them here. What if they had families? Or friends that cared about them? Should they not be laid to rest?
Tony felt a broad hand pat his arm. He looked down to see Eitri, his head lowered and his jaw clenched.
"Fret not, Iron Man. We shall return for the fallen. They gave their lives to ensure that we reached the forge. We must honour their sacrifice." The Dwarf King said as he walked away.
Iron Man looked to the King and then to the dead dwarves. While he didn't want to leave them. He knew Eitri was right. They weren't safe here, and if another Troll like Ulik showed up, he'd have no chance of fighting them off like last time.
Reluctantly, the Billionaire joined the Dwarf King as they moved down the cavern.
Now that the danger has passed and his brush with death has been averted, Tony felt this was a good time to satisfy his curiosity. "The forge? What do you build there?"
Eitri was practically beaming with pride at the question. "We dwarves are the finest smiths in the nine realms. In this place, I personally crafted Thor Odinson's hammer, Mjolnir."
The passion in the dwarf's voice, the sparkle in his eye, and the pride in his work made Tony feel a kinship with the Dwarf King—someone who understands the value of building something with your own two hands, witnessing that creation go on to do extraordinary things, and taking pride in their abilities.
Of course, if there is one thing a craftsman values more than his creations, it's the prospect of a new project.
"Ever make a suit of armor?" He asked as the two walked down the tunnel.
In the halls of Asgard, Thor Odinson faced humiliation on an unthinkable scale. Loki paraded him around the palace in his shackles, dragged along by a pair of Ogres.
The Trickster God opened the heavy doors to the courtyard of the palace. Where Odin would come to speak to the people. Now reduced to a mockery for Loki to bask in his glory. A stage for him to revel in Thor's pain.
"So ends the rule of Odin." Loki declared with malicious glee.
He looked at the Trolls as they shoved Thor forward, causing him to lose his balance and drop to his knees.
The Thunderer grunted as he lifted his foot under him and glared at his evil stepbrother.
"If you are keeping me alive only to boast, then you are making a mistake, Loki." Thor threatened as he clenched his fists in rage.
Loki, however, was not intimidated in the slightest. He merely grinned at the Thunder Gods empty threats as he stepped aside to give Thor a view of the courtyard.
There, Thor saw the full extent of Loki's rule, and his heart wept.
Asgard, the Golden City, the Realm Eternal. His home that he had protected from many threats over countless mortal lifetimes. Laid in ruins.
Its people, captives, and put in cages like beasts. The streets are crawling with Ogres, Trolls, Frost Giants, and many more.
"I do not make mistakes, brother," Loki stated in a chilling tone as he forced Thor's head down to look into the courtyard.
Thor's jaw clenched as he saw a group of Asgardian Warriors, noble defenders of the realm. Loyal to Odin and the people of Asgard. On their knees in chains.
They were all lined up, one behind the other, awaiting their fate. For at the front of the line lay a round wooden stump. Flanked on each side were a pair of Ogres wielding axes.
One of the Ogres grinned as he raised his axe and embedded the blade in the stump with a loud thunk that echoed across the courtyard.
Thor's eyes narrowed. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was about to happen.
This was a public execution.
"Worry not, Thor," Loki said, barely able to contain his excitement for the prospect.
"There is a spot left for you."
Imprisoned in his own home. His brother, whom he once trusted with his very life, put him in chains. And now he is to be executed for all the realms to see.
In this hour of need. Thor, Prince of Asgard, God of Thunder, prayed with all his heart.
His biggest mistake was not putting his faith in those he had considered less than him. Mortals, he called them, believing that he, a god, was above them. That they needed him to watch over and protect them. That they would never survive without him there.
But he was so misguided. His hubris blinded him to the truth. They did not need him; he needed them. When the world needed them, when he was unable to lend aid, they rose up, faced the threats, and emerged victorious.
They saved his life more times than he could count, and he was proud to stand beside them. Not as a god or a prince. But as an Avenger.
Now, it was his turn to have faith. To believe in them.
"Avengers, hear my prayer," Thor whispered. "I place my hopes with you. Now is the time to show the Nine Realms why they call you mighty."
He raised his head and looked out over the city. Where the Rainbow Bridge flowed into the forever beyond.
"Avenge me!"
And that's a wrap!
Hot dang, things are sure getting heated up here! XD
I hope you have all enjoyed part 2 of the Asgard arc. I ended up adding quite a bit to this chapter. Being able to expand some of the fights and interactions was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed adding more to the Nine Worlds to expand a little of Thor's side of the lore. We sort of rushed past a lot of it in the show and didn't get to fully appreciate the other realms.
So I thought I would expand on some things since I had the chance. Those of you who are familiar with other Marvel animated products would have noticed the little references I included, especially during the Valkyries scenes.
But the biggest challenge was Muspellheim. Oh wow, was this part tricky to write, especially with how important Surtur and his Fire Demons are going to be later in the series. I did my best to make sure that what happened here won't affect the future plot. Hope it worked and you guys were able to enjoy it.
Yeah, I added Balder and Heimdall to the mix with Ben. A lot of Thor's supporting cast doesn't seem to get the respect they deserve, so I wanted to add as much of the cast as I could manage here.
And finally, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to bring Ultimate Arctiguana. An Ultimate that appeared so briefly in the show that we wonder why bother including them. Omniverse was many things, but good time management was not one of them. So I'm glad I could use this opportunity to show off more of what this Ultimate could do. Please let me know what you think of his expanded powerset.
Well, people, one more chapter and that's it for season 1 of EMH. Such a wild ride to get here. You have all made this journey worth it. I never would have reached this point had you all not encouraged and supported me. Thank you all so much. I promise the next chapter will be the biggest one yet. I have so many ideas for this chapter, so get ready. I won't pull any punches for this one.
Be sure to leave your reviews and feel free to PM me with any questions that you may have.
Until next time. CaptainRex75 out!