[cross the rainbow bridge of asgard]
His brother's face stares down at him, multiplied a dozen times, each one twisted, laughing, mocking, as more and more Lokis materialize out of thin air. As a single entity, the small army crowds Thor, still on his back from an earlier blow, a veritable arsenal of Gungnirs poised to strike. But Thor's already died today, and he has no need to do so again, not once more by his brother's hand, not when the Bifrost is about to destroy an entire race should he not be able to stop it.
"Enough!" Thor yells, and with Mjolnir, he summons a cloud of electricity so bright as to obscure his vision, and dispels it outwards in a sudden burst. The Lokis scatter, all disappearing into the ether from which they came save for the original, who lands, hard, some distance away, his weapon just out of reach. With a grunt, Thor at last pulls himself to his feet, and strides towards his brother. His breaths are heavy, but not to the same extent as Loki's, who lays winded on his back.
For a moment Thor simply stares down at his brother, expression stony. Then, very deliberately, he places Mjolnir on Loki's chest, forcing him to stay put, as only the worthy can wield its power. A clever liar his brother may be, but his silver tongue is of no match for a hammer forged in the heart of a dying star. He's trapped, and though Thor doesn't look back as he marches forward with unsteady legs towards the Bifrost that crackles with unbridled power, the sound of Loki's strained screams reaches his ears over the din.
"Look at you," he shouts, and Thor turns around on the spot, the rest of Asgard seeming dark in comparison to the blinding light now at his back, though he wastes no time staring at his brother for long. "The Mighty Thor... With all your strength! And what good does it do you now, huh?!" Loki's helmet grinds against the Rainbow Bridge, his head flinging back from the fruitless effort of trying to free himself. "Did you hear me, brother? There's nothing you can do!"
For every second the Bifrost remains open, the whole of Jotunheim suffers unspeakable damage. Though there was a time that Thor would have killed every last Frost Giant with his bare hands, he's changed, has learned the lesson his father would have taught him. No more should die today. His strength should count for something.
Tearing his gaze once more from the light, Thor reaches out behind him, silently calling out for Mjolnir. The hammer flies into his hand, and without pause, he swings the weapon downward. Again and again, he strikes with all his might, so recently reclaimed, each hit accompanied with a shower of glaring light. The Bridge cracks and fractures, but it does not yet break, still standing against Thor's will.
"What are you doing?" demands Loki, sounding shocked, even as Thor lets out another mindless yell, hitting the Bridge anew. This time, there's more give. He's getting somewhere, though the circumstances would demand more haste. "If you destroy the Bridge, you'll never see her again!"
Yet in spite of his brother's protests, in spite of his brother's point, Thor does not yield. The lives of many outweigh the happiness of a few, and whatever promise he made must go unfulfilled to do what is right.
"Forgive me, Jane," he says, though she's nowhere near to hear him, and with a thunderous roar, he delivers what he knows must be the final strike. Distantly, he's aware that Loki's at his back, having sufficiently recovered to launch a new attack, but it's too late. The Bridge is broken, and the ensuing explosion is like nothing Thor has ever experienced, white and all consuming, rattling his very bones as he's blown back.
His body hits water as though its surface is solid rock. Knocked breathless, bubbles of precious air escape his mouth in a steady stream. Wherever it is he's landed, Thor hasn't the slightest idea, but as he fights against the sodden weight of his cape and armour that's threatening to keep him under, it doesn't escape his notice that Mjolnir doesn't answer his wordless call.
CLOSED TO NEW TAGS.
"Enough!" Thor yells, and with Mjolnir, he summons a cloud of electricity so bright as to obscure his vision, and dispels it outwards in a sudden burst. The Lokis scatter, all disappearing into the ether from which they came save for the original, who lands, hard, some distance away, his weapon just out of reach. With a grunt, Thor at last pulls himself to his feet, and strides towards his brother. His breaths are heavy, but not to the same extent as Loki's, who lays winded on his back.
For a moment Thor simply stares down at his brother, expression stony. Then, very deliberately, he places Mjolnir on Loki's chest, forcing him to stay put, as only the worthy can wield its power. A clever liar his brother may be, but his silver tongue is of no match for a hammer forged in the heart of a dying star. He's trapped, and though Thor doesn't look back as he marches forward with unsteady legs towards the Bifrost that crackles with unbridled power, the sound of Loki's strained screams reaches his ears over the din.
"Look at you," he shouts, and Thor turns around on the spot, the rest of Asgard seeming dark in comparison to the blinding light now at his back, though he wastes no time staring at his brother for long. "The Mighty Thor... With all your strength! And what good does it do you now, huh?!" Loki's helmet grinds against the Rainbow Bridge, his head flinging back from the fruitless effort of trying to free himself. "Did you hear me, brother? There's nothing you can do!"
For every second the Bifrost remains open, the whole of Jotunheim suffers unspeakable damage. Though there was a time that Thor would have killed every last Frost Giant with his bare hands, he's changed, has learned the lesson his father would have taught him. No more should die today. His strength should count for something.
Tearing his gaze once more from the light, Thor reaches out behind him, silently calling out for Mjolnir. The hammer flies into his hand, and without pause, he swings the weapon downward. Again and again, he strikes with all his might, so recently reclaimed, each hit accompanied with a shower of glaring light. The Bridge cracks and fractures, but it does not yet break, still standing against Thor's will.
"What are you doing?" demands Loki, sounding shocked, even as Thor lets out another mindless yell, hitting the Bridge anew. This time, there's more give. He's getting somewhere, though the circumstances would demand more haste. "If you destroy the Bridge, you'll never see her again!"
Yet in spite of his brother's protests, in spite of his brother's point, Thor does not yield. The lives of many outweigh the happiness of a few, and whatever promise he made must go unfulfilled to do what is right.
"Forgive me, Jane," he says, though she's nowhere near to hear him, and with a thunderous roar, he delivers what he knows must be the final strike. Distantly, he's aware that Loki's at his back, having sufficiently recovered to launch a new attack, but it's too late. The Bridge is broken, and the ensuing explosion is like nothing Thor has ever experienced, white and all consuming, rattling his very bones as he's blown back.
His body hits water as though its surface is solid rock. Knocked breathless, bubbles of precious air escape his mouth in a steady stream. Wherever it is he's landed, Thor hasn't the slightest idea, but as he fights against the sodden weight of his cape and armour that's threatening to keep him under, it doesn't escape his notice that Mjolnir doesn't answer his wordless call.
CLOSED TO NEW TAGS.