Fear can shatter a person's will, and Thor was currently in that exact state. His mind was a jumbled mess of chaos and confusion, unable to form a coherent thought.
This fear was like a creeping virus, a curse that grew slowly and steadily, so subtly that Thor didn't even notice it at first. When he initially returned to Asgard, he might have had a spark of courage, but as the fear took root, that courage gradually eroded until it vanished completely.
Now, he couldn't think at all. Thor sat alone, his once vibrant, cheerful, and determined face now pale and weary. His eyes were vacant and dull.
He didn't know how much time had passed when he heard footsteps, but he ignored them. A figure sat down beside him—it was Loki. Loki looked at Thor, who was as still and lifeless as a statue, and a storm of complex emotions raged within him: pleasure, hatred, and a sense of regret for his own unfulfilled ambitions.
He had always envied Thor. Since they were children, he had longed for the brilliance that Thor possessed, a brilliance that seemed to overshadow his own. He had dreamed countless times of outshining Thor, but every attempt had failed. Thor was like a shadow, a constant nightmare that haunted him. He hated Thor for being so brilliant and Odin for being so biased.
But now, seeing Thor so utterly defeated, a sight he had never witnessed before—like a child who had been beaten into submission and numbness—he felt a renewed sense of indignation. He was indignant because Thor was the very person he had vowed to surpass, no matter what insidious methods he had to use.
Loki didn't want to see this version of Thor fall in such a pathetic way.
He wasn't the type to offer a heartfelt talk. Instead, he looked at Thor and said in a sarcastic tone, "Look at you, my dear brother. The one who was once so brilliant, the man countless people believed would become the greatest king in Asgard's history. But here you are, the future king who would surpass Father Odin, hiding like a coward while Asgard faces a crisis."
"Are you going to let our warriors fight the serpent alone while you cower here?"
Loki's biting words were meant to provoke Thor and snap him out of his stupor, but to Loki's disappointment, Thor remained completely unresponsive. He just mumbled numbly, "I can't do it. I can't fight him."
"He's too powerful."
Loki's eyes filled with anger, and he gritted his teeth. He angrily grabbed Thor's collar, lifting him up and looking him straight in the eyes. "This is nonsense! I know how strong that serpent is. I've faced him, just like you."
"But I was not defeated! I'm ready to fight alongside you. Even though I know I might die, I haven't lost my courage. But you, my brother... you want to run away. Your will has been crushed by fear. This isn't the Thor I know, and it's not the Thor I want to surpass."
"Wake up! You know that if you do this, Father, Mother, and everyone we know will die. Asgard will be ruled by that tyrant, and our duty to protect the Nine Realms will be lost forever. We will become a permanent laughingstock."
This was an unprecedented roar from Loki, a barrage that hit Thor like a thunderclap. Thor's dull eyes flickered for a moment but then reverted to a dead, vacant stare. He couldn't even meet Loki's gaze, his eyes darting away in shame.
That cowardly look made Loki laugh with a furious rage. He violently shoved Thor to the ground, then mercilessly placed his foot on Thor's head and pressed down, grinding it into the floor. He spat out a sentence through gritted teeth, "You are not Thor, and you are not my brother. I, Loki, do not have a brother like this. Odin and your mother do not have a son like this."
"You will be a stain on the history of Asgard, a piece of trash despised by all. You have betrayed the proud bloodline of Odinson. You are a disgrace to our family!"
As he spoke, a dagger appeared in his hand. He released his foot, bent down, and grabbed Thor by the neck, lifting him to his feet. He walked a few steps before pinning him against the wall of the corridor. The tip of the dagger pierced the skin of Thor's neck; with just a little more force, it would have gone straight in.
But Loki's hands were shaking. His eyes were red, filled with both murderous intent and an inexplicable sadness.
Just as Loki hesitated, a terrifying roar echoed across all of Asgard, accompanied by a wave of immense and dreadful energy. A horrifying power of fear began to spread. The entire kingdom trembled as a golden magical shield shimmered to life over the city, constantly resisting the energy unleashed by the serpent.
"Asgardian warriors, prepare for battle!"
"ROAR!"
Below, countless fully armed Asgardian warriors roared, their collective battle cry shaking the heavens. The entire city of Asgard began to operate like a finely tuned machine of war.
"Damn you, serpent!" Loki cursed, letting go of Thor. Thor slid down the wall and huddled on the ground, shivering as he muttered, "He's coming. We can't defeat him. We are destined to fail."
"Then you just watch, Thor. I will lead all the warriors of Asgard and the gods to defeat that bastard!"
Loki turned abruptly, but then he seemed to remember something. He held out his hand, and a shimmering light appeared, forming a single petal with a wisp of golden energy. He knelt down, grabbed Thor's hand, placed the petal in his palm, and instructed him to hold it tightly. Seeing the fear in Thor's eyes, he sighed softly before turning and leaping from the corridor.
Thor just sat there, holding the petal Loki had given him. His lips moved slightly, and he dully opened his palm, staring at the golden light in a daze.
In the Asgardian square, the entire army was lined up in perfect order. The gods and commanders were fully armed. The people of Asgard did not flee, for they were Asgardians. In this moment of life and death, they would stand with their home.
In the sky, a green figure descended and landed in front of everyone. The green light faded, revealing a person wearing a horned helmet and holding the Gungnir, the Eternal Spear, an artifact of authority that only Odin could wield. He scanned the faces of the gods and the determined, fearless warriors.
A faint smile touched Loki's pale and handsome face. If it were Thor, he would be filled with passionate fire. He would raise Mjolnir, the symbol of his power, and swear an oath to all the warriors. But Loki did no such thing. He just watched silently, as if trying to etch every face into his memory.
Then he turned and looked up at the sky. Without a word, without a grand gesture, he stood in front of everyone, including the gods, silently declaring his resolve.
Boom!
Finally, the magical barrier over Asgard was shattered by the serpent's immense power. The enormous serpent, a creature that blotted out the sun, slithered through the air. The oppressive sense of fear it exuded was a palpable, terrible force that spread wantonly.
Under this overwhelming power, everyone in Asgard, without exception, felt the creeping dread. Even the hardened Asgardian warriors began to tremble. As the fear grew, Loki raised the Gungnir, the Eternal Spear, and struck the ground with a resounding Ding!
The crisp sound spread like a ripple through all of Asgard, a spring breeze that dispersed the growing fear in the hearts of everyone, from the unarmed citizens to the soldiers and gods.
"People of Asgard..." Loki roared, raising the spear high.
"In the face of any enemy, we are..."
"FEARLESS!"
The eyes of every Asgardian turned red with ferocity as they roared in unison, their collective will rising up to fight against the serpent's power of fear.
"Hahaha, fearless anger? No, you should be afraid! All of you should be afraid of me, the true God-King! The despicable and hypocritical Odin stole my throne, and you will all pay the price for your foolish loyalty!" The serpent's voice boomed like thunder.
The next moment, its massive tail swung.
Boom!
Countless Asgardian buildings were smashed by the serpent's boundless power. The entire city shook, and rubble rained down from the sky. Loki, holding Gungnir, aimed directly at the serpent. A terrifying golden beam erupted from the spear, striking the serpent's massive body.
The creature roared in pain. "Gungnir? Do you think you're worthy of wielding it? Very well. But it's not enough."
The serpent lowered its massive head to look at Loki, its mouth opening to reveal a brilliant purple light, a terrible energy brewing within. It was preparing to unleash a devastating attack to obliterate anyone who dared to resist it.
However, a faint smile curved on Loki's lips. "Is that so?"
Just as the serpent was about to unleash its energy blast, a strong, tall figure emerged from Odin's treasury. Clad in silver armor, he saw the enemy, squatted down, and with a powerful push, launched himself into the air.
Bang!
The explosive airwaves spread out as he shot into the sky like a silver beam, rushing toward the serpent. The powerful impact struck the serpent's giant eye. The creature roared in pain, its attack interrupted, as the figure raised his fist and began to pummel its head. Each blow was like a tidal wave, exploding in layers of air, a testament to its immense force.
As the serpent was being attacked, other tall figures appeared on the streets below. There were rock men, massive monsters covered in scales, pink-skinned people, and dark elves. Each of them held a giant hammer.
They were the serpent's most loyal servants, the Sky Hammer Venerables, led by the Goddess of Winter, Casti.
"For Asgard!" Loki pointed Gungnir at the eight Sky Hammer Venerables at the end of the street and shouted coldly.
The next moment, a roar like a volcanic eruption thundered in their ears. With a passionate cry, countless Asgardian warriors surged forward, rushing past Loki and the gods to attack the Sky Hammer Venerables.
As for Loki and the other gods, like the God of War Tyr, they all leapt into the sky. Those who couldn't fly used their powerful legs to launch themselves into the air, while others rode flying mounts. A Pegasus with pure white wings appeared, and Loki landed perfectly on its back, rushing toward the serpent with the other gods.
The mighty war had begun.
Roars, cries, explosions, the sound of collapsing buildings, and the clang of colliding weapons all intertwined into a symphony of epic and tragic war.
The ground forces besieged and battled the Sky Hammer Venerables, while in the sky, countless flight units, along with Loki and the gods, attacked the serpent. The whole of Asgard was a maelstrom of war and blood.
No one retreated, and no one was afraid. Facing death, they suppressed their fear. With every passing minute and second, countless Asgardian warriors fell.
The great serpent was terrifying. Loki and the gods fought with all their might, but they couldn't seem to shake it. Every flap of its wings, every swing of its tail, and every burst of its fear-inducing power sent people falling from the sky like raindrops, along with the wreckage of their destroyed flight vehicles.
Life was incredibly fragile in this war.
Everywhere you looked, there were scenes of tragedy—destroyed buildings and dead Asgardian warriors. Yet, more warriors marched on, stepping over the corpses of their fallen comrades. Blood rained down as the last rays of the sunset vanished below the horizon and night fell.
Under the bright moonlight, Asgard was no longer beautiful or peaceful.
Thor stood in the hallway of a tall building far away, with the echoes of battle ringing in his ears. He held the petal tightly, slowly stood up, and looked up at the sky, watching the figures falling from above.
He saw Loki and the gods fighting desperately on the serpent's massive body. "What am I doing?" Thor's clouded mind seemed to be clearing, awakened by the shouts and roars of the Asgardian warriors.
He saw Loki being struck down again and again, only to rise and mount his Pegasus, wielding Gungnir once more. "My warriors, my brothers... they are fighting the enemy. And I am hiding here, just watching."
Thor clenched his fists, placing a hand over his heart. The fear that had consumed him was now ignited by a sudden flame. He lowered his head, and a wave of courage surged through him. Lightning flashed in his eyes.
"I am Thor. Odinson."
Boom!
The sky tore open, and a blinding bolt of thunder shattered the darkness.
(End of Chapter)
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