16 Eternal-Deviant Thor Part VI

"What?" He questioned, looking to the stump that had once been his hand.

Then something pierced into his side, and the Fallen One looked down, seeing a blade sticking out of the Celestial Armour Thor wore. He grunted out, blood spilling out around the blade as Thor looked out towards him with a glare and deep snarl as he slowly pushed the blade in further. Gripping hold of the wrist, the Fallen One attempted to not only stop him but push the blade out only for blood to suddenly erupt out from his mouth.

At that moment, Thor had manipulated the blade he had pierced into his stomach, dozens of spikes bursting out and tearing apart the Fallen One's insides.

"You lose." Thor snarled, his free hand gripping hold of the Fallen One's face, thumb pressing into his eye and pushed in. As he did, he continued to manipulate the spikes within his opponent's body, continuing to tear apart his internal organs. Then, he concentrated his cosmic energy through his thumb and directly into the head of the Fallen One.

Despite all his power, at the end of the day, even the Fallen One could be killed. Just like every being in the Cosmos.

Mere moments later it exploded outwards, splattering Thor's already damaged body in the blood of the Fallen One. Grunting out, he leaned his arm to the side, the body collapsing beside him as he looked to the sky.

The fight had been short, but brutal. He had pushed himself to the limits and nearly lost, the last-minute reminder of what the Celestial Armour could do. Now he could barely feel his body over the pain that wracked his body. Everything hurt and he could barely move a muscle now that he had fully collapsed to the floor.

It was like the feeling Donar and Vingthor felt when finishing their final battles at the end of Ragnarök. A feeling he hadn't endured in his time alive and in a way, despite his position and vulnerability, despite feeling like he was on death's door, he had never felt more alive. That battle had been the greatest thing he had ever endured, better than even his battle against the Celestials.

In this battle he had been evenly matched, he gave everything and the Fallen One matched it blow for blow. No matter what tactics he used, what powers he used, victory had not gotten any closer. Yet despite all that, he had emerged victorious and that made him feel on top of the world.

-X- Line Break -X-

His flight was slow, just the slight movement of his body made pain erupt outwards. His eyes were barely open, swollen into massive lumps, dried blood covering his face, a mix of red and black in colour. His armour covered almost entirely in the black blood of the Fallen One, only slight patches of grey armour clear to see.

As he approached the last remaining piece of land that had been untouched by the battle between himself and the Fallen One, or that of the battle against the Proemial Gods and the World-Eater, he slowly lowered down. His feet were wobbly as they came into contact with the ground, fatigue and exhaustion almost robbing him of his balance as he just barely caught himself.

Then began the slow trudge across the land, bypassing the various eyes that watched him warily. None did anything, the survivors of the battle were unwilling to act and instead just watched.

Thor was not worried and instead focused upon the large volcano in the distance. One possessing a deep crater in the side where he knew Mjolnir would be awaiting and made his way towards it. He didn't know how long it took, how far he walked, his mind was in a state of pure concentration and focus. None of that registering in his mind as he continued to walk up the volcano and then sliding down the crater till he rested near Mjolnir.

Unlike before, it didn't register his presence, proof that it had not been a mistake, he couldn't lift it.

"You have secured victory." Beside him the earth rose up, taking the shape of a woman. The rocky body it possessed, condensing and shifting into that of a beautiful brown-haired woman dressed in a green dress.

"Jörd," Thor murmured, looking upon the woman who was the mother of Thor Odinson, the Prince of Asgard; his mother. "Forgive me for the destruction."

"It is more favourable than death." Jörd, or Gaea as she was more commonly referred to as spoke. "The World Eater is not only a title but the truth of who the being is and what he does. I would have been devoured by him had it not been for the Proemial Gods drawing him away from me. And had you not defeated the Fallen One then I could have still been destroyed."

Gaea's words did little to comfort Thor. "Yet it was I who killed a Celestial, its power drawing the World Eaters attention to you."

"If you had not, the children who inhabit me would have all been killed by the Celestials. As they are, they now live and while their numbers are small, they will grow once more." Gaea responded, then turning and raising one hand, the world around him for miles seemed to shift. He watched it all, the trees and plants seemingly growing a richer green in colour. Dying and withering life returning to full prominence. "And thanks to the Celestials power that you destroyed, I can rebuild myself stronger than before. This destruction is unfortunate, but nothing that cannot be fixed."

"I am relieved that is the case," Thor answered sincerely.

"And what do you intend to do now, Thor?"

Thor shook his head. "I am not Thor Odinson, only a fraction of him." Gaea looked at him in confusion and he nodded his head towards Mjolnir. "It is silent, it does not recognise me. At first, it did, but as I touched it, as soon as it rested in my hands, it knew I wasn't Thor Odinson."

"Then what does that mean for you?"

"Death has already told me that I am not the only fraction of Thor's soul that she will release into the Cosmos. And Antiphon told me that someday, a Thor would come and unite us all. That he would save the people of Asgard." Thor frowned, fist-clenching tightly. "I had thought that Thor to be me, but I am mistaken. So until such a time that the Thor arrives, I shall remain here, guarding and watching over Mjolnir and the Deviants that live upon this island."

Thor and Gaea looked upon the island and while Thor could only see a few, Gaea could see all those upon the island. The tribes of Deviants that had escaped here during the chaos of the Celestials battle.

"I know from Vingthor's memories how humanity views Deviants. Donar's memories proved it also. They will never be accepted, always looked upon as beasts, monsters and will be hunted as such." Thor told her. "Until such a time that the Thor comes, the one that is worthy of Mjolnir and able to save the people of Asgard, I shall remain here."

"A lonely existence."

"It is my duty." Thor's voice was firm.

Gaea's face gave nothing away. "And what happens should a Thor come that is not destined to save your people? What happens if a Thor that has become corrupted comes looking for Mjolnir?"

"I have no need to worry. I have seen the memories of Donar and the memories of Vingthor. I have seen the powers they possessed as Thor Odinson. Both possess great power, so much so that even as I am now, I would not be able to beat them. Yet it is clear that Donar was the much more powerful." Thor's frown deepened further to the point it became a scowl of rage. "I do not know if it is due to a portion of our soul being split away, or mayhap's due to the influence of those that hide in shadows, but Thor Odinson grows weaker with every cycle."

"Every cycle makes Thor weaker. Every soul that is split from the main by Death possesses only a fraction of its original power. Donar and Vingthor were the first and most powerful Thor's, I will be more than capable of handling any Thor that comes looking for Mjolnir. Especially with the Celestial Armour. And so I shall wait.