1 Eternal Thor Part I

Victory and defeat.

Death and life.

The world was a constant cycle, built upon the very foundations of balance being found in contradictions. Every aspect of reality had a direct opposite to oppose it. With that contrast, balance could be found and that was the very foundation of reality.

He had lived his life as a warrior, fighting upon the battlefield. The Strongest and Greatesf of the Aesir they called him, but he was never praised for his intelligence. Just as he was strong, to balance such a force he was not made smart. But just because he wasn't smart, didn't mean he was stupid.

Thor was many things in his life, those who had known him called him many things. Some he liked, some he didn't but Thor had long since stopped caring about such minuscule and petty things. He lived purely within the moment, loving his wife Sif and enjoying the thrill of battle. Of fighting a foe where he could truly cut loose with all his might.

During the final days of Ragnarök, he had enjoyed his final pleasurable evening with Sif before heading out to battle the Midgard Serpent, Jörmungandr. Thor knew his fate, had always strived towards it after being told of his death by the Fates.

He much like all the Aesir did not fear death.

No, he craved it in its purest form. He craved a glorious death, to face it with all his strength and a smile upon his face. Thor wanted to make his death a story to be told in the great halls of Valhalla, to be sung across the cosmos. He wanted his death to be against a worthy foe that could not only match him but surpass him.

Thor had met such a foe in his battle against the World Serpent.

His mighty hammer, Mjolnir smashing its head open across the cosmos, destroying the very Yggdrasil in the wake of his strike. The world around him seemed to fall apart as Thor crumpled to his knees, the poison coursing throughout his body destroying him from within.

Yet he did not frown, nor beg, nor cry.

He did not fear what was to come, he looked forward to it with a smile upon his face. Even as in the distance, the skeletal figure of Death began to take shape, walking towards him, Thor did not waver. He was ready for his fate and rose as best as he could, unable to muster the strength to get to his feet.

Yet the figure before him changed, the skeletal face morphing into that of a young, pale-faced woman of haunting beauty. His breath caught in its throat, eyes widening as the woman walked towards him her robes twisting and changing to become more revealing, showcasing the pale skin of her curvaceous body.

'This is a sight to see before I go.' Thor thought to himself. "Lady Death."

The woman said nothing in response to his greeting, only coming to a stop before him as the world around them continued to tear apart and collapse in on itself. For a moment, he wondered if she truly was Death, the abstract form that he had come to learn from his father that all Gods of Death derived their power from.

"Thor Odinson." Whoever created such beauty, Thor did not know whether to curse or praise. Even her voice was enchanting, sending a cool chill up his spine. It was not an angelic sound, but haunting, much like the beauty she possessed. "You're task in this world is yet to be completed."

He went to speak only for the words to freeze in his mouth, his tongue unable to move and mouth unwilling to open. The poison was spreading deeper and deeper within him, grasping every fibre of his being, making him weaker and weaker.

"The future holds many challenges for your people, you especially." She told him. "My actions are limited, but yours are not. The survivors have allowed greed to rule them, absorbing the power around them to enrich themselves. They have escaped my grasp and I have seen their intentions. They threaten the delicate balance of the universe."

Survivors?

Escaping her grasp?

Thor had no clue as to what she meant nor what he was meant to do to stop this. He was on death's door, how was he meant to able her?

"You are free, but soon you will be theirs. Peasants now using their Prince as a puppet for their own means. But I will not allow them to escape my grasp forever, Death always finds a way to get what it desires." She told him and for a moment it took Thor some time to realise what she meant, but realisation soon began to dawn upon him.

This woman, she truly was Death.

And her pale hands reached out, drawing his soul forth, just as it began to pull away from her hands, withdrawing back into his body. He wasn't even consciously resisting, something else within him seemingly pulling him back to his body and away from her. However, her grasp was tight and before his very eyes, he watched part of his soul tear away.

It flickering and resting within her hand as his vision began to darken.

"You will awaken, unknowing of your future. But part of you, he will remember. He shall continue the journey and together." Those words spoken from the haunting beauty rung within his mind as his eyes began to close fully, breathing slowing to a halt. "When the time comes, you, Thor Odinson shall save your people and bring to me the fools who defy me."

He could barely register those words before he collapsed, form seemingly melting away into nothingness like the rest of his surroundings. But Death herself remained, stood with the abyss of space and time, nothing living or moving except a hole of swarming energy.

Yet around her, shadows pulsed fearfully, shrinking away from wherever her gaze touched. "You shall be mine eventually. He shall be my tool to bring you to me. Kill him if you wish, but Ragnarök can never be completed without Thor Odinson. Bring it about sooner and I can once again appear. You may have escaped my grasp momentarily, but all you have done is put yourself in a hole with no escape. Death will not be kind to you. I…will not be kind to you."

Then, Death released the portion of Thor's soul within her hands, releasing it within the swarming mass of energy. Shadows from all around rushed to reach it before the soul could enter but it was too late.

Death watched it all with a vacant gaze, neither pleased nor annoyed. She simply was finished with her task, though if one knew Death well enough, they might have noticed the glitter of amusement in her eyes as she watched the shadows rage.

Yet Death did not remain, disappearing from her position within the void of nothingness as seamlessly as she had appeared. Almost as if she was never really there to begin with.

-X- Line Break -X-

Daina looked towards her child, a young boy no older than a few years old. He was her first child, the first of a new generation of Eternals. She knew little about why she had been chosen, or why she had to undergo what she had.

All she knew was that a group of Godlike beings, possessing power beyond anything she had imagined had arrived on their world. She, taken from her home and brought to a strange, mystical area. Others had been there, some changing before her eyes into grotesque figures, others never returning alive again.

Daina was one of the lucky ones, those called the Eternals who had succeeded. Though she didn't really know if she had, the beings that called themselves the Celestials had never told them what they considered to be a success, only giving them, the Eternals orders to follow. But when looking at the others, the Deviants then Daina was inclined to believe that she was a success.

After all, she was gifted with great power that she had never imagined possessing.

And now here she was, with a son she loved surrounded by those that she could call family. It was much better than her old life and in a way, Daina thanked and loved the Celestials for giving her such a chance.

"Donar." She called, the young blonde-haired child looking up from where he had been staring at the space between his hands. "What are you doing?"

"Practicing." He replied, turning back to looking at his hands, eyes scrunching up cutely in concentration. Daina didn't know if it was normal for children to be so literate at such a young age, nor so able. But perhaps, Eternals were different from normal humans?

Daina couldn't say, all she could do was accept her son, Donar for who he was. A smart and determined little boy who made her proud with every achievement he made.

She still remembered holding him in her arms, he was a normal size for a baby or so she had been told. Yet he was heavy in her hands, the power that resided within all Eternals was greatly concentrated within him. All Eternals had felt it, even their leader, the first and greatest Eternal, Makkari had arrived to see her child.

And Donar had not disappointed, not that she had ever placed expectations upon him. She had even moved away from the main village, her husband Kronos remaining to lead the village as to not place unwanted pressure upon her son.

Yet he continued to impress all those with tales of his progress.

Even by Eternal standards, his levels of strength were impressive and while he had yet to access the power residing within him, Donar continued to work.

Feeling a pulse of energy from within her son, Daina's eyes widening momentarily, moving around to gain a better view. And there, sparking to life between his hands was sparks of lighting.

Overjoyed, Daina let out a cheer, clapping her hands. Her son was truly blessed by the Celestials to have already begun to manipulate the power within him. Even she had struggled greatly and many Eternals were still learning. Yet her baby boy, no older than five years was already beginning to make progress.