Sonatorrek: Þrymskviða - 4

[x-dominion.livejournal.com]

WARNING: MATURE SUBJECT MATTER

Kane interrupts the fight between Loki and Thor, possibly at the cost of his life.



Loki stepped forward, ready to make his own entry to Odin, but paused as the very human illumination of a pair of headlights fell on the clearing. The rented sedan pulled close, and Garrison Kane pulled himself out carefully. He could see his friends hanging in the energy field. In the middle, he could see the figure of Thor, holding a hammer aloft. He couldn’t tell if he was too late, just in time, or futile from the start, but he pushed himself away from the car and started forward. His black jacket concealed the blood still seeping from his back, and he hoped his healing factor could stop it in time.

“This was all you, wasn’t it?” He called out, walking forward with his gun drawn. The Enchantress smiled, turning to face the Canadian. “Something that you and he did started all of this; the symbols, the rapes, the murders.” Amora made a gesture, and Kane suddenly stopped, trapped in place just like the others it seemed, his body gone rigid.

"Another mortal caught in my trap, the last of many," came the reply, Amora's voice vibrating across the clearing, ringing with the power and magic that surrounded them. "Of course this was my doing - who else could have machinated all this? When I heard that Thor was to be punished on the mortal plane I knew my chance had come, and I took it. Soon I will have all that I deserve, and if it is to have the side effect of burning you all off the face of this insignificant planet, all the better."

"This is just a playing ground for a battle that has raged for longer than your species has been alive. Loki was as eager as I to ensure Thor meddles no further in the plans of Asgard, and so he and I struck a deal. A manifestation on Earth for him," she said with a wave towards the helmeted figure, "and a chance for a fair fight between the two brothers to end things once and for all. Truly, I am only helping the cycle to continue. What could be more fair?"

“If Thor kills Loki, you get everything.” Amora’s beautiful smile was more than enough of a confirmation. “Then fuck it.”

Kane turned, raised his gun, and fired three times. Two shots took Loki in the chest and the third shattered the visor on the helmet and punched through his head. The figure went down in a heap, amidst the stunned reactions of the others.

“No Loki, no Thor, and you are fucking under arrest.” Kane said, swinging his gun back around. But Thor had already moved, impossibly fast, and ripped the weapon from his hand easily.

“I caution you, guardsman. No one threatens my love with harm.” He said, his hammer crackling with energy. Garrison caught Amanda’s eye for a second, before facing him.

“That sounds like aiding and abetting, Fabio. I’m going to have to take you in too.”

“What idiocy is this? You would challenge the God of Thunder? By the Gods, you best learn your place, mortal. Before I am forced to crush you like an insect.”

“Yeah, see this?” Kane held up his badge. “This means I’m the tip of a whole bunch of laws that says so long as your feet are on that ground, you’re going to follow our rules. You really want to add resisting arrest to things?”

“Oh, this tiny shield?” He plucked the badge from Kane’s hand and held it out to show Amora. “Obviously it must be an artifact of greater magic than your powers, my love. This creature believes it will protect him from-“ Thor was cut off as Kane slammed a fist past the hands holding the badge and into Thor’s face. There was a sound like a crack of thunder as the god flew back, sliding along the ground for several metres from the strength of the blow.

“It wasn’t a request. You are both under arrest.” Kane said, doggedly. Everything that had happened here was their fault. They didn’t care about the lives that had been sacrificed or the pain endured by those around them. No more than they’d mourn the death of an insect. To Kane, these were the people he had sworn an oath to protect and failed completely. Maybe in the end, it would only matter to him, but it was the last thing he had to hold on to or break completely.

“A solid blow, mortal.” Thor said, and moved. Kane was just fast enough to avoid the hammer, but the follow-up blow smashed into his stomach. Winded, he pivoted desperately, but caught the hammer’s return strike in the chest. The Canadian flew back, tearing away the windshield and roof of his rental car as he was driven through it. He landed heavily, and it took a moment to get his legs underneath him. In truth, Kane had never felt such a blow and every bone ached from it.

“You’re only adding to the charges.” He gasped out, pulling himself to his feet.

“You are either mad or a fool.” Thor stalked towards him, casually flipping the car out of the way with one hand. “Submit, and I will spare your life. You can serve at my lady’s feet.”

“Tired of servicing her already? Or is there this whole butch guy on guy repressed warrior thing going on between you and the other Gods?” Kane knew the blow was coming, and slipped it barely, driving a knee into Thor’s midsection and an elbow into his face. He slammed a forearm across Thor’s elbow, stopping the strike with the hammer. It was only a momentary victory, as Thor tore him away with one hand and slammed a foot into his injured side. Kane tried to dummy up the best he could, but the pain numbed him, and he could only scrabble at Thor’s hand when the Asgardian gripped him by the shirt and took off straight up into the storm.

“Look around you, mortal!” Thor held Garrison out by one arm as lightning flashed around them. The wind whipped at them both, tears obscuring his vision. “This is the fury of Thor Odinson! These storms are mine to command! The lightning is a servant to my whims. My strength is greater than any jotun! And you think that your petty gifts give you the right to challenge me?”

“No.” Kane croaked. Thor smiled, and pulled him close, face to face.

“I will hear your plea.”

“This is our world, not yours.” Kane said painfully. “Our rules, not yours.” He grabbed Thor’s armor, and pulled him close, slamming his forehead into the nose of the Thunder God. He roared in fury as they toppled from the sky, still fighting. Kane landed two heavy blows across Thor’s cheek before the God wrenched him off and flung him into the ground. The Canadian hit with crash, left in a pile as the ground shook.

He kept trying to push himself up; to get his legs under him but his body was betraying him. He’d barely gotten to a crouch when Thor grabbed him by the back of the neck and pulled him up off his feet, hanging in the air.

“Mayhaps there is bravery in your foolishness, mortal. If so, heed the words of Odinson. Submit, and I will grant you all your lives. Submit, and I will let you quit this field with honour.” The god twisted Kane around until they were face to face, holding Kane has easily as one would hold a ragdoll. “Submit.”

Kane could barely move, barely feel his extremities, but in the place of Thor's face, all he could see were Jane’s last moments, over and over behind his eyes.

“You’re…. under… arrest.” He choked out, and Thor dropped him disgustedly. Kane sank to his knees, barely upright, his head hanging down.

“Madness. I take no joy in this.” He raised Mjolnir aloof, like a rancher ready to slaughter a head of cattle, and drove it down.

Impossibly, Kane moved at the last moment, wrenching back his head and reaching up to stop the head of the hammer with both hands.