A trip to Asgard
It had been a two months since Thor had last had paid a visit to the New York Sanctum, seeing no necessity for it now that his mental state was more or less stable, and Loki’s death anniversary long gone. Of course, his brother’s passing was something he was always going to grieve over, but such a burden as death often fluctuates, and as with all proper fluctuations, there were good periods as well as the bad.
Strange, letting his mind wander one day, over a cup of coffee and a good book, found his thoughts turning to Thor. He had the afternoon free from his universal duties and job at the hospital, so decided he might as well pay his favourite Asgardian a visit.
Opening a portal directly into one’s house would have been viewed as intrusive by most, but the God had no complaints, arising to his feet and giving the doctor a hearty welcome.
As encouraged, Strange made himself comfortable on Thor’s armchair, legs flung over the side.
“Long time no see, Thor.”
“Indeed it is. I’ve missed your company, sorcerer, I must say.”
“Likewise. A lot.”
The silence hung between them for a second, interrupted by Thor bringing his guest one of his universally renowned coffees.
The sorcerer chuckled, mumbling an appreciative “thank you” and taking a long sip from the drink of just the right temperature.
The next half an hour or so was filled with small talk, and the occasional remark that could be interpreted as flirtatious, from both men.
Eventually Thor stood up, feeling a little bit restless, not one for staying still for too long. Strange put his finished coffee mug on the side-table.
“You want to go on a walk?”
It was like Strange had read his mind.
“Yes, I’d like that. I can show you around Asgard”
“Mhm.”
Thor opened the door, allowing Strange through first. New Asgard had been thriving recently, and the king seemed pretty infatuated with the little village he had created to accomodate his people. Strange liked to see Thor so besotted with something, it was nice for things to go well for him for a change. A guy like him deserved the best.
Strange’s thoughts were interrupted by a harsh voice from behind, accompanied by a dark magic aura of unfathomable strength and size. Thor, though not a sorcerer, seemed to sense it too, and both men spun around in unison to face a Goddess who had not been seen for a while.
Thor’s mouth was agape, but his instinct instructed him to step in front of Strange, which he did in a discreetly protective manner. Hela rolled her eyes whilst her brother fumbled for what to say, putting her hand against her hip as a judging expression graced her face.
“How- How are you here? I saw die, you were in Hel..”
A grim, short lived cackle escaped her lips.
“I.. practically control the place. Did you really think it would contain me? Besides, little brother, don’t fret, I’m not here for.. this abomination on Midgard..” She gestured to the village around her, grimacing at the flimsy oak sign wedged in the earth, reading ‘welcome to NEW ASGARD’ in a jolly font that seemed to mock the once prosperous civilisation.
“Just thought I’d pay everyone a visit..”
Strange glared at her, trying not to provoke a reaction out of an omnipotent being: it never seemed to fare too well for those involved. He considered trying to negotiate, but before his thoughts had formulated a response, she was preparing to leave, presumably to commit mass murder on the population of some unfortunate and wholly unsuspecting planet.
Before her final departure, she whispered an ominous “I’ll be back!”
But that wasn’t it. In the true manner of the socially deprived drama queen that was the Goddess of Death, the moment she teleported away, a wall of knives came flying in the direction of the Sorcerer Supreme. Having been lulled into a false sense of security by her unusually passive behaviour, he didn’t immediately notice said army of blades coming his way, and had no opportunity for his body to formulate a response.
Thor, on the other hand, was used to his sister’s “games” from his childhood with Loki, so was painfully aware of the damage those little daggers could cause, especially to a mortal body. That didn’t quite fully explain what he did next though, an urge taking over to shield and protect the sorcerer, even if it took his life. So he jumped in front of him, diverging the blades’ course, so they hit him instead of Strange.
At least 100 tiny daggers embedded themselves into all over Thor’s being, each one of them laced and dipped with a different, but equally lethal poison, causing the God to immediately fall to the ground with a cry of excruciating pain, swiftly rendering him unconscious. A loud crackling was audible from the far off sky, as a storm drew closer and closer by the second.
“Shit- shit, no-.. no Thor, please, no..”
Ashy gray clouds surrounded the two of them, creating a barrier from the large crowd of Asgardian public, in a considerable amount of chaos. Lighting flashed occasionally, shedding light on the sorcerer, on his knees, clutching the unconscious, or dead God to his chest and begging for him to wake up.
The clouds only got blacker as time went on, which honestly could’ve been anything from minutes to weeks, and closed in tightly around the two, as Strange squeezed his eyes shut, holding onto Thor like his life depended on it.