The Mighty Thor #1

"I would teach thee both the qualities befitting a ruler of Asgard" Said the lordly voice of Odin to his two children in the glowing spires of Asgard. Odin smiled at both of his children, while only at ten years of age both Thor and Loki were starting to develop talents that took many Asgardians ages to perfect. One thing above all worried Odin however, that his two children, the apples of his eye would not have the proper guidance to help rule Asgard.

"There are several qualities a ruler of Asgard must posses if he is going to be respected by his people" Odin said to both Thor and Loki. "Many hard decisions and hard paths face thee both,However if you would but commit to memory these truths I will teach thee you will have done the people of Asgard a tremendous service".
Thor looked up at his father and smiled "What is it that you would have us learn father?" he said with all the eagerness an innocent youth could muster. Loki was hesitant at first and then soon after replied "Are the people in trouble father?"
Odin smiled at both of his children and replied "sit down my sons and I will tell thee both what you need to know, and no Loki the people are fine, they just are always in need of a strong ruler to help guide them" he said as he guided them both to a fine oak table with several sturdy chairs next to it.


"My sons there are seven virtues which a ruler must always have" Odin said to Thor and Loki as they all sat down at the table.
"The first one is valor, a ruler must be brave in the face of adversity and if a foe stands in his way he must do whatever he can to face up to him".
"The second is generosity, he must also know when to be giving and lend a hand to his people".
"The third is liberality, he must be open to all possibilities and many ways of thinking".
"The fourth is diligence, he must put forth all his effort to accomplish whatever he sets out to do and not shirk in the face of danger".
"The fifth is patience, he must be willing to deal with all problems that come in his path and make a great decision without succumbing to his emotions".
"The sixth is kindness, he must know that there are times which require a fair hand and not an iron glove".
"The seventh and final virtue my sons is humility, to be ruler of the realm means you must also think of others, please take heed of what I say and remember these lessons I have taught my sons".

Thor and Loki both looked to each other knowing that their lordly father had spoken true, how they would both remember these lessons was in itself a whole other story.

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Many centuries later

"Valor"

The first of seven lessons Thor and Loki had been taught as children, "what exactly does this phrase mean?" Thor thought to himself as he sat in quiet contemplation amongst the halls of Asgard. All of his life he had wondered what was it to live up to these principles, was he doing a good job or was he ultimately leading them all down a path that would end in Asgards destruction?
Could he be a great ruler of Asgard and a protector of the people of Midgard at the same time? The lessons he had been taught as a child were things he always looked back on. His father Odin was a great ruler and also had great wisdom, Thor constantly wondered if he could ever live up to that legend.

Thor then felt a soft but firm tap of a hand on the back of his shoulder "what troubles thee my good comrade? if I did not know better I would think that the frost giants had conquered good Asgard" said the jovial voice of Fandral.

"Tis something I had heard as a child which haunts me my good friend, if I may but ask thee dost thou believe I am fit to be called hero?" said a very somber Thor. "Thor why dost thou fret so? it is so unlike thee, as long as I have known thee you have been the very embodiment of the word hero, through our many adventures together and through all of the years of helping the people of midgard, if thou was to say that you are not a hero then I would have to believe that our many battles have been for naught" Fandral said to Thor as they walked the golden halls leading to the outside stairway.
Thor leaned on the wall just outside the stairway "thou dost make a good point and I do understand what thou are telling me, it's just that sometimes I can't but help feel that maybe I am not living up to the lessons that my father taught me" Thor said staring out to the distant horizon. Fandral smiled at his comrade "I know exactly what would clear up these doubts my friend?"

"and what is that Fandral?" Thor said with a bit of a chuckle.

"But one thing my melancholy friend" Fandral said cracking a huge smile "an adventure"

"Dost thou not think that too simple a solution to a major problem?" Thor said to Fandral with a smile. "Not at all my comrade tis but the very thing which will prove to you that you are indeed the very definition of hero, if not I always hear that Hela is looking for a replacement in the area of gloom and doom" Fandral said in jest to his comrade.

The two compatriots shared a laugh together as they went about looking for their other comrades.

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Loki sneered as Thor and Fandral left(he had not been noticed due to the fact that he had concealed himself as a portion of the wall behind them). He always constantly wondered why it was that he never got the praise his dreaded half brother did. He had the intelligence,the drive,the will to rule the entire realm as Asgard yet it was his brother who got all the praise.
Loki had remembered the lessons of his childhood, he would prove to mighty Odin that he was the one indeed to inherit the throne of Asgard. "How do I go about proving that I am the one they should praise?" Loki thought to himself as he looked out the doorway scanning the horizon. "I must show them that Thor is an oaf and unworthy of the succession and that I can lead this realm to glory".

Loki sat in quiet contemplation for a time when suddenly he was struck with inspiration, "I know exactly how to prove my worth and show that I am fit to rule, and Thor will be shown for the weak fool that he is" Loki said as he quietly laughed to himself. "if my memory serves the Ice giant Ymir has a spell from long ago that has been cast upon him which sealed him, if I were to but find the right spell to release him from his seal he would freeze Thor and his comrades and in turn all of Asgard, I will present myself to those who remain as their savior and show that I have the qualities which befit a ruler of Asgard".

Loki once again laughed as he disappeared in a ball of fire, transporting himself to the distant cold lands of Jutenhiem using the magic which he had perfected over many centuries. Loki arrived on top of a vast frozen mountainside he smiled as he scanned the horizon. "So this is where great Odin has sealed away Ymir, I curse the day Thor was born, he has done nothing but place me in his shadow, it's because of him that I must do this thing and prove to Asgard that I am the one with wit, knowledge and power".

Loki then raised his hands and used his knowledge of the arcane arts to peer into the mountainside where Ymir was sealed, he then made an astral projection of himself to speak with Ymir in their spiritual forms. "Ymir, mighty Ymir tis time to release your vengeance upon those who have humiliated you" Loki said peering at the spiritual form of Ymir.
"What fool dares to invoke the wrath of Ymir?" said the astral form of Ymir.
"Tis Loki Laufeyson, I have come to help you freeze the very person whom has sealed you here, I have come to help you destroy Odin and the realm of Asgard" Loki said with a smile.

"and why should I the mighty Ymir listen to you little godling?" Ymir said to him.

Loki smiled "because I am the only one with the knowledge to free you, without me you will dwell here forevermore and not be able to reap the vengeance you seek, you know that you need me"

Ymir snarled "it is only because of that you are living, I would not hesitate to freeze you and all of the accursed asgardians, however I sense more to this plot, what do you son of Odin gain from this?"

Loki smiled once again "my agenda runs in parallel with your own, I wouldst also be able to reap vengeance on those who have humiliated me all these countless centuries, I would be able to give you access to Asgard and many of it's secrets, in the end with my sorcery and your power over the ice we would be able to freeze Asgard in a matter of minutes"

Ymir then smiled deviously "your evil knows no bounds godling, our goals may coincide now however I doubt your sincerity in the future"

"Why don't we save that for later, for now we both have the power to help each other with the goals we require" Loki said to Ymir

Ymir then nodded "Very well wicked one, I shall help thee for the moment, however once our goals have both been met I will then consider you like any other asgardian and you will feel the wrath of Ymir"

Loki then began to create an energy field around them both which sent them both back into their physical forms.
"I will now break your curse and we will be free to crush all opposition in Asgard" Loki said as he weaved a magic spell to break the seal of Odin.

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Thor along with his trusted friend Fandral had finally managed to track down their other great comrades Volstagg the ever enormous and Hogun the grim just outside the palace walls of Asgard.

"And to what great deed do we aspire to today that the almighty Volstagg may be of assistance?" Said the commanding voice of Volstagg.

Fandral smiled "We are helping our brave comrade Thor in building his confidence, our sour friend has been more grim than even Hogun and has of late been doubting himself"

Volstagg scoffed at this "Thor doubting himself? I would believe that Loki had taken up saintly pursuits then I would believe the our comrade had lost his confidence"

"Tis true enormous one" said Thor to Volstagg "I have of late been wondering if all the things I have done up to this point have only been vain pursuits and not the actions of one someone might truly call hero"

Hogun then put his hand on Thor's shoulder "only a vain soul would seek his own self satisfaction, tis truly the humble who protect those who cannot protect themselves"

Volstagg then patted Thor on the back nearly toppling him to the ground "Exactly, now let us get that sour disposition off of thee by doing what we have all done so well, protecting the realm of Asgard"

"Where would you suggest that we start my giant sized friend?" said Thor with a bit of a chuckle.

"I know just the place" Said Volstagg with a hearty smile "to Jutenhiem, if there be truly a place teeming with evil tis that place that would fit the description and I'm sure the stories of the heroic Volstagg and his companions will echo throughout the land"

Thor then began to laugh himself "or the tales of thy endless boasting my large friend, to Jutenhiem then maybe I can find out for sure whether the endless feeling of doubt that has been bothering me may be sated."

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It was a long arduous journey however after much toil and ache Thor and his comrades finally reached Jutenhiem, Thor scanned the horizon "it seems oddly quiet this day, surely we would have run into a sentry or two, this does not bode well for our journey I fear"

"Bah they are merely playing a cowards game for word of mighty Volstaggs arrival hath reached their ears and they are cowering somewhere hoping to escape my wrath" said Volstagg with much vigor.

"More then likely they are hoping thou wouldst not bellow in their general direction for fear of an avalanche upon them" said Fandral.

Just then there was a sudden rumbling in the distance which seemed to shake the heavens themselves. Thor then looked in the distance and saw a mountainside crumbling before him.

"Brace yourselves my comrades, it seems we may be in for more then we hath bargained for" Thor said.

"Feels as if the nine realms themselves have been split in half" said Volstagg in astonishment.

"This omen bodes ill for us, we must find out to what this portends" Said Hogun in his usual grim tone.

Thor and his companions then made their way over to the cause of the disturbance, not once stopping for any respite. Finally upon reaching the mountainside Thor then took a look at what had once been a mighty mountain and now saw only rubble. "It would appear that someone or something has blasted it's way out of this mountain, I fear only one thing would have the power to devour an entire mountainside" Thor said most ominously.

"All of us know the signs thunder god, tis the ice giant Ymir, I fear all of us may not even be a match for this deadly foe" Said Hogun.

"We must try Hogun, for if we do not do something I fear that Asgard is in grave peril, all that we know and love will be covered in a blanket of ice" Said Thor readying his way for the journey back.

"Ymir will rue the day that he decided to attack the home of mighty Volstagg, he will learn what it is to trifle with a valorous warrior such as I" said Volstagg to his companions.

"More so I wouldst think that he fears boredom of death upon yon jabbering mouth" Said Fandral as they made their long journey back to Asgard.

"Be vigilant my friends, Ymir is quite a mighty foe indeed" Said Thor
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Loki smiled as he came upon Asgard's rainbow bridge "There it is Ymir, the place from which we will launch our attack, let all of Asgard pay for the way they have treated you and I"

Ymir looked to Loki "I doubt that your intention is to merely reap revenge little godling however if this but gives me the chance to destroy Odin then whatever happens afterwords is of no concern to me puny one"

Loki then laughed "at the moment all I care about is that Asgard's defenses are laid bare, once you have had your revenge what you also do is of no concern to me as well"

Loki then spies Hiemdale sounding the alarm as both him and Ymir have been spotted, Loki then lands upon the rainbow bridge "ah the ever vigilant Hiemdale, the faithful dog of my stepfather, once Ymir and I have frozen over this land you will no longer need to stay your post, you could but join us and become guardian of Loki"

"By the great spires of Asgard there is no way I would serve you or your demented plans, I will protect Asgard with my very life" Said Hiemdale.

"Then that is what you shall do" said Loki as Ymir came into sight behind him. "For you see Hiemdale Asgard is going to fall with or without you"
Loki then threw a bolt of blue energy in the direction of Hiemdale which Hiemdale promptly dodged and then uppercutted Loki sending him to the ground, he then pointed his spear directly at Loki "even if it costs me my life I will not ever let you pass evil one" said Hiemdale.

Ymir then stepped into the fray and clasped his icy hands around Hiemdale "if that is what it takes puny one" said Ymir as he clasped onto Hiemdale with his icy hands which very quickly turned Hiemdale into a statue of ice.
Ymir then hurled Hiemdale's body away from Asgard "we have already tarried here long enough, if you cannot help I have no use for you" said Ymir.

"Remember that I saved you Ymir, had it not been for my magic you would have remained in that mountainside forevermore" said Loki.

"That is the very thing which keeps you alive at this moment godling, other then that very fact I do not owe you anything, feel fortunate that I even agreed to this in the first place, Ymir is not known for being merciful" said Ymir as he made his way into Asgard.

Just then Loki spotted Thor and the warriors three coming up the rainbow bridge.

"Halt my wicked brother, you know not what evil you hath brought with you, Ymir's power is not to be trifled with and I feel you do not fully comprehend what you have unleashed upon Asgard" said Thor.

"Ah but I do my witless buffoon of a brother and there is nothing you can do to stop it, once Ymir has frozen all of Asgard and you four with it, I will then take the remaining survivors and stop Ymir myself, I will then show that I have the Valor to rule Asgard" said Loki with a laugh.

"Then thou does not truly understand what it is to be Valorous" said Thor "Valor is standing up to evil, not causing evil for a twisted measure of good, I have but doubted myself these past few days however now I know that I have been keeping well the lessons our glorious father hath taught us"

"Say what you will Thor however you never understood what I have, in order to be a great leader of men you have to instill fear and order, I have been doing exactly as I have been taught, tis you who have confused the lessons we were taught" said Loki with a furious anger.

"Then there is but only one thing left to be done Loki, I am truly sorry but you must pay the price for putting our father and our city in grave jeopardy, have at thee" Thor then swung his mighty hammer at Loki, Loki ducked and kicked Thor from under his feet.

The Warriors three then took collective swings at Loki but he managed to push them back with a blast of fire.

"You waste too much time on trying to defeat me my hated brother, look in the distance, Ymir has already started to freeze the whole of Asgard" said Loki pointing to the golden city.

Thor and the warriors three then beheld a site which broke their hearts, Asgard had been completely encased in ice.

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Thor was on his knee's, his entire city was frozen, his brother he had let escape, it seemed that all hope was lost. "oh my father, I hath failed you, I am not worthy to be called thy son, I was too distracted in catching Loki that I did not see the more immediate danger, twas Ymir I should have stopped".

Fandral then came over to Thor's side "we cannot stop now Thor, Asgard may still yet be saved and besides who knows what manner of evil Ymir will cause to the nine realms if we do not stop him now, remember what I told you before we started upon this journey, if I were to believe that you were not a hero then all of our adventures would have been for naught, this is not the Thor I know, the one I know would have already picked himself up and fought the impossible fight, he would go on even though the odds seemed against him, is that not truly what a warrior would do? nay what Thor would do?"

Thor then picked himself up "you are right Fandral, the fight is not over until we have drawn our last breath, both Ymir and Loki will know what it is to make enemies of Thor and his companions, I will not rest until we have defeated them and restored our homeland"

"Tis what I wanted to hear" said Volstagg "they will tremble at the mention of my name, hahahaha"

"More so they will tremble beneath the weight of thy feet" said Fandral.

"Tis not the time for such things" said Thor to his comrades "Let us move ahead, FOR ASGARD!!!!!" shouted Thor and the warriors three.

Thor then hurled himself at lightning quick speed towards the direction of Ymir with the warriors three bringing up the rear. "Thou shall not win this day Ymir, as long as breath is in me the son of Odin will fight you" said Thor whirling his way towards Ymir.

Ymir then looked away from the Icy palace in which he had created and fixed his gaze upon Thor "what dost thou hope to do little godling? your power is nothing compared to the infinite might of Ymir, twas your father who sealed me and it nearly took most of his power to do it"

"Whilst that may be true thou will learn not to underestimate the power of the son of Odin, Justice is on my side" Said Thor as he threw his hammer with a mighty thrust at the menacing form of Ymir.

Ymir was struck very hard and fell to the ground with a mighty crash, he then swatted Thor with his left arm sending Thor to the ground. "It will take more then that son of Odin to defeat me, your power is as nothing compared to mine" said Ymir regaining his feet.

Just that at that self same moment Loki watches as the fight between Thor and Ymir transpires "I must impede my brothers progress if we are but sure to win" Loki thought to himself, he weaves a spell however before he is finished he hears "Nay prince of evil we will not allow thee to trouble thy brother at this time, face the wrath of the warriors three united" said the dashing voice of Fandral.

Meanwhile Thor then gets to his feet "I will not yield Ymir, I would rather perish then to let evil win this day".

"Then that son of Odin is the way it shall be" Ymir said as he took another swing at Thor smashing him down into the very ground itself.

The warriors three and Loki stopped their battle and faced Thor "No this can not be the way it ends, Thor hear my plea if thou does not awaken and help us soon, the nine realms themselves will shake with terror, rise son of Odin, rise!!!!!" said Hogun with tears in his eyes.

"Thor is defeated and Ymir and I will make the nine realms tremble, you may as well get on your knee's and pay homage to your new masters" said Loki with an evil chuckle.

"Nay evil one, even if hope seems beyond us we will continue to fight on in the name of Thor, we will not bow to your evil whims" Said Hogun.

"Thor will remain in our hearts and we shall ever fight on no matter what the danger" Said Fandral

"The Lion of Asgard yields to no one, not even Thee" said Volstagg.

Loki then laughed at them all "fine join Thor in Hel, I'm sure you will receive a grand welcome there" Loki then began casting a spell to finish them off whilst Ymir started to walk away from the body of Thor.

Then as if some great cosmic force did not wish to see things end this way Thor then started to get back to his feet "I say thee nay, all those who fight against the cause of Justice are doomed to utter failure, I now strike in the name of Odin and Asgard" Thor then unleashed a mighty swing and hit his uru hammer upon the ground unleashing a torrent of lightning which struck both Ymir and Loki.

The force of the blow was so much that it could be heard galaxies away by even the great Galactus himself, the mighty titan even looked in the direction of the disturbance. Loki was thrust into one of the spires and rendered unconscience whilst Ymir sat in pain for a moment before being thrust away as well "No this is not possible, I can not be defeated by one as such as you, I will return thunder god and when that time comes you will be the first to get a taste of my vengeance" said Ymir as he disappeared into the void of space.

Thor spent fell to his knee's and gathered his strength "it took nearly everything however we have won this day, I could not have understood the meaning of Valor had it not been for you my comrades"

Fandral smiled "twas something we all learned from a mighty friend of ours"

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Asgard was now restored to it's former glory, all traces of what Loki and Ymir had done where but a memory, Thor and the warriors three ascended the golden stairway to the throne of Asgard where a grateful Odin awaited.

"All of you have done a great service to Asgard this day, your Valor has been without measure, had it not been for your facing up to a threat which seemed impossible to defeat our fates would have been sealed and the whole of Asgard would have perished" Said Odin.

"All four of you will have tales told and songs sung in your honor of this day, so says Odin ruler of Asgard, Hail Thor and the Warriors Three" Said Odin lifting up his sword, the masses soon followed suit and their chants could be heard throughout the nine realms "THOR AND THE WARRIORS THREE"

Thor smiled as he looked around the whole of Asgard, he now knew that he had truly learned what it was to have Valor, however there were still many more lessons which he would have to put to the test but those are other stories.

Is this Marvel Redux's first done-in-one story?

It's good. Your persepective changes now and then (i.e. "Loki sees" instead of "Loki saw"), but you got the voices to a tee. Odin and the Warriors Three were especially good.

No it's one in several stories that I'm doing, each one focusing on a different virtue, I am doing four leaving someone else a door open to do the other three if they so choose. I did notice the perspective change now that you point it out, for that I'm sorry.

I am glad that you enjoyed this one, it was for me a labor of love as I am a huge fan of Thor and Norse Mythology in general.

Nice job and a strong start! And now onto issue two...

I feel that the strength of Thor comes from his interaction with many of his friends, you feel the camaraderie there.