INFERNO │ Marvel

8.4 the champion

Amelia wouldn't be fighting that day, so she was escorted with the other fighters to a small viewing area where they could see through the sub-basement barred windows into the arena. The fights were brutal, someone always walking away dead or severely injured. The crowd was absolutely loving it, which was the most horrific thing.

Amelia had found a small metal pin on the floor of the freaky circle and since being out of it had got to work at half-burning and half-prying out the small metal device in her neck. It was attached by several thin wires that dug into her flesh, but with careful work, she had finally managed to get it off and then cauterise her own wound from the tearing of skin. She could do the same with Thor once his fight was over, although it would be harder to burn it out on another person. Or, if he did in fact manage to buy himself a ticket off of this awful planet, she could follow him without restraint.

Thor had appeared in the arena as a changed man. He looked exactly as he did in her dream: short brown hair, new armour, also with red warpaint on his face. She had faith in him. He would have his power when he needed it.

Then, the Grandmaster introduced his champion. The crowd cheered wildly, and the pounding of heavy feet made Amelia's heart drop to the floor. Thor placed on his helmet and readied his weapons. The doors began to slide open and out walked...

The Hulk.

Both Thor and Amelia were taken about. Hulk was wearing his own armour and brandishing a hammer and battleaxe in his hands. He roared out to the crowd.

"YES!" Thor cried out and everyone went silent. Hulk began to encourage the crowds while the god called out to the Grandmaster. "Hey! Hey! We know each other! He's a friend from work!"

Amelia let herself laugh a little at the sight of her lost friend. It was hard to believe Bruce would be up for this kind of thing, fighting as a gladiator and hurting other people. Time can change people, though, and it had already been two years since his disappearance. He had missed a lot.

"Hey, where have you been?" Thor asked over the roars and cheers. "Everybody thought you were dead! But so much has happened since I last saw you. I lost my hammer. Like, yesterday, so that's still pretty fresh. Amelia's here. Loki. Loki's alive. Can you believe it? He's up there. Loki! Look who it is! Banner, I never thought I would say this, but I'm happy to see you."

Just when it seemed like Hulk was listening to Thor, the crowd begin to cheer louder. He relished in that, looking out at all the people in the stands. They chanted his name.

"Banner," Thor tried to get his attention. "Hey, Banner!"

"No Banner, only Hulk," the beast stated and readied his weapons. Amelia cursed.

"What are you doing?" Thor questioned. "It's me. It's Thor!"

The Hulk charged, hitting Thor hard with his hammer. The god slid back across the arena. Thor unsheathed his swords, while Hulk clanged his weapons together.

"Banner, we're friends," Thor tried to reason. "This is crazy. I don't want to hurt you!"

Hulk leapt once more, and they exchanged blows with their weapons, but neither dealing any damage. Then, Hulk pounded into the ground with his hammer, flattening Thor's swords under it. He punched him, hard, sending him crashing into the wall of the arena this time. Amelia was just about ready to jump in there herself. Hulk threw his hammer, then came running with the axe. Thor picked the hammer up and swung like Mjölnir, knocking Hulk away. The debris from the damaged wall hit all the other champions behind the window where Amelia stood. The whole crowd was shocked. All except her.

Through the window, Thor glanced at Amelia. She gestured her hand in the same way Natasha would when doing her lullaby for the Hulk. The god understood, approaching the green beast slowly and cautiously.