Ragnarok [6]

The Contest of Champions

Chapter 8

The Grandmaster had built a huge, multileveled arena in the centre of the city to host his Contest of Champions. In the time they had been on Sakaar, Abi and Loki had yet to step into the arena or watch any fight. But that was about the change. They were escorted into the Grandmaster's personal box, high above the ground. Loki grabbed two drinks and passed her one as they took their seats near the window.

There was a series of warm up fights before the main event: Thor vs the Grandmaster's Champion. Throughout the smaller fights, more and more people started to flood into the stadium until it was nearly bursting with people.

As the loser of the last fight was dragged out of the arena, drones started circling, projecting a giant hologram of the Grandmaster. "Wow! Look at all of you. What a show! What a night! Who's having fun?" The audience all cheered in response. "Please, I'm your host. Big round of applause for all of our undercard competitors who today died so gruesomely. Good sports. What a show! What a night! This is what you've come for, and so have I. And now, without further ado, it's main event time." The crowd got louder and more restless. "Making his first appearance, though he looks quite promising, got a couple of tricks up his sleeve. I'll say what more, see what you think. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you, Lord of Thunder!"

Thor walked out into the arena and both Abi and Loki leaned forwards in their seats. His armour had been repainted, half his cape ripped off, and most shocking of all, his hair had been chopped off. They had armed him with a steel baton and a shield. He looked around as the crowd booed.

"Watch out for his fingers, they make sparks." The Grandmaster's hologram carried on talking. "Okay, this is it. Let's get ready to welcome this guy. Here he comes." The Grandmaster rubbed his hands together as people started cheering and green smoke bombs started going off. The whole stadium started to shake and rose up another level. Thor pulled on a helmet. "He is a creature. What can we say about him? Well, he's unique. There's none like him. I feel a special connection with him. He's undefeated. He's the reigning. He's the defending. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you, your...Incredible...Hulk!"

The Hulk came smashing through the doors and into the arena wearing a feathered helmet and armour, carrying an axe and a war hammer. Thor cheered. The crowd stopped cheering, confused by Thor's apparent joy. Abi and Loki both shot to their feet in disbelief.

"Bruce?" Abi's voice was barely above a whisper.

"I have to get off this planet." There was fear in Loki's eyes as he started towards the door, instead walking straight into the Grandmaster.

"Hey, hey, hey. Where you going?" The Grandmaster ushered Loki back to his seat.

Abi sat back down as the Hulk riled up the crowd and Thor tried to get the Grandmasters attention by waving his arms in the air. "Hey! Hey! We know each other! He's a friend from work!"

The Grandmaster's smile dropped as he looked across at Abi, whose eyes were still trained on the Hulk, and Loki, who looked like he was about to throw up.

"Where have you been?" Thor turned to the Hulk. "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. Abi's here, in space! Loki. Loki's alive. Can you believe it? They're both up there." He pointed at them. "Abi! Loki! Look who it is!"

Loki froze in terror.

"Banner, I never thought I would say this, but I'm happy to see you." Thor looked around as the crowd started chanting 'Hulk'. "Banner! Hey, Banner!"

"Don't." Abi muttered, knowing it was futile and the fight was about to start.

"No Banner! Only Hulk!"