A Man In Search Of Glorious Purpose: Book Five

Chapter Eight: Reopening Old Wounds

I felt the need to see Thor before the Tournament. As I was about to feel comfortable seated in The Grandmaster's Private Box,when I got up and went over to him. As he looked far too comfortable, to even notice anything "where did they take The God Of Thunder?" I asked him "oh yeah they took The Lord Of Thunder- erh? I mean God Of Thunder to the Gladiator Cell bellow the arena" He pointed out. I turned and made an illusion of myself, my Illusion walked down to the elevator and punched the code to open the door, got in and headed down to the Gladiator Cells. As my Illusion walked down the hall, I came to a corridor that looked like it would be the right place. When I sensed Thor was nearby "....Odin I bid you take your place in the halls of Valhalla....where the brave shall live forever nor shall we mourn but rejoice...for those that have died the glorious death..." He finished as my Illusion finished with him.When he turned his head and looked at me, before sitting down upon the floor looking at me with a hard stoic blank expression, I looked down at him seeing that he was obviously paying attention to me for once- or so I thought?. "...it hurts doesn't it?, being lied too, being told your one thing, then learning it's all a fiction?.." His expression was mute as he picked up a pebble and tossed it at my Illusion as it bounced through it, I gave a slight chuckle at his realization that I wasn't there. "You didn't think, I'd really come and see you, this place is disgusting..." He sat there and threw another pebble as it bounced through my Illusion yet again. "Does this mean you don't want my help?, think of everything we've been through?, I never once backed out and left you to fend for yourself...what kind of valor is that?....." His face was now full on expressionless, I gave a sigh then tried to sound like I wanted to at least hear him say something, anything? "look I couldn't jeopardize my position, with The Grandmaster,it took me time, to win his trust he's a lunatic but he can be amenable...." Thor looked on and yet again, threw a pebble at my Illusion,"what I'm telling you is you can join me, at The Grandmaster's side, perhaps in time an accident befalls The Grandmaster and then?.." I gestured his accompany with me, at my side, like old times, when my facial expression lowered as I saw him yet again throw another pebble at my Illusion, this was getting us nowhere at an instant. "your not seriously thinking of going back- are you?...our sister destroyed your hammer, like a piece of glass..." I was beginning to sound seriously concerned "she's stronger than both of us, she's stronger than you, you don't stand a chance, do you understand what I'm saying to you??-" Thor sat there with a scowl at me pretending he didn't hear a word I even said. "Fine?...I guess I'll just have to go it alone, like I always have?..." Thor smirked but continued to say nothing, by now my patience was running very low....

"Would you please say something, SAY SOMETHING?!-" I demanded. Taking in a slow deep breath he finally was going to say something rather than hear me go on and on. With an unimpressed tone in his voice " what would you like me to say?- you faked your own death...you stole the throne, stripped Odin of his power, impersonated him, stranded him on Earth to die, releasing the Goddess Of Death..." I looked down at him, as he continued now sounding firm "have I said enough or do I have to go further back than the past two days?!-". "I looked at him as my anger slowly seeped back, along with a mix of hurt "so that's how it's going to be like, from now on is it?- you favor in bringing me down at any given chance you get- with your Oafish ego?!-" I tried to compose myself, trying to keep developing tears from forming. " MY oafish ego, mixed with your pitiful sarcasm?!.." he turned his face from me, still fighting the searing hurtful pain in my heart, as if my close bond with him in that moment was broken beyond repair, I firmed up, and with very little interest in wanting nothing more to do with him in that moment, as he clearly wanted to just push me out of the picture, I looked at him even if he didn't really look at me, " you know I haven't seen this Beloved Champion, he talks about, but I've heard he's astonishingly savage, I've placed a large wager against you tomorrow, don't let me down!" my Illusion finished, as it turned and shimmered away glancing one last time at him. Before it returned back to me, standing at the entrance of the Private Box, then disappeared, as I wiped my face, I allowed myself to briefly take it all in, the rift was becoming more and more prominent between us- I just accepted that, maybe we weren't ever going to be as close as we once were- deep down it frightened me the very thought of Thor distancing himself from me- all these years, all those times together?. I straightened up, heading over to the comfy bench overlooking the Champion Arena, as The Grandmaster made an Illusion of himself large, as he announced the next days upcoming Tournament, as I took a glass of wine and sipped it, a slight smile appeared on my face He BETTER  make this fight worth it!.