The Soldier's Goddess

Chapter 4: New Mexico

        "Coulson, why are we in New Mexico?" she asked. Agent Phil Coulson looked at Kari and sighed.

        "We have intelligence that something else is coming. We don't know what, but the signs in the sky are getting closer." As he spoke, the clouds were forming together and huge bolt of lightening shot down to the ground, followed by a long tube of light. It disappeared, and in it's place stood a huge, human shaped, metal monster. 

        "Is that thing Stark's?" another S.H.I.E.L.D. agent muttered behind them.

        "I don't know," sighed Coulson, "that guy doesn't tell me anything." Kari gasped.

        "The Destroyer."

        "You know it?"

        "Um, y-yes," Kari stuttered. "It is the guard for Odin's vault, built by Asgardian magic," she whispered, her eyes widened in fear. "It has no conscious, no emotions, no speech. It will take on, and complete, any mission it is sent on, without question, regardless of whoever gets in its way. It is super humanly strong and nearly invulnerable to damage." Some of the other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents looked terrified as she said this, but they held their ground. Coulson lifted up his weapon and called to the Destroyer to stand down. In turn, the Destroyer fired itself up, looked at the agents, and, where it's eyes should have been, it shot fiery beams of energy at them, destroying their cars. Thankfully they all jumped out of the way in time, so no-one was badly hurt.

        "We saw it come down," a voice behind them cried.

        "Sif!" cried Kari, running to her sister and wrapping her arms around her.

        "Now isn't the time for a cosy catch up, ladies," called Volstagg, as he deflected one of the Destroyer's fiery beams away from them. The three of them ran behind a building to where Fandrall, Hogan, and Thor were waiting, along with three mortals, who quickly introduced themselves as Jane, Darcy and Erik. The Destroyer fought, and the Warriors fought back with more, being flung across buildings, on top of cars and nearly getting killed once or twice. Kari kept the mortals safe, and watched as her sister jumped up on the Destroyer's back and stabbed it right through with a spear, pinning it to the floor. They all thought it was over, until the Destroyer slowly turned it's metal head around to face Sif, then turned it's arms round and threw her across the empty street. Kari and Thor both ran to her, as she lay defeated, bleeding.

        "I'm going back for it," she managed to say.

        "Sif you can't," cried Kari. Thor cupped Sif's face his his hands; he had that look on his face. Determination, some might call it. Stupidity, to those who knew him.

        "Lady Sif," he smiled, with watery eyes, "you have done beautifully. But now it's my turn."

        "Thor, you can't. You aren't wearing any armour. The All Father took away your powers. It will kill you."

        "It is what must be done." As he walked away, Kari half carried her sister over to safety, to where the Warriors and the mortals were. Out of the corner of her eye, Kari could see the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents she had come with, in the desert space behind the Destroyer. They watched as Thor walked calmly to the Destroyer, calling out to Loki. Loki had sent it? Kari looked questioningly at the Warriors and Fandrall nodded.

        "Loki discovered Odin wasn't his father, that he is really a Jotun - Laufey's son in fact - and that Odin took him from Laufey as a baby, during the War, and raised him as his own. Not because he thought that would give him a better life, but in the hopes to use Loki to reconcile the two realms," sighed Fandrall. "Suffice to say, Loki hasn't reacted well to the news."

        "No, really?" Kari snorted, sarcastically, then immediately apologised to Jane, Darcy and Erik for being insensitive. This was, after all, their home Loki was tearing apart.

        "Thor!" screamed Jane, interrupting any conversation going on at that moment. Thor had been flung backwards down the Main Street, landing on his back right in front of them all. She ran to him, sobbing over his body when she discovered he wasn't moving or breathing.

        "Jane, come on, come away," cried Erik, trying to pull the young woman off of the Asgardian. The Destroyer was heading right for them and they were trying to get Jane to safety, but she wouldn't leave him. "Jane, we must go," he said, more urgently, as an object was flying at them through the sky. She caved in and stood up, moving away from Thor, still sobbing. As she turned back to take one last look at him, his right arm flew up into the air, he caught the object that was flying towards him and jumped up. Mjolnir - his hammer! Instantly, his armour flew back on to him and he ran towards the Destroyer, now ready to rampage more than ever. 

        "Wow, if that's what he looks like normally..." grinned Darcy. Kari couldn't help but laugh. They watched as Thor created a tornado with Mjolnir, taking the Destroyer up with it, finally smashing it in the face, causing its lifeless body to fall to the ground and smash to pieces. He sauntered confidently back to the very peculiar group, where Agent Coulson was also waiting.

        "Is he always this cocky?" grinned Jane. Kari rolled her eyes, while Sif and Hogan laughed.

        "Yeah, that's Thor," smiled Volstagg. Kari had to admit though, there was something different about him, still the Thor she knew and loved, the Thor she had grown up with, but he seemed less arrogant, calmer in fact. She reckoned the fact he had sacrificed himself for the mortals had something to do with it. 

        "Thankyou," said Coulson, looking up to Thor.

        "Son of Coul, if you ever need me, I will be here, at Earth's disposal. But for now, there is something I must do." Taking Jane by the waist, and telling her to hold on tight, he flew off, back to the portal site. Volstagg sighed.

        "We had better get back too. Loki needs to be stopped. We will be back to see you again," he said hugging Kari. Hogan, Sif and Fandrall each took a moment to hug her, then ran off to where Thor was, to take the Bifrost back to Asgard.

        "Right, we need to clear up here," said Coulson, calling over the other agents. Kari sighed, as the remains of the Destroyer were collected and taken away, back to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters for analysis. Director Fury was going to have a hell of a time explaining this one.