Shattered

Thor

The snow covered valley shook as the giant's lifeless body hit the earth. The beast had put up an admirable fight that would make it ancestors swell with pride, surely he would be welcome to the next life with open arms.

After all, it did deal the blow that was going to end his life.

"You died on your feet, Steve the Jotnar, a true warrior's death," the god of thunder gasped as he held one gloved hand to his side. "Well done."

The icy winds of Jotunheim howled like wolves and nipped at his face, before seemingly running away only to attack him again.

"So this is Ragnarok?" He asked his dead foe, the mountainous body already coated in a fine layer of snow.

This was not the way it was supposed to end, freezing to death in some nameless valley after being stabbed in the side by a giant's snow shovel.

No, he had been promised a death worthy of legend by Odin and the Nornir! He was to fight the world serpent Jormungand to the death, while an army of giants laid siege to Asgard, and the gods fought their greatest foes! Freyr and Surt! Odin, Tyr, and Fenrir!

"And there was something about Loki and a boat!" He roared to the lifeless form of Steve. "Wait. Have I been talking out loud this whole time?"

His end was supposed to be glorious and satisfying! He was to finally end his long dispute with the vile offspring of Loki, smashing its skull in with his mighty hammer, only to be poisoned by the serpent's venom. He was then to take nine steps before falling dead.

"Well, maybe one thing will come to pass," he laughed as he looked longingly at an ancient oak tree not a stone's throw away.

He took a single step forward and nearly collapsed to the earth, his decrepit body no longer able to handle the pain he used to brush off. Most gods would have given up then and there and accepted their fate, but he was Thor! God of thunder! The protector of the gods! Master of the DVR!

He pressed Jarngreipr tighter against the fatal wound and found comfort in the warmth of his own blood, before taking another step.

"I really should have listened to Sif," he chuckled, thinking of his golden haired goddess. "But I just had to go fight giants!" The truth was he did fight and slay giants while he was away from Asgard, but really he just found Sif overbearing sometimes and he really just wanted some space. He greatly enjoyed camping in the untamed wilderness of Jotunheim with nothing but his goats, his weapons, and an active subscription to Netflix and HBO Go.

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He nearly stumbled as he took his third step.

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He had been away from Asgard for nearly six months before he decided that the realm was safe and it was time to return.

In other words, he ran out of shows to binge.

"I can't believe they killed Anthony Hopkins," he wheezed as spots started to appear in the corners of his vision.

He had been a bit surprised to see that the branch of the world tree that connected the realm of snow and ice to Asgard was missing, but he hadn't been too overly concerned about it. It just seemed like another devious plot by the giants or Loki to keep him from interrupting some master plan that he would undoubtedly end with a little hammer time.

So, sensing his next great adventure, he began his journey to the next branch of Yggdrasil that would take him to another realm that would connect him to Asgard.