Earth-717: Thor Vol 1

Chapter 11: Jane Foster Saves the Universe

Thor and Sif both watched as Malekith casually strolled forward, the power of the Aether

surging through his body. Jane was still sitting on the floor, but was not making any noise. Thor's eyes

darted between the two, and his heart sank as he struggled to find a visual distinction that proved that

something was left of Jane.

“Jane!” called Thor.

Jane did not turn her head.

“She cannot hear you, Odinson,” said Malekith. “She is Ciridylia now. I will put my family

back together . . . . before I destroy yours!”

Thor glared at Malekith.

“You think yourself the better?! You are a heartless monster, a man of no honour! No morality!”

Malekith stood still as the rage in his eyes intensified.

“Do not presume to lecture me on ethics, Odinson. You were not present when your grandfather

slaughtered thousands of Svartalfar children, including my own! Ethics left this war a long time ago!”

Malekith then thrust his right arm forward, and a red lightning blast, fully charged by the

Aether, jettisoned from it. The blast crashed into Thor's chest, sending him tumbling backwards.

Malekith then fired another blast from his other hand, and Sif threw up her shield to deflect it. The

force of the blast's impact knocked her back, but she did not fall.

Levitating himself so that his feet were hovering almost half a metre above the floor, Malekith

then calmly began launching more energy blasts from both hands, creating a violent storm of red magic

that lashed out at the two Asgardians. Thor tried to fight the blasts off with his hammer, but quickly

found himself overwhelmed. For her part, Sif managed to block many of them with her shield, before

she too fell to her knees.

Malekith maniacally laughed as the power of the Aether thrashed his opponents. Then,

summoning all of his strength, Thor looked up, seeing Jane still sitting on the ground. Even though he

knew in his heart that she may have been lost to him forever, he also knew that he could not give up.

He was Thor, the God of Thunder, the son of Odin, the prince of Asgard, and he would never surrender

to the forces of evil lest he be unworthy of his titles.

Thor held Mjolnir to the sky, and a lightning blast fell from the clouds and surged through him,

repelling the Aether's magic. Malekith was knocked backwards a few metres by this, causing him to

snarl. Thor then pointed Mjolnir directly at the Dark Elf.

“Now, villain,” said Thor, “Hear me! I know your pain is genuine. Jane Foster's visions showed

me that the tragedies you speak of, the ones which befell you at the hand of my grandfather, are true.

And for that, I am truly sorry. But I cannot allow you to cause further harm! Surrender, and I shall show

amnesty! So says Thor!”

Sif raised an eyebrow as she looked over at Thor, who did not stray his gaze from his enemy.

Malekith narrowed his eyes and considered Thor for a minute before responding.

“On behalf of myself and my people, I accept your apology. However, it is fifty thousand years

too late.”

Thor sighed.

“So be it.”

Scowling, Malekith drew back his arms as he prepared to fire off more Aether-augmented

energy blasts. Before he could, Thor quickly whipped his hammer forward, smashing Malekith in the

face. The villainous Dark Elf was launched backwards, his body crashing against one of the pillars on

the edge of the tower.

Seething with rage, Malekith blasted himself upwards as Thor took to the skies. The two

combatants charged at each other, before crashing into one another to create a large shockwave. As they

landed on their feet, Malekith fired a charged blast with both hands, which Thor countered with a

sustained lightning bolt. The two projectile attacks cancelled each other out.

As Thor and Malekith were both slightly stunned by their previous salvos, Sif rushed Malekith

with her sword. Malekith was still able to launch a small magic blast at her, which she rolled under.

Launching herself into the air, she held her sword up high before bringing it down on Malekith's left

arm, cleanly severing it off.

Sif anticipated that she would be able to follow up the attack with a shield bash, but Malekith

caught the shield with his right hand before he fired a magic beam with what was left of his severed

arm. Sif was caught off guard and knocked to her back, and watched with horror as the Aether's mist

quickly reformed his left arm.

Enraged, Thor flew forward, swinging his hammer wildly. Malekith watched Thor's movements

and carefully placed several energy barriers up, which absorbed Thor's physical blows. Using the

Aether's mist, Malekith formed two swords, each one a large zweihander, one in each hand. Stabbing

and slashing forward, Malekith cut down both Thor and Sif, who were forced to backpedal to avoid the

onslaught.

All this time, Jane watched as Thor and Sif struggled to stay alive, but she did not move.

* * * *

Inside the tower's penultimate floor, Faradei cut down the last of the attacking Dark Elves.

Taking a moment to breathe and collect himself, he then looked up with saddened eyes as he watched

Aeltri stroll into the room. The two Elves started slowly walking in circular movements that reflected

each other.

“Princess, please . . . .”

“Don't you start, Faradei. I didn't want it to come to this.”

“Then don't let it. Please . . . . we can go home. Together.”

Aeltri gnashed her teeth and clenched her fists.

“Home? Home?! I've never had a home!”

Faradei stopped pacing, as did Aeltri. As he watched her grief grow in her eyes, so too did his.

“Home is where you feel safe!” yelled Aeltri. “Where you can be yourself! Without fear,

without pain! I never had that!”

“. . . . But you had me.”

Aeltri frowned as her eyes started to water.

“And you were the only good thing I did have,” admitted Aeltri, on the verge of sobbing. “I

never wanted to hurt you . . . . but I will never go back to my mother.”

Green flames formed around both of Aeltri's forearms.

“I'll NEVER go back to that life!”

“Princess . . . .”

“DON'T 'PRINCESS' ME!”

Tears gushing down her face, Aeltri unleashed the green flame blast that was charging on both

her arms, searing the ground between her and Faradei. There was now a visible barrier between them,

and the magical flames started to split apart the stone on the ground. Faradei tried to rush around it, but

Aeltri stopped him by firing a quick beam to block his movement.

He then tried to go around the other direction, but she again fired a defensive beam. She had not

yet actually hit Faradei with any of her attacks, but seemed to rather be trying to deter him. Faradei

noticed this, and slowly stepped back to his original position, watching as Aeltri cried, charging her

arms again with magical flames.

“Princess . . . . you are not like Malekith, no matter what you do.”

Aeltri scowled, but did not respond.

“I have known you your whole life. We have shared so much together, have we not?”

Aeltri sniffled and slowly nodded.

“Have I ever steered you wrong, Princess? Have I ever failed you?”

Aeltri bit her lip, sullenly staying silent.

“I know you. You still have a choice here. Your heart is not in this. If it were . . . . I would

already be dead.”

Aeltri considered his words, but did not let the flames on her arms dissipate.

* * * *

“Ugh!”

Sif collapsed on the floor, having had a large piece of her frontal armour and her entire shield

torn apart by a double slash from Malekith's energy swords. He tried to finish her off with a downward

stab, but Thor bashed him away with Mjolnir. As Thor and Malekith continued their deathly struggle,

Sif grabbed at her sides.

She then opened her eyes and looked at Jane, who was finally starting to move. Sif had no idea

if there was anything left of Jane in the woman before her, because she bore no resemblance to the

human she had known just mere hours ago. Jane stirred her head back and forth, before grabbing at

both of her temples, seemingly in pain.

No one knew that there was a battle as fierce as the one between Thor and Malekith happening

in Jane's mind.

* * * *

“Let yourself free, mortal. You have lost.”

“I'm not done yet!”

“This is my body now. You served your part as my vessel, and for that, you have my unending

gratitude. But now is the time for you to fall to the great silence.”

“And let you take away my life? Not gonna happen.”

“You cannot stop it. Your mind is slowly slipping, that which made you Jane Foster is crumbling

around you. Your thoughts, your feelings, everything that made you who you are . . . . it is slowly being

erased. Give in, and let yourself go peacefully. It will be a better end. An end without struggle.”

“Without struggle? Sister, you clearly don't know us mortals very well.”

“Why continue to fight? Your life is nothing. 'Tis but a heartbeat on the time-keep of the

universe.”

“But it's a heartbeat I'd fight forever to keep.”

“Your insolence gains you nothing but a few more seconds of agony! You are already mine!

Your face is mine, your skin is mine, your eyes are mine! Give me your mind!”

“Never!”

“I will be reborn anew, and I shall stand alongside my husband as we create a new universe

together. Then, I will rebuild my family, and start a glorious new age for all of Svartalfheim's children.

You, you would rather fight for a pitiful, meaningless existence, for what? So you can try to indulge

yourself, hoping to win the heart of the man you love? A man as different from you than a pebble is

from the sun? You are a vain, selfish and putrid woman, with all of the inherent weaknesses of mortal

flesh!”

“Maybe you're right. Maybe that's all true. Maybe. Doesn't change that in spite of all your high

and mighty talk . . . . you haven't beat me, and you never will.”

* * * *

Malekith fired a shockwave blast, which knocked Thor away and caused him to drop Mjolnir.

Covered in wounds, Thor laid on his back, trying desperately to summon enough strength to continue

the fight. Malekith grinned with satisfaction as he saw that both Asgardians were now on the ground,

barely able to stay conscious.

“And so,” said Malekith, “the righteous one shall stand the victor, and birth a universe anew.”

Jutting his hand forward, Malekith used Aether mist to form shackles around the arms and legs

of both Thor and Sif, locking them to the floor. Looking down, Malekith then saw Mjolnir. He reached

for and grabbed it with his right hand, but upon pulling upwards, found that he could not lift it. Seizing

the handle with both hands, Malekith strained himself, but still could not move the hammer.

Thor laughed.

“For all your power . . . . all your strength . . . . but it avails you nothing.”

Malekith glared at Thor.

“Even with the Aether, you are not worthy.”

Malekith started forming a javelin out of the Aether's mist, pointing it straight at Thor's heart.

“If I cannot lift your hammer . . . . then no one shall!”

Malekith was about to stab Thor with the javelin when Jane stood up, pulling her iron dagger

off of her belt. She then pounced on Malekith, seizing him from behind. With all her strength, she

stabbed the dagger directly downward into the top of his skull, piercing his brain. Thor, Sif and

Malekith all widened their eyes in unison, each one completely shocked.

Malekith staggered around, looking at Jane standing before her. Lines of light started to form as

cracks all over his skin.

“Ciridylia?”

“I told you,” said Jane. “I'm not your wife.”

Malekith shouted to the sky as white light pierced through all of the newly formed cracks.

Holding his arms out to his sides, he shrieked in agony as he was torn apart from within. The Aether's

constructs seeped back into him, freeing Thor and Sif, and a large beam of red light was also absorbed

from Jane, returning her to her true form. Malekith's eyes turned bright red as the energy surging

through him reached critical mass.

“UNGAAAAAAAAH!!!!”

Malekith then exploded, creating a blinding ball of white and red light. The force of the

explosion struck out at Thor, winding him and again sending him crashing against the floor. Sif was

also knocked down, but her injuries were not as severe.

Jane received the worst of it, being blasted to her back, with severe burns tearing apart her face

and searing the skin along her torso. She collapsed on the floor, and did not move again.

* * * *

The sound of the explosion caused both Aeltri and Faradei to look upwards. Within half a

second, the interior of the tower was shaken to the foundations, and the floor beneath their feet started

to give way. Aeltri was standing on a crack, and fell as the piece she was on broke apart beneath her.

Screaming with fear, she clutched the edge of the floor with her hands, struggling to keep herself up.

“Aeltri!” yelled Faradei.

“Ahhhh! Help me! Help me! PLEASE!”

Faradei dived for Aeltri's hand, straining himself to reach as the floor continued to shatter. Aeltri

pleaded as she desperately tried to grab Faradei's hand.

“Aeltri! Take my hand!”

“I . . . . I'm trying!”

The tips of Aeltri's fingers grazed Faradei's, but it was not enough for either to grab hold. At that

moment, the piece of floor Aeltri was clinging to gave way, and she screamed as she began falling.

“AELTRI!!!!”

Everything slowed down. For a moment, Faradei looked down into Aeltri's eyes as she fell.

Each Elf could only watch the other, and take this moment to regret all the things they had not said.

With that, the moment ended, and Aeltri was lost amidst the falling rubble.

* * * *

Sif felt the tower start to break apart by its foundations. Standing on one knee, she knew that in

a few moments the tower would start to collapse in on itself. Pulling the Uru Casket off her belt, she

ran to the Aether, which was now hovering in its liquid form. Capturing the Aether inside the casket,

she then looked over at Thor, who was still recovering from his grievous wounds. Her eyes then turned

to Jane, who was motionless. Sif cringed upon seeing the severity of the burns on the mortal's skin.

Reaching for Thor, Sif opened his pocket, and pulled out the Healing Stone. Looking down at

Thor, she lovingly stroked the side of his face with her fingers as she considered what she was going to

do. Closing her eyes, she then stood up and ran over to Jane. Kneeling beside her, Sif held the Healing

Stone over Jane's body and crushed it with her palm.

The stone crumbled into bits of grey dust, which seeped into Jane's skin. Sif panted, not

knowing if it was already too late. For a few seconds, nothing happened. Then, Jane sputtered out a

breath, and Sif watched as the burns miraculously started to disappear. Once the healing stone had done

its work, Jane looked at Sif with confusion.

“S-Sif? What . . . . what happened?”

“Jane!”

Sif turned to see Thor, who had stood up. He rushed over to them, and a wide smile grew on his

face once he saw that Jane was okay.

“Jane, you're . . . . but you were . . . .”

Thor grabbed at his open pocket, and then looked at Sif with surprise. Sif gulped, but did not

speak. Closing his eyes, Thor then held the two women close to him.

“Hold on.”

Thor opened his left palm.

“Mjolnir! To me!”

Mjolnir flew into Thor's hand, and he lifted off, carrying Sif and Jane with him. Both women

smirked at each other as they eagerly held on to Thor's frame. They then shared a brief laugh as Thor

carried them to the ground next to the tower. Sif and Jane let go, and the three then looked up as the

tower started to crumble in on itself.

Thor's eyes then widened.

“Faradei!”

Jane pointed forward.

“There!”

Thor and Sif looked where Jane was pointing to see Faradei bounding down the outside of the

crumbling tower, leaping from perch to perch. He then landed on the ground and ran away as the tower

fully collapsed, forming a gigantic pile of rubble that was next to the wreckage of the Cryptorium.

As Faradei approached the group, he did not take his eyes off the ground.

“Faradei,” said Thor. “You live! What of . . . .”

Faradei did not respond in any way, not even looking up to meet Thor's eyes. Everyone knew

what this meant, and so the party shared a few moments of silence as the fog rolled over the distant

mountains.