Sparking Soul: Ch.22

“Where are we headed to now?” I asked as I followed besides Brokkr and Eitri, Brokkr having an excited grin on his face while Eitri managed to hide his a bit better.

“Normally, we would make use of the standard forges to make godly weapons, but you handed us pure golden Uru, the most powerful Uru in existence as well as the most pure. It is only right that we give it the respect it deserves by using the most powerful forge on Nidavellir.”

“It is also the same forge our ancestors used to forge Gungnir for Buri.”

“Are you saying you're about to craft a weapon on par with Gungnir?” I asked with a raised eyebrow, my excitement matching theirs as Brokkr grinned and nodded.

“Exactly that, brother. A weapon worthy of the next king of Asgard, one of which will be worthy of the songs bards will sing about it for centuries.”

“Ah, you reminded me. Here you go.” I said as I created a portal to my room back on Asgard. Picking up the bottle of Jack Daniels on the other side, Brokkr's eyes widened as I grinned and handed the bottle to him.

“You actually brought it?” He asked as he gingerly took it from me and I chuckled as I saw him cradling it like it was a newborn.

“I did. You're welcome.”

“Oh, I am indeed, brother. Just for that, I'm going to try and put the best enchantments that I can on your new weapon.”

“You being serious?” I asked and he grinned as Eitri responded with a smirk.

“Anyone who has three of the Infinity Stones deserve nothing less. Brokke, ready the Starforge.”

“Oh, yeah. Oi, you bastards! I need you to redirect heat away from all forges near the central structure! The rest of you, get those levers moving! We're activating the Starforge!”

“I'm guessing this Starforge is what you used to create Gungnir, Mjolnir and the other older weaponry of the All-Fathers?” I asked as I watched the dwarves look excited before they quickly rushed to do their orders.

“Indeed it is. The forge creates weapons that bind themselves to the wielder's essence, spirit and soul. Mjolnir however was forged with no specific one soul as its wielder, so its spirit and essence matched that of his first wielder Buri: A weapon fit as a companion for a warrior.”

“Oh, that sounds pretty fun. What do you need from me then?” I asked and Eitri smirked as he gestured for me to follow. The two of us walked past the bustling forges and crossed to the far side of the entry platform I had arrived on.

“Well, damn. That is definitely a Starforge.” I muttered in awe as we began walking out of the outer sectors and towards the central mass of the whole structure.

Just a few hundred yards away sat the beautiful and vibrant neutron star that was responsible for feeding the flames to every forge on Nidavellir and just a few feet in front of us stood the Starforge.

It looked less of a forge and more of a bubbling bath of liquid flames, Brokkr standing besides it in a thick heatproof suit and holding the Uru ingots in hand.

The closer we got to the forge, the hotter it became not just from the flames coming from it but also the raw cosmic energy exuding from the star in front of us.

The flames did not bother me as I simply warped the space around me, but I watched as Eitri put on the suit and the gloves given to him by one of the dwarves before looking at me.

“Thor, this will not only require our craftsmanship but also your energy and that of the Stones to create a weapon powerful enough to withstand your absurd strength.”

“I see. Do you need me to give you my energy?”

“No, you need to stand in the flames.”

“…What?” I asked, wanting to make sure I heard that right and Eitri snorted as Brokkr grinned.

“Yep, the flames need to feel your cosmic energy in order to truly create a weapon that would fit you. So, you're taking a bath in plasma.”

“…Well, no one said this was going to be easy.” I muttered as I began making my way to the forge, Brokkr grinning as he began to place the ingots into the massive stone bucket inside of the forge.

'Not stone. Most likely the remains of a dead star.' I thought with a hum as I watched the two dwarves going to work, mesmerized as Brokkr slowly began to churn the ingots with a pole made out of the same stone while Eitri picked up a giant forge hammer nearly twice his size.

“Alright, Brokkr! Don't throw out your back this time!”

'Are they doing what I think they're doing?' I thought with a hum as Brokkr lifted the stone bucket up and poured it out into the forge itself. Tossing the bucket to the side, Eitri waited until Brokkr was ready before activating the runes on his hammer.

The moment he did, his hammer shone with a chilling aura before he struck down, unleashing a freezing shockwave onto the flames that froze them solid and ceased all heat from escaping it.

A grunt escaped Brokkr's lips as he swung down this time, a burst of cosmic energy rippling from the impact this time while I watched intently as the flames of the forge were fanned to be even hotter.

I'm not entirely sure if this is how a weapon is usually made, but watching the dwarves beating away at the forge while the cosmic energy of it dwindled and surged repeatedly was a bit more enjoyable as I expected.

“Alright, Thor! When I say go, jump in and the flames should do the rest!” Eitri shouted as he swung his hammer down, freezing the flames and melted metal once more before the flames were fanned by Brokkr's swing.

“Got it!” I nodded as I took deep breaths and walked over, watching as the two continued hammering away at the forge while I came to a standstill just a few feet away from the forge.

“Go!” With a grunt, I hopped into the forge right as Brokkr pulled his hammer away and Eitri swung down, hissing at the scorching heat that radiated from the forge the moment the ice sealed us in.

The heat was not a physical heat that burned my body as much as it was a spiritual one that reached into my very being. It felt as my spirit itself was being tested and burned by the cosmic flames, but I forced myself to ignored it through sheer will as I felt the stones react.

They pulsed with every burst of cosmic energy the flames rippled outwards as if dancing with them and I gritted my teeth as the pain was beginning to actually hurt.

'F-Fuck! I-I should have just…taken a regular weapon!' I thought with a groan as I knelt still, feeling my arms trembling me when the fire began to wrap around me.

“Now Brokkr!” Eitri's voice sounded as if he was shouting in the far distance before I grunted as the sound of a hammer echoed around me, my eyes widening as the heat of the flames surged.

Another strike of Eitri's hammer cooled them down before Brokkr's hammer fanned them once more, with me stuck in the centre as I was beginning to feel the Uru crawling up my arms.

The stones responded in kind by sending sparks of red, blue and violet electricity down my arms, the cosmic energy from both touching and humming together as I heard voices beginning to speak.

“You wield the Stones, but do you understand them?”

“You claim to be king, but what have you sacrificed to earn the crown?”

The Space Stone's energy rippled from my chest and I gasped as the Reality Stone clashed with it, warping the interior of the forge for a brief moment and revealing numerous constellations to my eyes.

Then the Power Stone surged, a thunderous boom shaking the entirety of Nidavellir while I looked up in a daze to see the neutron star burning fiercely.

“You who would dare call yourself Thor Odinson, will you bear the burden of legacy? What will you be when the forging is done?” I gritted my teeth and slowly stood up as I felt Brokkr and Eitri ceasing their swings, watching as the molten Uru began to float up from the ashes.

“One final swing, Brokkr! Everything you got!” I heard Eitri roar before a gasp escaped my lips as I felt an impact coming from both sides, the Uru finally moving as it began to gather in front of me.

“Control reality…and balance to the chaos.”

“Bend space…and the battlefield bends with it.”

“Wield your power…not with pride, but with purpose.”

As it gathered, unseen hands began to shape the new weapon, its blade jagged and primal while the haft shimmered with numerous constellations and stars as if one was gazing at the night sky. The axehead shone as numerous Dwarven and Asgardian runes began to take form on it and I smiled as the weapon finally took its full form.

“By the All-Father…it is a wonderful sight.” Eitri muttered as he stepped forward and Brokkr looked just as astounded as he patted my shoulder.

“That is not just an axe, brother. That…that is a fragment of your soul.” I didn't answer as I reached forward, wrapping my hands around its hilt before my eyes widened as I heard thunder booming in the distance.

Looking up at the void that is space around Nidavellir, I watched as the thunder grew even louder, stars shining brightly through the dark grey clouds that had gathered around the realm while bright white lightning sparked inside of them.

Climbing out of the forge before turning to ask Eitri a question, I raised an eyebrow in surprise to see him kneeling down, Brokkr as well as every dwarf doing the same before the Dwarf King spoke.

“All Hail Thor, God of Storms!”

“Hail!” Their bow of reverence made me smile as I looked at the axe in my hand, only one name coming to mind as the axe itself whispered it to my ears.

“On this day, I hereby name you Jarnbjorn!”

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Odin smiled as he sat in his thrones, his eye shining with an orange hue as he watched Thor raising his new axe Jarnbjorn to the cheering dwarves.

An axe is usually a weapon associated as a symbol of destruction and warfare, but they also embody a ruler's ability to manifest their intentions and speak with authority.

The axe was a weapon of great power and Odin was expecting his son's weapon to be a sword or a spear like Gungnir, but his son was as unique as ever with his choice of weapon.

'Ah, a fitting name, Thor and your time in the forge has aided you with your mental struggles. Now, you are ready for the next step.' He thought as he stood up, walking down the steps to his throne with purpose as the doors opened.

“Hey, Father-in-Law. You got a minute?” Darcy asked as she walked into the room with a casual smile, the Einherjar having grown used to her casual behaviour as Odin nodded.

“I do indeed. What can I help you with?”

“Well, you know that I want a traditional Asgardian wedding, but Thor wants me to have a traditional Earth wedding…Think you could help us figure out which one to pick?”

“…Would this not be a question better suited for my beloved?”

“I would go ask Mother-in-Law, but she and Sif are busy with some Lorelei chick that tried to escape or something.”

'Of course she did. Why must she make my life difficult?' Odin thought with a mental sigh before looking to Darcy as she was still waiting with a patient look.

“If you cannot pick one, why not do both?”

“Ooh, double wedding? That would actually work. One on Earth in Iceland maybe to make sure our wedding is legal there and one here to make sure the wedding is valid everywhere else.”

“That is the thought process, yes.” Odin agreed with a nod and Darcy grinned as she placed her hands on her hips.

“Thank you for the help, Father-in-Law. Now, I have another question. How the hell does this thing work?” She asked while holding up Mjolnir, which sparked with electricity as Odin looked at it.

“It is as simple as the enchantment goes: Whoever pick up this hammer, if they be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor. There is nothing else to explain.”

“Huh, well, I picked it up and I don't feel as strong as Thor so that might be a fault on my part?” Darcy said/ asked as she swung Mjolnir, Odin humming as he watched it unleash a lightning bolt that was cancelled out by the enchantment of the throne hall.

Yet, he was also confused by the feeling coming from her lightning, making Darcy raise an eyebrow as Odin reached forward and touched the head of Mjolnir with a frown.

His eye glowed as he stared into the hammer itself, watching the lightning inside it coursing before his frown deepened when he saw the electricity ceasing for a brief moment.

'With her, Mjolnir's energy felt like death itself. With Thor, it felt like a storm constantly raging inside of it. Perhaps…Ah, I see.'

“It appears your pregnancy is confusing it as it is trying to bond with four different wielders instead of simply the one.”

“So, what you're saying is that Mjolnir wants to also be used by the kids?”

“That is quite the simple translation, but yes, that is it. I suppose it will continue throughout the period of your pregnancy, but once you give birth, it will fully bond with you.”

“Well, great. Isn't that fun?” Darcy grumbled with a pout as she hooked Mjolnir back onto her belt, making the All-Father smile softly before he turned to Himinbjorg as he heard Heimdall calling.

“All-Father, I bring unsettling news.”

“When is the news you bring not unsettling, Heimdall? What is it?”

“I…have lost vision of Svartalfheim and its neighbouring planets and stars.”

“What do you mean by that? How did an entire galaxy vanish from your All-Seeing Eyes?” The All-Father asked with a frown, confusing Darcy who couldn't hear the discussion as he awaited Heimdall's answer.

“I am unsure myself, All-Father.” Heimdall's answer didn't settle Odin's worries as he frowned before raising two fingers to his head.

“Nicholas Fury.”

“I am a spy so I would appreciate it if you gods didn't talk to me in my mind whenever you can.”

“I do apologize for the abrupt meeting, but I have to ask. Were there any unidentified aircraft found within the limits of your planet's air space?”

“Why do you want to know? Can't you just ask your son to check it out?”

“I would, but Thor is off-planet on his own quest for now. Now, answer my question.”

“What do I have to worry about if I say yes?” Nick asked and Odin frowned before Heimdall spoke up.

“All-Father…we have a problem.” The All-Father didn't say anything as he shot through the rooftop of the Royal Palace, surprising the confused Darcy as the god landed on top of it.

Only one thought came to mind as he stared at the dark shadows gathering around Asgard, which dispersed to reveal hundreds of Dark Elf starships hovering around the planet with their blasters primed.

'It appears that fate was not on our side this time.'

A/N: And the war kicks off~!! Thor has a new weapon, Darcy has a confused Mjolnir and Odin stares down an entire invasion.

Who will win and who will perish? Find out next chapter: Battles for the Nine Realms.

As always, read, enjoy, review and until the next one…

Ba-Bye~!!