MARVEL: GAMER PATH - CHAPTER 283 (Patreon)

[Thor Odinson POV]

Far away. In the darkest corner of the universe. I could feel the battle for the fate of the universe beginning. My brother's cosmic energy, clashing against Knull's, like raging tides, in a battle of life and death.

Being able to feel every clash of their battle, despite being millions of light-years away from them.

It was time to fulfill my promise. To battle by his side.

While it was true, I had yet to master my powers. I was certain, I had learned more than enough. And even if that wasn’t the case, it really didn’t matter. For I, Thor, would not let my brother fight this war alone.

I had taken enough time as it was. Continuing with my training even after the war had begun. Disgracefully forcing Alex to face this challenge without me.

Because I was certain I was close to reaching my goal.

That, however, was beyond the point.

I had a goal, a dream, a mission, and a duty to fulfill. And the power I currently had, would have to suffice.

“On my way, brother,” I muttered full of resolve, grabbing the weapon my father had brought for me, before teleporting into the battlefield. Where I aimed to figure out how to assist my brother in defeating Knull.

"Fall back!" Hela shouted, lifting up a chipped and damaged blade, raising it above her head to guide the troops in a retreat. As she used her other hand, to rip apart the monsters lunging at her. The Symbiotes.

I had barely arrived, and it was clear how much of a menace the symbiotes were.

Outnumbering our armies.

Pushing through our forces without any care for their own well-being, following Knull’s command like obeying tools, never turning back, never tiring, never relenting.

Their way of fighting.

It was infuriating.

“Enough!” I roared, my voice muffled by absolute rage. As I brought my weapon down on the horde of enemies rushing towards our troops like a tide of flesh, erasing most of the abominations in one strike with the clap of my thunder.

“Thor?” Hela said, her eyes resting on me.

“Are you okay?” I asked, glancing at her in worry.

“I am,” Hela nodded, brushing my concern off with a roll of her eyes while keeping her answer short. “The enemies aren’t that strong, for the most part. But what they generally lack in strength, they compensate in sheer numbers. You kill one, two more appear.”

“What do you mean for the most part?” I asked.

“Some of them are special,” Hela replied, her tone growing colder. “Long story short, the stronger the host, the stronger the symbiote, and some hosts appear to have been quite the warriors themselves before succumbing to these putrid parasites.”

“Have any of our troops fallen into their grasp?” I asked, hoping the answer would be no.

“Three so far,” Hela replied with a sigh. “A number that only remains so low thanks to Alex, and the weapons he provided for this war, amongst other things.”

“Did you offer them a warrior’s death?” I asked, knowing very well they were most likely already dead. 

“Yes, they deserved nothing less,” Hela nodded, her tone growing soft for a brief moment. “Their lives, their sacrifices, will continue to live on, following the sharp edge of my blades, slaughtering those who took them from us.”

“Alex will bring them back,” I said, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder, touched by the fact she was giving the life of those that had died beside her, value. However, before I could fully appreciate this development with my sister, I found myself turning around to the far distance, my sensing laying two hundred miles north, feeling something approaching.

“Another wave,” Hela spat, feeling the same, summoning a few dozen blades from the very ground beneath us, that towered over the mountains around, touching the skies.

“This wave it’s bigger than the one I dealt with,” I stated, feeling the seemingly incalculable number of enemies approaching. Their independent energies, fluctuating in… pain? No… that wasn’t pain, it was agony.

“You dealt with what remained,” Hela scoffed, before giving me a quick nod. “But yes, this wave is several times bigger than the last. It seems your presence here ruffled some feathers, in a manner of speaking.”

I nodded, my mind absent, as it was otherwise too occupied trying to rationalize the vast array of emotions our enemies were experiencing. Failing to come to an acceptable conclusion.

It simply made no sense. Their emotions, their feelings, their pain, they were exactly the same as those of the troops standing behind us, but somehow worse.

They were scared, angry, ashamed, and disgusted. Feeling nothing but absolute torment of the purest kind. Their wills broken, their spirits tamed, leaving nothing but an agonizing echo of despair.

I could feel it.

The fact they had no intent, nothing. Just pain, and obedience.

“That monster,” I growled, my power spiraling out of control in utter rage. I had always been aware his armies were nothing but slaves, tools, created by him to obey, but if that was his intention, why even give them a mind of their own?!

He had given them life, and feelings, only to make them suffer. He had created them, giving them the ability to desire, to wish, to hope, only to put a collar on their necks, shackles beyond breaking.

“What happened?” Hela asked, her eyes fixed on me as I reigned my power back to control. 

I sighed, trying to find the right words to explain what I had just found. “The symbiotes, they don’t want to fight us.” 

“They sure have a fun way to express that,” Hela shot back, her eyes gleaming with skepticism.

“They don’t have a choice in the matter, they are slaves to their creator. Who gave them the ability to feel, without any free will,” I replied, my eyes catching at the distance the wave of black approaching from the north. 

“I see,” Hela replied, her tone clearly showcasing she was uninterested in what I had just found. “My pity well it’s dry. And so should be yours! This is war, and there’s only one thing that matters in war, and that’s winning.”

“I pity them,” I nodded, not even bothering to hide it, as I took a step forward towards the ever-approaching horde of enemies. “I feel their pain, and acknowledge their feelings, their hopes, and dreams. However, that doesn’t mean my goal has changed, it simply means, I have a whole new reason to kill that sick bastard.”

What he was doing to his own creations, was evil just for the sake of evil, there was no benefit, no reason, no justification, nothing. Just a monster, taking pleasure in breaking even his own allies.

I suppose now that I look back. I had lied just now.

My goals had changed or rather evolved. I now, not only wanted to win this war but if possible, I now also wanted to save them, the ones now playing the roles of our enemy.

I had no idea how I would do that.

Or if it even was possible. But, I would find a way. It might sound foolish, and perhaps it was, but I would not forgive myself if I didn't even try.