[center][h2]THOR AND STAR-LORD[/h2]
[b]IN[/b]
[h2]WAITING FOR THE WORMS[/h2][/center]
[hr]

Each footfall echoed off the cold, dead walls of the Asgardian vault as Thor walked its corridors with trepidation. This world was dead, he knew that. There was nothing alive here other than himself.

But if that was the case, why did it feel like he was being watched?

It was probably nothing more than his own conscience peering over his shoulder. Ever since he had laid eyes on this place he could not stop thinking about what he could have done to save the people of this forsaken place. He knew they had prayed to him, in the back of his mind. He didn't remember, at least not explicitly he didn't. But he knew. He hadn't been responding to prayers in ages. Not since most of the mortals had stopped really needing him or the rest of the gods. But the people of this planet had been simple creatures until their destruction. They needed him, and he probably ignored them. Instead he probably drank himself into a stupor or spent the night with a curvy wench. Whatever it was, it wasn't more important than saving the people here.

Still, what was housed in the bowls of this cavern would allow him to make right his past deeds. Once again the cosmos would know that Thor Odinson stood for the greater good. He would be the hero he always knew he was.

A bit of rock fell to the floor next to him, startling Thor. He looked up to the ceiling, but found nothing but rock staring back at him. It was beautiful the way it caught the light. It reflected it in a glassy, red hue unlike anything he had ever seen. Probably a reaction from the Asgardian mining techniques with the planet's composition. 

The stone passageway came to another door, this one marked with the royal seal of Asgard. He ran his hand over it, and a thousand memories poured over him. Of his father and brother fighting by his side on the frigid plains of Jotunheim. Of his mother singing in the gardens of the palace. Of laughing with the Warriors Three in some tavern as the snow fell on Asgard. Eons worth of memories now felt like sand blowing on the beach. All of them were gone, and Thor was not sure he would ever see them again. not if the Ragnarok cycle had been forever altered.

Suddenly, the sound of thunder echoed through his head and his vision blurred. He fell to his knees as reality around him bent and folded. It was as if the Bifrost has hit him, but only his mind was being transported.

His eyes adjusted, and he found himself in a rolling green field. The soft wind blew the golden wheat in waves like the ripples on a lake. In the distance he saw a figure standing idly in the middle of the swaying rows. He approached with caution, but quickly realized who it was, and broke out into a run.

"Father!" Thor called out in relief. "You have survived!"

But as Thor reached his father, it was clear that was not the case. This was not the King of Asgard standing before him. Instead it was a wraith stripped of all vitality and nobility. His eyes were sunken and his skin palor. His shoulders were slumped, robbing him of any sense of the strength that once radiated from his kingly visage.

"Father...what has happened to you?" Thor was beside himself. In all his years he had done nothing but idolize Odin. He was the king Thor one day hoped to emulate. But what now stood before him was a broken and shamed man. He needed answers as to why.

"Thor?" Odin called out as if unable to see his son standing in front of him. "How are you here?"

"I do not know," Thor shook his head and looked at his father with confusion. "I thought you summoned me to...where ever we are."

"No," Odin shook his head in defeat. "Not here. I do not have that kind of power. Not anymore."

"Where is here?"

"I know not, to tell you the truth," Odin looked over his surroundings. "Tis not Valhalla. I believe that way is shut to me. Possibly to all Asgardians. Perhaps it is a punishment for our failures."

Thor's hands clenched into fists of rage, "I will avenge you. I am searching for the one that did this. I will make them pay and open the gates of Valhalla to our people. That much I promise you, father."

"Valhalla is not my worry," Odin shook his head. "The one who did this. The one who triggered Ragnarok...he is ahead of you, son."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Thor asked as the vision around him began to fade.

"You will see shortly, my son," Odin cautioned. "You have a chance to be better, my son. Protect them. All of them. Protect them from our mistakes."

In a flash, he was back in the tunnel, and the door to the cache was open in front of him.

And it was empty.

He stepped inside to find nothing left. Not the weapon he was hoping to find nor the treasure that he was going to pay Quill with. All hope that had filled his heart when he found this place had fled. The weapon he hoped to find here wasn't going to be a cure all, but it would have been a start. Now he had nothing except more dread. This meant that not only was the person behind Ragnarok still at large, they were also raiding Asgardian caches. They were amassing more weapons to attack the galaxy with.

From the corner of his eye, he saw another flash of movement along the cave wall. He searched for the lever in the treasure chamber that would allow the outside light in. He located it, and pulled it. A single, blinding beam of light shot down from the ceiling, and with it came the hideous scream of a thousand voices. He looked up to find what he thought were shimmering walls was actually thousands of creatures nesting there.

Some fell in front of him, their exoskeletons blazing bright read in the light, their insectoid legs skittering in the sand, and their teethed mandibles chomped towards him. The first reached him, its eyes rolling back into its head as if it thought he would be easy prey. Instead Thor ripped the monster's clawed arm off and drove it through its mouth. In response, dozens of them fell of the ceiling towards him.

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/a8j3xAh.jpg?1[/img][/center]

He ran back towards the entrance of the cave as a tidal wave of the creatures flowed towards him. They seemed to have only one desire, and that was to tear him apart and devour him. They were ravenous and strong. They tore at him with their sharp claws and many bites snapped just out of reach from him. If he was a hair slower, he'd already be dead.

Thor fumbled through his pocket as he ran, searching for Quill's beacon. He pressed it before he was cut off by a group of the insectoids. The snarled and pounced.

[center]**********[/center]

Peter couldn't believe what he found when he landed on the planet. Doors bigger than he had ever seen swung open, revealing a cave within. The crazy bastard wasn't lying. There really was something buried here by the guy's people. Unbelievable.

unfortunately the distress beacon was firing from inside the cave, and he was not looking forward to going inside. But if it was what he had to do to get paid, it was what he had to do. He had to be quick. The Milano wouldn't survive on the surface for long.

Using his rocket boots, he blasted inside, but once he was in the dark caverns, he quickly realized why Thor was asking for help. Giant cockroaches assailed him from every side. He could barely keep his guns firing quick enough, but slowly and surely he came closer and closer to where Thor's beacon was firing.

When he came to the location, all he found was a pile of the dead creepers from floor to ceiling. So that was it. The man was dead, and so was his hope of treasure.

At least that's what he thought before the man burst out of the pile covered in viscera and blood.

"Well met, Peter Quill," he growled. "Now let us leave this place before we are eaten."