[center][h2]GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY[/h2]
[b]IN[/b]
[h2]SPACE ODDITY[/h2][/center]
[hr]
Thor took Star-Lord aside before the groups split apart. He had to admit he had come to look at the mortal, as frivolous as he often was, as a true friend. The God of Thunder could scarce remember if he had ever looked at a mortal in the same light. He had considered them brave warriors, useful tools, willing lovers, and strong workers in the past, sure. But never had he considered one a true friend until he met this odd human in the middle of a chaotic galaxy. That Quill continually rose to the occasion helped. But there was something else. He saw the propensity for greatness in this mortal, and the others he had gathered to Thor's cause. 

"This is a trap," he confirmed to the human. He had no idea what that trap would end up being, but he was fairly certain it was the case. It was too easy to find this place. Too easy to go to the dwarves. "But I think more meant for me. Whoever has led us here is taunting me with my failures. They will try and kill you, for sure. But they are focused on me. Keep your wits about you, Peter Quill. Do nothing that will endanger you or the Hawk. If we do that, we can all come out of this alive."

"Awwwww," he smiled sarcastically, "you're worried about me. How cute."

"I am not in a gaming mood, Quiil," he shook his head. "We're in the lion's mouth now."

"Well, let's not get bit then," he nodded.

Thor patted him on the shoulder and moved to the hallway he had taken for himself. Rocket and Groot were going to head down the left hallway, Quill and Hawk the right, and he was tasked with the center. He looked over his ragtag team, hoping to all the cosmos that he hadn't led them to their death. He had already upturned them enough. Ending them would be his final failure. He would be laughed out of Valhalla, if he was even allowed in that hallowed hall in the first place.

"Keep your heads," he nodded to them. "We do that, we'll get out of here alive."

Rocket looked around at the others, "Wow, that's it? I mean, I know you're not the smartest guy in the room, but that was kinda crap, dude."

"I am Groot."

"I am not pumped up either, pal."

"He's right," Hawk rolled her eyes. "Stay smart. Stay alive. We used to say it all the time in the Thanagarian army. It's all you need to know. Now let's go. We have a job to do."
[hr]
Thor had been walking for what felt like an eternity. His steps echoed off the bare stone walls of the Great Forge, but at least he found no dead of the Dwarven folk in this one. This was merely empty. At least before, his footfalls had been joined by the other Guardians. Now he was wholly by himself.

[i]As you should be.[/i]

The voice filtered through his head, and he shook it out quickly. It was unlike him to be that fatalist. The only time he thought like that were the moments after he found himself on the rock floating out in space unable to lift his hammer. But since then he's had at least a little bit of hope. That hadn't changed by coming here. So where was that kind of thought coming from?

After what felt like another hour of walking, Thor found himself in the heart of the Great Forge. He had been here before, long ago with his father. On that day, the fires in the pits around him were raging like the fields of Musphelheim when Surtur had his blood up. But now the fires were a mere smolder with no one to tend to them. The bellows were still, and while there should be the sound of metal tempering metal, there was now silence. Thor's heart was heavy at the knowledge that the universe would never again know the beauty of the Dwarves' work.

All because of the monster Thor and his compatriots were hunting.

Footsteps from behind the great anvil in front of him brought his guard up. Jarnbjorn was in his hand in a flash, and he readied himself for whatever would come.

What did, surprised him. Confidently, almost mockingly, the girl they had saved on the last planet strolled out with a smile. Her void-black hair stood out against the gleaming white stone of the forge. Her green skin and even more strikingly green eyes burst with color in the monochromatic space. She was like a living exclamation point on a sentence Thor did not understand. She tilted her head at the God of Thunder and studied him curiously, before letting out a mischievous giggle.

"How did you get off the ship? How did you get past us?" Thor demanded and explanation. The pommel of Jarnbjorn strained against his tightened grip.

"Oh dear he still hasn't figured it out," the girl said the first words Thor had heard her speak. The words sounded like they had come from a little girl's mouth, and yet there was a strange, deep stab behind them. "You are such a sanctimonious oaf, you know that? I can't believe you fall for this every time."

With those words the glamour fell from Thor's eyes and the girl in front of him began to melt away. Her form stretched and grew until it was almost as tall as him. Her hair stayed the long, coal black it had been, but her skin turned as pale as fresh snow. The eyes, though...the eyes did not change. They were the same, piercing, mocking green. When the transformation was done, Loki, the brother of Thor stood and bowed to the God of Thunder.

Thor stood dumbfounded, "You...you survived."

"Of course I survived!" he laughed. "Honestly brother, you always underestimate me."

"And you're working with the being that killed our friends!? Our family!?" Thor raged. Loki had always been a trickster, that much was certain. But to participate in the genocide of his own people and family was beyond anything he had ever considered possible from his brother.

"No...well yes," the God of Mischief shrugged. "I did not help him perform Ragnarok. But he found me after I survived. Said he would kill me if I didn't help take care of you. And well, I couldn't pass up being a thorn in your side yet again. You should be thanking me. I did manage to ferry some of the Dwarves off this rock before he wiped the rest out."

"Who is [i]he[/i]?" Thor seethed.

"Do you remember a few centuries ago? When you felled that great space dragon that was harassing that backwater world? You became their hero. Their great god," Loki strolled around the forge, fiddling with tools as he went. "But then you forgot about them, as all of us forgot about the mortals. The dragons returned after centuries and laid waste waste to the world. I believe you saw their handy work when you first attempted to retrieve Jarnbjorn. You ignored their prayers, and the locals were slaughtered. Well, all but one."

"Impossible," Thor shook his head. "That world was primitive. How could one of its inhabitants bring down Asgard?"

"Ah, and there was another of our faults," Loki wagged his finger at his brother. "We underestimate the mortals. You did until very recently. Too late of course, but I am proud of you brother. But a mortal with vengeance and rage in their hearts is just as powerful as any god. And Despero proved that."

"Despero," Thor growled. "Where can I find this villain so that I may relieve him of his head."

"Oh, you'll see him in good time," Loki smirked broadly. "Now that you've been separated from your little friends, it won't be long at all."

Thor realized that Loki was not here to fight. He was not here to kill Thor or incapacitate him. His brother was merely here to break up the Guardians from one another. Thor spun to go back and find his friends, but found that great stone doors had closed the way.

"Ah, ah, ah, brother," Loki chuckled. "Don't worry. They'll be fine. And you wanted to go to Despero, did you not? Wait around and you'll be taken right to him."
[hr]
[i]He is leading you to your death.[/i]

The voice echoed through Hawk's mind at the exact moment that the wall beside them exploded and a cadre of Chitauri warriors burst through it. Her and Quill turned to run, firing the entire way. She saw his element guns take out quite a few of the drone soldiers, but they kept coming. She really hated how much whoever they were up against had numbers against them. She hated being outnumbered, and deep down wished she had a Thanagarian battalion to call in.

Instead she had to run with her new ally. If they made it out of this one, maybe it would be time to call him a friend. But that was very much in doubt at the moment.

When the two of them once again reached the atrium they had started in, they almost collided with Rocket and Groot.

"You guys got an army's worth of purple alien guys chasing you?" Rocket deadpanned.

"Yup," was Quill's only response.

"Good, at least Groot and I got to share the wealth."

"I am Groot."

"Come on, we need to get out of here," Hawk motioned backed towards the ship.

"Not without Thor," Star-Lord protested.

"Now ain't the time for feelings, Quill," Rocket started to run towards the exit. "We got more company?"

Peter turned and felt his face fall at what he saw coming down the hallway Thor had gone through. Another teeming horde of Chitauri was charging towards them, firing their weapons. The two groups from their hallways weren't far behind. Quill's heart fell, and he knew that escape was the only means of survival.

"Sorry, Thor," he said quietly as he turned and ran.
[hr]
"Your friends have been allowed to escape," Loki smiled. "Their bounties will be cleared, and Despero has promised to leave them alone. As for you, you will face him in combat. He has granted you that chance."

"Battle against the Destroyer, no doubt," Thor spat as his brother's feet as the Chitauri began to bind the God of Thunder.

"Yes, I am disappointed he got the weapon, but he is resourceful," Loki shrugged.

"And what will he do when I am gone? One does not merely use the Destroyer to kill one God."

"Maybe he will do what I plan on," Loki sat in front of his brother cross legged. "I long to try on a crown. Heavens know Odin was never going to allow me one. Maybe Despero will do the same."

"Or maybe he's played you and he'll exterminate you and all the other gods," Thor suggested. "Who's to stand against him?"

"Possibly," Loki nodded. "But he's given me his word that once you're captured I'm free to go. So go I shall."

With that, Loki dematerialized in front of Thor's eyes, with that smug smile disappearing last.