Capítulo 30: The Story of Kror Part V
"We can't win!" Stror grunted out, knocked back by the swing of Gungnir, his guard burst wide open. The only thing that saved him from Odin's follow-up strike was the arrival of Kror who rushed in, fists flying forwards.
The King of Asgard masterfully bobbed and weaved through the strikes, Stror coming back in. However, Odin intercepted the downward strike of Mjolnir, easily disarming him of the hammer, plucking it out of the air and using it to smash both of them across the face. As both fell back, they watched as Odin remained before them, Mjolnir held loosely in one arm as he stared out at them.
"Tell me something I don't already know." Kror returned, spitting out some blood. No matter what they did, they couldn't break through the guard of Odin. His strength and speed weren't overwhelming, but his abilities with the Odinforce and his skill in combat were leagues beyond their own. Everything they did was easily countered, their defences are broken apart like they were not even there.
Nothing they did work.
Warily, both Thor's circled back round to one another, not getting too close to Odin who seemed content to simply watch for reasons unsure to them. He had been like this for a while now, never pressing his attack or advantage, simply waiting for them to come to him.
They came in once more, both unarmed as they closed in. Both fire out their respective energy-based attacks that made the shield Odin summoned shimmer. It was a weak shield, just strong enough to block the strikes, the two closing in upon the prepared All-Father.
Gungnir thrust out, Kror parrying the blow-up and coming round with an uppercut. Odin swung Mjolnir round from the side, having expected this, only for Stror to intercept, kicking his wrist with enough force to dislodge Mjolnir from his hand. The uppercut, now with its path free, swung round and struck Odin in the stomach, throwing him back.
Stror gave chase, Mjolnir in his hand, lightning arching around the head, Kror bringing up the rear.
Except, Odin disappeared.
Kror quickly spun around, crossing both arms in front of his body to block the straight thrust of Gungnir. The shield he summoned was pierced through, but it managed to stop the strike enough that saved him from bodily harm. However, the thrust alone carried enough force that when accompanied by the eruption of energy that came from the tip, launched him to the ground.
Stror though had also reacted quickly, Mjolnir spinning behind him, unleashing a wave of lightning that arced out and struck Odin. He weathers the storm though, small shields forming that block the lightning bolts that came his way. Another, larger one was summoned directly in front of him to block the two beams of energy fired from Stror's eyes as he closed in.
However, Stror suddenly found himself surrounded by numerous circular shimmering portals, from which came the lightning of his previous attack. Yet he caught them all on the top of Mjolnir, thrusting it out towards Odin in a singular bolt of lightning.
Gungnir cut through it with ease, Odin charging ahead, only for Kror to appear from beneath him, the trajectory of Gungnir having to change. He swung it down, clashing against Kror's fist, the displacement of air and the force of their blows flinging all three back.
Odin once again closed in on and disarmed Stror of Mjolnir, holding it in his hands while having landed a deep cut on the Strontians body. Mjolnir was then used to batter him away with a crushing blow to the temple that left his head ringing.
"Use the cube." Stror eventually replied, clutching his head.
Kror looked at him questioningly. "Are you sure?" It was not an answer Kror had expected, they had both agreed that without fully knowing the power of the cube it would be too dangerous to use. They didn't even know how to use their power properly and that made it even more dangerous as without even trying, they could destroy everything they had worked to achieve.
"We have no choice," Stror answered firmly. "We can't beat Odin as we are, we need something to give us the extra advantage. The cube is the only thing we've got. Unless we can get ahold of the Sword of Ragnarok?"
Both turned to look upon the sword that was attached to Odin's back, he having seemingly stopped using the blade sometime ago. Around the same time in which he stopped attacking them and simply defended. However, the thought of gaining the sword quickly disappeared as they thought about all their failed attempts to get close. Odin was too strong for them to deal with, throughout the course of the fight against him they had landed no more than a few glancing blows.
Trying to steal the Sword of Ragnarok of all things would be all but impossible.
"Cube it is then," Kror said, and using the power of the Nega-Bands created a portal to his side, just a small one. It was only big enough for his arm to fit through, hence why Odin did not make any moves to pursue or intervene, instead watching curiously. Then Kror grasped hold of the object on the other end, pulling free the glowing cube.
That garnered a reaction from Odin; shock and fear.
It was something both Thor's picked up on. "That's good news at least, with this we might be able to stand a chance," Kror noted, trying to think of a way in which to use the power of the cube. He tried to think of what happened the last time when everything for him changed.
He had been wanting strength and power, he had needed that to change the course of everything. 'I need the strength to beat Odin.' He thought, directing it towards the cube yet nothing. 'I need the strength to beat Odin!'
Still nothing.
"A Cosmic Cube," Odin spoke, both Thor's looking towards the King of Asgard. "A powerful relic with the power to alter the very fabric of the cosmos in response to the desires of the user. In the right hands, it can be a powerful tool that can see empires rise and fall. But in the wrong hands, it can bring about destruction, just like it has done to the Skrulls."
What Odin didn't mention but was fully aware of was that Cosmic Cubes learned and evolved, adapting personality traits similar to that of their wielder. If they were a force of good, then the Cosmic Cube could grow to become a great being, a bastion of the good and a saviour to millions. But if it was in the hands of a power-hungry megalomaniac, similar to the recent Skrull Emperor, then the Cube would evolve to become one of the Cosmos' most terrifying forces of evil.
"You have the right idea, desiring the power to beat me." Odin continued. "But that is the fatal flaw of the Cosmic Cube, without those thoughts, it is but a cube with a great well of power laying within it."
"You're intercepting my thoughts." Kror realised and despite never giving any indication he was, both knew it to be true.
That's when Odin moved, Mjolnir thrown forwards and smashing into Stror's sternum and throwing him back. This left Kror alone, Gungnir swinging down, smashing against the shield he summoned as he scrambled backwards to put some distance between them only to be struck by numerous attacks from behind him.
By the time Kror managed to fully recover from the surprise attack and put distance between him and Odin, it was too late. The cube was gone from his hands and Odin now held it, looking toward him.
"Banish them." He spoke firmly and Kror had barely a moment to understand what was happening before everything around him changed.
Staring at where the fragment of his son's soul once stood, Odin frowned as everything around began to break apart. It was too late to stop Ragnarök now, a new Thor would venture out into the universe and Asgard would continue to go through its cycle. But now Odin knew the truth, he wasn't alone, there were those out there with a common goal as him.
There was no formal alliance between them, but Odin didn't need that. Just as he and everything he had was being used by them to liberate his people, Odin would use them and their own resources in turn.
'And now I have another tool to use to my advantage.' Odin thought, looking towards the Cosmic Cube and for the first time, he felt the presence of his masters disappear from his mind. With Ragnarök taking place, they were desperate to feed and satiate their hunger for power and immortality. It was in moments like these that Odin was truly free because even if his 'masters' wished to watch his every step, they couldn't, especially not in moments like these.
If they weren't careful, Death would come and steal them away before they had a chance to feed.
It was in times like these that Odin was truly free to make overt moves to save his people. Reaching within him, Odin began to separate his consciousness, returning to his favoured avatar, the Wanderer.
'Erase the location of Asgard from their minds.' He knew that the fragments of Thor would return eventually, but they were not strong enough and clearly eager to free Asgard. However, they were not ready to face the dangers of Those Who Sit Above In Shadows. So, by erasing their memories of where Asgard was, Odin hoped that it would buy them the time necessary to get even stronger and when they did return, would succeed.
And with that avatar back upon the planet of Midgard, Odin cast down the Cosmic Cube.
He didn't know when or how, but the future of Asgard would be secured. The Cosmic Cube may not be part of that process, but it also could be. It was his duty to ensure as many fail safes were prepared in order to save his people, even if some never needed to be used.
Just as his masters began to turn their attention towards him once more, Odin allowed himself to smile, wiping his memories so thoroughly of everything he had just done. Even with no understanding of why he felt so triumphant, the smile wouldn't fade from his face. It only further served to infuriate those above as they knew he had done something, but couldn't discover what he had done.
One way or another, Asgard would be freed.
-X- Line Break -X-
He failed.
They all failed.
Clenching his fists, Kror glared down at the ground as he sat within the Citadel of Thor's. The Cosmic Cube had been ripped from his grasp, Ragnarök had come to fruition and the cycle continued. Nothing they had done had worked, they had all failed and it angered him.
He had the Nega-Bands.
He had the power of his old self, of the Asgardian Prince, Thor Odinson.
Yet none of it had mattered.
"I need more." Kror thought, gritting his angrily as he clutched his hair tightly, almost on the verge of pulling it from his scalp. "I don't have enough, I need more power."
And that's when his gaze landed upon the injured Thor's around him. Many would make it, but a few wouldn't. According to Stror, they would return to Lady Death and in the future, be reborn once more. However, Kror knew now that the number of Thor's wouldn't matter, it was the individual strength of each Thor that would determine victory.
"What are you muttering to yourself?" Makor asked.
Kror didn't reply straight away, simply releasing his hair. "I need more power. We all do."
Makor nodded his head. "I've been saying that for many years. Stror and others like him however refuse to take the most obvious of routes."
"Fusion?" Makor nodded his head and Kror sighed. "Does it truly make us more powerful?"
"It does. I've seen it before. Not only do you gain all the power of the Thor you fuse with, but you also gain a boost. Probably due to you becoming more whole, more like the original Thor. However, the Citadel is divided between those who don't want to fuse and those who do."
"And where do you stand?"
Makor scoffed. "I'm a Thor of battle, it matters little to me. Stror knows that and so gives me what I desire most, battle. So, I stand with him which I suppose puts me on the side of those who do not wish to fuse."
"Then, suppose I decided to not only forcibly begin fusing with Thor's within the Citadel." Kror proposed. "Then I went further, scouring the universe for artefacts and relics, killing anyone that got in my way. What would you say then?"
Makor smirked.
-X- Line Break -X-
That was a long time ago, since then many things had changed in the Citadel. In a single night, the divided factions of Thors came together, literally. With Makor's aid, Kror was able to ensure that those who resisted against fusion were defeated and the most powerful amongst them were absorbed. The weakest, enslaved and some were alive to this day, forced to fight and grow stronger so that fusions would net a bigger profit.
After that, they departed, moving the Citadel around the cosmos in search of other Thors. Later, battling against other powerful beings and races, forcing them to submit and become a part of the Citadel.
All under his leadership and with Makor at his side.
"You never did forgive me for killing Stror, did you?" Makor asked. "But we both know that Stror would have never been able to be a part of what we have been doing. He was always firmly against forced fusion."
Kror said nothing in response.
"So, what's the plan then?"
"Stardust will be taking Termins to deal with the Skrulls and the remnants of the Kree," Kror stated. "The others will continue to pressure the Olympians till they retreat."
Makor frowned. "And me?"
"You will remain here, with me," Kror replied. "I've told you many times before, but your focus should not only be upon physical power, if you had developed other abilities, you might have sensed his approach."
"His?"
"The Founder."
Major shot up in shock. "He's alive? Impossible. I killed him myself."
"You never actually saw the body though and it appears he's not only come back stronger but with a powerful ally, one blessed by a cosmic entity," Kror said, frowning deeply himself.
The Founder of the Citadel of Thor's return was not something he had planned for and nor did he expect to have sensed his continued existence. He had sent Makor to kill him soon after taking over the Citadel and had believed that was one of the major problems dealt with.
That was clearly not the case.
Not only was the Founder alive, but he had a powerful ally also. If he was here to attack them, then it was likely he would become allies with the Olympians, the Skrulls, the Kree or all of them. At that point, Kror would have to come out and handle things himself.
REFLEXIONES DE LOS CREADORES 
Carrots123
Carrots123 So, another chapter is done and with it, the end of the Citadel of Thor arc. We now understand where Kror and Makor came from, what possible solutions Odin has come up with to free his people and also, the understanding that there is another powerful Thor out there. The Founder, the one who created the Citadel of Thors. Thors can also fuse together, combining their powers with some now enslaved at the hands of Kror. Now we return back to Asgardian Thor with the next arc. Hope you all enjoyed and if you have any questions or suggestions, I'd love to hear them.
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