Chương 21: Skrull Thor Part V
A giant spire of metal in the form of a tree stood within the centre of the room. Four jewels that burned with fire from the top floated around it in a circle. Then, surrounding the bottom, seven chairs were sat in a circular fashion around it, all empty.
"It was a beautiful sight, was it not?" Turning his gaze away from the Lifestone Tree, Thor turned to see a Centaurian walking towards him, a large red fin upon his head. A quiver of arrows was slung over his shoulders, a bow held in one hand. "Sadly, it is now but a pale imitation of what it once was."
"It's what happens in life," Thor replied, turning back to the tree. "People live and people die."
The Centaurian chuckled humourlessly. "And yet, we were not meant to. We, the ones proclaimed to be the Guardians of the Galaxy are meant to protect it, not be killed in doing so. Especially not lose the Lifestone Jewels which we had been gifted with by our Emperors. Now, war is already on the horizon. The Badoon, The Dire Wraiths and the Shi'ar are outraged."
"As they should be," Thor nodded his head. "It took them many years to gather the resources to make those Lifestone Jewels and now they're lost forever. We were divided and not united, that's why they lost. The power of those Lifestone Jewels went to their head and thought that they were unbeatable. The downfall of many."
"I agree, though saying as such in the meeting wasn't the brightest of moves considering our situation. Everyone is tense, in the future it'd be best to not make statements like that." Thor looked to him with a raised brow. "Just saying."
The meeting had ended hours ago, all of it to do with the recent disappearances of three of their members. But more worryingly, the disappearance of the Lifestone Jewels meant that someone or a group out there had them. Which meant that they were all under threat and everyone was tense because of that reason. Worst of all though, some were beginning to look towards one another as possible threats, as the real perpetrators.
"What do you think of the whole thing anyway?" The Centaurian asked. "Do you really believe Xorr the God-Jewel is behind this?"
Thor crossed his arms over his chest. "I think it's the most likely option, all things considered." He replied.
"Why, because his body is made of jewels?" He joked and Thor smiled slightly.
"Because everyone that's died was near or within the Dark Nebula. The Dire Wraith was the first to go. The Badoon we sent to find out why his search eventually led him within the Dark Nebula resulting in his death. Then the Shi'ar was sent, from reports, he wasn't even killed within the Dark Nebula, but we can't be certain on that." Thor explained. "The Kree after sending an envoy discovered the God-Jewel had been trapped within an Asteroid, the Dire Wraiths were mining it and released him."
"I doubt the Dire Wraiths revealed that willingly."
Thor chuckled. "Oh they didn't, but if the Kree report is accurate, we have the Dire Wraiths to blame for this."
This was also why the Dire Wraiths were pushing for war the most. They were embarrassed by the report the Kree had given and were trying to save face. The only solution they had given to avoid war was the destruction of Xorr the God-Jewel and its remains being handed over to them for research purposes. With their past in Dark Magic that had turned them from being Skrulls to the abominations they were, it was no wonder why they wanted the God-Jewel for themselves.
'Though that might be the very thing that causes war to erupt in the first place.' The only reason the Dire Wraiths would have mined an asteroid and pushed so hard for his remains in the first place, was if it was powerful.
Anyone with half a mind could see that.
"So, you don't believe one of us did it, do you?" Thor hesitated for a moment before shaking his head.
"I think it's unlikely."
-X- Line Break -X-
Leaning back in his chair, Thor looked out across the bridge of his ship and into the vastness of space. The Skrull ship was coasting right now, no destination set as it floated just outside the citadel containing the Lifestone Tree. As the representative of the Skrulls on the Lifestone Tree, he no longer had the duty to fight in wars.
He was officially discharged from the military and working more as an ambassador, not really something he was suited for in either of his lives. Thor just knew that Loki would laugh outrageously if he knew what he was doing.
Then he'd help him, just like Thor had always helped him.
'It would have made my life so much easier if he was helping me.' Thor thought, looking towards the suit of armour at his side, four Lifestone Jewels embedded into it. 'Manipulating events was never my forte, it was always yours.'
However, Thor knew he couldn't rely upon his brother anymore, he was alone now. In his time as Thor Odinson, Prince of Asgard he had never suffered a defeat, even upon his death he had been victorious. The reason for that was not only due to his overwhelming strength, but because Loki was at his side. His cunning mind and intellect allowed Thor to rush forwards like he always did, able to trust that Loki would cover his flanks.
Now Loki wasn't with him and it was up to Thor to make up for that weakness. He couldn't purely rely upon overwhelming strength, not as he had done. This time, he had to learn how to be cunning just like Loki.
Because at the end of the day, Thor knew he had been lucky to have Loki at his side. He hadn't realised how lucky until he had to do everything himself. But a man that didn't learn was a man destined to fail, Thor wouldn't fail, not with everything that was on the line.
Hearing the door behind him open with a hiss, Thor smiled. "I see you've finally arrived, Horde." Chair turning, Thor looked upon the mountain of a man that walked towards him. "It's about time."
"Have you convinced them?"
"I was trained to infiltrate and plant evidence," Thor replied. "You awakening Xorr worked perfectly, me framing the Dire Wraiths was simple. All it took was directing the Kree to investigate."
Despite his words, Thor could tell that Horde was not pleased in the slightest, his frown only deepening as time went by. "When are you going to move?'
"A few days, I already have the permission from the Emperor to eliminate this threat and reclaim the lost Lifestone Jewels." Both looked towards where they were really kept, upon his armour. "However, the others are still working upon it, especially the Kree. They're very slow in their democratic ways."
"We need to move quickly, Xorr is on the move," Horde responded and Thor smiled.
"Yeah, I know."
Horde scowled at the flippant response. "Do you not care?"
"Care? Oh, I do care. I care about being betrayed." The look of bemusement on Horde's face made Thor scoff. "Let's not pretend to be stupid, we both know we're not. But I know someone far smarter and far more cunning than you. I could never tell what was going on in his mind. So when it comes to you or anyone, I think, what would he do? I could never fully tell, but compared to him, you are so predictable it's pitiful."
Horde took offence to that, moving forwards and looming over Thor who just smiled up at him.
"Ah, ah, ah," Thor smirked, wagging his finger mockingly. "We both know that you're intention was to take the Lifestone Jewels for yourself, then kill Xorr. I just beat you to the hunt and you came to kill me, until you realised you couldn't, just like you can't now. If you do try and kill me, I'll be able to hold you off long enough for backup to arrive and I doubt you'll be able to take us all on and you know it too."
Horde grit his teeth, mouth opening to say something.
Yet once again, Thor beat him to it. "When you realised that, you concocted this plan to work together. I got the Lifestone Jewels and then I helped you kill Xorr the God-Jewel which you keep for yourself. But we both know that you had every intention of killing me once it was all over."
"What do you want?" Horde grit out.
"You come up with a little sob story about your family being killed by Xorr and wanting revenge." Thor began, Horde displeased as he figured out where this was going. "Then you help us kill Xorr. Afterwards, I take the Lifestone Jewels just like initially intended, this time, however, I take a quarter of Xorr's body for myself."
"I will not!"
"You won't have a choice!" Thor shot up, not quite as tall as Horde, but not backing down in the slightest. "Unlike the original arrangement, you won't be sitting back and letting me do all the work. You won't be able to come back and finish off whoever remains standing and get all the spoils. This time, you put yourself in just as much danger as me and we split the profits more fairly. After which, we both go our separate ways and never see each other again."
The chances of that last bit happening were highly unlikely.
It was more than likely that after defeating Xorr, both would turn on each other. At the end of the day, both desired power for their own means. And they would stop at nothing to get it.
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