Loki Passage 23

6.

Thor heaved the group of Muspell bounded by himself with the rope above his head. He then hurled them across the distance to their own holding guard there.

“Have your ugly friends back!” Thor roared out, and was cheered by his own warriors. He then turned to them and shouted.

“Must I invite you to battle once again?” Thor asked of his warriors who had all stood aside to watch their leader subdued the group earlier.

“Nay!” The warriors of the Hall replied and rushed towards the Muspell warriors. Their progress was hampered by the arrival of the bulky serpent whose jaws took down three warriors in their run.

“By the Vahalla Gates, it’s the serpent Jörmungandr.” Thor muttered out. “It’s truly fated that I am do battle with the vile serpent.”

Thor without any hesitation threw his hammer at the serpent. Mjolnir on the command of its master slammed into the serpent’ head before it rebounded back to Thor, but the serpent was unfazed by the hit. Thor retrieved his returning hammer but was surprised on the impact.

“Other foes have falter before it and yet this one stood there.” Thor spoke to himself. He then rushed forth with the hammer in the hand but his rush was thwarted by a group of Muspell warriors. The group of four rushed at Thor but it was him who faced them but the serpent. The serpent intervened with its elongated body and hissed at those warriors. The warriors stopped in their track on facing the fanged jaws of the serpent but it gave Thor an opportunity. He leapt up onto the serpent body and used his hammer to hit at the scales there.

“Sif’ denial, thy scales are tougher than her will.” Thor cursed at the serpent scales that protected the serpent flesh. “I doubt even your maidenhood was taken with such scales that assuming you are like Sif.”

Jörmungandr reacted to the attack when it reared its head up and shook its body to shake the warrior off but Thor held hard onto the scales. He felt the scales were what protecting the serpent. He used his bare hands to pry open the scales and slotted the hammer into the exposed flesh.

“Mjornir, I called on thee to strike with thy power and mine.” Thor roared out and the skies above him darken and the sound of thunder rumbled through it. Thor was gifted with the power of the lightning and within his command the power of the element will appeared for him. The lightning struck at the Mjornir and powered the hammer. It vibrated and then exploded with the force of tenfold to penetrate the exposed flesh. The hammer broke through and splintered the spine bones below to emerge from the other side.

Jörmungandr hissed out in pain while its body coiled up to comfort. Thor was thrown off the body and landed on his feet. The hammer sensed its master and returned to Thor.

“Alas, your shield broken and your flesh exposed.” Thor called out. “It will be your downfall, Jörmungandr.”

Thor then felt the pain coursing through his body and forced him to his knees. He looked at his armor and noted it was broken at some places where the flesh was exposed. It was there where the dark patches could be seen like maggots eating into his body.

“The blood of the serpent is tainted. I am poisoned by its venom.” Thor called out while he used his hammer to steady his stance. “I am dying inside.”

Thor looked to the serpent which had lowered its head towards the ground. Its eyes glassy with the deadly stare but its body was heaving with each hiss. Jörmungandr was also dying from the hammer blow.

“Jörmungandr, both of us are dying but I will await your death before I have mine.” Thor laughed. “You are a worthy foe but I aimed to win it all even at death gates.”

The serpent hissed out with its jaws open, and it was then Thor threw his faithful hammer into it.

“You will not cheat me of my victory. I have sent my hammer to hasten your death.” True to Thor’s command Mjolnir cruised through the inner flesh of the serpent and caused more damages before it resides inside the deep bowels of the serpent with the poisonous venoms protecting it. Jörmungandr hissed out once more before it laid down for its final rest.

“I won.” Thor called out but the poison had reached his vital organs. He pushed himself up and called for his horse. The later did not come but stood a distance away and then galloped off.

“Horse, you are a proud one. You will not see me to my death.” With that, Thor took to walk back to his warriors. All he took was nine steps before he collapsed for the final time.

Thor had seen his last battle at Ragnarok.