Sentinels
- Thread starter Seldes Katne
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Seldes Katne
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Disclaimer: Characters Matt Murdock, Ben Urich, and the version of Thor used here are property of Marvel Comics, and have been borrowed for the purposes for telling this story. The author has received nothing even remotely resembling payment for writing this. I have a full-time job, so it's not like I need the money anyway.
This story was originally published on jtg3885's website for his Ultimate Venom Super-Special issue; since the link to that site has been disabled, I'm posting this here for the, shall we say, "dedicated individuals" who want to read more of my stuff.
"We should be able to get a table in here," Ben Urich told his companion as he pulled open the door. "A friend of mine kind of holds court at Ellington's on Tuesday nights. She's been coming here for so long the staff treats her like resident royalty. She's got her own fireside chair and everything."
Lawyer Matt Murdock grinned. He could feel the door swing past; both the change in the air and the sound of voices told him where the open doorway would be. "A bookstore with a fireplace? The local fire marshal might find that interesting."
"I don't thing you need to worry about going up in smoke," Urich replied. Murdock followed the reporter's voice and heartbeat as he turned to his right. "They keep mostly just a table and some chairs in front of it."
"Hey, Mr. Urich." A young man's voice over the background murmurs.
"Hello, Rich. Is Ms. Evans in?"
"Yeah, in her usual seat in the back. 'Scuse me—frantic book collector at nine o'clock." The young man's voice changed timbre as the owner veered away.
Murdock could feel Urich pause. "Uh, do you want some help here? This place is a maze of bookshelves."
"If you keep talking, I'll be able to follow you just fine."
"Okay. We're going to swing to the right here, then straight back through the graphic novels...."
A few minutes later Urich's voice and footsteps stopped. "And there she is."
"And here I am," a woman's voice answered. "How depressingly predictable I've become. Did you have an information question, Mr. Urich, or are you just browsing?"
"Neither," Urich replied. "I brought a friend in for a cup of coffee and a quiet place to talk. Matt Murdock, Miranda Evans."
Murdock held out a hand; a moment later the woman gripped it firmly. "Mr. Murdock. That name sounds familiar." Given the direction from which her voice came, Murdock estimated her height at just over five feet; her tone suggested someone in her late thirties.
"The defense attorney for Bruce Banner," Urich said.
"Oh, yes. The Hulk Trial. That seems to be the topic of conversation right now," Evans remarked. Her tone turned brisk. "Mr. Murdock, please excuse me, but I'm afraid I've had very few dealings with the blind. What can I do to make you comfortable here?"
"Just let me settle into a chair, and I'll be fine," Murdock replied.
"I think I can manage that," Evans replied. "There's a seat to your left here...."
A minute later Murdock was seated, his cane tucked neatly between the seat cushion and the chair arm. He could feel the warmth of a fire on the side of his face, close enough to cast heat, but far enough away that he was comfortable. He heard Urich pull up a second chair, and Evans settle herself back in her own seat. "And how do you two know each other?" Evans was asking.
"Through a mutual interest in the Kingpin and several other criminal figures," Murdock replied. "We've helped each other out a few times over the last couple of years, between setting up information sources and publishing stories."
"You'll have to tell me about them," Evans said. "I'm an insatiable collector of stories, although my great passion is for Native American myths and legends."
"She's got a lot of those," Urich remarked dryly. "Perhaps later she can tell you the Spider Story." Evans chuckled, and Urich continued. "Listen, while you two are getting acquainted, I'm going to get some coffee. Anyone else want anything?"
"Decaf, please," Murdock told him.
"I'm set, thanks," Evans replied. Murdock could smell the chai latte that presumably sat on the table beside her chair.
"Be right back."
"And you, Ms. Evans. How do you know Ben Urich?" Murdock asked as the reporter disappeared into the bookshelves on his way to the café at the front of the store.
"I'm a librarian. I work with government documents, and Mr. Urich comes to me with the occasional question."
"You sounded like a librarian. Or a schoolteacher," Murdock told her.
"I'll take that as a compliment, thank you." She paused. "So, am I allowed to ask you about the Hulk Trial?"
"I'd rather you didn't — it's all I've been asked about for the past several days, and Ben has been grilling me about it between the courthouse and here."
"Yes, he certainly is a dedicated individual," Evans remarked dryly. "Enlighten me, Mr. Murdock. Is this case something standard for you?"
Murdock launched into a description of his practice, his law firm, and his background that lasted until Ben Urich returned with two cups of coffee. "Something other than the Hulk Trial?" he asked, passing Murdock a cup and sitting back down in the vacant chair.
"Yes, a fact for which I'm deeply grateful," Murdock replied.
"Not to derail the conversation, but I have a trial-related question for our resident mythology expert," Urich remarked.
"Mythology enthusiast," Evans corrected him.
"Enthusiast, then. Rumor has it that Thor leaked the Banner/Hulk documents to the press. What do you think?" Urich asked.
There was a pause. "I'm not sure where that idea came from," Evans said finally. "Granted, it's said that Thor has resigned from the Ultimates, although I'm not sure he really qualified as a member in the first place. However, there are a large number of employees who work at the Triskelion, plus any number of people in the world who would love the notoriety of successfully hacking into a S.H.I.E.L.D. computer system, so I can't believe Thor's the only suspect in this case."
"You have to admit, Thor's an odd one," Murdock remarked. "He claims to be a Norse god, of all things."
"You don't believe in Norse gods?" Evans asked, a note of amusement in her voice.
"I believe in one God," Murdock replied. "There are no others."
"Really? In the first of the Ten Commandments, doesn't it say that 'I am the Lord, your God; you shall have no other gods before me'? That suggests the existence of other gods—good Jews and Christians and Muslims just aren't supposed to worship them."
"Are you a follower of his?"
"Only in the secular sense," Evans replied. "I have a certain interest in Thor, mostly because I'm interested in all kinds of mythology, not just Native American. Keeping track of him is much more fun than the 'royal watching' some of my colleagues do. All sort of rumors and odd occurrences seem to surround him. In fact, given your comments just now, I have one story about him that you might appreciate."
Murdock tilted his head toward Urich. The reporter was chuckling. "Get comfortable, Matt," he warned. "Miranda Evans does love a good story."
"Telling any other kind is a waste of time," Evans remarked, and began.
In the mountains of Norway, early summer had provided a perfect day for relaxing — sunlight, warm temperatures, and the smell of green growing things in an unspoiled wilderness blessed by a winding river.
Water flowed around a large, flat-topped rock that made the ideal resting place for anyone who was willing to rock-hop across the river and engage in a bit of climbing. Or who could fly.
Thor had left his boots and daypack on the riverbank. Mjolnir rested on the rock beside him, along with a pouch of dried fruit and nuts, and a second pouch of dried beef. He stretched out on the rock and closed his eyes, hands clasped behind his head. The sun was warm, but a breeze blew across the water, and for a while he dozed.
Eventually he opened his eyes and sat up, reaching for the canteen beside him—and froze. A girl stood on one of the stones leading to his rocky perch. She looked no more than five or six years old, a redhead, with a sprinkle of freckles on her face. She grinned at him, completely unafraid. "Hi!" She was missing a front tooth.
"Hello." Thor sat up, drawing his legs up to make room on the rock for her. The girl hopped onto the remaining stones, them clambered up beside him and sat cross-legged, peering at him out of green eyes. "I didn't realize anyone lived around here."
"I've lived in lots of places," the girl said. "I'm just here for a little while."
"Are your parents here?"
She nodded. "My father knows where I am. I'm Tabitha."
"Are you hungry?" he asked. "I don't have much with me, but you're welcome to some."
"Thanks!" Tabitha responded. She peered into the offered pouch, selected some dried apricots, and popped them into her mouth. She also accepted the canteen, taking a couple of swallows. "You're Thor, aren't you?" she asked finally.
"Yes."
"I know you. You're supposed to be able to make it rain." Tabitha uncrossed her legs and drew them up on either side of her, so that she was almost kneeling on the rock.
"I can, yes." Thor smiled at her. "And what about you? What you do like to do?"
"My father says I'm always moving," Tabitha replied. "An' I can't sit still, ever!" She clapped her hands together for emphasis and hopped to her feet.
"I can see where he might think that."
"Are you a fast runner?"
He smiled. "Fast enough, I suppose."
"Wanna race?" Tabitha asked. She twisted around and pointed. "See that big tree over there? On the other side of the meadow? I bet I could beat you if we raced to that and back to the edge of the river."
Thor followed her gaze. She was pointing across a broad meadow to a huge oak tree. "That's quite a distance," he said. "Are you sure you want to run that far?"
"I like to run," Tabitha replied. "C'mon." She scrambled down the rock to the river and hopped along the stones to the bank.
Thor smiled indulgently, picked up Mjolnir and his food, and drifted over the water to the bank, where he laid everything to one side and pulled on his boots. "All right, we'll race."
"Good. Ready?" At his nod, Tabitha turned away. "Set. Go!" She sprinted forward. Thor watched her go, waiting. Several dozen steps away, she looked over her shoulder at him. "Aren't you coming?"
"Yes, I'm coming." He started forward at a trot. Tabitha turned and ran.
Chuckling, he continued to jog forward, slowly at first. But as he moved, Tabitha's form dwindled in size much more quickly than he expected. He picked up his pace; the girl continued to pull ahead. Finally, he broke into a run. Tabitha was more than halfway across the meadow.
Puzzled, Thor leaned forward and began to run flat out, expecting to gain ground and catch up, but Tabitha actually pulled away, despite her age and smaller size. Before he was halfway across the meadow, the girl's hand slapped the oak tree's trunk, and she jogged in a circle to begin her return run. As she approached, she called, "Faster! Can't you go any faster?"
She darted in front of him and around behind, then leaped past him to run ahead. By now he was running at full speed, and the girl, laughing, wheeled in a circle around him again and sprinted ahead for a second time. Despite his best effort, she again reached the tree before him and scurried around behind it, out of sight.
Panting, he at last reached the tree and ducked behind it. "Tabitha? Tabitha, where—"
She was nowhere to be seen. Slowing, he put one hand on the tree trunk and searched the brush in the forest behind the tree. There was no sign anyone had been there.
Thor stepped around the tree into the meadow and jerked to a halt. A man stood in the shade of the tree's branches, a cup clasped in his hands. He smiled at Thor. "You seem to be looking for someone."
"Yes. A little girl, about this tall." Thor indicated Tabitha's height with one hand. "She was just here."
"Yes, I know," the man told him. "She's with me."
"Are you her father?"
"Call me Japheth." The man looked down at the cup in his hands. "Here. You must be thirsty after your run. This isn't much, but you're welcome to it." He held the cup out.
"Thank you," Thor responded, suddenly wary. Accepting the cup, he examined the contents. It appeared to contain water.
"It is water, nothing more," the man told him, as if reading his thoughts. "Please. Drink as much as you like."
Thor put the rim of the cup to his lips and drank. The water was cold, but salty. He sputtered, lowering the cup and peering into it again. There seemed to be as much water within as when Japheth had first offered it to him. The other man stood watching him, a quizzical look on his face.
"That's all?" Japheth said. "I expected you to drain it. Your capacity for drink is said to be unmatched."
Thor frowned. "Beer or fresh water, yes. This—this is barely drinkable."
Japheth smiled. "Nevertheless, I can't imagine that you would have trouble drinking the full measure of the cup in one gulp. Try again."
Thor hesitated. He'd always had a certain ability to judge character, and there seemed to be no air of malice or guile about Japheth. Shrugging inwardly, he drew a deep breath and brought the cup back to his lips. But after several swallows, he couldn't drink any more of the salty liquid, and the cup remained more than half full.
Japheth held out his hand, and Thor gave him back the cup. Japheth smiled. "Not a bad effort," he remarked. Then he put the cup to his own mouth and threw back his head to drink. Lowering the cup, he held it out for Thor's inspection. The cup was not only empty, but dry.
Unnerved, Thor looked up at Japheth. The man and the cup both vanished, leaving him standing alone in the meadow. Thor put a hand against the tree trunk to steady himself. Seeing people and things that aren't there is not a good sign, he remarked inwardly. There was no sign that Japheth had ever been there — no indentations in the grass, not a drop of spilled water, nothing.
I know at least one person who can twist reality that way. Thor reached out his right hand to summon Mjolnir. And my brother has green eyes—
Movement at the edge of his peripheral vision caused him to turn. An elderly woman, wearing a long dress and shawl, was shuffling into place before him. "Good afternoon," she said, leaning on a cane that was more gnarled and wrinkled than she.
"Good afternoon," Thor greeted her cautiously.
"You are looking for someone," the woman said.
"Yes, I am. And when I find him, I'm afraid there's going to be a most unpleasant confrontation."
"That sounds painful for him," the woman said. "Perhaps, instead of confronting this other man, you might wrestle me instead."
Thor stepped to one side. "No." He called mentally for Mjolnir; the hammer did not respond. Usually he knew exactly where it was. Alarmed, Thor spun away from the old woman and stared around him. His sense of Mjolnir had vanished, along with the meadow, the oak tree, the breeze and the river.
A plain of sand and stone stretched away in all directions. The only familiar sight was the old woman. Thor turned on her. "Who are you? What are you doing?"
"I am Lea," the woman replied. She tossed aside her cane. "You are said to be the most physically powerful man on Earth. Test your strength against me."
"No. I've been outrun by a little girl, and out-drunk by her father. Something is wrong here. You're no more what you seem to be than they were. I won't wrestle you." Thor moved around her. The old woman seized his wrist and twisted. Her grip should have been ridiculously easy to break.
A moment later she had him bent sideways, unable to free his arm. "Yes, you will," she told him, and threw him to the ground.
Thor rolled with the throw and came to his feet. Whatever she is, she's no old woman. He sprang forward; his hands clutched her shoulders. Lea's arms shot upward and to the sides, knocking his hands away. He stumbled forward and she spun in front of him, catching one arm and flinging him over her shoulder to the ground a second time.
He slammed his shoulders into the old woman's stomach, arms circling her waist. She planted one foot on the front of his harness and clapped her hands to his shoulders, pushing herself upward and out of his grip. He grabbed for her, caught the fabric of her robe, and yanked her back against him. A moment later he had one arm around her throat, and the other held one of her arms pinned to her side.
"I don't know what you are—" he began, gasping, his mouth close to her ear.
"No," the old woman said. "You obviously don't know who I am." Her free hand gripped his wrist at her throat. "But you'll see." With a savage heave, she broke his hold; then she ducked beneath him, lifting him onto her shoulders, and threw him to the ground, where he lay, dazed and gasping, ears ringing, too stunned to move again.
He never knew how long he lay there, expecting her to attack again but unable to defend himself. Minutes passed, and no attack came. Eventually he managed to open his eyes, and found, not an old woman, but an elderly man kneeling over him. The man held up a cloth where Thor could see it, then proceeded to bath the younger man's face and neck with it.
"The — the woman —" Thor managed finally. The old man smiled gently.
"Yes, the woman Lea. And the man Japheth, and the girl Tabitha. They are all gone, yet all here before you." He stood up and held out a hand; when Thor hesitated, the old man added, "The challenges are over. I won't hurt you." Thor accepted the hand cautiously, allowing the man to help him into a sitting position. The old man straightened.
Thor looked for the old woman, or Japheth, or Tabitha, but saw no one besides himself and his companion. "I don't understand. Where are the others?"
"They are all here before you," the man repeated. "Do you understand what has been happening here?" Thor shook his head. The old man smiled.
"Then let me explain. The girl, Tabitha. She is no girl at all, but Time. Time runs faster than any mortal; it cannot be caught, or slowed, or beaten. In the end, time will triumph over all who race against her.
"The man, Japheth, offered you a cup. That cup contained the waters of all the oceans on Earth," the old man continued. "It is impossible for any being to drain all the waters of the oceans. Save one."
"Japheth did." Thor eyed the old man thoughtfully.
"Yes, Japheth did. And Japheth and I are one and the same," the old man said. "The oceans came from me, and I created them." The man's body and clothing began to glow faintly, the light becoming brighter as he continued speaking. "The old woman who wrestled you. Lea. She is Age. She will eventually overcome all things—living creatures, civilization, the stars themselves. Nothing can beat her; she will always win in the end. I created Age, and the stars, and the living creatures." By now the glow from the old man had increased to the point where Thor couldn't look at him any more.
He turned his head away from the old man and pulled his feet under him. But instead of standing, he sank to his knees.
"Now to you know who I am? Who the girl, and the man, and old woman were?" the man asked. His voice had deepened.
"Yes."
"No matter how powerful a man or a being or a civilization become, there will always be one more powerful than they. There will always be One more powerful than all—all the old gods, all the workings of man, all the might of nature. There is the One who made them all. Do you understand?"
"Yes." Thor kept his eyes closed. He could almost see the light around him through his eyelids.
"Remember that all power is a gift, a privilege. What can be given or achieved can also be taken away if it is abused or taken for granted. Power must be used well and wisely. Do you understand?"
"Yes. I understand." Thor felt someone lay a hand on his head.
"Then return to the river. I have left you a gift. Eat, drink. Rest. Remember this place."
A moment later, the light had gone. Thor opened his eyes to find himself kneeling in the grass of the riverbank, Mjolnir beside him. He blinked in the ordinary sunlight. The two pouches of food he had brought were also lying in the grass. One was empty. The other contained a loaf of bread as big around as his palm. The bread was still warm, the crust crisp, the white inside soft and fresh. When he unscrewed the top of the canteen, he found a liquid inside that was clear as water, but that left him pleasantly light-headed and drowsy. Finishing his meal, he stretched out on his back in the grass and closed his eyes. Time, Age, the oceans.... he drifted off to sleep with the sound of the water and the feel of the breeze around him.
Only the muted murmur of bookstore customers' voices and the soft hiss of the fire reach Murdock's ears when Evans finished speaking. Off to his right, Urich shifted in his chair. "Is that a true story, Ms. Evans?" Murdock asked finally.
She sipped at her tea before answering. "One could argue that all stories are true stories, Mr. Murdock."
"Even the made-up ones?"
"Especially the made-up ones. Children's author Lloyd Alexander commented once that fantasy is not an escape from reality, but a way of explaining it. This particular story is said to taken place just after Thor stepped into the public's attention — what was it, nearly three years ago now?" She glanced at Urich, who shrugged.
"You're the expert, not me."
"I'm hardly an expert." Evans tilted her head. "I've seen other sources that claim this story is very old, and actually took place when the Asgardian gods were still being worshipped in various parts of Europe."
"Or perhaps you're making it up," Urich remarked, in a tone that suggested he was humoring her.
"Or perhaps I'm making it up," Evans agreed. "Unlike journalists, librarians are allowed to do that." She gestured with one hand. "There are any number of possibilities. Make of it what you will." Then she chuckled. "Enough of me talking. It's someone else's turn. Why don't one of you gentlemen tell me about one of the cases or stories you've worked on together?" And the conversation turned to other topics.
Author's Note: Many thanks to Caduceus for courageously agreeing to read and comment on this before it was published. A second pair of eyes really helps cut down on the writing errors. Any mistakes that remain are entirely the fault of the author.
The inspiration for this story came from two distinctly different sources. Anyone familiar with Norse mythology will probably recognize the basic plot from a story known as "Thor's Journey to Utgard", or similar title, depending on who's adapting the myth for what collection. Thor's three trials come directly from this myth, although in the versions of the story I've seen, Thor is accompanied by one or two companions on this journey, often Loki and/or a human boy named Thialfi, who is Thor's servant. (Yes, Loki is Thor's traveling companion in several of the myths; the two frequently have, if not an amiable relationship, at least a mutually tolerant one. What can I say, it's not the Marvel Universe. Chalk it up to poetic license.)
The rest of the story comes from the Judeo-Christian background in which I was raised. The entire Ultimates 2 experience has been an interesting one for me. Issue 4, in which we supposedly get Thor's origin, is a story that raises a lot of doubt without really answering any questions. The fact that this issue hit the stands about two weeks before Holy Week and Easter added a whole new dimension to the story of the Passion and Resurrection for me this year. The parallels between Thor and Jesus have been noted by several people; whether Millar has drawn the character that way on purpose, or whether many of us are just reading something into the story that isn't there, is anyone's guess as I write this in May of 2005.
There was actually some thought put into the names of the three "challenge" characters: "Tabitha" means gazelle, an animal noted for swiftness; Japheth is one of the sons of Noah, who survived the Great Flood; and "Lea" means "weariness", which can be associated with old age.
This story was originally published on jtg3885's website for his Ultimate Venom Super-Special issue; since the link to that site has been disabled, I'm posting this here for the, shall we say, "dedicated individuals" who want to read more of my stuff.
Blessings in Disguise
By Seldes Katne
By Seldes Katne
"We should be able to get a table in here," Ben Urich told his companion as he pulled open the door. "A friend of mine kind of holds court at Ellington's on Tuesday nights. She's been coming here for so long the staff treats her like resident royalty. She's got her own fireside chair and everything."
Lawyer Matt Murdock grinned. He could feel the door swing past; both the change in the air and the sound of voices told him where the open doorway would be. "A bookstore with a fireplace? The local fire marshal might find that interesting."
"I don't thing you need to worry about going up in smoke," Urich replied. Murdock followed the reporter's voice and heartbeat as he turned to his right. "They keep mostly just a table and some chairs in front of it."
"Hey, Mr. Urich." A young man's voice over the background murmurs.
"Hello, Rich. Is Ms. Evans in?"
"Yeah, in her usual seat in the back. 'Scuse me—frantic book collector at nine o'clock." The young man's voice changed timbre as the owner veered away.
Murdock could feel Urich pause. "Uh, do you want some help here? This place is a maze of bookshelves."
"If you keep talking, I'll be able to follow you just fine."
"Okay. We're going to swing to the right here, then straight back through the graphic novels...."
A few minutes later Urich's voice and footsteps stopped. "And there she is."
"And here I am," a woman's voice answered. "How depressingly predictable I've become. Did you have an information question, Mr. Urich, or are you just browsing?"
"Neither," Urich replied. "I brought a friend in for a cup of coffee and a quiet place to talk. Matt Murdock, Miranda Evans."
Murdock held out a hand; a moment later the woman gripped it firmly. "Mr. Murdock. That name sounds familiar." Given the direction from which her voice came, Murdock estimated her height at just over five feet; her tone suggested someone in her late thirties.
"The defense attorney for Bruce Banner," Urich said.
"Oh, yes. The Hulk Trial. That seems to be the topic of conversation right now," Evans remarked. Her tone turned brisk. "Mr. Murdock, please excuse me, but I'm afraid I've had very few dealings with the blind. What can I do to make you comfortable here?"
"Just let me settle into a chair, and I'll be fine," Murdock replied.
"I think I can manage that," Evans replied. "There's a seat to your left here...."
A minute later Murdock was seated, his cane tucked neatly between the seat cushion and the chair arm. He could feel the warmth of a fire on the side of his face, close enough to cast heat, but far enough away that he was comfortable. He heard Urich pull up a second chair, and Evans settle herself back in her own seat. "And how do you two know each other?" Evans was asking.
"Through a mutual interest in the Kingpin and several other criminal figures," Murdock replied. "We've helped each other out a few times over the last couple of years, between setting up information sources and publishing stories."
"You'll have to tell me about them," Evans said. "I'm an insatiable collector of stories, although my great passion is for Native American myths and legends."
"She's got a lot of those," Urich remarked dryly. "Perhaps later she can tell you the Spider Story." Evans chuckled, and Urich continued. "Listen, while you two are getting acquainted, I'm going to get some coffee. Anyone else want anything?"
"Decaf, please," Murdock told him.
"I'm set, thanks," Evans replied. Murdock could smell the chai latte that presumably sat on the table beside her chair.
"Be right back."
"And you, Ms. Evans. How do you know Ben Urich?" Murdock asked as the reporter disappeared into the bookshelves on his way to the café at the front of the store.
"I'm a librarian. I work with government documents, and Mr. Urich comes to me with the occasional question."
"You sounded like a librarian. Or a schoolteacher," Murdock told her.
"I'll take that as a compliment, thank you." She paused. "So, am I allowed to ask you about the Hulk Trial?"
"I'd rather you didn't — it's all I've been asked about for the past several days, and Ben has been grilling me about it between the courthouse and here."
"Yes, he certainly is a dedicated individual," Evans remarked dryly. "Enlighten me, Mr. Murdock. Is this case something standard for you?"
Murdock launched into a description of his practice, his law firm, and his background that lasted until Ben Urich returned with two cups of coffee. "Something other than the Hulk Trial?" he asked, passing Murdock a cup and sitting back down in the vacant chair.
"Yes, a fact for which I'm deeply grateful," Murdock replied.
"Not to derail the conversation, but I have a trial-related question for our resident mythology expert," Urich remarked.
"Mythology enthusiast," Evans corrected him.
"Enthusiast, then. Rumor has it that Thor leaked the Banner/Hulk documents to the press. What do you think?" Urich asked.
There was a pause. "I'm not sure where that idea came from," Evans said finally. "Granted, it's said that Thor has resigned from the Ultimates, although I'm not sure he really qualified as a member in the first place. However, there are a large number of employees who work at the Triskelion, plus any number of people in the world who would love the notoriety of successfully hacking into a S.H.I.E.L.D. computer system, so I can't believe Thor's the only suspect in this case."
"You have to admit, Thor's an odd one," Murdock remarked. "He claims to be a Norse god, of all things."
"You don't believe in Norse gods?" Evans asked, a note of amusement in her voice.
"I believe in one God," Murdock replied. "There are no others."
"Really? In the first of the Ten Commandments, doesn't it say that 'I am the Lord, your God; you shall have no other gods before me'? That suggests the existence of other gods—good Jews and Christians and Muslims just aren't supposed to worship them."
"Are you a follower of his?"
"Only in the secular sense," Evans replied. "I have a certain interest in Thor, mostly because I'm interested in all kinds of mythology, not just Native American. Keeping track of him is much more fun than the 'royal watching' some of my colleagues do. All sort of rumors and odd occurrences seem to surround him. In fact, given your comments just now, I have one story about him that you might appreciate."
Murdock tilted his head toward Urich. The reporter was chuckling. "Get comfortable, Matt," he warned. "Miranda Evans does love a good story."
"Telling any other kind is a waste of time," Evans remarked, and began.
~*~*~*~
In the mountains of Norway, early summer had provided a perfect day for relaxing — sunlight, warm temperatures, and the smell of green growing things in an unspoiled wilderness blessed by a winding river.
Water flowed around a large, flat-topped rock that made the ideal resting place for anyone who was willing to rock-hop across the river and engage in a bit of climbing. Or who could fly.
Thor had left his boots and daypack on the riverbank. Mjolnir rested on the rock beside him, along with a pouch of dried fruit and nuts, and a second pouch of dried beef. He stretched out on the rock and closed his eyes, hands clasped behind his head. The sun was warm, but a breeze blew across the water, and for a while he dozed.
Eventually he opened his eyes and sat up, reaching for the canteen beside him—and froze. A girl stood on one of the stones leading to his rocky perch. She looked no more than five or six years old, a redhead, with a sprinkle of freckles on her face. She grinned at him, completely unafraid. "Hi!" She was missing a front tooth.
"Hello." Thor sat up, drawing his legs up to make room on the rock for her. The girl hopped onto the remaining stones, them clambered up beside him and sat cross-legged, peering at him out of green eyes. "I didn't realize anyone lived around here."
"I've lived in lots of places," the girl said. "I'm just here for a little while."
"Are your parents here?"
She nodded. "My father knows where I am. I'm Tabitha."
"Are you hungry?" he asked. "I don't have much with me, but you're welcome to some."
"Thanks!" Tabitha responded. She peered into the offered pouch, selected some dried apricots, and popped them into her mouth. She also accepted the canteen, taking a couple of swallows. "You're Thor, aren't you?" she asked finally.
"Yes."
"I know you. You're supposed to be able to make it rain." Tabitha uncrossed her legs and drew them up on either side of her, so that she was almost kneeling on the rock.
"I can, yes." Thor smiled at her. "And what about you? What you do like to do?"
"My father says I'm always moving," Tabitha replied. "An' I can't sit still, ever!" She clapped her hands together for emphasis and hopped to her feet.
"I can see where he might think that."
"Are you a fast runner?"
He smiled. "Fast enough, I suppose."
"Wanna race?" Tabitha asked. She twisted around and pointed. "See that big tree over there? On the other side of the meadow? I bet I could beat you if we raced to that and back to the edge of the river."
Thor followed her gaze. She was pointing across a broad meadow to a huge oak tree. "That's quite a distance," he said. "Are you sure you want to run that far?"
"I like to run," Tabitha replied. "C'mon." She scrambled down the rock to the river and hopped along the stones to the bank.
Thor smiled indulgently, picked up Mjolnir and his food, and drifted over the water to the bank, where he laid everything to one side and pulled on his boots. "All right, we'll race."
"Good. Ready?" At his nod, Tabitha turned away. "Set. Go!" She sprinted forward. Thor watched her go, waiting. Several dozen steps away, she looked over her shoulder at him. "Aren't you coming?"
"Yes, I'm coming." He started forward at a trot. Tabitha turned and ran.
Chuckling, he continued to jog forward, slowly at first. But as he moved, Tabitha's form dwindled in size much more quickly than he expected. He picked up his pace; the girl continued to pull ahead. Finally, he broke into a run. Tabitha was more than halfway across the meadow.
Puzzled, Thor leaned forward and began to run flat out, expecting to gain ground and catch up, but Tabitha actually pulled away, despite her age and smaller size. Before he was halfway across the meadow, the girl's hand slapped the oak tree's trunk, and she jogged in a circle to begin her return run. As she approached, she called, "Faster! Can't you go any faster?"
She darted in front of him and around behind, then leaped past him to run ahead. By now he was running at full speed, and the girl, laughing, wheeled in a circle around him again and sprinted ahead for a second time. Despite his best effort, she again reached the tree before him and scurried around behind it, out of sight.
Panting, he at last reached the tree and ducked behind it. "Tabitha? Tabitha, where—"
She was nowhere to be seen. Slowing, he put one hand on the tree trunk and searched the brush in the forest behind the tree. There was no sign anyone had been there.
Thor stepped around the tree into the meadow and jerked to a halt. A man stood in the shade of the tree's branches, a cup clasped in his hands. He smiled at Thor. "You seem to be looking for someone."
"Yes. A little girl, about this tall." Thor indicated Tabitha's height with one hand. "She was just here."
"Yes, I know," the man told him. "She's with me."
"Are you her father?"
"Call me Japheth." The man looked down at the cup in his hands. "Here. You must be thirsty after your run. This isn't much, but you're welcome to it." He held the cup out.
"Thank you," Thor responded, suddenly wary. Accepting the cup, he examined the contents. It appeared to contain water.
"It is water, nothing more," the man told him, as if reading his thoughts. "Please. Drink as much as you like."
Thor put the rim of the cup to his lips and drank. The water was cold, but salty. He sputtered, lowering the cup and peering into it again. There seemed to be as much water within as when Japheth had first offered it to him. The other man stood watching him, a quizzical look on his face.
"That's all?" Japheth said. "I expected you to drain it. Your capacity for drink is said to be unmatched."
Thor frowned. "Beer or fresh water, yes. This—this is barely drinkable."
Japheth smiled. "Nevertheless, I can't imagine that you would have trouble drinking the full measure of the cup in one gulp. Try again."
Thor hesitated. He'd always had a certain ability to judge character, and there seemed to be no air of malice or guile about Japheth. Shrugging inwardly, he drew a deep breath and brought the cup back to his lips. But after several swallows, he couldn't drink any more of the salty liquid, and the cup remained more than half full.
Japheth held out his hand, and Thor gave him back the cup. Japheth smiled. "Not a bad effort," he remarked. Then he put the cup to his own mouth and threw back his head to drink. Lowering the cup, he held it out for Thor's inspection. The cup was not only empty, but dry.
Unnerved, Thor looked up at Japheth. The man and the cup both vanished, leaving him standing alone in the meadow. Thor put a hand against the tree trunk to steady himself. Seeing people and things that aren't there is not a good sign, he remarked inwardly. There was no sign that Japheth had ever been there — no indentations in the grass, not a drop of spilled water, nothing.
I know at least one person who can twist reality that way. Thor reached out his right hand to summon Mjolnir. And my brother has green eyes—
Movement at the edge of his peripheral vision caused him to turn. An elderly woman, wearing a long dress and shawl, was shuffling into place before him. "Good afternoon," she said, leaning on a cane that was more gnarled and wrinkled than she.
"Good afternoon," Thor greeted her cautiously.
"You are looking for someone," the woman said.
"Yes, I am. And when I find him, I'm afraid there's going to be a most unpleasant confrontation."
"That sounds painful for him," the woman said. "Perhaps, instead of confronting this other man, you might wrestle me instead."
Thor stepped to one side. "No." He called mentally for Mjolnir; the hammer did not respond. Usually he knew exactly where it was. Alarmed, Thor spun away from the old woman and stared around him. His sense of Mjolnir had vanished, along with the meadow, the oak tree, the breeze and the river.
A plain of sand and stone stretched away in all directions. The only familiar sight was the old woman. Thor turned on her. "Who are you? What are you doing?"
"I am Lea," the woman replied. She tossed aside her cane. "You are said to be the most physically powerful man on Earth. Test your strength against me."
"No. I've been outrun by a little girl, and out-drunk by her father. Something is wrong here. You're no more what you seem to be than they were. I won't wrestle you." Thor moved around her. The old woman seized his wrist and twisted. Her grip should have been ridiculously easy to break.
A moment later she had him bent sideways, unable to free his arm. "Yes, you will," she told him, and threw him to the ground.
Thor rolled with the throw and came to his feet. Whatever she is, she's no old woman. He sprang forward; his hands clutched her shoulders. Lea's arms shot upward and to the sides, knocking his hands away. He stumbled forward and she spun in front of him, catching one arm and flinging him over her shoulder to the ground a second time.
He slammed his shoulders into the old woman's stomach, arms circling her waist. She planted one foot on the front of his harness and clapped her hands to his shoulders, pushing herself upward and out of his grip. He grabbed for her, caught the fabric of her robe, and yanked her back against him. A moment later he had one arm around her throat, and the other held one of her arms pinned to her side.
"I don't know what you are—" he began, gasping, his mouth close to her ear.
"No," the old woman said. "You obviously don't know who I am." Her free hand gripped his wrist at her throat. "But you'll see." With a savage heave, she broke his hold; then she ducked beneath him, lifting him onto her shoulders, and threw him to the ground, where he lay, dazed and gasping, ears ringing, too stunned to move again.
He never knew how long he lay there, expecting her to attack again but unable to defend himself. Minutes passed, and no attack came. Eventually he managed to open his eyes, and found, not an old woman, but an elderly man kneeling over him. The man held up a cloth where Thor could see it, then proceeded to bath the younger man's face and neck with it.
"The — the woman —" Thor managed finally. The old man smiled gently.
"Yes, the woman Lea. And the man Japheth, and the girl Tabitha. They are all gone, yet all here before you." He stood up and held out a hand; when Thor hesitated, the old man added, "The challenges are over. I won't hurt you." Thor accepted the hand cautiously, allowing the man to help him into a sitting position. The old man straightened.
Thor looked for the old woman, or Japheth, or Tabitha, but saw no one besides himself and his companion. "I don't understand. Where are the others?"
"They are all here before you," the man repeated. "Do you understand what has been happening here?" Thor shook his head. The old man smiled.
"Then let me explain. The girl, Tabitha. She is no girl at all, but Time. Time runs faster than any mortal; it cannot be caught, or slowed, or beaten. In the end, time will triumph over all who race against her.
"The man, Japheth, offered you a cup. That cup contained the waters of all the oceans on Earth," the old man continued. "It is impossible for any being to drain all the waters of the oceans. Save one."
"Japheth did." Thor eyed the old man thoughtfully.
"Yes, Japheth did. And Japheth and I are one and the same," the old man said. "The oceans came from me, and I created them." The man's body and clothing began to glow faintly, the light becoming brighter as he continued speaking. "The old woman who wrestled you. Lea. She is Age. She will eventually overcome all things—living creatures, civilization, the stars themselves. Nothing can beat her; she will always win in the end. I created Age, and the stars, and the living creatures." By now the glow from the old man had increased to the point where Thor couldn't look at him any more.
He turned his head away from the old man and pulled his feet under him. But instead of standing, he sank to his knees.
"Now to you know who I am? Who the girl, and the man, and old woman were?" the man asked. His voice had deepened.
"Yes."
"No matter how powerful a man or a being or a civilization become, there will always be one more powerful than they. There will always be One more powerful than all—all the old gods, all the workings of man, all the might of nature. There is the One who made them all. Do you understand?"
"Yes." Thor kept his eyes closed. He could almost see the light around him through his eyelids.
"Remember that all power is a gift, a privilege. What can be given or achieved can also be taken away if it is abused or taken for granted. Power must be used well and wisely. Do you understand?"
"Yes. I understand." Thor felt someone lay a hand on his head.
"Then return to the river. I have left you a gift. Eat, drink. Rest. Remember this place."
A moment later, the light had gone. Thor opened his eyes to find himself kneeling in the grass of the riverbank, Mjolnir beside him. He blinked in the ordinary sunlight. The two pouches of food he had brought were also lying in the grass. One was empty. The other contained a loaf of bread as big around as his palm. The bread was still warm, the crust crisp, the white inside soft and fresh. When he unscrewed the top of the canteen, he found a liquid inside that was clear as water, but that left him pleasantly light-headed and drowsy. Finishing his meal, he stretched out on his back in the grass and closed his eyes. Time, Age, the oceans.... he drifted off to sleep with the sound of the water and the feel of the breeze around him.
~*~*~*~
Only the muted murmur of bookstore customers' voices and the soft hiss of the fire reach Murdock's ears when Evans finished speaking. Off to his right, Urich shifted in his chair. "Is that a true story, Ms. Evans?" Murdock asked finally.
She sipped at her tea before answering. "One could argue that all stories are true stories, Mr. Murdock."
"Even the made-up ones?"
"Especially the made-up ones. Children's author Lloyd Alexander commented once that fantasy is not an escape from reality, but a way of explaining it. This particular story is said to taken place just after Thor stepped into the public's attention — what was it, nearly three years ago now?" She glanced at Urich, who shrugged.
"You're the expert, not me."
"I'm hardly an expert." Evans tilted her head. "I've seen other sources that claim this story is very old, and actually took place when the Asgardian gods were still being worshipped in various parts of Europe."
"Or perhaps you're making it up," Urich remarked, in a tone that suggested he was humoring her.
"Or perhaps I'm making it up," Evans agreed. "Unlike journalists, librarians are allowed to do that." She gestured with one hand. "There are any number of possibilities. Make of it what you will." Then she chuckled. "Enough of me talking. It's someone else's turn. Why don't one of you gentlemen tell me about one of the cases or stories you've worked on together?" And the conversation turned to other topics.
~*~ End ~*~
Author's Note: Many thanks to Caduceus for courageously agreeing to read and comment on this before it was published. A second pair of eyes really helps cut down on the writing errors. Any mistakes that remain are entirely the fault of the author.
The inspiration for this story came from two distinctly different sources. Anyone familiar with Norse mythology will probably recognize the basic plot from a story known as "Thor's Journey to Utgard", or similar title, depending on who's adapting the myth for what collection. Thor's three trials come directly from this myth, although in the versions of the story I've seen, Thor is accompanied by one or two companions on this journey, often Loki and/or a human boy named Thialfi, who is Thor's servant. (Yes, Loki is Thor's traveling companion in several of the myths; the two frequently have, if not an amiable relationship, at least a mutually tolerant one. What can I say, it's not the Marvel Universe. Chalk it up to poetic license.)
The rest of the story comes from the Judeo-Christian background in which I was raised. The entire Ultimates 2 experience has been an interesting one for me. Issue 4, in which we supposedly get Thor's origin, is a story that raises a lot of doubt without really answering any questions. The fact that this issue hit the stands about two weeks before Holy Week and Easter added a whole new dimension to the story of the Passion and Resurrection for me this year. The parallels between Thor and Jesus have been noted by several people; whether Millar has drawn the character that way on purpose, or whether many of us are just reading something into the story that isn't there, is anyone's guess as I write this in May of 2005.
There was actually some thought put into the names of the three "challenge" characters: "Tabitha" means gazelle, an animal noted for swiftness; Japheth is one of the sons of Noah, who survived the Great Flood; and "Lea" means "weariness", which can be associated with old age.
ProjectX2
Don't expect me to take you with me when I go to s
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Well, I read this quite a while ago and enjoyed it. I just read it again so I could remember the details and I realized how great a story this is. It's got an interesting idea, excellent dialogue and amazing description. 
Your teasing me I saw this new story post from you and immediately thought "Oooh,
! Great! Now I get to find out what happens in the end. But I'll settle for this
As I said in the editing, the myth itself really doesn't help Thor's case for not being a twit. Warm temperatures? In Norway? Pfft.
Anyway, its still a good story and its always amusing to watch Miranda...spar with Ben. Whom, I note, always comes away bleeding. Looking forward to your next stuff.
I saw this new story post from you and immediately thought "Oooh,
Sewer Monsters
As I said in the editing, the myth itself really doesn't help Thor's case for not being a twit. Warm temperatures? In Norway? Pfft.
Anyway, its still a good story and its always amusing to watch Miranda...spar with Ben. Whom, I note, always comes away bleeding. Looking forward to your next stuff.
ProjectX2
Don't expect me to take you with me when I go to s
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BTW Seldes, just to let you know I've browsed your fics on fanfiction.net. Good stuff, especially the one about Percy and the Owl. Your a fan of the Ultimate Universe, Harry Potter and Star Wars, just like me!
thee great one
Master of TOG-fu.
Wow, all 3 of these stories were some of the best I've read. I have to say that the Thor one was my favorite. I really liked what you did in there. Great dialogue. I do have a question. Is Miranda Evans supposed to be based off of how you view yourself? It seems to me her character seems to be a lot of what I envision you to be like.
Seldes Katne
Site mom
Yes, I'm afraid Miranda Evans suffers from a serious case of author avatar-ism.thee great one said:
I hope she doesn't come off as a "Mary Sue", though. If she does, someone tell me NOW so I don't embarrass myself any further!Well, you know what they say about great minds.... :wink: And bless you for going to FFN and reading my stuff. I hope the experience wasn't too traumatic. :dazed:ProjectX2 said:
It's okay, Cad, I've mentioned the Sewer Monster story in the Crazy Ideas thread here in fanfic, so the title isn't a spoiler. However, you'll get to see the ending before anyone else, if you don't mind beta-reading it for me when you've gotten settled in from your vacation. (I may ship it off to Ourchair, too, to see if the science flies. Suppose I should warn him first....) And "Sewer Monsters" will get its own thread, as it's about 35 typed pages long.Caduceus said:
anic: To be honest, Thor in the mythology really does come off as being a good-hearted, but not-too-bright fellow; Thor in the Ultimate Universe sometimes seems too intelligent to be the real deal (even if he is, how can I put this delicately, "technologically challenged").
Thanks for reviewing, guys. Even after many years of writing practice, I'm a little hesitent to post stories, and it's greatly appreciated when people take the time to comment. :heart:
ProjectX2
Don't expect me to take you with me when I go to s
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Seldes Katne said:It's okay, Cad, I've mentioned the Sewer Monster story in the Crazy Ideas thread here in fanfic, so the title isn't a spoiler. However, you'll get to see the ending before anyone else, if you don't mind beta-reading it for me when you've gotten settled in from your vacation. (I may ship it off to Ourchair, too, to see if the science flies. Suppose I should warn him first....) And "Sewer Monsters" will get its own thread, as it's about 35 typed pages long.
Jeepers, that's long. But I'm still looking forward to it. I am guessing it's about the Lizard?
Seldes Katne
Site mom
Yeah, I know. I really ran off at the cursor. :sure: I'm going to sit down next week and edit the living daylights out of it in hopes I can shorten it a little.ProjectX2 said:
The Lizard gets a mention, but no, the monsters are something else. Since I don't know enough about Marvel 616 to do an intelligent job of ultimizing existing characters, I'm attempting to be original, based on a comment Nick Fury made in the "Homeland Security" arc of The Ultimates. We'll see how well I'll succeed....
thee great one
Master of TOG-fu.
I didn't say it was a bad thing to add a little of yourself in there. I think it just added to it.
Gamma Man
Well-Known Member
I loved the way you used X-men characters with Spider-Man! COOL!
Iceshadow
Well-Known Member
Whew! I just read through these stories and EXCELLENT JOB! Sentinals was a little slow but it still held my attention. However, I really liked Spider Story and Blessings in Disguise, mythological stories have always sparked an interest from me (especially ones I haven't heard). Are you planning to write anything else soon?
Seldes Katne
Site mom
Thank you for reading, Iceshadow. "Sentinels" was slow, partly because it was my warm-up story in the Ultimate Universe. (And I had no plans to continue on with it when I wrote it, either.....) I also love mythology, no matter whose, although my great passion is Native American. I have an entire shelf full of children's picture book adaptations of Native American legends and myths. I also read various versions of the Norse Myths while researching the (seriously huge and verbose) essay speculating on Ultimate Thor's possible origins.Iceshadow said:
A spoiler of sorts for "Sewer Monsters", although this particular information is never mentioned in that story: Miranda Evans's code name for SHIELD is "Warrior Mouse" (generally shortened to "Mouse"), which is taken directly from a Hopi Indian folk tale about a mouse who fights and outwits a hawk. I have a follow-up piece to "Sewer Monsters" in which she tells the story to Thor, who has regained his memories of the Echthroi after the end of "Homeland Security" and is actually at the Triskelion while the rest of the Ultimates are at the White House party.
I have half a dozen stories in the works, but at least three of them are waiting for the end of Ultimates2, so they may never get finished. :roll: One deals with Sam Wilson and Mjolnir at the end of the "Gods and Monsters" arc, and another involves various Ultimates members taking an actual trip to Asgard to locate four items. No promises at this point that either of them will ever get published.
However, I also have a Christmas-related piece that I started last year and which should be ready in December, and a sequel to the Morbius arc in USM (which includes a pseudo-scientific explanation for vampires that was lacking in Bendis's two-parter). And I have a vague idea for a story in which Sam Wilson stumbles across a lab that does experimentation on mutants and rescues three kids. It takes me a long time to get stories finished (one of the draw-backs of writing original plotlines in fanfiction :wink: ), so I can't tell when or if any of these will be posted.
Iceshadow, now that you've published your first fanfic on the Writing Challenge thread, can we expect to see more writing from you?
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Iceshadow
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure if I'm going to write anything else, I may try a couple more challenges. My biggest problem is sitting still long enough to get anything done. I was also thinking about writing a few one shots, hopefully I can get at least one out by September.
Seldes Katne
Site mom
I find it's always easier to start out with short stories, like vignettes (one-scene short that gives insight into a particular character or situation) or drabbles (a story consisting of exactly 100 words). My first stories in any fandom tend to be brief (the first Harry Potter piece I wrote clocked out at 4.5 typed pages, and I kept trying to shorten it!), and then I can work my way up to something longer. The longest fanfic I ever managed was a 127-page Star Wars "novel", and that honestly was too long. I never want to do one of those again.
I don't know if you've had this experience, but I find that many of my best story ideas come to me when I'm out on my evening walk. I have a couple of CDs I play and I walk for exercise, and that's where the idea for the Sentinel attack, and indeed much of the early part of this story, was generated. If sitting and writing is a problem, you might want to try a tape recorder or other method of recording your voice as you speak the story or ideas, and then writing them down later.
The mods have been talking about the idea of either starting a "Story Snippet Discussion Thread", on which authors could post ideas and get general responses to them before writing, or with scheduling set times in the chat room once a week or so, where we could talk to authors about their stories. Not sure when this would happen (certainly not until autumn), but it's something we're considering.
Feel free to write something up for any of the challenges I've posted, even if it's an older one. I'm going to "unstickie" the thread when school starts up next month, but it will still be kicking around the boards and available through the Index. People can post on it any time they wish. I'm thinking of posting a one-shot holiday challenge in November, since this one got a pretty good response.
I don't know if you've had this experience, but I find that many of my best story ideas come to me when I'm out on my evening walk. I have a couple of CDs I play and I walk for exercise, and that's where the idea for the Sentinel attack, and indeed much of the early part of this story, was generated. If sitting and writing is a problem, you might want to try a tape recorder or other method of recording your voice as you speak the story or ideas, and then writing them down later.
The mods have been talking about the idea of either starting a "Story Snippet Discussion Thread", on which authors could post ideas and get general responses to them before writing, or with scheduling set times in the chat room once a week or so, where we could talk to authors about their stories. Not sure when this would happen (certainly not until autumn), but it's something we're considering.
Feel free to write something up for any of the challenges I've posted, even if it's an older one. I'm going to "unstickie" the thread when school starts up next month, but it will still be kicking around the boards and available through the Index. People can post on it any time they wish. I'm thinking of posting a one-shot holiday challenge in November, since this one got a pretty good response.
