The very big snake man who had appeared through human sacrifice and introduced himself as 'Sligguth the Abominable, the son of Set' did not wait for the others to ready themselves before dashing at Hercules and trying to swallow his head in one bite.
Only to be stopped by the demigod's hands clamping on his jaws and hold it open with some tremble in his arms. Giving Skaar time to punch the serpent man through a wall.
"Have any of you guys heard of this Sligguth?" Bruce asked as he looked at Hercules and Doom, only for the demigod to shake his head while the sovereign of Latveria took a moment before tilting his head.
"I know that the elder god Set had many serpentine children, including sea monster Phorcys who created the Sirens and the monster of the Ibuki mountain; Yamata no Orochi. But I haven't heard of this... Sligguth before today." He said before holding out a hand and conjuring an emerald barrier to block a wave of sickly yellow flames.
"So... no weaknesses?" Amadeus asked as the serpent man ran towards them, his claws and fangs growing longer at a noticeable rate.
"It's still just a snake." Skaar snorted as he reached his back and pulled out his sword. "We'll cut off his head."
"And then torch the neck so the head doesn't regrow." Hercules said with a smile with far too many teeth as he pulled out his own golden mace and smacked it into the palm of his hand.
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"So... were these guys actually important?" I asked with a frown as I kicked one of the many downed members of the so called 'Serpent Society'. Some weirdo with a blue costume and a headgear that looked like a bottle cap.
"Not truly." Thor said with a shrug as he walked up to me with a smile. "Merely persistent and hard to put down. They never stood a chance when..." His smile dropped and was replaced with a far more sorrowful expression.
"...when Captain America took the fight against them."
...ah.
Right. I knew why he was sad.
Steve Rogers was dead.
After the whole 'Civil War' fiasco of the Avengers, Captain America had surrendered himself to custody and was shot by a sniper before being shot blank point by a mind controlled Sharon Carter. Or something along those lines.
As he was basically the most honorable and moral hero of the world, it made sense that Thor was saddened by his loss.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"...it was always one of my greatest fears." Thor began as he looked down at Mjolnir in his hand. "To leave Midgard one day and then return, only to find my comrades gone."
"Immortality... it comes with a price. A moment for humans; a battle, a war, a minute or a day. They are remembered as seconds to me. I recall them as a mortal would recall what he had for breakfast a year ago." He raised his head and looked up. "I have lost many friends on this world, not to grand battles but to time itself. And I have missed their passing, missed their lives, missed entire lifetimes as I did my duties for Asgard. Yet to come back and see that many of my friends are on the run, that many of my friends betrayed those they fought side by side and... and that my friend is gone." Thor chuckled, a broken and hollow sound that did not suit a god at all.
"Ithurts."
"And that's why Odin was always so hard on you." Loki said, a frown on her face as she walked up to us. "Your inability to let go of mortals, that was the one thing that kept you from being the 'perfect' son that he wanted."
"Is there a point to this, sister?" Thor asked with a frown.
"…do you remembered that woman you once were with brother? The one who scolded you for daring to join her battle."
"I would never forget Erika."
"Ah yes, Erika the Red. A fierce warrior for a mortal. And one that our father hated more than any other." Loki chuckled. "He was so displeased with how much time you spent with her on Midgard rather than on Asgard. He even contemplated ending your relationship with his own hands till I stopped him by giving him a better idea."
"…and what was that idea?" Thor asked, his grip tightening on his hammer with a very clear sound. "I am very curious about it, sister."
"Why, it was an idea that suited our beloved then Allfather quite well." Loki chuckled sinisterly. "To do nothing."
"…nothing?" It took a moment before realizing that I was the one who asked the question.
"Indeed, nothing. Something Odin has always been rather talented at doing, and a perfect way to teach you about mortals." Loki said with a smile as she twirled her finger. "After all, you weren't there when your beloved Erika breathed her last. You were instead fighting against the Dark Elves and Dwarves under Odin's command, not realizing that fortyyears had passed since you last saw your beloved Erika."
"...is there a point to this Loki? Or do you simply wish to torment me with my failure and the part that you and father played in it?"
"The point is, you have learned nothing." Loki said calmly, but with a glare. "Your words say that you understood the lesson but your actions say otherwise. You recognize that letting mortals close only leads to unnecessary pain and yet you embrace their ilk all the same."
"The point is, I want to know why you keep doing the same thing over and over again; trying to be a god of Earth more than a god of Asgard, while knowing that only pain awaits you."
It was like watching a tennis match, except this tennis match was played with words by two people with enough power to destroy the world and were looking more and more ready to say 'screw it' and start brawling.
It was obvious that Loki's words were having an effect on Thor. The god of thunder's expression had turned from calm to angry and to thunderous before finally settling on a blank expression throughout their talk. And now, the ball was on his court.
"Because I love them." The god of thunder said. "Because despite the evil that is within the hearts of so many, there are just as many who are willing to take arms to protect what matters. Truth, justice, honor, love, loyalty. In many ways, the people of Midgard embody these concepts in ways no god can compare to; no matter how much father believes otherwise and sees them as inferior. After all, sister, you of all people should know how often our father has been wrong."
"...you are a damn fool." Loki said with a sigh. Yet strangely, her voice sounded almost fond. "But I guess you wouldn't be you if you weren't." She then clapped her hands and a glow appeared on the chest of the downed leader of the Serpent Society, something something Winder.
Then the glow left the man's chest and levitated to Loki's hands where the glow died down and revealed a small statue of a three headed green serpent with red eyes.
"I believe this is what our dear lady Isuus sent us here for." She said with a smile. "Now then, shall we go and find the rest of our group?"
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