Chapter Five: Lightning Duel

Thor raised the Hammer of Thunder high, summoning dark clouds above the training grounds. Lightning struck down again and again, each bolt absorbed by the hammer. Not to be outdone, Artanis gathered blue psionic energy between his hands, the crystal worn on his chest radiating waves of light.

Although Thor’s power, measured by psionic levels, was only at the ninth rank, the Hammer of Thunder granted him such a powerful boost that he could fight above his class. Artanis, with his own power at the tenth rank and the crystal augmenting him, still found the energy within it insufficient to offset the Hammer’s might.

Their strengths were evenly matched, and the outcome of this contest was impossible to predict. From the distant Golden Palace, Frigga watched the gathering clouds and lightning in the sky. “Thor, that child, truly cannot sit still. I wonder which of them will win in the end,” she mused.

Odin, gazing at the distant spectacle, laughed, “It may depend on who stands on the right at the end.” Frigga smiled and kept her eyes fixed on the horizon.

“Ready? Take this!” Thor shouted, swinging his hammer toward Artanis. A massive bolt of lightning surged forth, forming a brilliant beam. Artanis brought his hands together and spread them wide, unleashing a blue beam in response.

The two similarly colored energies collided, their meeting point erupting in a tremendous shockwave. At the site of the clash, psionic energy and lightning each formed a backward-curving surface, and through their persistent control, a sphere emerged between them.

The spheres pushed against each other, and Artanis felt the mounting pressure. Though, having ascended to the tenth rank, he had built a bridge between heaven and earth within himself, forming a perpetual equilibrium with external energy and never lacking power, the contest with Thor left him feeling stretched. The Hammer of Thunder, forged from a star’s core, could provide boundless energy; in a prolonged battle, he knew he could not outlast Thor.

Artanis sighed inwardly. His mastery of Twilight Power was still incomplete; if it were perfected, no matter how formidable Thor’s weapon was, he would not be Artanis’s match. But if his Twilight Power had advanced that far, he would no longer remain at the tenth rank.

Yet there was still a path to victory in the current situation. After pondering, Artanis devised a strategy.

Thor was elated. Since gaining the Hammer of Thunder, he had rarely fought so freely and fiercely. Though the battle had become a test of endurance, he was confident he would prevail.

Suddenly, Thor felt the pressure intensify. The energy waves between them unleashed shockwaves, gouging a crater in the training ground. The two massive energy spheres blocked his view, so Thor could not see what was happening on the other side; his only option was to pour in more power.

But what had Artanis done? He summoned several spectral clones, each unleashing an energy blast. Though the clones were weaker than his true self, their combined strength was enough to withstand Thor’s assault.

With both light spheres locked in stalemate, Thor could not discern the change, but he realized that if things continued, they could fight all day without resolution. After considering, Thor hurled the Hammer of Thunder and leapt backward.

With the hammer no longer supplying energy, Artanis’s beam surged forward, overwhelming Thor’s side. But the hammer swiftly intercepted the massive energy sphere, triggering an explosion whose shockwave sent Artanis flying several meters, while Thor, still airborne, was propelled even farther back.

When the dust settled, a vast crater was revealed at the heart of the explosion. Thor, now standing, finally saw what had transpired.

“Impressive, Artanis! So you used clones,” Thor realized immediately, having often been tricked by Loki’s illusions. “But the battle isn’t over yet.” He summoned his hammer and smashed it into the ground, sending bolts of lightning streaking toward Artanis and his clones.

Artanis understood: this round was a test of group attack abilities. He raised a psionic shield with his left hand to repel the lightning; blue electrical energy danced in his right hand. Slamming it to the ground, he unleashed a psionic storm, spreading outward from himself.

Thor felt the storm’s power and flew upward with his hammer until it subsided, then landed again.

“Not bad, my friend!” Thor put away his hammer, stepped forward, and clapped Artanis’s shoulder. “I haven’t felt so invigorated in ages. Come, let’s have a drink.”

Artanis withdrew his psionic energies; his clones had been struck by lightning, marking the contest’s end. He nodded and said, “I lost. Thor, you truly are formidable.”

“Ah, what’s losing? Let’s call it a draw. Come on, let’s drink. You haven’t met Hogun and the others yet. Come!” Thor pushed Artanis toward the exit, and the onlookers, seeing the fight was over, entered the grounds.

“Remarkable, Artanis! You held your own against Thor. Amazing!” Vandal gave a thumbs-up, having thoroughly enjoyed the spectacle and wishing he could join the fray himself.

“Vandal, Sif, I’m going drinking with Artanis. Want to come?” Thor glanced at his friends. The duel had satisfied him; now, he longed only for a hearty drink.

“No, watching you two was so thrilling, I need to get in some practice myself.” Vandal waved his hands. Thor had gotten his fill, but now Vandal’s appetite for battle was whetted; he wanted nothing more than to unleash himself on the training grounds.

“You’ve left the training ground in ruins—I’ll have to stay and repair it,” Sif said helplessly, surveying the battered arena. As the goddess of earth and harvest, maintaining the training ground was part of her duty.

“All right then, thank you, Sif. Artanis and I will go ahead.” Thor scratched his head and flashed Sif a broad smile, then dragged Artanis toward the tavern. Artanis managed only an apologetic glance to the two before being whisked away.

If there was anything abundant in Asgard, it was taverns. All Asgardians loved drinking; with few other entertainments, taverns were among their only recreational venues.

“Come, sit here! Hogun and the others aren’t here yet. Let’s start drinking.” Thor led Artanis into the tavern, naturally settling into his usual seat and pulling Artanis down beside him.