The Keep, having been growing steadily through the story arc, is now a beaked giant and it attacks Thor in the throne room of Asgardia. The Thunder God is brought up short by the Enchantress’ revelation that her paramour was created based on the template of Don Blake, whose animated head rests nearby….
In the nightmare world of Marelock, Jeff Fischer falls asleep again and dreams himself into a miles-high amphitheater where The Mare sit in judgment on him. Idunn tries to awaken him but is halted by one of the Dire Monks. Then some idiot turns out the lights…
Thor and (10% of) Don have a heart-to-head talk. While Don was only a brief portion of the Thunder God’s long life, Thor was the central part of Don’s and he is angry that it all ended years ago. The angered Thor wants revenge against Amora but The Keep comes to her rescue. Thor is disgusted at Amora’s affection for this manufactured shadow of a god….
The Mare tell Jeff that they were banished long ago by Odin who did not understand that they communicate only through dreams. The mild-mannered creatures now fear to cross into the Nine Worlds because they are seen as monsters. Jeff gives an impassioned defense of dreams as what makes human existence bearable, giving himself as an example…
Thor and The Keep bash each other around the throne room until the All-Mother awakens and calls halt. Freyja orders Amora and her monster out of Asgardia; the minx spits some defiance but Thor clobbers them both and drags them out to the World Tree where he hurls them into the abyss….
Later, Thor brings the All-Mother the requests of The Mare: they want freedom and a voice in Parliament. And they have granted Thor a favor: they have the head of Don Blake kept safely inside a dream world where he lives a happy fulfilled life….
Jeff Fischer returns home to stand up to his abusive dad and starts drafting a message to his institutionalized pal Cyrus on how he finally met The Deconsecrator.