The
Deviant called Ereshkigal, once impersonating the Sumerian Goddess of the
Underworld who then fell, and seeking to return to power, visits the ruins of
Asgard on a quest. Thor discovers her there and demands to know why. She
explains that the Deviants in Lemuria have been stricken by a plague that is
killing them and leaving the males sterile, all leading to total anarchy in the
land. Ereshkigal hopes to retrieve the Apples of Idunn to rescue her people but
Thor tells her that such valuable items have been moved to a place of greater
safety. She clouts Thor and heads to a hidden subterranean vault, hoping it
contains something that will serve the purpose. When she reaches the door,
though, a defense it triggered: a flaming guardian. Thor steps in to hold it at
bay while Ereshkigal escapes but she discovers an object on the floor and makes
off with it. Thor recognizes it as the Unbinding Stone of Oshemar. Thor knows that if she discovers the
Stone’s secret he will need the help of the Eternals to stop a disaster….
The
history of the Unbinding Stone of Oshemar follows. Centuries ago, as Odin was
celebrating the addition of Svartalfheim to the Asgardian Empire, an alien
creature suddenly appeared in the court. He revealed himself to be Oshemar,
scientist of the Calderan Dominions, who was tasked with creating a weapon to
win the millennia-old war between his people and the Sextus. He created the Unbinding
Stone, a device which repealed the laws of physics and caused reality to become
nothingness. He wielded the Stone in the war and annihilated the enemy but the
Stone didn’t stop there, it destroyed all of Oshemar’s world, with him only
escaping by creating a dimensional rift to hide in. He explains he has come to
Asgard to rest so he can search for a means of destroying the Stone…and then he
dies. Odin was fascinated by the Stone but Thor warned him of the danger; Odin
kept the Stone anyway…
...and
now it is in the possession of Ereshkigal, who sees it as her means of
regaining the power she lost centuries ago….