Odin has condemned the Warriors Three to die at dawn.
Enchantress checks in on the healer who is ministering to the comatose Heimdall
and plans to save the Warriors….
A group consisting of Captain Tilda of the Crimson Hawks,
Hermod God of Speed, Tyr God of War, and Brunnhilde the Valkyrie comes to Odin,
begging him to spare the condemned Warriors; an enraged All-Father drives them
from the room. Karnilla the Norn Queen advises him to the same end and he
responds with threats….
In Mephisto’s realm, Eric Masterson, Lady Sif, and Balder
the Brave accuse Mephisto of deceiving them in the matter of Thor Odinson’s
whereabouts. The smarmy demon relates the story of the Soul Shroud, which takes
place in the future. In short, in the adventure of the Thor Corps versus Zarrko
the Tomorrow Man (issues #438-441), Loki and Zarrko were lost in the time
stream….
Hogun, Fandral, Volstagg, and young Arko are escorted from
their prison cell by Tilda and the Crimson Hawks and taken to the place of
execution. As Arko is about to be beheaded, Enchantress appears, zaps the
headsman, and, in the confusion, the Warriors Three fight against the guards and,
though they do not trust her, allow Amora to teleport them away. Moments later,
Odin appears on the scene, sizes up the situation, and announces vengeance
eternal on them….
Mephisto continues the tale: Loki, knowing his doom was
certain, cut a deal with Mephisto so that when Thor fought and killed Loki in
issue #432, Loki’s spirit entered the body of the All-Father during his Odin-Sleep
and Odin’s spirit went into Mephisto’s Soul Shroud. And so it is Loki who rules
Asgard….
“As My Dreams Lay a’Dying”
Writer: Tom DeFalco. Pencils: Geof Isherwood. Inks: Geof
Isherwood. Colors: Ariane Lenshoek. Letters: Rick Parker.
Synopsis: In their refuge, Amora informs Hogun, Fandral,
Volstagg, and Arko that Loki rules Asgard in place of Odin, the Warriors do not
believe it and take much convincing. Arko, however, ponders what he has gone
through and volunteers to join them in fighting back. Fandral announces they are
now the Warriors Four; Amora corrects him, “Five”….