The End of The Dream
#6 of Welcome To Asgard
The whole city of Asgard was as busy as ever since the siege had been nearing its end and the attacks had been getting more fierce as line after line of the enemy army kept charging like an endless sea but with Thor and the other heroes to help defend the city the scales always tipped in their favor. Zeng spent his morning practacing his weapons routine which seemed strange to some of the soldiers since they had considered themselves perfect after graduation.
"Does the lad always do this?"
"He was razed by amazons, never allowed to rest until AFTER practice and besides it helps keep him in shape eh Volstagg?"
The other heroes laughed at Volstagg as he crossed his arms, ingoring his massive gurth before Zeng picked up a spear and sent it spiraling through three targets as half of it went through the fourth leaving the others a little shocked since Thor couldn't make a throw that powerful, after pouring a bucket of water over his head Zeng went off into the city to do some errands and to grab a meal at the inn before heading to the gate for guard duty.
Zach was up in the watch tower munching on some sausage and a loaf of bread and the only thing he wished he had with him right now was some cheese to go with it before noticing the soldiers at the gate sending a signal that the attack had stopped and the guards could leave their posts to stretch their legs.
Tanya was in the valkyrie wing tending to the flocks of pegasus that had just flown in from the fields, as she strolled around tossing out their feed while avoiding the various dung piles she began to daydream about Zeng, sure they were drunk when they first slept together but that didn't change the fact that she had feelings for him but after hearing the death goddess say she would grant Zeng anything his heart desired she knew the one thing he would ask for was to go back to Gaia and his family.
Night soon fell on the city as the camps outside the gates began to light there fires leaving the guards on high alert with Angel and the other valkyries leading the watch. Thor was in his chambers while his mate lady Syph slept through the night, while he gazed upon her beauty in her heavenly sleep a monstrous shadow crept into the hall and hid itself among the stone statues nearly catching Thors attention.
"Hm?....I must be hearing things."
As he walked down the hall the shadow that followed him stealthly moved in from behind and all of the sudden Thor was lifted off his feet and thrown through the wall sounding the alarm as all the guards bursted out of their beds, grabbing their weapons.
"TO ARMS!! PRINCE THOR NEEDS OUR HELP!!"
"Grendel..."
Zeng knew that running to the castle on the street would be a waste of time so he and Zach took to the rooftops and began dashing their way across the city leaving some of the people stunned as Angel joined them flying in from above. Back at the castle Thor was completely beaten to a pulp and his lady Syph had her left arm and both her legs broken, Thor saw his hammer Miolnir and attempted to reach for it but Grendel siezed him by the legs and threw him into another pillar.
"And so ends the mighty Thor...Loki sends his regards."
"Damn you...brother..."
Just as Grendel was about to crush Thor beneath his foot a spear suddenly pierced both his legs sending him crashing to the ground as two sets of arms pulled Thor to safety. As Grendel removed the spear from his legs he saw the same tiger from the night before holding the axe that pierced his side and rage began to overflow within him until a voice echoed inside his mind.
"(forget the tiger! kill Thor!!") yes master..."
"Oh no you don't!! I aint done with you yet!!"
Using Armads magic Zeng whipped up a strong gust of wind that sent Grendel crashing through a window and into the castle courtyard as the guards surrounded him ready to move in but the moment Zeng arrived on the scene Grendel snarled and flared up with rage completely forgetting Lokis orders.
"I'm going to enjoy this..."
"You want to die? THEN DIE!!!"
Grendel tackled Zeng to the ground attempting to bite his head off only to be clawed in the face and flipped over with a double heeled kick enraging him even more as he tried a double fisted slam to crush Zeng but the moment his blow made contact everyone stood in shock waiting for the blood to splatter as Tanya and Angel closed their eyes but to their surprise nothing happend and when they looked back on the fight Zen was holding both Grendels arms with his own, veins bulging all over as he smiled through the strained look on his face, impressing some of the ladies and female soldiers including Tanya but her fantasy was cut short knowing what would happen if he won.
"You're gonna have to do...BETTER THAN THAT!!!"
Zeng broke free of the lock and got on Grendels back, slamming Armads into his spine as he weaved all over the place until he at last fell on his stomach completely paralyzed.
"You messed with the WRONG tiger!!"
"NO! NO NOT AGAIN!!!"
With a fierce roar and a quick jerk Zeng ripped off the trolls arm as the life energy that sustained him began to pour out into a single crystal. As Zeng picked up the strange gem he peered inside to see the sould of Grendel demanding to be released before smiling to his friends as he raised the crystal to the crowd, making them cheer and roar into the night.
The next day Angel and Tanya escorted Zeng back to the realm of Hela where the goddess awaited their return as she smirked at Zeng who entered first and upon his entrance he saw the trickster god bound in chains and a magic circle.
"What in Gaias name?"
"Oh while you were busy dealing with the troll I caught my..."Father" trying to steal anothe soul and because this is my realm his magic has little power here. now the soul."
Zeng handed over the crystal to the goddess as she placed it into a stone pillar and with that she turned to Zeng with a lustful smirk before sitting down on her throne.
"I know what it is you seek young hunter but are you sure it is what you want?"
Zeng looked at his newfound friends as they nodded in agreement and then there was Tanya. In truth she would have been the perfect match for Zeng had they met in a different time but he already belonged to another, as a tear fell from her face Zeng held her hands to comfort her as her eyes met his.
"Tanya-!"
"I love you Zeng....but you are not mine..."
Tanya released her grip from his hands and stepped back with her head sulking down in sadness as the goddess approached him from behind.
"So be it. Zeng as payment for this deed I shall take away from you ALL your memories of Asgard and you shall return to the mortal world. do you accept these terms?"
".....I do."
"Then it is done...Awake!"
Zengs world suddenly began to spin as the images around him became blurry and dissoriented until a blinding light suddenly sucked him in and a familar voice began calling out to him, it was the voice of his wife Linda.
"Wake up...Zeng please wake up *sobs!*"
"*groans*....L-linda?"
"*GASP!!*"
As Zeng rose from his bed his head began to throb with pain, as he rubbed his forehead the only thing he remembered was the dragon he was fighting falling on him and everything went black after that, then his mothers came into the room and their faces became aflood with tears of joy as they all hugged him lovingly, though Zeng was not sure what happened to him he noticed an axe next to smolder that seemed somewhat familiar while in a viewing orb Angel could see everything was right in midgard and Asgard the moment Odin finally awoke from his slumber.
"Thus the cycle begins anew, Asgard is safe once again...defended to the end by its heroes. I am proud of each of you that stands before me. We honor those who fought beside us, those who are no longer with us and we defy those who would see our way of life brought to ruin. And while the rewards of valhalla await ALL of asgards heroes today we honor a hero of midgard; A mortal who risked everything to save a world not his own....today a single soul showed us all just how strong the heart of a true warrior can be-HAIL ZENG!! THE MIGHTY HUNTER!!!"
"(Crowd) HAIL!! HAIL!! HAIL!!!"
The Final End.