"Hahahaha! The thought that mortals would even attempt to fight back...though doth amuse me, humans." Loki laughs boldly in the face of the mortals' attack. Despite their number, and the inclusion of the Guardians of the Galaxy among their ranks, the force attacking Loki and Sif hardly makes themselves noticeable to the others. So small are the mortals, to the Asgardians, that they do not realize at all that another has joined the battle.

Sif looks to her husband and waits a moment, then laughs forcedly. Loki fires a bolt of magic from his fingertip, blowing up the land in front of a group of soldiers.

"Fall back, Guardians!" Charlie yells to his team, trying his hardest not to let anything bad happen to them. They are all very, very important to him.

The team obeys completely, trying to help as many of King Harrid's men as they can while doing so. Even with as many of them trying to help, most of the soldiers aren't making much of a difference and seem to get in the way when the Guardians try to battle.

Organizing an aside, Charlie has he teammates huddle closely around him, trying to move and speak quickly so as few soldiers as can be are lost.

"Alright, listen up folks. We need some good ideas, and quick." He says to them, and Hollywood is the first to respond.

"It seems like Sif is under his influence, or just under his thumb...maybe we can get her to come her senses..."

"We can't assume anything, Williams. Maybe if you distract the big green guy while we go for the woman..." Charlie suggests.

"I'll try it, but I don't know how well I can do against Loki...seems like he's gotten stronger with his years."

"Then I won't risk it."

"Then what will we risk?" Vance asks strongly. "We can't always just wait for things to come our way...we have to make something happen!"

"Vance is right," Nikki agrees, "We have to do whatever it takes to stop this. Who knows what that maniac will do with Thor's hammer..."

The voice is not from within the group, and all of the Guardians turn to see who spoke in such a strange voice. To their side, they see a lightly blue-skinned man, his hair brown and his ears slightly pointed. His cloak is a darker blue, long and flowing, and underneath he wears a loose fitting robe. He says something else.

The other Guardians part as Charlie walks through them, slowly, and holds out his hand, shaking the blue man's hand, his grip as strong as Charlie's. "If you want to help, that's fine, but who are you, and how are you going to help?"

"You don't speak in old English, though." Martinex points out.

"Look, it doesn't really matter. How do you plan to help us out, Meran?"

"Me? How'd you know...?" Simon wonders, but is stopped short by Charlie.

"Just spell if out for us and we'll try it. We're willing to do anything....." the leader admits.

"I certainly hope so," Vance says skeptically.

"So? What's the plan, folks? We don't exactly have a whole lot of time..." Nikki says, hinting towards the seemingly hopeless battle off to the side.

The Guardians and their new friend, Meran, have spoken for the last five minutes, planning their battle with the Asgardian gods Loki and Sif. Now they stand together, ready to put it into action.

"Are you ready, Simon?" Yondu asks, putting his blue hand on Hollywood's shoulder.

"Definitely." He responds.

Charlie looks at the faces of his team and turns back to Meran.

"We're ready, Meran. Let's pray this works....." Charlie speaks for the whole team.

"Let's go, Guardians!" Charlie cries, and his team rushes towards Loki, as they had before, in the god's eyes no stronger than before. But he is wrong. Meran stays behind, where he had been standing before, and Hollywood separates from the team, heading towards Sif. She doesn't notice, at first...

Coming up to the beautiful giant, Hollywood flies up her back, buzzing around her head like an insect.

"Sif? Sif!" he yells into her wonderful face, trying to catch her attention. He is so much smaller than her, she almost doesn't see him, until Hollywood tugs on her long black hair with a portion of his great strength, finally catching her attention.

She swats at Hollywood, still not realizing who he is, and narrowly misses him.

"Sif!" Hollywood begins yelling again. "It's me...Simon Williams?"

"Wonder Man...the Avenger!"

Sif's large features brighten and she turns to look at him more closely, ignoring the battle below her.

"It's me, Sif! I know you remember..."

"I'd ask the same question! How can you be doing this?"

"But why are you with Loki? He's.....well, just evil! This isn't like you Sif!"

"Now what you've found him, you can help stop Loki.....we have a plan to save Mjolnir, and to keep Loko from bothering anyone for a long time....."

"Loki can't hurt you if you just join us, Sif...please, we need your help!"

Meanwhile, the Guardians have their hands full with Loki, who seems to be enjoying the easy battle at hand.

"Come now, mortals. Who dost thou think thou art?"

"We're the Guardians of the Galaxy, buddy!" Charlie says. His guns all spent and empty, he charges at the god's foot, falling off of it despite his strength.

"I don't think it matters to him, Charlie." Martinex points out, his ice beams doing just as little damage.

"Where's Meran? Shouldn't we be putting the plan more into action by now.....?" Nikki asks, and no sooner is it said when Meran makes himself seen within their group, standing still within them.

"We're waiting for Hollywood and Sif...and I believe they are coming, now." He says.

In the close distance, Sif's gigantic form lumbers towards her husband, carrying the relatively tiny Hollywood on her shoulder. Loki does not notce as his submissive wife comes up behind him...at least, not until he feels her strong arms grab and hold him. Her strength is enough to make Thor fall in love with her.....she holds Lokie easily by surprise.

"Sif? My love...what dost thou do? Release me...immediately!" Loki struggles to no avail as Sif holds him, and Hollywood jumps off her shoulder, flying straight towards Loki's head.

"This is for Thor, you devil!" Sif exclaims, as Hollywood gets a good hold on Loki's green and yellow helmet, which is too large for anyone else besides Sif and Loki to lift. Forcefully removing it from Loki's head and revealing his flame red hair, Hollywood quickly lands with his friends. Sif still holds Loki, but it looks like he is soon to escape, so the Guardians must hurry.

"Quickly, Simon...we mustn't waste anytime!" Meran says. Hollywood sets down the gigantic crown of a helmet in front of Meran, and the cloaked man of light blue skin holds his arms over the item, swirling them and concentrating immensely.

"This better work, sorcerer....." Yondu almost threatens with nervousness at Meran. The magician ignores the Yondu's words and finally a yellow light escapes Meran's hands, covering the entire helmet in its energies.

"Tell us when, Meran." Charlie reminds the sorcerer, but there's really no need to.

A few seconds more, and Loki is struggling mightily.

"NOW, Sif!" Hollywood yells, and she lets the Norse God of Fire and Mischief free. He turns to his wife, ready for vengeance.

At first, Loki doesn't notice the feeling that is creeping up his body from the bottom. But soon enough, he can tell that something is wrong. Turning back towards the Guardians, he sees the energy coming from the small blue man and Loki's helmet, and going directly to him.

The feeling of being in a cage is the first one, followed by shrinking and nausea. Quickly, Loki is diminished to the size of a normal mortal, and the energies force his body to the helmet...and ultimately, inside of it!

"By Odin's beard!" Sif exclaims at the sight, but there's no need for fear.

"There," Meran says as the helmet itself shrinks down to normal size, "The trickster is trapped, now, in his own helmet, much like Thor is in his own hammer."

Suddenly, Sif herself begins shrinking until she finally reaches normal size, apparently a side effect of Loki's power disappearing.

"Twas Loki's sorcery that kept mine form so large." The goddess admits, and the team rests an easy moment, the threat finally subdued.

But Vance starts to think, of course, and his mind goes in a negative direction, like usual.

If this is just like Thor's hammer, Vance wonders, Then couldn't someone access the power of Loki just the same.....?

But he doesn't mention it. He's not in the mood to look stupid.

"Thank the Gods, the Guardians have emerged victorious!" a guard praises the team as he escorts them into King Harrid's courtroom.

"Aye, a truly heroic battle!" the King agrees.

"Thanks, your highness, but nothing would have gone well without your magician Meran here." Charlie admits, presenting their partner in victory.

"Ah, Meran, thou hast finally had a try at battle?" the king says heartily.

"And what is this?" the King suddenly becomes louder, "One of the very gods that you battled...?" He points at Sif.

"Sif was under Loki's influence, your highness." Nikki informs him. "Not anymore, though. He's been trapped in this helmet now, just like Thor..."

Meran holds up the helmet Nikki speaks of, and gives it to his king. "Thank you, Meran. It will be guarded well..." the King assures his magician.
"Your majesty," Hollywood adds in, "There is still the matter of Mjolnir..."

"What matter?" the king responds, sounding like he's trying to avoid the subject.

"Well, your highness, we did save your whole planet from destruction by one of your own gods. We are trustworthy of the hammer...the thunder god's lover even admits so. Please, for the sake of our friend, let us take it."

The king strokes his beard, furrowing his brow while thinking.

"Fair enough, Guardians. The hammer is yours. I give you that and my thanks..."

The Guardians and the king don't understand this intrusion on their conversation.

"What dost thou mean, Meran? Are you not happy and well-treated here?" the king asks, confused.

"Well..." Charlie begins to consider, but Vance jumps in.

"Charlie...no! We don't even know anything about this guy...!"
"That's true. But we do know that he helped us today...and his magic gives us an edge we didn't have before. If it's alright with you, your highness, we'd like to take Meran with us."

"If he so wishes, then let it be so!" the king says.

"I, too, will go with you , for now. I must see the fate of my beloved Thor..." Sif admits.

"Then let's hurry back to Earth!" Nikki says excitedly, and the others agree. Meran gathers his few personal items and says farewell to the King, and they then board the ship and soar off into expanse of space.

"Master Doom, the Guardians approach Earth!" Rancor says, her voice sounding high and piercing.

"So soon? The Guardians must be better than even I had assumed. No matter...I have no worries about their return." He answers through his steel faceplate.

Meeting he Guardians at the docking area, Doom watches the members exit their new ship, and surprisingly, with an added figure leaving with them.

The Guardians give Doom a look of spite, and Charlie holds up Mjolnir.

"Here it is, Doom. Now where's Aleta?" he asks.

"You're not getting the hammer until we see her, unharmed." Martinex claims, and Doom nods.

"Say what you please...come with me to see your friend."

The Guardians cautiously follow Doom through his grand castle, and the finally come to an open door. Looking inside, the team sees Aleta, dressed in a silk robe and lying on the bed comfortably.

"Aleta!" Charlie yells, and runs to her, hugging her as the others crowd around and do the same.

"Oh, I am so glad to see all of you!" Aleta says, getting out of the bed. "You...you retrieved the hammer?"

"Yes, with the help of this magician, Meran."

"Pleased to meet you."
"The same to you, Meran." Aleta says.

"I hate to interrupt, but for this to continue, I must have the hammer." Doom says, blocking the door.

"How can we trust you with this, Doom? We have Aleta now...and we have Mjolnir...what's keeping us from plowing out of here right now, with the hammer?" Charlie boasts, but Doom smiles under his mask.

Her athletic body walks over to Doom, and he puts his arm around her.

"Guardians...you must not attack Cristoph..." she says.

Cristoph?, Simon wonders.

"But Aleta...! He held you hostage....." Martinex can hardly believe what he's hearing.

"He only did so for the sake of Earth! And he did not harm...Cristoph can be trusted. Please, give him the hammer."

"She is the one who knows..." Yondu admits aloud.

"If you say so, Aleta." Charlie finally decides, handing the hammer to Doom. He feels the pure power flowing from it, through his hand and into his body.

"Ahhhhh....." he sighs, and strikes the hammer against the wall three times.

A bolt of lightning.....

A crack of Thunder.....

A rumbling in the Earth.....

And Thor is reborn.

Elsewhere, in Doom's Castle.....

The screen's light and the speakers' sound catch Rancor's divided attention as she sits.

"Doom.....Rancor.....help! Mayday!" Talon's voice and face invade Rancor's senses. She jumps to the control panel to answer. "What is it, hairy?" she asks with little concern.

"I've been hit.....going down...lost......."

"What're you talking about? I can hardly understand you..."

"PUNISHERS.....Please, you must help!"

And then, the signal goes dead, and the screen is blank.

"I better get Doom....." she says to herself, and walks with a slight rush out of the room.

NEXT MONTH: Thor! Talon! Punishers...How many more characters can I fit in?