The Lake of Lilitha

Thor, Sif, and Balder have been on a quest to obtain four mystical items that are needed to forge into an enchanted sword. After a long journey, they are nearing the last item on their list, a vial of water from the Lake of Lilitha. As they pass through the majestic forest, Thor and Balder get into a snit over kisses and secrets with Sif. Tired of being used as a pawn in their mutual jealousy, Sif reminds both young men that she regards them only as friends. The tense moment is interrupted when Loki teleports before them. Thinking this is a threat, the trio draw their swords but don’t know what to do when the trickster begs for help.

Weeping, Loki tells Thor that he had followed them to Jannia where he was captured by Karnilla the Norn Queen. She tried to convince him to join forces with her for a planned invasion of Asgard.[1] He assures them that they flat out rejected this ploy and Karnilla decided to move ahead without him. Because she kissed him, Loki was able to steal some of her magic — just enough to escape and find help. However, Sif doesn’t believe him and confronts him about all of the attacks they have faced on their travels. Loki admits that he had been following them and tipped off those who attacked. Thor assures Balder and Sif that he will face punishment for risking their lives.[2] When he asks Loki if this is another trick to make Thor fail his quest, the tickster tearfully tells him it is true. He insists that his hatred of Thor and his friends is overshadowed for his love of Odin.

After thinking it over, Thor tells Balder and Sif to take Loki and go back to Asgard while he completes the quest. The others protest this, but Thor insists that he promised to see this through to the end and inadvertedly dragged his friends along with him.[1] He will now do what needs to be done alone, per his promise. Besides, they might need the weapon they seek to forge in the coming battle. In order to get there as quickly as possible, Loki uses his magic to create horses out of the fallen leaves for them to ride.

As Thor races toward the lake, he is knocked off his horse by a leviathan that is chained to a nearby tree. Unable to get by without defeating this massive creature, Thor takes advantage of the slack given by the chain around the monster’s neck and a fallen tree to impale it through the throat with enough force to kill it. With the battle over, Thor climbs the ridge to get to the lake and is horrified to discover that it has long since dried out and there is no water left. He curses Karnilla as this is surely her work. Still, the young godling doesn’t want to leave empty handed and so he fills a bag with sand from the dried out lake bed.

Thor then mounts his horse and rides back to Asgard as fast as he can. When he arrives outside the city gates he sees that Karnilla’s invasion has already begun. When Thor charges into battle calling out Asgard’s name, it gives the warriors fighting back a new lease of life. As he helps fight off the invading hordes, Thor learns how Sif and the others made it back just in time to warn everyone of the coming invasion. Thor is soon joined by his companions who ask about the quest. Thor has to tell them that he was unable to get the waters from the lake because it was dried out. Overhearing this, Odin comes bursting out of a swarm of enemies and tells his son there will be no failure this day, before welcoming him back home.

Karnilla arrives on the scene on a winged dragon just as the battle is lost by her armies. Watching as the Asgardians rejoice, she spots Thor and his companions celebrating their victory. She takes aim with an arrow and shoots Thor right in the heart, seemingly killing him.[4]

Recurring Characters

Thor, Sif, Balder, Loki, Karnilla, Heimdall, Enchantress, Lorelei

Continuity Notes

1. Here it is mentioned that Loki is the adopted son of Odin. Loki was son of Laufey, king of the Frost Giants. When Odin slew him in Laufey in battle, he took Loki in and raised him as one of his own. This tale was first told in Journey into Mystery #112.

2. Loki tipped off the dragon Hakurei in Thor: Son of Asgard #2, and later ice elementals in issue #3. He was captured by Karnilla last issue.

3. When Odin requested Thor take on this quest (in issue #1), he volunteered Sif and Balder without asking them first.

4. Obviously, Thor cheats death, as we’ll see next issue.