Ch.2

For the next nearly three thousand years the only thing of interest to my Ten Rings was fighting and destroying those of the Hand that eventually popped up until the Frost Giants invaded towards the end of the Dark Ages. All of my army went to war once more and our Vibranium armor held and did it's part alongside our martial arts, chi and magic. The Asgardians joined us when the battle was nearing it's end and I was one of the few remaining humans alive in the battle.

Still, I fought on like none before me and did my part in laying waste to the frost giant's armies. With my powers and rings none could touch me even with the casket of ancient winters their king tried to use on me. When the battle was won, the frost giants had fled and I had the casket of ancient winters. Odin asked for it and guaranteed earth's protection by Asgard in exchange.

I gave him the casket and he ordered his army to give chase to the frost giants. I asked if there was room for one more warrior and Odin eyed me before nodding. I joined him and together we beat the frost giants into submission. Odin got a new son and I left with an invitation to see Asgard anytime.

I told Odin that he and his wife Frigga as well as their sons would be welcome to visit and stay in Ta Lo or earth anytime so long as they come in peace. With a wave, a portal opened and showed him Ta Lo with the dragon flying over the water. I walked through and the Asgardians all saw the peace and prosperity of my home. I closed the portal and sent people to help the injured, gather the dead, weapons and armor.

Soon sons and daughters were wearing their parent's armors as new generations of the Ten Rings is born. I decided to expand outside of Ta Lo, having one thousand warriors per ring and one thousand guardians inside Ta Lo to ensure there would always be a guardians and rings. The new structure took centuries to build outside of the portal and magical forest maze.

Many wars of man's design were fought and the Ten Rings soon encompassed the globe. Our weapons became more advanced and with a singular purpose, our mission was passed down by word of mouth from parent to child so that we would never be gone. Centuries passed as I trained countless warriors each generation and their fathers and mothers taught them. Many tried conquering us, many fell to the ravages of time and soon, before I'd realized it, I felt Odin and his men return to earth.

It'd been nearly five centuries when I arrived and greeted him. He happily greeted me before introducing his sons to me. Seeing that Thor was arrogant and brash, I looked him over and turned to Loki who was curious, but rude and looked down on me because I was human. I turned back to Odin. "Your sons lack discipline and humility. They don't know what it means to be warriors. This will lead to many headaches on your part I'm afraid."

He frowned, but asked to see Ta Lo. I opened a portal and walked through first, waving a hand before they and their men followed me. They saw the men and women practicing and Thor wished to test them. I nodded. "With or without weapons and armor?"

He said with so I nodded and spoke in mandarin, causing one of the warriors training to break off and come over. I spoke to him indifferently and turned to Thor. "You may get more than you bargained for Thor Odinson, but remember this, you asked for it."

I gave the order and the army stopped, making a clearing. The men gave them a wide birth and I stood beside Odin as I told them to enter. Magic barriers were made to keep the destruction inside the field and. I turned to Odin. "How about a wager. If my warrior wins, then you will teach me all the magic of Asgard and I will train Thor so that he knows what being a soldier means. If your son wins, I'll give you these."

I made my rings glow and Odin asked what use he has for such things. I shrugged. "You know what they do in battle, but what you may not know is that they grant a measure of immortality to the wearer. I'm over two and a half million years old now. I'm far older than your distant ancestors and with them I will outlive even your great grandchildren."

He agreed slowly and I turned to the arena, announcing they begin. Thor was arrogant and talked a lot, showing off his lightning while Jin-Sun, the one of this generation to eat the heart shaped herd, was covered in Vibranium and dragon scale armor. He moved like I do and Thor threw his hammer at him. Jin-Sun easily dodged and kicked Thor in the face, twisting and throwing him in a spin into the magic barrier.

Every move Thor made to recover, even with his hammer, went down in flames. Soon he was beaten bloody and exhausted while Jin-Sun had barely felt any energy expenditure at all. Thor got angry and used his lightning only for it to bounce off the Vibranium and do nothing. Odin asked about it and I told him the red was dragon scales and the silver was Vibranium.

I explained what Vibranium was and all it's potential though warned him it didn't mesh well with magic. When Thor threw his hammer this time, he tried calling it back only for Jin-Sun to twist and beat him upside the head until the hammer came back and hit Thor in the chest dead on. Thor bounced off the magical barrier and landed hard, unconscious. I grunted. "He has a lot to learn, starting with his pride and arrogance. If he'd not thought of his opponent as a lowly human and instead a worthy opponent, this battle may have lasted longer. In stubborn durability at least, you Asgardians really are superior, but we are used to fighting beings who are stronger, faster and more powerful."

I turned to Odin fully. "Would you like to send your second son in to try? My warrior can go at it like this for three days and nights before water and rest is mandatory after all."

He frowned and I turned to Loki. "He can use magic as well so if your like it to strictly be an arcane battle, that can be arranged."

Loki said he'd pass and I shrugged before telling them to treat Thor and get back to training. I asked Odin in for tea and saki which he agreed to while Thor was healed and woken up. I told Thor when he came in that he would be my personal student for the next century so that he understands his mistakes. I gestured to a mannequin. "Your armor and weapon will remain here at all times while you're in Ta Lo. You will train, speak and fight like my warriors, wearing the same armor and only when you've mastered the basics will you be allowed to wear and use your armor and hammer again to go to earth and battle to understand our ways."

He looked to Odin who sat beside me and Odin told him he and his four companions will stay to train alongside us so that his rough edges can be smoothed. He said that as his father he's been too lenient and as such, he doesn't have the heart to punish him properly to teach him discipline. He told Thor that he would obey me as his instructor and teacher until the hundred years mark is up and then they will personally evaluate his and his companion's changes.

Sif and the warriors three agreed and more mannequins appeared while I offered Odin a plate of onion rings and a mushroom bacon Swiss burger. Yeah, my immortal ass wasn't not taking advantage of my extreme metabolism. I heated as more food appeared and told them to eat, enjoy the alcohol and tomorrow their training would begin in earnest. I turned to Odin and told him that after their training is up, I would visit Asgard and learn their magics.

He agreed and for now at least, they enjoyed the feast. Odin and his men left with Loki who'd tried twice to snatch my rings, succeeding once only for them to glow and burn him before returning to me. I told him that his illusions were a child's tricks and all my warriors could see through them as easily as I could.

Thor seemed to find that funny while Loki scowled and left in the bifrost with his father the next morning. I waved to my master at arms and she put the armor and clothes in front of Thor and his companions. "Your weapons and armor will remain in my halls until you're done training here and it's time to go to the outside world. Ta Lo is a pocket dimension connected to earth and as such it is protected by a thousand of my warriors. Ten thousand more await outside and when I deem you ready you will join them in battle, be it to defend this world or to face simple humans or those that wield dark magics. Go change, for we have much work to do."

They headed inside and when they came out, they looked awkward in their armor. My master at arms tightened or loosened them as needed until they were properly adjusted. They had many questions, but for now I set them to work training in every aspect except magic itself. Odin had forbidden me from teaching them my magics so I taught them of Chi and martial arts, tactical training, unity and fighting as an army instead of showing off.

It took many years before Thor was ready, but when I knocked his dick in the dirt without using the rings or armor while he had his weapons and armor, he learned that his pride was getting in his own way. Once he joined his companions outside under Jin-Sun, they fought several dark witches, demons and the armies of hell itself. They fought like warriors and soon, I began teaching them to think like Generals and leaders. I taught Thor to respect his fellow warriors as equals and upon their century ending they'd led the Ten Rings into battle against some dark acolytes of Dormammu.