◉◉◉◉◉
"Why are we going back to Asgard at all?" Thor asked, brow furrowed as the Bifrost carried them across realms.
He still wasn't used to the way this Earth sorcerer could summon the Rainbow Bridge at will.
In the prophecies of Ragnarok, Surtur, Jörmungandr, Fenrir, and Níðhöggr were all nad as harbingers of Asgard's doom.
Odin had warned them that Hela herself was the spark. And now thanks to Nolan, Hela was contained. Shouldn't that an the apocalypse was averted?
"What's the point of returning?" Thor demanded.
Nolan's reply was calm, almost casual.
"To trigger Ragnarok."
Thor and Loki froze.
"What?!" Thor shouted. "Why would you cause it?"
"Because I want to capture its heralds and study them," Nolan said. His tone was flat, matter-of-fact.
"That is a form of prevention. Contain the threats, and they can't end your realm. Besides…" his eyes glinted, "Surtur infused with the Eternal Fla is at least Skyfather-level. That kind of power deserves analysis."
Thor bristled, but Loki tugged at his arm silently warning him not to push. This "Sorcerer Supre" had already demonstrated power greater than Hela. Opposing him now would be suicidal.
"Relax," Nolan added without turning around. "Odin once helped . I won't betray that. But if either of you tries tricks in front of , I'll be happy to put you both on my dissection table."
The threat hung in the air like a blade.
---
The three stepped off the Bifrost. Heimdall stood waiting, great sword in hand.
"Impossible," Loki muttered. "You disappeared…"
"I obeyed the All-Father's command," Heimdall answered coldly. "If the Sorcerer Supre failed against Hela, it was my duty to evacuate the people. But since he stands here, I assu the Goddess of Death is dealt with."
"She's trapped," Nolan said simply. "In a space prison, she won't escape anyti soon."
Heimdall bowed his head. "Then Asgard owes you more than we can ever repay."
"Don't thank yet," Thor said grimly. "He plans to provoke Ragnarok."
Heimdall's eyes widened. "What—?"
"Not exactly," Nolan corrected. "I'll be waking certain… assets. Surtur. The wolf. The serpent. Maybe the dragon. Odin's vault is full of curiosities, but those creatures are more valuable than any relic."
Heimdall hesitated, then lowered his sword. "If the All-Father entrusted you, I will trust his judgnt."
"Good," Nolan said. "Now let's visit Odin's treasure hall. That place is far more interesting than you realize."
Thor and Loki exchanged nervous glances. They had grown up wandering the vault. But if even he called it "not simple," perhaps they'd overlooked truths hidden in plain sight.
---
The massive doors opened. Relics glimred in stasis fields: the Casket of Ancient Winters, the Eternal Fla, the Crown of Surtur, and countless artifacts the brothers had always taken for granted.
Nolan's gaze swept the chamber, then stopped.
"Well, well. The Infinity Gauntlet."
On a pedestal stood a golden glove, socketed for six stones.
Thor scoffed. "That's a fake. Hela said so herself."
"Did she now?" Nolan murmured, stepping closer. His fingers brushed the tal. Power thrumd faintly beneath the surface.
Complex runes linked like circuits, ancient enchantnts woven by Eitri himself. Nolan smiled. "No. This one's real. Odin tried to gather the Stones long before Thanos. He just never succeeded."
His eyes glowed as his body parsed the gauntlet's every line of script. "The enchantnts alone are worth dissecting. The dwarves truly were craftsn beyond compare." He stored the patterns away for later research, then turned toward another relic.
The Casket of Ancient Winters.
He lifted it easily. Loki flinched. "That's dangerous," he warned.
Nolan ignored him. The casket opened with a hiss, and a storm of frost poured forth. The temperature plumted in an instant. Nolan inhaled sharply then drew the blizzard into his own lungs. The air ward, the frost gone. He snapped the lid shut.
"Just a dinsional conduit," he said. "A doorway to Jotunheim's endless blizzards. Not so impressive once you know the trick."
Loki's jaw tightened, sha rising at the reminder of his Jotun heritage. Nolan's eyes, however, had already moved on.
At the vault's center burned a living fla, dancing and eternal.
"The Eternal Fla," Nolan whispered. His lips curved into a smile. "Now this is worth my ti."
◉◉◉◉◉
~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
◉◉◉◉◉
For early access to advanced chapters on P-atreon:
P-atreon/iamxeno
(Just remove the - hyphen to access Patreon normally)
Thank you so much for your support and for reading!
Reviews
All reviews (0)