The next day, Erik stood at the mothership's command center, issuing his instructions. He ordered the resurrected Strange to open a portal near Asgard's Bifrost. The shimmering gateway appeared, pulsating with energy.
"Let's go," Erik said with a nod, but Helen spoke up before he stepped forward.
"I'll stay back," she said, her voice firm. Erik looked at her in surprise but didn't press her for a reason. He respected her decisions.
Unbeknownst to the group, Helen had been feeling a growing sense of inadequacy. Unlike the others, she didn't have supernatural powers, and it gnawed at her when they all left her behind to fight some unknown enemy and all she was able to do was pray for them to return safely.
She had decided to secretly work on integrating mutant DNA into her body. Erik had succeeded in doing so in his new body and his research was already there and there were Earth's hidden scientific archives too.
In a few months, she believed she could safely gain powers and finally become a valuable comrade—maybe even play a role in the fight against Thanos.
Helen hadn't shared her plans with anyone, but Wanda, ever attuned to the emotions around her, had sensed Helen's thoughts. She reached out telepathically, her voice gentle in Helen's mind.
"Stay safe, Helen. And promise me you won't experiment recklessly on yourself. Erik has plenty of undead soldiers you can use for testing, rely on him, it's your right! Anyway, happy researching!"
Helen blinked, a bit startled, but gave a small smile and nodded. Wanda's telepathic message filled her with reassurance.
Turning to Erik, Wanda said, "She'll be fine. Let's go."
With Cindy and Wanda following closely, Erik stepped into the portal, with Strange walking behind them.
The group emerged near Asgard's Bifrost, once they arrived, Erik gestured to Strange, who obediently stepped forward and bowed before dissolving into a dark-purplish mist. Erik absorbed him back into [Beelzebuth], storing the sorcerer supreme's resurrected form in its depths.
As Erik watched the mist fade, he reflected on his power. While the resurrection ability had been obtained by Sung Jin-Woo's necromantic prowess, it wasn't a perfect replica.
Erik, of the past, had merged the leaking black mana from Sung Jin-Woo's dead body with his ancient magic of healing and life. The result was his unique skill: [Resurrect].
Though it couldn't wield all the powers of the Shadow Monarch, it was powerful enough to serve his needs.
With a deep breath, Erik turned to Cindy and Wanda. "I'm going to ask Heimdal for an official meeting with Odin, you girls wanna come with or do you wanna join Pietro and Lilja, they're here too." he asked, but the girls decided to be with him of course.
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The grand doors of Odin's throne room creaked open, and Erik, Wanda, and Cindy stepped inside.
The hall was bathed in golden light, the air thick with an aura of divine. At the far end, Odin sat on his throne, his spear, Gungnir, resting beside him.
The trio walked to the center of the room, their footsteps echoing on the marble floor. Around them, Asgardian guards stood at attention.
Getting an audience with Odin had been effortless. Erik's was an ally and hero of Asgard, the one who had saved the queen and defeated the Dark Elves after all.
Erik gave a respectful nod as they reached the throne. "Allfather," he greeted simply.
Odin regarded him with a calm, yet piercing gaze. "Eirikyr Anderson," he said, using Erik's full name. "What can Asgard do for its greatest ally."
Erik met his gaze directly, his voice steady. "I'm simply here for the Aether."
The room grew noticeably tenser.
Odin's eyes darkened, and his grip on Gungnir tightened. "The Aether," he repeated, his tone heavy. "It is not merely an artifact. It is a weapon capable of destroying worlds. It cannot be handed over so casually, even to someone like you."
Erik furrowed his brows. He had anticipated this response. "Indeed, it's dangerous—a power that shouldn't be given recklessly," he agreed. "That's precisely why I'm here. It was Wanda who claimed it after single-handedly defeating the Dark Elves with my army. She allowed Asgard to safeguard it temporarily only because, at the time, I was... dead. Respectfully, Odin, it is not Asgard's to decide whether to give to keep. It's ours. We're simply here to retrieve it."
Odin leaned forward on his throne, his gaze sharp. "You are ignorant, Eirikyr. My father, Bor, safeguarded the Aether for thousands of years before Jane Foster stumbled upon it, only for it to be stolen by Malekith."
Erik's expression hardened, his voice firm as he interrupted. "Do you not know, Odin, that Bor stole the Aether from the Dark Elves using the Bifrost? I understand it's a well-known bedtime story in Asgard. In truth, it was never Asgard's to begin with—it belonged to the Dark Elves. And Wanda obtained it from them... after killing them all, the task that even your father failed to accomplish successfully."
Wanda and Cindy stood by Erik's side, they knew this was going to escalate. Erik was purposefully aggravating the old man.
Odin's fingers tapped rhythmically on Gungnir as he contemplated Erik's words. The room seemed to hold its breath, waiting for the Allfather's response.
Suddenly, Erik broke the silence with a sly grin. "And," he said, his tone light yet pointed, "If you truly want to debate who's the rightful owner of Aether then just keep it in mind that there's a difference between thieves and conquerors."
Odin's eyes snapped back to Erik, now burning with clear anger. His gaze was sharp, almost daring Erik to continue speaking such bold words in his court.
Unfazed by the Allfather's glare, Erik's grin widened. "If you're still confused, know that I'm not calling myself a thief."
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In a lively Asgardian bar, Lilja and Pietro were sitting at a corner table, chatting casually about random things. The warm golden glow of the place gave it a cozy yet energetic vibe, and the air was filled with laughter and the clinking of mugs.
Lilja took a swig from her mug and sighed, leaning back in her chair. "You know," she began, "hanging out in Asgard is nice too. It's a good way to refresh my skills—and burn off all that fat in one go."
Pietro chuckled softly. "But if you really want to maintain your abs, you might want to cut on alcohol and fried chicken too," he said with a teasing grin.
Lilja groaned dramatically, slumping over the table. "I can't do that! Those are my absolute favorites! Peri Peri fried chicken especially—how could I ever give that up?" She crossed her arms and pouted, then she bottomed down the entire mug in one go.
"Burrpp~~"
Wanting more, she smashed her empty glass on the floor, the shards scattering like tiny diamonds. Then she shouted with enthusiasm, "Another!"
The bartender simply slid her a new glass mug.
But just as she brought the new mug to her lips, the battle horns sounded.
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