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The deeper Nolan delved into Hela's anatomy, the clearer the truth became. Asgardian sorcery was never "pulled from thin air." It was drawn, channeled, and anchored.
Every spell had a source. Some tapped unclaimed dimensions, others borrowed from mighty entities like the Vishanti.
But the Asgardians… their magic was etched directly into the cosmos.
The Nine Realms themselves, the branches of Yggdrasil, were their reservoir. And the script of that connection was the Runes.
Legends whispered that Odin had torn out his eye to bargain with Yggdrasil, trading sight for wisdom and power.
Perhaps even his throne had been bought that way. In other timelines, there were tales of Rune King Thor, his might eclipsing pantheons after his own covenant with the Tree.
And now? Nolan stared at the pulsing core within Hela's chest, its surface shimmering with runes that flared with every beat. The dimensional heart of Asgard, sealed inside her.
Hela smirked through her mask, venom dripping in her muffled words. "Do you see it, sorcerer? Proof of his deceit. Odin bound Asgard's essence to me not out of trust, but so he could leave me behind while he carved glory for himself. I built Asgard's empire, bled for its triumphs, and he erased me from its history."
Nolan's gaze sharpened. "Or perhaps he entrusted you with Asgard's core because it was the only thing he valued more than conquest. You call it betrayal. I see it as trust."
Hela's laughter was bitter, manic. "Trust? No. Chains. He caged me with power, then cast me aside when I outgrew his leash."
Nolan shook his head. Extracting the core now was impossible the runes were too deeply entwined with her being. To sever it would risk destroying both her and Asgard itself. For now, she would remain a restrained and invaluable subject, but alive.
"Seal her," he ordered Connors. "Highest-security protocol. We've harvested enough samples for phase one of Asgardian analysis."
---
Back in Osborn Tower, Nolan absorbed a torrent of data. Mutants, Inhumans, Asgardians, and dimensional entities, his laboratories worked around the clock.
He no longer needed to conduct every experiment himself; streams of results and failures alike fed directly into his mind.
"Schedule a conference with every project lead," Nolan instructed. "I'll correct their missteps… and finish the equations they can't solve."
He barely set his files down when the door opened. Wanda and Pietro entered.
Pietro still carried the unease of a man reborn into a world that had passed him by. His sister's lover, her husband, was not only his employer, but the man the media had begun to call "the God among Humans."
Pietro scratched the back of his neck. "Still feels surreal. Four years ago it was Ultron and Sokovia… now the whole world acts like you've always been here."
Nolan studied him. "And the body? Adjusting well?"
The speedster flexed, a small grin breaking through. "More than well. Before, I'd burn through sugar like an engine on fire. Now? I can run all day. No fatigue, no lactic acid. This body recycles everything."
"Good," Nolan said simply.
He turned to Wanda. "And the Darkhold?"
"I'm learning. Slowly," she admitted. Then, hesitating, she asked the question gnawing at her: "If there are… other Wandas in the multiverse would you still love me?"
Pietro froze, wide-eyed. Other Wandas? Other me's?
Nolan chuckled softly. "You're the Wanda who fought by my side, who bled and burned and still chose me. That's the one I love. Every other Wanda, every other universe… they're just copies. You're mine."
Her cheeks flushed; Pietro groaned inwardly. Since when did my sister get this bold?
---
Before the moment could linger, E.L.L.'s voice cut through the speakers. "Boss, Dr. Hank Pym is requesting your presence."
Nolan raised a brow.
"Pym?" He glanced at Wanda. "I'll return shortly."
With a gesture, a portal shimmered open. Nolan stepped through into the Pym Labs, where Scott Lang, Hope van Dyne, and Hank himself awaited.
Their faces carried a weight of years and something else.
"Did you find it?" Nolan asked.
Hank's eyes gleamed with restrained joy. "Not it… her. We've detected Janet's signal. After all these years she's alive in the Quantum Realm."
Hope's breath trembled, her voice caught between disbelief and hope.
Scott muttered under his breath, "Pretty sure I deserve a little credit too, y'know…"
Nolan's lips curved. "The Quantum Realm, then. Another frontier to unlock."
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