Odin's stubborn resolve was immovable even in the face of devastation.
Thor stood in the grand halls of the Allfather, struggling to suppress his frustration. He knew his father's fury was born from pain, Frigga, his beloved wife, had nearly died by Malekith's hand.
That alone had set fire to Odin's judgment. Yet Thor remained calm, even as rage brewed beneath his own skin.
He had seen the true might of Malekith and the Dark Elves firsthand. Their power was not to be underestimated.
Letting the battle reach Asgard again would only invite more death, more destruction.
He couldn't let that happen.
After leaving the temple, Thor gathered his trusted companions, Sif, Volstagg, Fandral, and Hogun, in the shadowed corridors beneath the palace.
There, he shared his daring plan: to secretly take Jane away from Asgard, lure Malekith into the open by traveling to the old realms once inhabited by the Dark Elves, and destroy both Malekith and the Aether particles when he tried to claim them.
"It's madness." Volstagg muttered, crossing his arms.
"Bifrost is sealed. The Rainbow Bridge is under lockdown. We can't leave Asgard."
But Thor's was resolute. "There is one who knows how to move between realms without the Bifrost."
At that, the group fell into a heavy silence.
They knew exactly who Thor meant.
"Loki?" Sif's voice was sharp with disbelief.
"You would trust him? He betrayed us all."
"I don't trust him."
"But Mother... she always believed there was still good in him. And whether we like it or not, he understands the paths between realms better than anyone alive."
Sif frowned, not only because of the danger, her heart ached watching Thor risk everything for Jane.
That pain stayed unspoken.
"Even if I fall." Thor added softly.
"Soren will be there. You saw what he did. His power is... beyond anything we've known."
Though hesitant, the others eventually relented. The plan began to take shape, Sif would covertly free Jane, who was being kept under Odin's watch.
Meanwhile, Thor descended into the depths of the palace, the Dungeon, to confront the one person who might help them escape Asgard.
The warrior three would provide support from the rear.
In the cold, dim halls of the Dungeon, Loki lounged in his cell, bored and unreadable. But beneath his sardonic mask...
Word of Frigga's near-death had reached even the prisoners. And though he hadn't shown it, her injury had cut deep, far deeper than he let on.
When Thor approached, Loki gave him his usual smirk.
"Come to gloat? Or to beg?"
"Neither." Thor said simply. "I need your help."
Loki raised a brow. "Now that's new."
"I'm not here for games, Loki. Malekith is still out there. He wants the Aether. Jane is the bait."
"We must leave Asgard."
"And Father would never allow that. Clever." Loki murmured.
"You want me to get you out. You still don't trust me, do you?"
"No. But Mother did. That's enough."
For a long moment, Loki said nothing. Then, for once, his voice turned sincere. "She was the only one who saw me."
When Thor extended his hand, Loki looked at it, then clasped it.
"Let's go kill some Dark Elves."
With the plan underway, Jane was freed, and the trio…Thor, Loki, and Jane escaped Asgard through hidden passages only Loki knew.
The journey took them through twisting shadows and forbidden paths, ultimately arriving in Svartalfheim, the ruined and desolate ancestral land of the Dark Elves.
Unbeknownst to them, Malekith had already returned there, alongside his loyal cursed warrior Kurse. In this ancient realm, hidden beyond Heimdall's sight and shielded by the residual energy of the Aether, Malekith plotted his final move.
"When the Nine Realms converge." He stood atop a blackened cliff.
"The Aether will awaken fully. The convergence gives us only a brief window, but it is enough."
When you are ready, we will burn Asgard to the ground."
But Malekith's eyes flared red. "No. The Aether is close. I feel it."
"They're coming here. To me."
In the shadows of Svartalfheim, a vicious battle unfolded. Thor fought valiantly but was overpowered by Kurse, whose cursed form rendered him nearly invincible.
Jane, struggling with the Aether within her, could do little as Malekith reached out with dark magic to extract the particles from her body.
With raw pain, Jane screamed as the Aether tore itself from her, coalescing into Malekith's hands, its power now fully awakened.
In the chaos, Loki struck Kurse from behind with a hidden blade, saving Thor from a fatal blow. But the cursed warrior turned, impaling Loki with a jagged spike.
Loki's body slumped to the ground.
"No... Loki!"
Covered in blood, Loki gasped, managing a weak smile. "See? I can be helpful."
And with a final burst of illusion magic, he cloaked himself in death, his breathing stilled…only Thor left to mourn him… again.
But deep beneath the illusion, Loki's eyes remained open for a moment longer.
He would not return to Asgard's Dungeon.
Thor stood silently as the shimmering rift in space began to close behind them, the echoes of battle and loss still ringing in his ears.
In his arms, Jane was safe, physically, at least. But their hearts were heavy.
The portal he had found spat them out unceremoniously into a familiar landscape.
Dust clung to cracked cement, and rusted beams rose like skeletal fingers toward the sky.
"Is this…" Thor's eyes scanned the derelict ruins around them. "The abandoned factory?"
He looked up at the warm sun overhead, its light so different from the cold despair of Svartalfheim.
"We're back on Earth."
The air was still, and yet neither of them felt relief. Victory was incomplete. Loki, gone. The Aether, lost.
Malekith had succeeded where they had failed.
Jane brushed a hand through her windblown hair. "Thor, what do we do now?" Her voice trembled with urgency.
"The Aether particles are with Malekith. If he releases them during the Convergence, when the Nine Realms align… the universe could fall back into darkness."
Thor's looked away, guilt shadowing his face. "We underestimated him. Even with Loki's help… it wasn't enough."
He thought of Loki's final smile, the illusion of calm in his brother's eyes. He died trying to save us...
In a voice low and rough, Thor finally said, "We need help."
He glanced at Jane, her face pale but determined.
They needed to go to the one person who might still be able to change the fate of the universe.
Everlife Medical Center
A warm breeze rustled the paper leaves of the clinic's patient board as a line of patients waited for their turn, some nursing old wounds, others simply seeking Soren's famed touch.
Soren glanced out of his office and spotted a small girl standing quietly at the end of the queue, her large eyes scanning the room with innocent curiosity.
His brow arched with recognition.
"Hey, little one. What're you doing in line?" He called out with a gentle smile.
"Didn't I tell you? You can come in whenever you like. No need to wait."
The girl hesitated, then stepped forward, twisting her fingers together. "Uncle Soren… I'm not here for me."
"It's my dad. He comes home hurt every day. His arms… his back… they're all covered in bruises. I don't know what he's doing outside, but… can you help him?"
Soren's expression shifted subtly. A flicker of concern crept across his face.
Scott? That doesn't sound right. He's not supposed to be in danger yet, not according to the way things were meant to go...
He knelt down in front of her. "Of course I'll help. You've been waiting like a good girl, and I always keep my promises."
The girl's eyes widened, hopeful.
"But." He added, winking. "My consultation fee is steep."
"Will you go out with Aunt Jean tomorrow? She's been missing her favorite dance partner."
At first, her smile dimmed in confusion. But as the second part registered, she grinned and nodded enthusiastically.
"Good. Now go find Aunt Jean."
"I'll handle the rest when your dad gets here. Don't worry, okay?"
"Okay!" She then skipped off, the weight momentarily lifted.
꧁𓊈𒆜༺⚜༻𒆜𓊉꧂
PhantomDream