"Thor, you were too careless."
"Didn't I tell you? When your mother woke up, then I'd go to Asgard and help. But now, great, the Aether particles have fallen into Malekith's hands."
Soren shook his head, the weight of what could have been avoided sinking into his tone.
Thor stood silently, shoulders heavy with guilt. He had meant to handle things on his own, to protect Jane, his people, and his pride.
In the end, he had allowed Malekith to win.
"I didn't want to trouble you again," Thor muttered, eyes low. "I thought I could stop him myself."
Soren let out a slow sigh. He softened, though the tension in the room remained.
"It's done. This isn't the time for blame."
"What matters now is how we stop Malekith before he plunges the Nine Realms into darkness."
"I know someone who can help," Jane offered quickly, seeing an opening. "Dr. Erik Selvig has been studying the Convergence for years. He understands the patterns, the alignments. He can help us predict where and when Malekith might strike."
Soren raised an eyebrow with a smirk. "Selvig? You mean the eccentric doctor who ran naked through Stonehenge?"
He pulled out his phone, tapped a few times, and brought up a headline. "Renowned Astrophysicist Arrested at Stonehenge: Claimed Portals Were Opening."
He handed it to Jane with a dry chuckle.
"It was… a stressful time." Jane flushed slightly.
Thor tried to keep a straight face, but the corner of his mouth twitched.
Soren's smile faded as he turned serious once again. "He was right, you know. Portals were opening. And when the Nine Realms converge, those portals will become unstable, connecting worlds that were never meant to meet."
"Where will Malekith strike then?" Thor asked.
"Earth." Soren replied with certainty.
"Specifically, Greenwich. The Convergence creates a focal point. That's where the barriers between realms will be weakest, and where releasing the Aether will have the greatest effect."
Jane blinked, stunned. "Wait… how do you know that?"
"I've read every ancient Asgardian scroll Thor's people left scattered across Midgard. I've treated patients from every realm. The signs are in the stars, the ground, even the dreams of the dying." Soren replied, tapping his temple.
"I've seen it all… and I've done the calculations myself."
Jane's expression shifted to one of awe.
She had spent years on the theory, studying convergence through abstract mathematics and celestial patterns. But Soren?
He'd already solved it, and he hadn't needed a lab to do it.
"There's not much time." Soren continued, his voice gaining weight.
"The Nine Realms are aligning as we speak. Thor, you need to gather your strength. I'll call in some of my own allies."
"This battle cannot be lost." He said, turning around. "If Malekith unleashes the Aether at the peak of the Convergence… the universe will drown in shadow."
"And the light, every last flicker of it, will vanish."
"Do you really think we can stop him?" Jane asked quietly.
Soren turned back. His eyes held the faintest spark of fire.
"If we don't… then no one will."
Thor naturally understood the gravity of the situation. His expression hardened with resolve as he turned to Soren.
"It is the duty of the gods to protect the peace of the Nine Realms. I will return to Asgard immediately and inform my father of Malekith's return."
"Well, I'll send you there." Soren raised his hand, summoning a shimmering golden portal that crackled with magical energy.
In moments, the swirling gate stabilized, opening a path to the halls of Asgard.
"…"
Thor reluctantly stepped through with Jane, vanishing into the light.
As the portal faded, Jean turned toward Soren with concern.
"Soren... Malekith is the ruler of the Dark Elves. He commands ancient powers and now controls this Aether."
"How confident are you in stopping him?"
Soren gave a soft smile, calm and composed. "If it were only Malekith, I could deal with him myself."
"But now, with the Aether, one of the Infinity Stones, at his command, the situation is far more dangerous. I can't afford to underestimate him."
"Should I go back to the Academy? We could ask Professor Xavier for help. The X-Men—"
"No." Soren interrupted gently.
"The Professor has enough burdens to carry. I don't want to risk dragging the academy into this. We have to be careful with what forces we bring into this fight. Besides…"
He gave her a warm look. "You've seen what I can do. Trust me."
Jean's tension eased slightly. Something about Soren's presence always calmed her.
His confidence wasn't arrogance… it was steady. She nodded.
"Alright. I trust my doctor."
The next morning, the Everlife Medical Center remained closed. A note at the door simply read:
"Emergency Consultation. Back soon."
But Soren and Jean were far from the city. They had travelled across the world, arriving at the sanctified grounds of Kamar-Taj.
The air shimmered, and the sound of rustling prayer flags whispered through the cold mountain breeze.
As they stepped into the courtyard, Soren was greeted by a familiar figure, bald, robed in golden-orange, and radiating calm power.
"Ancient One." Soren greeted with a respectful bow. "It's been a while."
The Ancient One, who owed Soren a great debt for his role in banishing Dormammu, inclined her head with warmth.
"Indeed, Soren. It's always a rare pleasure to see you. I hope this visit is not for pleasure alone?"
"I wish it were."
"But I've come to ask for help."
The Ancient One's smile faded.
She studied him carefully, her tone solemn. "If you require assistance, then I fear the world is already trembling."
Soren nodded. "It is. Have you heard of the Dark Elves?"
"Not much. They are not often mentioned in Kamar-Taj's texts."
"They dwell in the dark realm of Svartalfheim. Five thousand years ago, their leader Malekith tried to plunge the universe into eternal darkness using a primordial force known as the Aether."
The Ancient One's eyes narrowed. Soren continued.
"Asgard's armies defeated them, barely. The Dark Elves were thought extinct."
"But they've returned, now with the Aether once again in their grasp. Malekith intends to release it's power at the height of the Nine Realms' Convergence, right here on Earth."
"And this time, Asgard may not be strong enough to stop them."
The Ancient One listened in silence.
She understood all too well the consequences of reality being manipulated by a universal power.
"Kamar-Taj protects Earth from mystical and dimensional threats." She said slowly.
"But if Asgard has already suffered heavy losses... then the scale of this crisis is beyond what I imagined."
"They were hit hard." Soren confirmed.
"Their warriors, their fleet, even their royal family. And the Dark Elves fight with ancient technology and cursed magic that warps the very fabric of space. If they succeed, they'll rewrite it."
The Ancient One fell silent for a long moment.
꧁𓊈𒆜༺⚜༻𒆜𓊉꧂
PhantomDream