In an instant, the Bifrost carried Thor and Kyle across countless stars. All the dazzling cosmic scenery quickly blurred into streaks of light, and the light began to recede rapidly.
Just a moment ago, they were on the lifeless planet's barren wasteland at the edge of the universe, evading pursuit from an ancient lifeform.
Now, Kyle's surroundings brightened. He found himself in a grand circular hall. The outer walls and floor appeared to be entirely crafted from polished gold, as they looked smooth and radiantly reflecting the light, exuding an ancient and sacred aura.
In the center of the golden hall, a large, armored black man stood on a platform. He held a longsword like a key, inserting it into a slot at the center of the platform. White lightning interwove and spread from it, conducting into the outer walls, and causing them to spin like a gyroscope.
At the inner end of the circular hall, the Bifrost was emitting from a port. As they had successfully returned, the rotation of the outer walls gradually slowed, and the Bifrost's multicolored light and the electric arcs dimmed.
"Phew… that was close. Thank you, Heimdall," Thor exclaimed, releasing his grip on Kyle's collar. He breathed a sigh of relief, his chest still heaving. His free hand wiped away the sweat from his brow.
"This is what I should do. It seems your reconnaissance mission on the ancient battlefield didn't go smoothly," Heimdall's voice resounded calmly and powerfully in the hall, unwavering in the face of Thor.
"Yeah, there was a bit of an accident. A newly born ancient lifeform, it seemed to have evolved. At a critical moment, it unexpectedly broke free from its own constraints— never mind, I won't dwell on this. I'll have the soldiers keep an eye out in the future," Thor shrugged helplessly as he spoke.
Clearly, he'd had a rough time earlier, and he didn't want to dwell on this amusing mishap that could be considered a stain on his godly record.
Thor, who was invincible on the cosmic battlefield, being pinned down and rubbed on the ground by an extraterrestrial creature, would surely be the punchline of godly jokes for a year.
"Who is this?" Heimdall raised his gaze, fixing his deep and shining eyes on Kyle. His dark face turned serious and focused.
"Oh, almost forgot." Thor scratched his head, gesturing towards Kyle on the side. He began, "This is the one I encountered on the ancient battlefield. He helped me break free from the ancient lifeform's restraint. His name is…"
He paused and glanced at Kyle, equally curious. "By the way, who are you?"
This guy really lives up to the 'rough and carefree' archetype, Kyle thought, offering a calm smile. "I'm Kyle, a human from Earth."
"Earth? Human? That sounds vaguely familiar…" Thor furrowed his brows, but he wasn't exactly adept at thinking things through, and recalling distant memories was a painful process for him.
Heimdall couldn't stand it anymore and couldn't help but remind him, "Your Highness, hundreds of years ago, King Odin led an army to Earth. It was to resist the Frost Giants who sought to plunge Earth back into an ice age."
"The distance between Earth and the ancient battlefield is nearly endless, spanning two realms and a galaxy. Even with the Bifrost, it would take over a decade to reach there with the most advanced Spaceship."
Having said this, Heimdall stared at Kyle with his deep eyes, not hiding his vigilance and suspicion.
"Oh, right, right." Thor nodded, equally surprised, and asked, "A human from Earth, why were you on the planet of the ancient war?"
Kyle was prepared for this. He calmly explained, using the appearance of the Tesseract on Earth and the wormhole space of Planet Sakaar as a pretext. These things all had the capability to traverse the universe, and his half-truth was enough to get by.
"In that case, you've had quite the misfortune!" Thor laughed heartily, naively believing Kyle's explanation.
Only Heimdall's expression remained stern. However, this was normal. For anyone entering or leaving the Bifrost in Asgard, he maintained a high level of vigilance and suspicion.
"Anyway, who are you guys? And where is this place?" Kyle pretended not to understand the current situation and asked in an anxious tone. "My Spaceship is broken. If you have an Interstellar Spaceship, could you help me get back to Earth?"
"We don't use Spaceships," Thor chuckled, pondering for a moment. He turned to Heimdall and inquired, "Can you open the Bifrost and send him back to Earth?"
Kyle watched Heimdall with hidden anticipation.
Under their gaze, Heimdall shook his head and replied, "According to the rules of Asgard, those not of Asgard cannot have the Bifrost specifically opened for them."
"He saved me. Can't we make an exception?" Thor had a sudden idea. "How about this, I need to go to Earth now. I'll help open the Bifrost to Earth."
"Your Highness, this is a rule. As the guardian of the Bifrost, I cannot make exceptions. You can request authorization from King Odin. Once you have the command, I will immediately open the Bifrost," Heimdall said firmly.
Upon hearing Odin's name, Thor's demeanor softened a bit. He turned to Kyle with a slightly apologetic tone and said. "I'm sorry. If you're willing, you can visit Asgard. I'll go meet with my father, get his permission, and then send you home."
"Sure," Kyle nodded, inwardly sighing that Thor's status wasn't high enough. Odin probably hadn't publicly announced him as the next king of Asgard, making it such a hassle to even open the Bifrost.
But the plan was still going smoothly, with just a slight delay. Compared to piloting a Spaceship and enduring the long and tedious journey through the cosmos, it was much better to wait for the Bifrost to open and return to Earth in an instant.
Moreover, Kyle had long yearned for Asgard. To be able to have a day trip along with it, he had no reason to refuse.
Thor led Kyle out of the hall of the Bifrost gate and walked out. A colorful and radiant physical Bifrost stretched smoothly and straight ahead.
Kyle stood at the doorway, and below the Bifrost was a surging ocean, while the brilliance of the sky overhead shone like a blinking sun and moon. At the visible end in front of him lay the grand city spanning the heavens and earth.
Towers made entirely of gold stood densely, shining with an eternal sacred radiance, resembling the immortal abode of the gods.
In mid-air, there were mysterious floating cube-shaped structures. Everything was filled with mystery and wonder, leaving one in awe.
"Earlier, I didn't answer your question," Thor spread his hands, speaking cheerfully. "I'm Thor, the son of King Odin. This is Asgard, the highest realm in the universe. What you see before you is the Asgardian Royal Palace, where we reside."
If Wakanda was the literal center of the Earth, then Asgard's Royal Palace was the center of the entire known universe!
(End of this chapter)
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