POV: Baldur
Earth's Orbit, Avengers Base.
Half an Hour After Baldur's Arrival.
"Could you stop looking at my sister with those eyes, Stark?" I speak angrily to my "friend."
It didn't take long for Bruce and Stark to step into a nearby portal and return to base. I must say, judging by the state of what remained of Stark's armor, the fight wasn't easy. Bruce, on the other hand, seemed to have no visible injuries on his body.
After Stark emerged from the remnants of his armor, we sat in the briefing room where Angela and I appeared, with everyone else seated. What infuriated me was the desire in his eyes as he looked at my sister.
"I can't help but look at her, my friend. I've never seen such a beautiful woman... wait... Sister!?"
His small brain only just processed what I said, and now he was staring at me with a shocked expression.
"Yes. I'm his sister, and you should thank my brother. If you hadn't taken your eyes off me, I would have gouged them out," Angela spoke, seated beside me.
"She's definitely your sister," Stark said, smiling.
"Yes, she is. Now, Alice, could you send the footage of what Stark said about my sister to Miss Potts?"
"Hey, Baldur... that's not necessary!" Stark was almost jumping out of his chair, but it was too late.
"Sending, sir," Alice replied.
"Jarvis? Why didn't you stop her?" He shouted to the room.
"I tried, sir," the AI responded despondently.
"Well, let's stop fooling around. I think Baldur needs to update us on some things," Bruce spoke for the first time.
He was sitting beside Stark, sipping a calming cup of tea. The transformation into Hulk takes a toll on his body.
"That's right, it's not every day a demon shows up in a city riding a dragon. Or maybe it is, Russia is strange," Stark added.
Since Maleck involved Earth in the War, there's no reason not to tell them what's going on. So I began to explain how everything happened, from before the Convergence started, to the moment I returned to Earth after receiving their call.
"Let me see if I got this right," Stark said, his face completely confused.
"At this moment, all ten realms are at war because of a dark elf, who is after an object of immense power that can freely alter an aspect of reality," he concluded.
"Yes, that's right," I said.
"You should have warned us, what you did goes against the idea of this group!" Bruce said, with a hint of anger in his voice.
"True. I take responsibility for that mistake. I didn't think Malekith would attack Earth without any reason."
"It doesn't matter if you thought Earth could be a target or not, you should have told us, at least so we could be on alert," Bruce said.
"And you're wrong about something else, your elfin adversary had a motive," Stark continued.
Bruce then typed something on the holographic keyboard on the table, and from its center, images of the demon attack incident and the fight against Stark were displayed.
"She called herself the Queen of Cinders," he narrated.
I already knew that Surtur couldn't leave his realm, so he sent his insane daughter, who takes total pleasure in literally turning everything to ashes. She's not as powerful as her father, but because of her immunity to some of my powers, and her physical abilities being greater than any fire demon's, she becomes an enemy I have to be careful of. After all, she's not a Fire Demon, but a Fire Giant.
"All our attention was focused on her, so we only noticed what happened when it was all over."
Bruce shifts the camera focus once again, now showing a distant point where the Queen was causing her destruction. Several lucky people who managed to get away in time were running like crazy, doing their best to distance themselves from that spot. But the image focused on a large group of people moving strangely; they were walking calmly, like zombies. The image changed, and that large group of people entered an alley where two old dark elves stood beside a portal of pure darkness. Then the clearly controlled people entered the portal, one by one. Women, men, and children of various ages were kidnapped.
"We counted thirty-five people abducted, the black portal was the only thing left behind, the authorities isolated the entire area, and S.H.I.E.L.D. sent a group of scientists to study the situation. There's also a message left on the wall of the site, but we couldn't translate it," Bruce concluded his report.
The message on the wall should have been in Elvish, but with my ability to read and speak any language, I can perfectly understand Malekith's message.
{In Ljosalfgard's ruins, we shall meet,
The sun god alone, our quest complete,
Or mortals perish in defeat.}
(T/N: I changed this a little since the original text did not rhyme)
(Poetic.) I muse
"This is clearly a trap. The enemy is so sure that you will come that he doesn't even try to hide it," Angela said angrily.
She also has the same ability, so she understood the message.
"What's the message?" Stark asks, and I translate it for them.
"I agree with your sister, Baldur. Going alone is suicide. We can gather the rest of the team and go with you," Stark says.
"You won't catch the enemy. The moment I step through that portal with someone, he will immediately kill the mortals."
"Please, Baldur, the mortals were killed the moment they crossed the portal," Angela said coldly, leaving Stark and Bruce tense.
"No, sister, there's a small chance the mortals are still alive."
"Why so sure?"
"They make a great shield."
With mortals close to the fight, I won't be able to unleash all my power, which is definitely a good thing for him.
"Your look tells me you've made up your mind; I won't try to stop you. Kill yourself however you want," she said.
It was a good feeling to know that she cares about me, even if just a little.
"Don't worry, sister, I messed up on my own, but my plan is still heading in the direction I plotted."
It took only an hour for me to finish giving all the orders to my subordinates and allies. I was betting my entire victory on them. In fact, the moment I cross the portal, I'll be completely out of the game.
The city of Moscow was in total chaos. After things calmed down, firefighters were doing their best to prevent the fire from spreading throughout the city. The only place with little movement in the city now is the small alley where the black Bifrost was. The military formed a perimeter around the area, and several S.H.I.E.L.D. scientists were doing what they could to gather information.
It was easy for me to slip past the invisible perimeter and approach the site. Several scientists in protective suits were standing with tablets, contemplating the black portal in front of them. From what I overheard, they didn't know anything substantial about how this "portal" works.
"We still don't have a good theory on how this 'portal' operates," a stern voice spoke behind me.
"Can you see me, Fury?" I ask the master spy, who was a little surprised.
Fury walks up to me and shifts his body to avoid bumping into me, proving that he can see me.
"You're a major focus of S.H.I.E.L.D. research. Unfortunately, we've only made limited progress in containing you," he says, facing me directly.
Since he can see me, I dispel the light illusion revealing my body. I was only invisible because it was easier to enter the portal that way.
"A few hours ago, a being we deemed from another world launched an attack on this city. All nations have shown a high level of interest in the matter, fearing it's another invasion. Could you share some of your knowledge about what the hell is going on?" Fury didn't seem very pleased. I didn't care to report anything to him. The master spy hates not having everything under his control, and I like making him feel that.
"It's a long story, and I'm short on time. You can ask Stark for all the details. But I'm actually a bit surprised that the Russian government allowed you all here."
"The Russian government knows we're the only ones who can gather any information here."
"Good for you. Now, I have to go."
"The hostages?" he asked.
"Yes. The hostages."
"I see, so you're heading straight for your execution."
"I wouldn't call it an execution, but rather a trap. It's really impressive that you figured that out with just the few details I shared."
"You don't have to be a genius to figure that out," Fury said, stepping aside as he spoke.
"Aren't you going to try to stop me? Convince me that going in without reinforcements is madness?"
"The only ones who can give you reinforcements are your brother and Carol. If you were hopeless, you would have sought her out."
"It's really exhausting talking to you, Fury. Makes me want to punch you in the face," I say, walking ahead as the scientists make way.
"I'm not particularly fond of you either" he replied.
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I didn't hesitate to take the final step and cross the black Bifrost.
Unlike using the Bifrost and feeling your body being pulled by an invisible force, the sensation the black Bifrost gave me was as if I had traversed a dark tunnel. Unable to see, hear, or feel anything. Then the lights return, and I find myself in a brightly lit field.
"Finally, the guest of honor emerges."
Malekith was comfortably seated on a black throne, holding a golden goblet. He wasn't alone; around me, thrones formed a circle with me in the center, and others were seated, each one looking at me.
"So this is the one the Frost Giants fear. He doesn't seem like much."
Next to Malekith, seated, was a humanoid female with her body covered in red flames, horns protruding from her head, and a tail resembling that of a lizard. Sindr, the Queen of Ashes, daughter of Surtur.
"I assure you he is more than he appears," someone I've encountered before spoke. The Angel Queen, alongside Sindr.
And beside the Queen, without uttering a word or even moving, stood a man in full armor, with red details and a skull symbol on the chest. The living armor, Kurse.
"He looks delicious," someone unfamiliar to me said. His body was as large as that of a Frost Giant, all muscles and covered in fur. His gaze towards me was that of a hungry man eyeing his long-awaited meal.
"You'll find out if he's truly delicious later, Ogre King."
Another voice familiar to me spoke, but not from the circle of thrones, rather from behind Malekith's throne. Loki appeared and leaned on the elf's throne.
(Looks like he's chosen his side.)
"It's been a while, brother," he greeted me with a smile.
"I'd prefer to be conversing with you under different circumstances, brother," I replied with irony.
"Now that all the actors are here, why don't we begin," Malekith interrupted.
"Where are the mortals, Malekith?" I asked before everything started.
"Mortals? Ah, you were referring to the bait. I killed them the moment they crossed the portal; they were too noisy."
My fury sets the ground beneath me ablaze with golden flames, and the sunlight intensifies where we stand.
"Perhaps you should calm down, brother. You're in Alfheim now, and it would be a tragedy for the elves if your flames were to reach the forests," Loki says.
Unfortunately, he was right. Alfheim is almost entirely made up of forests. If I lose control here, the entire realm is at risk of being destroyed, and the light elves could be annihilated.
"Are you sure you can trust Loki, Malekith? He has a habit of betraying those he aligns with," I say, making a futile attempt to turn him against Loki.
"Loki has already proven his loyalty. The evidence is still burning. If you look to the east, you can see the smoke from Ljosalfgard in flames!" Malekith retorts.
I look to the east and see a massive column of smoke rising toward the clouds. Ljosalfgard, the capital of the light elves, is engulfed in fire. The very place where Lady Sif and the others were with the light elves.
"Indeed, his loyalty was never in question. He signed a magical contract with me," the elf adds, making me turn my gaze to him.
At this moment, everyone rises, and their thrones vanish. All my enemies draw their weapons and point them at me.
"Feel honored, Baldur. Not many gods get to die in such a glorious situation!" Malekith declares.
This was the signal for my execution to begin.
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