Nick Fury was deeply shaken by the news.
The idea of Balder being such a powerful entity was almost too terrifying to comprehend.
The radiant light that had enveloped the entire Earth...
After the initial shock, Fury quickly regained his composure. He reminded himself that this was just one person's account and that the truth needed to be verified. The possibility that this might be a fabrication seemed higher, given the extraordinary nature of the claim.
With this in mind, Fury turned to Agent Hill and asked, "Have you conducted a lie detector test?"
"It's already in the works, sir…" Hill replied. She explained that psychological experts and lie detectors were being prepared, though it would take some time. They had refrained from using more invasive methods, such as truth serums, out of respect for the potential power of Balder.
Fury nodded and waited for the results.
After about thirty minutes, Hill received the test results through her earpiece. She reported back to Fury, "Sir, after several rounds of testing, our experts found no signs of deception. If there are no errors, the information she provided seems to be true…"
Fury's heart raced again.
Could it be true?
He immediately instructed, "Find out where Thor is."
Fury was skeptical and wanted to confirm with Thor, the Norse god of thunder, whether this so-called God of Light, Balder, was real or not.
"Understood, sir," Hill said, nodding.
She quickly located Thor and relayed the information to Fury. Without delay, Fury made his way to Thor's location.
Soon, he arrived outside a bar and went in to find Thor, who was sitting at the bar, enjoying a drink.
Thor, noticing Fury approaching in his black leather coat, looked up with curiosity. "I heard you were looking for me?"
"What's this about?"
"Hey, this drink is pretty good. Want a glass?" Thor gestured with his cup.
"No, thanks." Fury declined, then got straight to the point. "I came here to ask you about something."
"What's that?" Thor inquired, puzzled and somewhat amused. He wondered why Nick Fury, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D., would seek him out. He suspected it might be related to Loki.
Fury's expression grew serious as he said, "I need to ask you about the God of Light, Balder."
"What do you know about him?"
Fury watched Thor intently, waiting for his response.
To Fury's surprise, Thor looked puzzled and said, "The God of Light, Balder? Who is that?"
Thor set his drink down amid the noisy music of the bar, clearly confused.
Fury frowned, frustrated. "Thor, I'm not joking around. This is serious. If you know anything about Balder, you'd better tell me."
Thor, sensing the gravity of the situation, frowned and said, "Describe this God of Light to me. I genuinely don't know who you're talking about."
Fury took a deep breath and stated, "According to our mythology, you are the son of Odin. Balder is the second son of Odin and Frigga, making him your brother."
Thor shook his head, a bit amused, and replied, "That's just a human story. At least, I don't know who this God of Light Balder is."
"You should understand that mythology and reality are different. Mythology doesn't necessarily reflect reality…" Thor gestured expansively to emphasize his point.
"Are you saying there is no such god in Asgard?" Fury asked, scrutinizing Thor's expression for any signs of deceit. Seeing none, he was filled with doubt.
"But if this god you say doesn't exist is performing miracles, then…"
"What are you talking about?" Thor asked, clearly taken aback and bewildered.
Fury proceeded to recount the events: Audrey's sudden healing, Gisli's death, and the divine light that appeared to punish him.
Thor's surprise grew as Fury described the global phenomenon of light. His mouth fell slightly open in disbelief.
Finally, Fury shared his suspicion that this phenomenon might be linked to Balder.
Thor was stunned.
Fury's additional details about the global light phenomenon that covered not just Earth but all the Nine Realms left Thor in shock. He recalled vividly witnessing the light engulf Asgard and learning from Heimdall that it had affected all realms.
When Fury suggested this might be related to Balder, Thor was compelled to confirm.
"Fury, let me tell you…"
Thor then explained that not only Earth but other realms, including Asgard, had experienced this light phenomenon. He recounted it all in detail.
Fury stared at Thor in disbelief, struggling to absorb the gravity of what he was hearing.
If the phenomenon was indeed due to Balder, Fury felt he might have severely underestimated the power of this deity. The situation was beyond terrifying.
Fury could hardly fathom the strength needed to cause such a global and interdimensional event.
Where had this God of Light Balder come from?
Why had this monstrous being suddenly appeared?
After a moment of stunned silence, Fury collected himself and said to Thor, "This is why I came to find you. If this phenomenon is truly related to Balder, then it's a serious matter."
Thor, too, understood the gravity of the situation.
End of Chapter