The three-year period had finally come!
The exiled prince of the gods returned, a master of magic. He defeated the evil, false god-king like a god descending from the heavens, exposed the villain's conspiracy, and made an immense contribution to the safety of Asgard.
Well, this was the most popular version of the tale spreading across the God's Domain today.
In the Underground Cell
Russell had generously arranged a private room for the villain of this story.
Yet, the occupant sat huddled in a corner, pale and trembling, clearly unappreciative of the gesture.
Russell approached with a smile.
"Don't be so frightened," he said lightly. "Believe me, all of this is for your salvation."
Loki, nursing his swollen left cheek, found Russell's words far from convincing.
"What are you planning?" he asked warily.
Russell didn't answer directly. He crouched before Loki, his smile both kind and unnerving.
"Come now," Russell said, "do you want to tell me where Odin is hiding, or should I find out for myself?"
He raised a hand, fingers flexing menacingly.
Loki flinched, blurting out, "Don't hit me! I'll tell you!"
"He's at the Green Park Nursing Home in New York," Loki confessed hastily. "I don't know the exact address, but it's in Brooklyn!"
Russell nodded, then sighed, patting Loki's shoulder.
"Since you're so cooperative, I'll share something with you," Russell said, his tone almost tender. "Odin still thinks of you as his son."
With that, Russell left, leaving Loki in stunned silence.
The Rainbow Bridge
Russell turned to Skulk, who was gripping the golden sword with trembling hands.
"Have you located Thor yet?"
Skulk, sweating profusely, stammered, "Almost there! Just give me a moment! The Land of Fire is... full of fire, and visibility is terrible."
After several tense minutes, Skulk's face lit up.
"I found him!" he exclaimed. "He's in a cave, facing some kind of monster... It has sparks all over it."
Russell remained unbothered. "Oh, that's Surtur," he said calmly, "the harbinger of Ragnarok in Asgardian legend."
"WHAT?!" Skulk nearly dropped the sword, his face a mask of terror.
"Prince Loki," Skulk stammered, "is the legend... true?"
Russell smacked Skulk's head lightly.
"Relax," he said dryly. "You won't die this time. Now, open the bridge."
Though visibly shaken, Skulk obeyed, activating the Rainbow Bridge.
Muspelheim – The Land of Fire
Muspelheim was a hellish realm, alive with flames, magma, and terrifying fire beasts. Here, fire demons roamed alongside burning undead skeletons, sleeping fire dragons, and other horrors.
Amid this fiery chaos stood Surtur, the flame giant, his voice a guttural rumble.
"I am the King of Fire! The eternal doom of Asgard!"
Thor, imprisoned in a fiery cage, groaned as the floor opened beneath him. Suspended by chains, he twisted awkwardly until he saw his captor.
"Well, well," Thor grinned, his bravado undiminished. "Surtur, you magma-forged bastard! Still alive, are you? I thought my father killed you 500,000 years ago."
Surtur sneered, his fiery eyes narrowing.
"You Asgardians excel at boasting," he growled. "Odin must be long dead, or he would never have sent a brat like you."
Thor's grin widened. "Odin won't die, not even if you burn him to ashes," he retorted.
Suddenly, the cave shook as a torrent of vibrant energy tore through the dome. The Rainbow Bridge shimmered into view, and out stepped a familiar figure.
"Loki?!" Thor shouted in disbelief. "You're alive?!"
Russell, holding Loki by the collar, rushed forward and grabbed Thor.
"Oh no, Thor," he said with mock sorrow. "Dad is gone."
Thor's jaw dropped. "WHAT?!"
"Missing," Russell clarified, his tone flat. "Not dead."
Thor blinked, his shock giving way to a faint glimmer of hope. "Missing? Not dead?"
"Did I stutter?" Russell said with exasperation. "Now, let's focus on the matter at hand."
The confrontation with Surtur escalated quickly. The flame giant unleashed a fiery attack, but Loki's unexpected mastery of magic turned the tide. Summoning a radiant, flaming sword of golden light, Loki struck down Surtur with precision and power that left Thor dumbfounded.
As Surtur crumbled into glowing embers, Thor stared at his brother in awe.
"What happened to you?" he asked, his voice tinged with disbelief. "Since when did you become... this?"
Loki, nonchalant as ever, picked up Surtur's crown and glanced at Thor.
"Try not to lose your hair next time," he quipped.
Thor touched his scorched scalp, groaning in despair.
"My hair! My beard! My eyebrows!"
Russell ignored the lamentations. "If you're done mourning your grooming, Odin's waiting."
Back on Earth
The two brothers arrived at the site of the Green Park Nursing Home, only to find it replaced by a kindergarten. Thor, now donning a hat and sunglasses, frowned.
"Are you sure this is the place?"
Loki, now the embodiment of calm confidence, studied the ground intently.
"There's magic here," he murmured.
Thor scoffed. "Magic? On the ground? All I see is chewing gum."
Loki ignored him. "Stand here," he instructed.
Thor, determined to prove his brother wrong, stepped forward confidently—and immediately fell into a hidden portal with a startled yell.
Russell, smirking, stepped over the discarded business card and rang the doorbell of the Sanctum Sanctorum.
Above, Doctor Strange peered through a magical mirror, startled by his unexpected visitor.
"Loki?" he muttered in disbelief.
Downstairs, Russell smiled at the camera.
"177A Bleecker Street," he said, voice dripping with irony. "I hope I'm not lost, Mr. Strange."
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Added 'All the Powers Russell has Till Ch 45' Auxiliary chapter do check it out.