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Javier's hand gripped Mantis's as the space around them warped and twisted. The Tesseract hummed with an unearthly glow in his other hand, its energy surging through his body like liquid fire. Ego's planet faded into a swirl of light and darkness, replaced by the golden spires and shimmering bifrost of Asgard.
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Mantis: "Where… where are we?"
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Javier smirked, his voice steady despite the chaos swirling within him.
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Javier: "Asgard. Home of the gods. A little more dramatic than I'd hoped for, but it'll do for now."
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Mantis's eyes widened as she took in the grandeur of the city. The streets gleamed with polished stone, and towering statues of Asgardian warriors lined the skyline. But their arrival hadn't gone unnoticed.
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The Asgardian Response
From the golden gates of the Royal Palace, a squadron of Einherjar warriors charged forward, their weapons gleaming in the Asgardian sunlight. Leading them was none other than Heimdall, his piercing golden eyes locking onto Javier and Mantis.
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Heimdall: "You trespass on Asgardian soil, wielding an artifact of immeasurable power. Surrender it, and you may live."
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Javier rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath.
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Javier: "Always with the dramatic entrances."
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He stepped forward, placing himself between the advancing warriors and Mantis.
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Javier: "Heimdall, right? Listen, big guy, I'm not here to fight. I just need a place to lie low for a while. The Tesseract? That's staying with me."
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Heimdall's expression didn't waver, his grip tightening on his massive sword.
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Heimdall: "The Tesseract belongs to Asgard. You cannot wield it without risking the balance of the realms."
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Before Javier could respond, a booming voice interrupted them.
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Thor: "What's this? A thief and his… companion?"
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The God of Thunder descended from the sky, his hammer spinning in a blur before landing firmly in his grasp. His eyes flickered with suspicion as he sized up Javier.
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Thor: "Give up the Tesseract, or face the wrath of Asgard."
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Javier sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
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Javier: "You Asgardians really need to chill. I'm not your enemy. But if you want to make this difficult…"
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The Skirmish
The air crackled with energy as Thor lunged forward, Mjölnir glowing with power. Javier moved with supernatural speed, dodging the hammer's swing by inches. He countered with a blast of energy from the Tesseract, sending Thor skidding across the ground.
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Mantis: "Javier! This isn't helping!"
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Javier glanced back at her, his smirk faltering.
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Javier: "Trust me, Mantis. I've got this."
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The Einherjar closed in, their spears aimed at Javier. With a wave of his hand, he summoned a barrier of glowing light, deflecting their attacks. Heimdall charged forward, his sword slicing through the air.
The two clashed, the force of their blows sending shockwaves through the courtyard. Javier's movements were fluid and precise, his knowledge of the Marvel universe giving him an edge against Heimdall's predictable strikes.
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Thor: "Enough!"
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With a roar, Thor unleashed a massive lightning bolt, shattering Javier's barrier and sending him crashing to the ground.
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A Strategic Retreat
As the Einherjar closed in, Mantis rushed to Javier's side, her hands glowing faintly as she tried to soothe his pain.
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Mantis: "We have to get out of here!"
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Javier groaned, his body aching from the impact.
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Javier: "Yeah… working on it."
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He raised the Tesseract, its energy flaring once more. The surrounding area warped and twisted as he opened a portal, its swirling light casting eerie shadows over the courtyard.
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Thor: "You won't escape so easily!"
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Thor hurled Mjölnir toward the portal, but Javier acted quickly, grabbing Mantis and diving through. The hammer missed them by mere inches as the portal snapped shut, leaving the Asgardians behind.
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The Aftermath
On the other side of the portal, Javier and Mantis stumbled onto a barren, desolate world. The sky was dark, and the ground was littered with jagged rocks and sparse vegetation.
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Mantis: "Where are we now?"
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Javier sighed, looking around.
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Javier: "Somewhere far from Asgard. That's all that matters."
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Mantis frowned, her hands trembling slightly.
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Mantis: "You keep putting yourself in danger… for me. Why?"
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Javier turned to her, his expression softening.
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Javier: "Because I know what you're worth, Mantis. You deserve someone who'll fight for you, no matter what."
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For a moment, Mantis said nothing, her antennae twitching as she processed his words. Slowly, a small smile formed on her lips.
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Mantis: "Thank you… Javier."
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As they sat in the desolate silence, far from Asgard's wrath, Javier began to plan their next move. But even as he rested, he couldn't shake the feeling that the Asgardians wouldn't let this go so easily.
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End of Chapter 73: Fleeing to Asgard