Chapter 409: You Should Fear Me

Lorelei had been to Earth before and left behind legends—stories of the "Daughters of the Rhine," women who could summon lovers with their voices, akin to water nymphs or naiads. But by then, Earth's water nymphs had already retreated to Avalon, leaving no trace in the mortal world.

Lorelei's spells and potions were all centered around love, which allowed her, in the past, to successfully seduce Thor. Back then, they were just children, and Sif already knew she was destined to be the future princess. So when she stumbled upon Thor and Lorelei kissing in the palace gardens, she stormed in and punched both of them, knocking them to the ground.

It was from that moment that Sif vowed to become a warrior.

In truth, the entire scene had been one of Loki's pranks. He had invited Lorelei to the palace and orchestrated her meeting with Thor. Sif's appearance was purely coincidental, as she had been summoned by Queen Frigga to pick flowers for the evening banquet.

Years later, when they were all grown, Lorelei once again enchanted Thor—but this time, it wasn't by her own will. She acted under Loki's orders. Though she was tired of Thor, she still went along with the plan. Meanwhile, she cast a spell on one of Loki's artifacts so that, when he picked it up, he too would fall in love with her. Lorelei intended to destroy Loki through love.

Her plan succeeded, at least temporarily, until Queen Frigga broke the enchantments she had placed on both Thor and Loki.

Lorelei's schemes had caused chaos across other realms, as she played Thor and Loki against each other. It was for this reason she had been imprisoned in Asgard's dungeons.

"Don't let her kiss you," Sif warned as she climbed into the S.H.I.E.L.D. vehicle. Neither the swirling desert dust outside the window nor the roar of the engine could drown out her serious tone. "Someone once tried to kiss Lorelei and turned to stone. Don't be enchanted by that witch—she's Amora's sister, and her magic is nothing to scoff at. Solomon, if you fall under her spell, I won't hesitate to put you down."

"Understood," Solomon replied with a nod, signaling he'd taken her advice to heart.

The S.H.I.E.L.D. convoy stopped in front of a rundown bar in a dusty Nevada desert town. Sif jumped out impatiently, drawing her longsword as she surveyed the sand-swept area. "She prefers palaces and castles," Sif muttered, her disdain apparent. "This is far beneath her usual taste."

"It's not the place she's drawn to, but the people inside," Grant Ward remarked. According to intel, this bar was a hideout for the Hellhound Motorcycle Club—a gang of bikers and gunmen who had fallen under Lorelei's spell. The local gang had robbed jewelry stores and gun shops on her orders.

When the convoy arrived, two shotgun-toting local police officers were already waiting outside.

"How many people inside are under her control?" Coulson asked as he approached the officers. "Did you see the suspect?"

"We saw her. She's beautiful," the chubby officer said, raising his shotgun without hesitation and firing at Coulson.

Coulson dove to the ground, rolling to safety just as the pellets from the shotgun froze mid-air. The local officers, under Lorelei's control, ducked behind cars and opened fire on the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. Forced to use non-lethal weapons designed by Fitz, the agents returned fire cautiously.

Meanwhile, Solomon casually stood in the open, completely exposed. Any bullets aimed at him ricocheted off harmlessly, bouncing away in random directions. Sif, holding her shield, and the armored android maid followed closely behind Solomon as they advanced toward the bar's entrance.

"Lend us a hand!" Coulson shouted from behind cover. Moments later, the gunfire ceased. When the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents peeked out, they found the officers and bikers tightly bound with sturdy metal rings. Solomon and his team had already entered the bar.

"Lorelei, still using men to do your dirty work, I see," Sif said, her voice cutting through the smoky bar as her eyes locked onto Lorelei. The Asgardian enchantress was surrounded by burly, leather-clad bikers.

"You're always just a step behind, Sif," Lorelei said, brushing past the bikers with a sly smile. The orange-haired Asgardian woman's voice was soft and mocking as she addressed Sif, but her gaze quickly turned to Solomon. Batting her eyelashes, she threw him a flirtatious glance. Solomon accepted it with a smile, leaving Sif momentarily unsure whether she should strike him down immediately.

"She's stunning," Solomon said with a grin. "But I already have a girlfriend. Sorry."

"Why not leave her for me?" Lorelei asked, her moist, innocent eyes shimmering as she spoke in a tone as soft as a feather brushing against one's heart. For a moment, it seemed impossible not to give in.

But Solomon simply smiled, ignoring the bikers who were closing in around him. Calmly, he walked to the bar and poured himself a glass of beer.

"You know how this ends, Lorelei. Surrender peacefully…"

"Do you think I'm afraid of you?" Lorelei cut him off, her voice dripping with derision. "I've beaten you before. Have you forgotten?"

"You should fear her," Solomon said, exhaling deeply as he set the glass down. He gestured to his android maid, signaling her to prepare for combat. Pointing at the lifeless body of a woman behind the bar, he added, "And you should fear me, because you killed one of the Sorcerer Supreme's subjects. Dana, kill her!"

"No! My orders are—"

Before Lorelei could finish, the android maid drew her explosive rifle with lightning speed. The deafening blast of gunfire filled the room as a bullet, traveling at over 1,000 meters per second, tore through the air. Upon impact with Lorelei's chest, the explosive round detonated, unleashing a secondary explosion. Even an Asgardian couldn't endure such power.

The rifle fired three consecutive rounds, and Lorelei's body was sent hurtling through the bar's wall.

As the enchanted bikers rushed forward in retaliation, Solomon sidestepped, grabbing one burly biker by the neck and slamming his head against the bar. He then flung the unconscious man into another who was raising a shotgun.

Sif charged through the shattered wall, knowing full well the damage those explosive rounds could do—even to an Asgardian. As she stepped outside, she found Lorelei lying in the dirt, her body battered and bloody. The enchantress mumbled an incantation, desperately trying to heal the internal injuries caused by the explosive rounds.

Lorelei wasn't of high Asgardian lineage. Unlike Thor, who might withstand a full magazine of such rounds without a scratch, she couldn't take even one without severe consequences.

All Sif wanted now was to ensure Lorelei's survival.

Inside the bar, the android maid drew her longsword and began dispatching the remaining bikers. Gunfire and the flash of steel filled the small space. When Coulson and his team rushed in, they were met with a scene of utter carnage—bodies torn apart by bullets, splintered tables and chairs, and blood and viscera coating every inch of the wooden floor. In the center of it all stood the blood-soaked android maid, her calm demeanor at odds with the hellish scene around her.

A few bikers were still alive, but it was clear they wouldn't survive for long.

"Where's Solomon?" Coulson demanded, gripping his weapon as he debated whether to shoot the android maid.

She silently pointed to the gaping hole in the wall.

Before Coulson could reach it, the sound of the explosive rifle echoed once more, followed by Sif's enraged shout and the clash of steel.

"What's happening?" Coulson asked, hesitating. Turning back to the android maid, he tried to gather more information, quickly realizing the gravity of the situation.

Solomon was determined for Lorelei to die here. This was no longer just a mission—it was a clash between superhumans. How could S.H.I.E.L.D. possibly intervene?

[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! Only $5 per novel or $15 for all!!] [www.p@treon.com/Mutter]

[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]

[+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]