Chapter 37: The Fall of Loki & The Birth of a New Artifact
Chapter 37: The Fall of Loki & The Birth of a New Artifact
June 6, 2010 – Asgard, The Bifrost Bridge
Thor landed hard on the golden bridge, Mjolnir crackling with power in his grasp. His chest heaved, his gaze locked onto the figure standing at the far end of the bridge, near the great control pillar.
Loki.
The younger prince stood tall, adorned in emerald and gold, his expression unreadable. Behind him, the shimmering energy of the Bifrost pulsed, casting long shadows across the bridge.
"You return," Loki said, his voice laced with amusement, though his fingers twitched at his sides. "How unexpected."
Thor strode forward, his expression grim. "Loki. End this madness. You know our father still lives."
Loki's smile faltered, but only for a second. "Do I?" he mused, his voice eerily calm. "Then why is it that I now sit on the throne?"
The crackling energy of the Bifrost intensified, the air charged with tension as the two princes faced one another.
Thor tightened his grip on Mjolnir. "I will not fight you, brother."
Loki tilted his head, his smirk returning. "Then you will die."
With a flick of his hand, he summoned the dark energies of the Casket of Ancient Winters, and the final battle between brothers began.
---
Midgard – WHA & SHIELD Observe the Aftermath
As the battle between Thor and Loki raged in the heavens, back on Earth, SHIELD and WHA operatives worked to secure the remnants of the Destroyer.
The once-indomitable Asgardian war construct lay in twisted ruins, its once-living metal frame barely holding together. The crater where it fell still radiated heat, its core materials retaining traces of the incredible energy that once fueled it.
Standing at the edge of the crater, Valeria Monroe, still clad in her WHA battle suit, examined the scene. Her gaze flicked between SHIELD operatives scanning the wreckage and WHA specialists extracting key fragments of the metal.
Phil Coulson stood nearby, watching the extraction with interest. "We don't get many souvenirs like this," he muttered, adjusting his tie.
Valeria didn't take her eyes off the wreckage. "This isn't just some Asgardian scrap metal. This metal—it's something else entirely."
She turned toward one of the WHA operatives, who was holding a chunk of the blackened armor with delicate reverence. The metal shimmered faintly, its composition unlike anything found on Earth.
"Sir," the WHA tech muttered into his communicator. "We have confirmation. This is Uru metal."
Coulson raised an eyebrow. "That mean something to you?"
Valeria nodded slowly. "It means we're looking at one of the most powerful metals in existence."
She tapped her comm. "Secure a sample. This goes straight to Edward Lin."
---
Golden Enterprise Penthouse – Edward Lin's Study
June 7, 2010 – New York City
The Uru fragment sat before him, resting on a polished obsidian slab.
Edward Lin studied the blackened remains of the Destroyer's armor, his golden eyes glinting in the dim light of his private study.
It was unlike anything he had ever handled.
Perfect.
He reached out, placing a gloved hand on the metal. The moment he did, a pulse of energy surged through his fingers, sending a subtle tremor through the room.
Alchemy reacted to this metal, unlike any Earthly substance.
This… this was not ordinary metal.
Edward smirked. "Uru. The metal of the gods."
Behind him, Evelyn Lin watched from the shadows, arms crossed. "It survived destruction. That alone speaks to its resilience."
Edward nodded. "And now, it will serve a new purpose."
His fingers curled, and slowly, the Uru metal began to change.
Under his alchemical control, the fragments shifted, molded, restructured into new and perfected shapes. The metal responded instantly, as if it had been waiting for a master to reshape it.
Piece by piece, Edward forged something new.
Something personal.
---
The Alchemic Revolver – "Judgment"
Hours later, the result of Edward Lin's work sat in his hand.
A revolver, unlike any crafted by human hands.
Its barrel gleamed with the unnatural luster of Uru, infused with alchemy, reinforced with transmutation circles etched into its frame. The grip, sleek and weighted perfectly, bore golden inscriptions of ancient alchemical symbols.
This was not just a weapon.
It was a masterpiece.
Edward slowly spun the chamber, watching as six crafted bullets—each imbued with a different elemental reaction—clicked into place.
A weapon born from destruction.
A weapon meant for judgment.
Evelyn raised an eyebrow. "A gun?"
Edward smirked, admiring his work. "A tool. Something practical. Something precise."
He twirled the revolver in his palm before holstering it inside his coat. "And something that will remind the gods…" His golden eyes glowed faintly, "…that even they can be judged."
---
Meanwhile – The End of Loki's Reign
As Edward admired his creation, far beyond the reaches of Midgard, Loki's reign came to an end.
The battle on the Bifrost had reached its climax. Thor stood over his brother, Mjolnir radiating power, the Bifrost Bridge beneath them cracking under the strain of their fight.
"Odin is alive, Loki!" Thor bellowed, his breath ragged. "And you will answer for your treachery!"
Loki, weakened but unbroken, stared up at his brother. "I was never your equal, was I?"
Thor's grip on Mjolnir tightened. "No, brother. You were always more than that."
But before Loki could respond, the Allfather intervened.
From the skies, Odin's presence materialized, his golden eye filled with sorrow as he beheld his sons.
Loki's expression flickered—grief, anger, betrayal all warring within him. "I did this for us, Father… for you."
Odin's voice was gentle, yet firm. "No, Loki. You did this for yourself."
And with that, Loki let go.
He plummeted into the abyss, the Bifrost's shattered remains swallowing him whole.
Thor watched, his heart breaking, knowing that despite everything…
He had lost his brother.
---
Back on Earth – A New Era Begins
Asgard's war had ended.
Thor had reclaimed his place among the gods.
But back on Earth, in the shadows of Midgard, Edward Lin held his new weapon close.
He gazed out over the skyline of New York City, knowing that the world had changed forever.
And as the world moved toward greater conflicts, one truth became clear.
The age of heroes was just beginning.
And Edward?
He would ensure that none of them forgot their place.
---
June 8, 2010 – Asgard, The Throne Room
The golden halls of Asgard stood in solemn silence. The Bifrost had been rebuilt, but the echoes of battle still lingered. The throne, once occupied by Loki in his deception, now sat empty.
Thor knelt before his father, Odin Allfather, the weight of recent events heavy upon him.
He had regained his strength. He had proven himself worthy. And yet…
He had lost his brother.
Odin gazed down at his son, his face weary but firm. "You have done well, my son. You have shown the heart of a true king."
Thor's hands curled into fists. "But I am not king."
The Allfather studied him for a moment before nodding. "No. Not yet."
Thor exhaled. He had returned victorious, but there was no triumph in his heart. The truth was, he was not ready to rule Asgard. Not yet.
He stood. "And what of Loki?"
A flicker of grief passed through Odin's one good eye. "His fate is unknown."
Frigga, standing beside Odin, spoke softly. "Loki was always troubled, but he was still our son. I refuse to believe he is gone forever."
Thor bowed his head. "Neither do I."
Odin stepped forward, placing a hand on his son's shoulder. "There is still much for you to learn, Thor. Your time will come."
Thor nodded. His journey was not over.
His time among Midgard's people had changed him.
And he would return.
---
June 8, 2010 – SHIELD Headquarters, New Mexico
Back on Earth, within a secure SHIELD installation, a meeting was underway.
Director Nick Fury stood before a holographic display, analyzing recent events with his usual unreadable expression.
Seated across from him was Valeria Monroe, the high-ranking WHA operative overseeing Earth's most sensitive anomalies.
Clint Barton, still adjusting to the aftermath of the Destroyer's rampage, leaned back in his chair with a sigh. "So, we just let him leave?"
Coulson, standing by the control panel, nodded. "He saved this town. He earned the right to go home."
Barton shook his head. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm not entirely convinced we've seen the last of that hammer-wielding giant."
Valeria smirked. "Oh, we'll see him again. That much is certain."
Fury, arms crossed, glanced at the encrypted data WHA had provided. "The Destroyer wasn't the real threat. That was just a warm-up. We need to be ready for whatever else is coming."
Valeria tapped the table. "WHA has already begun analyzing the energy fluctuations left behind by the Bifrost. We've detected similar cosmic disturbances before, but never this close to Earth."
Coulson exhaled. "And let me guess. It's not just Asgard watching us."
Fury's gaze hardened. "No. It's not."
The room fell into silence as the weight of the unknown settled upon them.
Something was coming.
And Earth had only just begun to realize how small it truly was.
---
June 10, 2010 – Golden Enterprise, New York
Inside his luxurious penthouse, Edward Lin sat alone in his study, a glass of aged whiskey resting beside him.
Before him, a holographic screen displayed multiple encrypted reports—SHIELD's files, WHA's private logs, and a classified transmission intercepted from deep space.
The remnants of the Destroyer had been successfully secured by WHA scientists. The Uru metal had been reforged, shaped by his alchemy, transformed into something far greater than a simple relic of Asgard.
Edward reached for the revolver resting on his desk.
His personal artifact.
The Alchemic Revolver – "Judgment".
The cold, divine metal of the gods merged with the precision of alchemy—a weapon unlike anything Midgard had ever seen.
A weapon designed for balance.
He spun the chamber slowly, the six bullets infused with elemental transmutation circles, each one designed for a specific purpose.
Then, he set it down, leaning back in his chair.
The game had changed.
And Edward Lin would ensure that when the next storm came, he would be the one holding the reins.
---
Beyond Midgard – A Greater Threat Stirs
Far beyond the solar system, in the depths of an unknown galaxy, a figure watched the unfolding events with quiet amusement.
The destruction of the Destroyer.
The return of Thor.
The rise of WHA.
All pieces in a much larger puzzle.
A deep, rumbling chuckle echoed in the darkness.
"Soon."
And with that single word, the next phase of Earth's destiny was set into motion.
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To Be Continued…
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