Ebony Maw's robes billowed as he knelt before the throne, his symbiote-enhanced form trembling with barely restrained fury. **"My lord, grant me the Legion! I will carve through Asgard's defenses and—"**
Lin Fan's laughter cut through the war room like a knife.
**"You?"** He leaned forward, pink features twisting in mock surprise. **"The same Maw who still bears Gungnir's scar? Who wept like a child when Odin pinned him to that Wall?"**
Lin Fan waved a dismissive hand. **"Sit down, Maw. Odin played his hand well—but he's still just an old man clutching stolen power."**
---
The observation deck displayed the vaporized remains of Morag—a warning to any who might follow Odin's trail.
**"The Allfather didn't stumble upon the Power Gem,"** Lin Fan mused, tapping the Mind Stone in his gauntlet. Asgard must have archives on where all the stones are kept or perhaps only Odin has that knowledge
A schematic of the Nine Realms flared to life, highlighting three more potential Stone locations.
Ebony Maw, still seething, forced himself to analyze the data. **"You believe he'll hunt the others."**
**"I** know **he will."** Lin Fan's eyes gleamed. **"Pride won't let him hide. And when he marches out with his stolen trinket..."**
The unspoken promise hung heavier than a neutron star.
---
Alone in his sanctum, Lin Fan studied the Mind Stone's pulsating depths.
*Creation.*
The thought slithered through his consciousness. Vision's birth had proven what the Stone could forge—not just puppets, but true life. His fingers hovered over the gem.
**"An army of my own design..."**
The Stone pulsed in agreement.
---