Chapter 47: Prelude to Battle

~ Greenwich, London. Abandoned factory — 1 month before the Convergence ~

The perimeter was completely sealed. S.H.I.E.L.D. agents guarded the area with extreme rigor, preventing any civilians from coming within five kilometers. Inside, what had once seemed like a forgotten corner of the city now appeared as an open wound in reality: a crack that pulsed as if space itself were trying to give in.

Several high-tech machines surrounded the fissure, all collecting real-time data.

"So, everything's still the same?" Natasha asked, observing the readings.

"Aside from the Aether constantly trying to pull me in—yes, everything's the same," Jane replied seriously.

"And in terms of containment?"

"We've designed several containers that, in theory, could isolate it. But we're not sure. This… it's trying to break the fabric of space. This isn't just anything."

Jane set her notes aside for a moment and smiled with a spark of pride.

"But I've got this," she said, lifting a sleek metallic sphere. "It's the best prototype so far. It uses S.H.I.E.L.D.'s most advanced tech and it's based on Tesseract data... which was also a prison for an Infinity Stone. Guess who designed it?"

"Stark?" Natasha said, raising an eyebrow.

"Exactly. I don't like him much, but as a scientist... he's brilliant."

Ever since they discovered the crack, Tony had been one of the first to arrive. Although he lost interest when he realized the Aether couldn't be extracted yet, he left his mark with a design far beyond anything S.H.I.E.L.D. had built.

At that moment, an agent burst in urgently and approached Coulson, who was supervising the operation.

"Sir, we have a problem," he said, handing over a report.

As Coulson reviewed the documents, his usually calm face tensed.

"What's going on?" asked Thor, who was speaking with Loki near the operations center.

Coulson didn't respond immediately. Instead, he handed them the report. They both took it... and understood instantly.

A new painting from Laplace.

But this time, the subjects weren't human.

"Dark Elves," Loki murmured.

"What? Weren't they supposed to be extinct?" Thor asked, puzzled.

"Seems our father was... mistaken," said Loki with a bitter smile.

"Anything we should know?" Coulson asked.

Thor and Loki briefly explained who Malekith was and the threat posed by the Dark Elves. That was all Coulson needed to understand that serious trouble was coming.

Then Thor looked at Loki.

Loki already knew what his brother meant, and he shook his head immediately.

"No. We're not doing it."

"I have to," Thor insisted. "You said the Stone is too dangerous... and now we know it's linked to Jane. We can't take the risk. A king doesn't fight alone. A king fights with his army."

Loki sighed.

"Our mission was to find the Stone and return it to Asgard on our own. No help."

"This is no longer a secret mission," said Thor. "It's a war. We can't stop an army by ourselves."

The discussion lasted a few minutes, but in the end, even Loki understood they had to act. The threat was too great.

"Heimdall. Take us back," Thor said, raising his eyes to the sky.

A cloud of dark particles enveloped them, and both vanished. Seconds later, they appeared in the Great Hall of Asgard.

Odin awaited on the throne.

"Speak," he ordered solemnly.

"We need reinforcements," Thor said. "The Dark Elves have returned."

"I know," Odin replied. "Heimdall already informed me. But... you're on a mission. Do you renounce it?"

"We do," both brothers replied in unison.

Odin nodded, satisfied.

"Then you have passed the test."

Thor and Loki looked at each other, confused.

Odin descended from the throne, his expression warmer than usual.

"This mission was not about retrieving the Aether. It was about understanding the value of leadership. A king does not stand alone—his people stand with him. And a worthy king knows when to set aside his pride to protect what he loves."

He placed a hand on each of their shoulders.

"You will not fight alone."

Later, in the strategy hall, Odin outlined the new battle plan.

"Thor, you will lead the front. You will be Asgard's spear."

"Loki," he continued, "you will be the mind behind this offensive. A war is not won only on the battlefield—it's won in preparation."

They both nodded.

Odin did not seem worried. While it surprised him that the Dark Elves had survived, their numbers weren't alarming. Without the Aether, Malekith would be dangerous, but not unstoppable.

Still, he knew this battle would shape the character of his sons.

Or perhaps, help them grow even more, he thought as he looked especially at Loki. He was no longer the same arrogant being hungry for power. Now he calculated, analyzed, avoided harm... even yielded for the common good. It was the closest thing to an heir Odin had ever seen in him.

And amidst those thoughts, a fleeting memory crossed his mind.

Maybe... if he had tried to save her, she might have changed too.

He shook his head, as if to cast away an old shadow, and gave them one last order before walking away:

"I will not intervene. This will be your trial. The war will be long... but I expect results."

---

~ Two weeks later ~

"I will intervene personally. Most of the army will take part in this battle. We'll end this as quickly as possible... and I will make sure Malekith dies."

Odin's words echoed through the chamber. Thor and Loki, who had spent two full weeks preparing strategy, could only blink in disbelief.

They had discussed maps, organized squadrons, and anticipated countless scenarios... but none of them included their father leading the offensive.

And yet, Odin offered no explanations.

This was no longer a skirmish between elite troops and the Dark Elves.

It was Asgard against the Dark Elves.

And Odin wasn't willing to leave anything to chance. He was going to crush them.

Thor and Loki didn't know what had changed… but they accepted it. A battle with the All-Father at the front was a glorious battle. And they weren't the only ones who knew it.

The Asgardian army, already assembled, erupted in cheers at the news. The troops quickly reorganized. Reinforcements that had not been available before now poured in, and each squadron was strengthened. They weren't just going to win—they were going to obliterate.

The question lingered: what had motivated Odin?

The answer was simple.

A new painting.

An image that depicted, with brutal clarity, the death of the one he loved most. And though he knew the paintings weren't always unavoidable, he wasn't going to take the risk. Not this time.

---

The Day of the Convergence

Portals began to open all around the world, tearing the sky with ancient energy. The boundaries between the Nine Realms blurred, connecting remote points with invisible rifts. But in one specific location, closest to the Aether's hiding place, the main portal roared as if the universe itself were watching what was about to unfold.

In front of that dimensional rift, a golden army stood ready.

Thousands of soldiers perfectly aligned, all clad in Asgard's gleaming armor. The ground trembled beneath the synchronized march of endless columns. And in the skies, mounted on flying beasts—dragons, pegasi, griffins—thousands more awaited, ready to dive into battle from above.

At the head of them all: Odin.

His presence was a blazing fire in the midst of the storm. Majestic, immovable, like a figure carved from legend.

And then, without further ceremony, he raised his spear.

A single command.

A single word.

The entire army moved as one.

The battle for the Aether… had begun.

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