Strax's room remained shrouded in a silence rare by Asgardian standards. Even so high up within the central fortress, it was still possible to hear, in the distance, the muffled noises of the industrial city working tirelessly. The distant sound of locomotives pierced the cold afternoon wind like constant metallic echoes. Chimneys continued to spew smoke against the gray sky while thousands of people worked outside, keeping the monstrous urban sprawl in motion.
But inside, finally, there was peace.
The enormous dark curtains blocked some of the outside light, leaving the room enveloped in a comfortable twilight. The fireplace burned slowly near the stone wall, spreading warmth throughout the spacious room, too large for any ordinary human to consider normal. Maps, documents, and some weapons were scattered near a side table, clearly ignored the moment Strax entered the room.
He didn't even have the patience to completely change his clothes.
