Rogers' proposal was met with a unanimous vote of approval from everyone in the room.
Thor wasn't from Earth, but he was one of them—a comrade who had fought by their side.
While it was true his brother was the one who had brought ruin to their world, Thor's dedication to protecting it was an undeniable fact.
He'd even nearly been blown out of the sky by a council missile thanks to their own leadership's sheer incompetence.
Abandoning Asgard in its hour of need was simply off the table.
"I can send you there, certainly. But Asgard isn't going to fall," Herta remarked, her voice flat. She clearly didn't care much for their sentimental displays of brotherhood.
"Asgard is the sovereign of the Nine Realms, after all. Without the Aether in their grasp, the Dark Elves don't stand a chance of posing a real threat."
She paused, then added, "Besides, Asta and Arlan are already there."
It was obvious she didn't think the situation required any extra meddling, which was typical for her. To Madam Herta, Asgard was merely a friendly neighbor.
The fact that she mentioned Asta and Arlan's presence without demanding their immediate return was her silent way of giving them permission to help.
Truth be told, she'd probably prefer it if they stayed here and kept running tests for the Simulated Universe.
But Rogers held his ground. "Please, send us through."
"Fine."
Seeing their persistence, Herta gave a sharp nod and made a decision that caught them all off guard. "In that case, I'll head over myself."
Wait, what? Madam Herta was going personally?
To a literal battlefield?
They knew she was powerful—her genius clearly wasn't limited to research—and even Tony, a fellow scientist, took to the front lines in a suit of iron. Herta surely had her own means of combat. Still, her deciding to intervene in a war felt... significant.
A ripple of worry passed through the group, though it vanished as quickly as it came. If Herta herself didn't see an issue with it, who were they to second-guess her?
Herta didn't wait for a response. After a quick check on Asta's coordinates, she reached out and traced a line through the air, carving open a rift using a technique she'd recently picked up at Kamar-Taj.
Unlike the golden, sparking portals the sorcerers used, Herta's version was lined with a shimmering purple border that glittered like starlight on diamonds.
The original aesthetic simply didn't meet her standards.
Her display didn't just startle the Avengers; it also drew a gasp from Jane Foster, who was currently sitting across from Asta on the other side of the gate.
Even if you knew magic existed, seeing it manifest like that was something else entirely.
If nothing else, the visual effects are decent, Herta thought to herself as she stepped through.
"Madam Herta?" Asta scrambled to her feet the moment she saw her. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm here for the Aether. The Dark Elves are laying siege to Asgard for it anyway, right? If they're going to come looking for trouble once I have it, I might as well settle the matter here and now." Herta's gaze shifted to Jane.
The Aether was still bound within the woman's body.
"We tried to extract it three hours ago, but the invasion started..." Asta's explanation trailed off as the Avengers stepped through the portal behind Herta, finally taking in their surroundings.
They weren't in a glittering throne room. This looked more like a fortified bunker.
"I wanted to send Arlan to help, but... she wouldn't leave the two of us alone here." Arlan was nowhere to be seen in the room; she was likely standing guard outside.
Hawkeye paced to the edge of the room and looked out the window.
"Things don't look too bad out there," Barton noted. He pointed toward the golden canopy shielding the palace. "With that barrier up, this place is a fortress. Those flying things must be the Dark Elf ships."
The others crowded around the window to look. The palace was enveloped in a mysterious golden light, and the sky was a chaotic dance of alien crafts and Asgardian anti-air fire. From where they stood, Asgard clearly held the upper hand.
But before they could get a better look, the translucent golden shield began to flicker. Distorted patches, like static in a magnetic field, rippled across its surface. Before anyone could ask what was happening, the barrier dissolved into nothingness.
"Power failure?" Tony guessed, his brow furrowed.
It seemed like a ridiculous explanation for an advanced civilization, but the visual evidence suggested exactly that.
"No! That shouldn't be possible!" Asta cried out, her eyes fixed on the sky.
Jane had a theory, though it felt far-fetched.
After a moment's hesitation, she spoke up. "Thor told me earlier today... they captured a strange Dark Elf. He surrendered without a fight and volunteered to be taken to the dungeons."
As she finished, Jane stole a glance at Herta, who had remained silent throughout the exchange.
So this is the legendary Herta? She didn't look anything like the rumors. People said she was a little girl who looked like a doll... but she certainly radiated an aura that said she wasn't someone to be trifled with.
Jane's words made the situation click for everyone.
The "surrender" was a ruse. A mole on the inside, perfectly timed to coincide with the vanguard's arrival.
The Avengers didn't need to hear any more. They bolted for the door.
Asta told Jane to stay put before following the team out into the hallway, where they ran into Arlan standing guard at the entrance.
Asta didn't bother asking Herta for instructions; she knew that if the Madam wanted something done, she'd say so herself.
"Arlan! The barrier is down and we don't know why. We have to help!"
Arlan had already seen the shield collapse from her post in the corridor. Asgard was an ally, and she had no qualms about fighting for them, but the idea of Asta heading into the fray made her hesitate.
"Go on then, do as you like," Herta said, stepping out of the room with her usual nonchalance. "Asta is coming with me."
"...Understood, Madam Herta." With Herta there, Arlan's worries vanished. She gave them a quick nod of farewell and sprinted off after the Avengers.
The heroes were fast, but they didn't know the layout of the palace. It would be much more efficient if she led the way rather than having them stop for directions.
"Madam Herta, what about us...?" Asta looked at the girl beside her.
Herta didn't answer immediately. Instead, she opened another portal.
Through the shimmering rift, they saw Odin. He had just pulled a guard out of the path of a Dark Elf spear and followed up with a lightning-fast thrust of his own weapon, skewering the intruder.
Keenly sensitive to magical fluctuations, the All-Father turned instantly toward the portal. His eyes landed on the young girl with light brown hair and a witch's hat.
"Herta?"
--+--
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.