The morning sun bathed Asgard in its perpetual golden glow, casting long shadows across the gleaming spires and crystal bridges of the realm eternal. The Bifrost stood silent at the edge of the rainbow bridge, its crystalline structure refracting light into a thousand colors.
Then, without warning, the calm shattered.
A piercing siren wailed across the realm, its otherworldly sound cutting through the peaceful morning like a blade. Throughout the palace and the city beyond, Asgardian soldiers who had been enjoying the quiet morning snapped to attention, hands flying to weapons that materialized in flashes of golden light.
"Alert! Unknown entity detected in Asgardian space! All warriors, to your stations!"
The announcement echoed through every corridor, every street, every training ground. Soldiers rushed from barracks, guards abandoned their posts to converge on the central plaza, and the elite Einherjar formed battle lines with practiced precision.
But before the full might of Asgard could mobilize, a different voice resonated through their minds—not through their ears, but directly into their consciousness. The voice of the All-Father himself, calm and commanding.
"Stand down. He is our guest. You need not worry. I will greet him personally."
The soldiers hesitated, exchanging confused glances, but discipline held. Odin's word was law. Slowly, the formations broke apart, though every warrior remained alert, watching the skies with wary eyes.
......
Elric materialized in the void above Asgard, his body still tingling from the energy expenditure of the teleportation. The sight that greeted him stole his breath away.
A floating island stretched before him, impossibly massive yet somehow delicate in its construction. Waterfalls cascaded from its edges into the infinite void below, the water seemingly vanishing into starlight and mist. At the island's heart rose a palace of gold and crystal, its spires reaching toward the heavens like prayers made manifest. Gardens of impossible beauty surrounded the structure, and throughout the city, buildings that seemed grown rather than built reflected the eternal sunlight.
"Spectacular," Elric murmured, though the word felt inadequate.
Then he felt it—the drain. His energy reserves, usually stable and substantial, had dropped by nearly seventy percent in an instant. The cost of breaching Asgard's dimensional barriers was higher than he'd anticipated.
Good thing I didn't come here to fight, he thought, steadying himself.
He oriented himself toward the palace and prepared to fly, but a familiar voice called out before he could move.
"Elric!"
He turned toward the sound. A figure approached on what appeared to be some kind of flying vehicle—sleek, golden, and humming with energy. As it drew closer, Elric recognized the rider.
Thor Odinson, crown prince of Asgard, his red cape billowing dramatically behind him despite the lack of wind. He brought the vehicle to a halt beside Elric, a broad grin splitting his bearded face.
"Oh, Thor." Elric returned the smile, relieved to see a friendly face. "I need some help from you. I hope you don't mind."
"What are you talking about?" Thor laughed, clapping him on the shoulder hard enough to make a mortal stumble. "We're already friends! I'll do my best to help you however I can."
"I appreciate that."
"But first," Thor's expression became more formal, though warmth remained in his eyes, "can you meet my father? He really wants to meet you."
Elric's mind raced. Odin? Why would the All-Father want to meet me specifically?
Several possibilities flickered through his thoughts. Was this related to Bor, the ancient king? Had Thor or Loki mentioned him? Had he somehow offended Asgard without realizing it?
No, he concluded after a moment's reflection. I haven't done anything to antagonize them. This is probably just standard diplomatic courtesy—meeting important visitors personally.
"Alright," Elric said evenly. "Lead the way then."
Thor's grin returned in full force. "Excellent! Let me show you Asgard first. We're not in a hurry, are we?"
Elric considered. His plans for Xandar could wait a few hours. Building goodwill with Asgard might prove valuable in the future. "No, I suppose we're not."
"Then let's go!" Thor gestured grandly toward the city. "You're going to love it here."
As they descended toward Asgard proper, Elric couldn't help but notice the stark differences between this realm and Earth.
The architecture alone was breathtaking. Every building seemed to be a work of art—towers that spiraled into impossible shapes, homes that appeared carved from single pieces of crystal or gold, bridges that defied conventional physics. But it wasn't just the aesthetics that caught his attention.
The city was alive with activity, but not the usual kind. Banners hung from every building, their golden fabric depicting what appeared to be a stylized raven or crow. Merchants were setting up elaborate stalls, musicians practiced on street corners, and everywhere he looked, people seemed to be preparing for something.
"Is there some kind of celebration happening?" Elric asked as they flew past a group of citizens hanging decorations.
"Yeah!" Thor's enthusiasm was palpable. "In a month, my sister will be crowned as the next king of Asgard. It's going to be the event of the millennium!"
Elric's calm exterior remained perfectly still, but internally, every alarm bell in his mind began ringing at once.
Wait. Sister? King? What?
"Thor," he said carefully, his voice betraying none of his inner turmoil, "I thought you were the crown prince."
"Yeah, I thought so too!" Thor laughed as if this were the most natural thing in the world. "But after I came back from Earth, I found out I have a sister. She went on a very dangerous mission almost two thousand years ago, and everyone thought she died. But some time ago, she suddenly came back. So naturally, she'll become the next ruler of Asgard. She's the eldest, after all."
Elric's mind went into overdrive.
Two thousand years ago. Sister. Next king.
In the comics, Thor had three sisters, but only two fit this description. And "two thousand years" pointed to one very specific, very dangerous individual.
Hela.
But that didn't make sense. Hela should still be sealed away, waiting in whatever hell-dimension Odin had banished her to. She was supposed to return only after Odin's death, unleashing Ragnarok and nearly destroying Asgard in the process.
This is definitely the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Elric thought, his analytical mind racing through possibilities. All my research pointed to that. But if Hela is free and about to be crowned peacefully...
Did I get something wrong? Is this a different timeline?
He took a slow, calming breath. Thor continued chattering happily about the upcoming celebration, completely oblivious to Elric's internal crisis.
It doesn't matter, Elric finally decided. Who becomes the next ruler of Asgard isn't my concern. I came here for a specific purpose—get to Xandar, wait for Star-Lord and the Power Stone, and proceed from there. Royal succession dramas are someone else's problem.
They flew over a marketplace where vendors were selling everything from enchanted weapons to what appeared to be self-refilling goblets. Thor waved at several people who called out greetings, clearly beloved by his people.
After they landed in a plaza near a tavern, Thor insisted on showing Elric "proper Asgardian hospitality." Inside, the tavern was warm and boisterous, filled with warriors swapping stories and citizens celebrating the upcoming coronation.
Thor ordered drinks—enormous tankards filled with something that glowed faintly gold. Elric took a cautious sip and felt warmth spread through his chest. Whatever this was, it was certainly stronger than anything on Earth.
After a few minutes of pleasant conversation about Thor's adventures and Elric's travels, Elric decided to broach the subject that had brought him here.
"Thor, I need to ask you something."
"Of course! Anything for a friend."
"I need a spaceship to go to Xandar. Can I borrow one?"
Thor's jovial expression faltered slightly, replaced by an apologetic grimace. "Ah, that's... a little troublesome, actually."
Elric waited, saying nothing.
"It's mainly because Asgard's technology can't be lent to outsiders easily," Thor explained, looking genuinely regretful. "Royal protocol and all that. Father's very strict about it, especially with the more advanced vessels."
Elric felt his plans shifting, but before he could express disappointment, Thor's expression brightened.
"But don't worry! If you just want to go to Xandar, sending you there will definitely be no problem. I'll personally escort you. We have diplomatic vessels that make regular trips to the Nova Empire. You can travel as my guest!"
Elric considered this. It actually worked better than borrowing a ship. He wouldn't need to learn Asgardian systems.
"That would be perfect, actually. Thank you."
"Excellent!" Thor drained his tankard and stood. "When do you want to leave?"
"As soon as possible, if that's alright."
"Then let's meet my father first, get the formalities out of the way, and we can depart right after."
They left the tavern and made their way toward the palace. The structure grew more impressive the closer they got—impossibly tall, with walls that seemed to be made of solidified light as much as physical material.
But as they walked through the palace grounds, Elric noticed they weren't heading toward the grand entrance or the throne room that was clearly visible ahead.
"Thor, where are we going? This doesn't look like the throne room."
"Oh!" Thor glanced back with a grin. "My father and sister have been experimenting with some magic recently, so they're in the underground chambers. It's where we keep the more... sensitive materials and conduct research that requires extra security."
"Underground chambers?"