The more Odin and Frigga read, the more alarmed they became.
Thor was there to explain, regurgitating the analysis Nick Fury had given him. He was just repeating it, but the information was shocking enough on its own.
"Oh, heavens..."
Frigga watched the video clip of Thor being shot dead by an arrow. Even though it was from a parallel universe, a different timeline, it still made her heart ache.
She shot a glare at her husband. You. You were the one who put our son in such danger. Even if it was just a possibility, it terrified her.
"You're saying he's a transmigrator? From a universe outside the Fourth Wall? And we are just characters created by writers in his world?"
Odin asked, focusing on the existential threat.
The couple's concerns were completely different. Frigga worried about her son's safety; Odin worried about the nature of their reality.
"Yes. If his diary rants are accurate, then this is likely true. I don't want to admit it, but... it's possible," Thor said.
Odin's face turned grim. If this were true, then he was a joke. He thought he sent Thor to Earth to be tested of his own free will. But now he was told his will might not even exist.
It was arranged by someone else. He thought it because a writer made him think it.
"But Nick Fury—the human on Earth—said our world might not be fake," Thor added quickly. "It's possible our world is real, and its existence transmits signals to the writers in his world, inspiring them to create stories. That's why our world isn't exactly the same as their stories. Lucas's diary mentions these differences too."
Odin steadied himself. Regardless of whether his story was fiction, his experiences were real to him. No one could deny that.
"So why did you bring him here? What do you want to achieve by letting us know this?" Odin asked.
"The diary says I am a 'Lone Star of Misfortune' (Tiensha Guxing). I asked about it. In Chinese, it means I am cursed to cause the deaths of my parents, brothers, sisters, lovers—everyone close to me will die."
Thor looked down, his expression pained.
"I want to change that result. Especially regarding Loki. The diary says Mother will die because of Loki. I want to know how. And Father, your death..."
Thor paused, then continued. "That human, Fury, used this method to get more information out of Lucas. I hope by bringing him here, he will write more about Asgard, and reveal the details of your deaths. I hope it works."
"Child, do not grieve for our deaths," Frigga said softly. "If death is my fate, I will embrace it. I was raised by witches; fate is no secret to me. I only hope you live well. If you are the protagonist of this story, I hope that even when we are gone, you will live on. Never forget, you are the King of Asgard. With or without us, you must lead our people."
Hearing her own death sentence didn't shock Frigga. She accepted destiny with a grace that most couldn't understand.
"No! I won't accept it!" Thor shouted. "Lucas said there are many timelines! Different choices create different futures! My choices can create a different timeline! Why must I accept this curse? I refuse!"
Seeing their son so agitated, the King and Queen exchanged a look and sighed.
"I hope that through the future revealed in this diary, I can prevent the tragedy," Thor said firmly.
"You have grown up so much," Odin looked at his eldest son with pride.
He hadn't expected Thor to mature this quickly. Knowing his parents would die had accelerated his growth beyond anyone's expectations.
"I just don't want to leave any regrets in my future," Thor said. "I can accept not knowing. But if I know and do nothing to stop it? I will regret it forever."
"So Father, Mother, please don't just accept fate. For me, please try to survive. Okay?" Thor pleaded.
Odin and Frigga looked at each other. Finally, they nodded.
"We will fight for our survival," Odin promised.
Several days later.
Lucas finished reading every magic book in the public library.
Most were theoretical analyses, but there were plenty of practical spells too. His understanding of the Marvel magic system had skyrocketed. He wasn't a novice anymore.
He learned as he read. He had mastered the signature Kamar-Taj spells: Sling Ring Portals, Mirror Dimension, and basic energy constructs.
And he learned them deeply. If the sorcerers at Kamar-Taj saw his progress, they'd be terrified. His learning speed was monstrous.
"Done," Lucas exhaled, closing the last book.
He pulled out the diary.
For the past few days, he had been so focused on studying that he'd only written short, perfunctory entries.
Now, he was ready to write his first serious entry about Asgard. Writing had become a habit, not just a way to milk the system for rewards. It was how he documented his life.
[Asgard really lives up to its reputation as a god-level magical civilization. The collection of books here is breathtaking. They say this is just one of their libraries, but even so, I've gained so much.
The Asgardians are hospitable too. It's a shame that all this beauty is about to be destroyed.]