Once again the response to this story has been wonderful. Love hugs and triple chocolate chunk cookies to everyone that followed, favourited and reviewed.

Lots of information in the next couple of chapters - I hope I've got my Marvel related facts right. I've never read the comics, my information comes solely from the movies and Marvel Wiki so apologies for any gaffs. Reviews are love, please let me know what you think. MM x


Later that afternoon, back in Asgard, Frigga, Thor and Jane joined Hermione and Loki in the Royal Archive adjoining the Great Library.

"So what do you need to tell us Loki, Hermione. What news from Midgard?" Thor settled in one of the big oak chairs, Jane and Frigga joining them at the table.

Between them, Loki and Hermione briefed them on the events of the past twenty four hours, spreading the copies of the parchments across the table. Once again, Loki explained the details of the engravings. "The decoration on the casket show the Royal House of Asgard, our Grandfather Bor Burison, our Grandmother Bestia, and the symbol of the king to be..."

"Father" Thor's brows drew together. "With such secure vaults in Asgard, why would grandfather wish to hide a casket on Midgard. Was there anything else on the box?"

"Yes," continued his brother. "On each end, around the handles are the branches of Yggdrasil, and on the top..." He retrieved the small piece of parchment which had so concerned him earlier, and passed it straight to his Mother. She studied it for a moment, then looked up at her younger son.

"The Convergence". He nodded.

Jane and Hermione looked blank, Thor had the vague look of someone that should probably know what that meant – but didn't. Without a word, Frigga vanished, returning only a few moments later with a confused looking Heimdall.

"Heimdall my friend – have a seat," said Thor smiling. "If Mother has brought you here, I am assuming that you will be able to tell us more about The Convergence.."

Asgard's gatekeeper and watcher bowed to his King. "Indeed, Allfather. Once in every five thousand years the Nine Realms align, the barriers between stretch and thin, and movement between the worlds is at its easiest.

"Every five thousand years?" echoed Frigga, "To my knowledge this has not occurred in my lifetime Heimdall. When is the next Convergence to occur?

"Madam, even as we speak the worlds align above our heads. Within a matter of days now, the Convergence will take place."

All those around the table looked at each other in the deepest consternation. "This cannot be a coincidence" said Loki with a frown. "Tell me Heimdall, can you tell us what occurred during the last Convergence?

Heimdall chuckled, "I have many millennia beyond your years Your Highness, but I am not such an age as that yet. But I do have knowledge of the Lore of this Realm, and I can say that five thousand years ago, towards to the end of your Grandfather's reign, there was a great battle with the Dark Elves..."

Frigga's eyes were filled with horror. Thor just looked perplexed. "But the Dark Elves are all dead, Mother used to tell us tales of them when we were children and Loki used to be so frightened that he would insist on sleeping in my bed."

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Hermione couldn't stop laughing – unimpressed, Loki shot his brother a look that would have sent a lesser man running screaming from the room. Hermione took his hand, smiling, coaxing a reluctant smile from him. "Sweetheart, I promise that if you're scared you'll always have me to look after you" He pretended to glare at her, but failed miserably. No one noticed that Frigga had left the table, to hunt among the great bookshelves of the archive.

She returned to the table some moments later, carrying a large ancient looking book. Before she opened it, she looked up at the great golden watcher of the Realm. "Heimdall my friend, I thank you for your counsel, you are welcome to stay, but if you have other duties..."

Bowing his head to all present, Heimdall was about to returned to his post when he stopped – remembering something. Turning to Jane he added "My Queen, you should probably know that your friend, the good Doctor Selvig also studies The Convergence, he has had a number of conversations recently with another known to this company – Dr Bruce Banner."

Jane struck her forehead – frustrated. "Of course, the gravitational anomalies. I KNEW I should have gotten back to him." Recovering herself, she smiled at Heimdal, thanking him for the information. The great golden figure bowed, and left to return the Observatory.

The attention of all present turned to Frigga who opened the book carefully.

"Before the Nine Realms were born to light, there was darkness, and from the darkness came the Dark Elves. The leader of the Dark Elves, Malekith had one purpose - to restore the world to primeval darkness. In order to do this, he required the power of the Aether, liquid darkness..."

"Dark Matter" exclaimed Jane.

Frigga smiled, but continued. "... of ancient and catastrophic power. But even with the power of the Aether, Malekith could only achieve his aim of returning the entire Nine Realms during The Convergence when the boundaries between the realms are at their thinnest.

Five thousand years ago Malekith, and his force, attempted to destroy the universe as we know it. But his attempt was foiled by your grandfather. Malekith was defeated, and disappeared from history. It was believed that the Asgardian army had wiped out the entire race of Dark Elves."

Loki pulled a face at Hermione "and we wonder why tracts of the universe hate us..."

Frigga shot him a quelling look. "Bor wrested the Aether from Malekith, and hid it where no one would ever find it."

"In a magical vault in an insignificant corner of an un-regarded and primitive world. As far as possible from Asgard." Loki looked seriously at Hermione. "Now we know what we felt in there..."

"The Aether" whispered his wife in horror. "So where is it now...?"

Loki frowned. "As I said before, with the Convergence so close, this cannot be a coincidence." He drew a breath and voiced the question that they were all thinking.

"Are we certain that Malekith is dead?"

Thor snorted in a most un-kingly manner. "If Grandfather beat him he of course he is dead"

Loki rolled his eyes. Frigga shook her head. "We cannot be sure of that Thor. Do not underestimate him. Malekith was said to be very clever, and the most powerful of his kind. Should he live, he will assuredly blame our family for the destruction of his entire race. The blood feud is a powerful and destructive force, not to be taken lightly."

Hermione had gone very quiet and very still. Loki watched her, waiting for whatever she was putting together in that brilliant head of hers.

"Hermione?"...

After a few moments of thought, she looked up at him. "You could sense the Aether when we visited the vault. Even though it had been missing for several days. I could feel it too, but not with the same strength."

Frigga nodded. "That does not surprise me." Loki and Hermione looked at her, questioning. "The Aether may appear to be fluid, but do not let that fool you. Loki is so attuned to the Aether, because he has already been under the influence of two of its counterparts, the Space Stone, and more particularly, the Mind Stone. The Aether is the Power Stone, one of the six Infinity Gems."

Loki was as white as his shirt, his eyes huge. Rising from his chair, with a muttered apology, he left the room...

Gesturing to the others to stay where they were, Hermione rose, and followed him. Jane looked concerned, but Thor laid a reassuring hand on her arm. "Let Hermione deal with him Jane. There is no one that understands Loki better."

Jane looked at Frigga, and her husband, still puzzled. "What are the Infinity Gems?" Thor looked to Frigga...

"The Infinity Gems are six elemental objects, created by beings infinitely more powerful than any Asgardian, more powerful even than Loki, and he is the most powerful of us all at present. The whereabouts of the Soul, Time and Reality Stones are at present unknown, but the blue Space Stone is better known to you as the Tesseract, and the yellow Mind Gem, was the force within the sceptre that possessed not only the minds of the Avenger they call Hawkeye, and your friend Dr Selvig, but also that of my son, with such catastrophic results. I can understand Loki's reluctance to go anywhere near any other of these stones, but I believe that there will be no alternative under the circumstances. We must hope that Hermione can help him to see that...