"What?" I asked with wide eyes as Father and I were left alone in the throne room, wanting to make sure I heard him right while he smiled and spoke.
"I wish to return this to you."
"But…why? I thought you did not wish for me to have them?" He sighed at my words and relaxed into his throne whilst nodding.
"While it is true that I do not wish for you or anyone else to have direct control over the stones as you so painfully found out, I also realized with you having been controlled by that entity and with the stones showing up only now after thousands of years of inactivity that the visions you spoke of may in fact be the prophecy of Ragnarok that we all have been awaiting."
"So, you wish to prepare me accordingly for this process?" I asked and he nodded as he stood up, walking down from the dais of his throne with the Space Stone floating besides him before he brought it to my chest.
Taking a steadying breath as I watched the Stone just hovering there, cosmic energy pulsated from it in sync with my heartbeat as I looked up to see any hesitation in Father's eyes only to see nothing but calm in his gaze.
"I do not give this lightly, Thor." Father spoke, his voice calm yet commanding as he looked at me.
"You yourself have seen what these stones are capable of. You have felt it. This is not a gift, but a responsibility that I am imparting upon you, one that I expect you to bear with wisdom as one would expect from my heir.
"And what if I fail?" I asked, the doubts clear from my mind as I was now thinking of the numerous dangers that I had ignored before in my haste to gain power.
In response, his gaze softened slightly as a small smile appeared on his face and I returned his smile as he placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Then we fail together." A heavy silence hung in the air, clenching my fists as I fought against my nervousness plaguing my mind before speaking.
"And what of the other Stones? The Space Stone and Mind Stone are not the only stones out there. If this truly heralds Ragnarok, then we are standing at the precipice of a fate that is far greater than the survival of Asgard alone."
"The realms stir and fate moves, but while I do not know if Ragnarok is inevitable, I do know that we must be prepared for the times to come. As I've said many times, a wise king must never seek out war…"
" 'But he must always be ready for it.'" I finished his quote and he nodded before standing back and thumping Gungnir's bottom on the ground, unleashing a pulse of Odinforce that washed over me and comforted my aching mind.
"The only question now, my son, is whether you will accept this burden…or refuse it." He said and I looked down at the stone, feeling my fingers twitching at the memories of being controlled.
However, unlike before, I could actually feel the stone reaching out to me now and smiled softly as I reached out with my own divine energy, feeling it latch onto it before looking back up at Father as azure blue electricity sparked around the stone.
"If this is what must be done to assure that my family and friends live to see another day…then I will do what I can." Father didn't say anything as he studied both the stone and I before giving the faintest of nods as Asgardian runes appeared on my chest and the stone.
Before I could blink, the Space Stone surged forward and my armour wrapped around it as the two fully fused with each other this time, my eyes widened as my vision was dyed in vibrant blue light.
Immediately as that happened, my eyes widened as I was taken to an ancient city in runes, staring at an intricate metal orb sealed away behind a powerful stasis shield.
The next moment, I found myself standing at the edge of a tall mountain, looking down the cliffside at the complex runic circle below with a small orange stone floating in the middle of it.
The next, I stood in front of a ghastly being who was floating besides a throne while a golden yellow stone sat in its forehead, a rasp escaping its lips as it turned its beady eyes to look around before I vanished once more.
A second later, I stared at the red slush pulsating and folding in on itself numerous times, the stone slab around it keeping it from lashing at the world before I got pulled away again.
Finally, I found myself standing directly in front of the Ancient One, who looked just as confused as the ghastly being with the Mind Stone as a glowing green stone hung around her neck before I gasped as I found myself back in my body inside the throne room.
"Hah…hah…hah…"
"How was the experience?" Father asked and my eyes were wide as I took a few deep breaths to calm my racing mind before looking up at Father as he looked at me.
"…Enlightening. What is our next step?" I asked and the man regarded me with a contemplative gaze while softly rubbing Gungnir in his grasp.
"Now, we prepare. The stones appearing is no mere coincidence nor is it something we can afford to ignore." As he spoke, his voice got heavier with each word, sounding less as that of a father speaking to his son and more as a king speaking to his right-hand man.
"There are forces that move beyond our sight, but I suspect we are already behind in this game."
"The visions…they were glimpses of a war yet to come. If the other stones are awakening as you said, then there will be those who seek them. Asgard may not be enough to stop what comes next." For the first time since our conversation began, there was a flicker of something in his eyes that caught my attention, but I know not what it was.
"The Mad Titan you spoke of. His name…is Thanos. He has long coveted power beyond his own means, a way to manipulate the universe as he see fit, and though he has remained patient over the millennia, I fear his patience may soon reach an end. He had entrusted a replica of the Mind Stone to your brother, but he may decide to send the stone itself along with a more powerful servant in his next attempt to gather them all."
"Speaking of my brother, he remains imprisoned, but you and I both know he will not want to remain there forever and neither will Mother. What is to become of him?"
"Loki's fate…is uncertain to my gaze, but if your visions speak true, he too will have a role to play in the war to come. However, he may not be the only one as there are entities older than even I that may soon awaken." Father said as he began walking towards the great doors of the throne room.
While I was confused at his words for a brief moment, my eyes widened slightly as I remembered the second movie that Thor was the main character of, a movie with events that is to happen next year at that.
"You speak of the Dark Elves?" I asked with a furrowed brow and he paused in his walking but did not turn, watching as he exhaled and his shoulders sagged slightly
"…They slumber, but they are not dead and when they wake, they will not be as forgiving. Malekith's war was not merely just a conquest if my father's words were to be believed. It was an attempt to bring forth an age of darkness to all of reality. If the stones have begun to stir, then I fear he too will awaken in time."
"Then we have enemies on all sides with no allies in sight."
"And that is why you must be ready." He said as he finally turned, his gaze piercing as I looked at him before taking a deep breath and finally moving towards him with a nod.
"Then time is of the essence. If this Thanos is growing impatient, if Malekith is to return and if Ragnarok truly looms over the Nine Realms, then I must know what must be done to make sure we survive." I said and he studied me for a moment longer before nodding.
"Come with me." He spoke as he turned, striding towards the great doors and I followed, feeling a sense of inevitability sinking into my very bones before smiling as I felt a pulse of cosmic energy from the stone and a spark of comfort from Mjolnir at my side.
'You're right, my friend. We have faced such odds before and just like those times, we shall triumph. …Damn, when I get serious, I really start sounding like Thor, huh?'
"While your mother is keeping the mother of your children busy, us two shall be going back to the point of where this all started." Father said as the two of us walked out of the royal castle and down the Rainbow Bridge, our footsteps echoing in the air as I frowned slightly and looked at him.
"You have never told me how you and mother feel about that."
"Your mother is ecstatic." He said and I rose an eyebrow at the rather quick response before speaking.
"And you?"
"I…feel conflicted. On the one side, I see it as the royal bloodline of Asgard still living on as the next rulers and/ or warriors to lead the next generation."
"And on the other side?" I asked and he looked at me with a grim look before responding.
"I am worried for the strength, longevity and heritage of the children. I worry for her well-being as one Asgardian child is already going to weaken her quite a bit, but triplets may cause some lasting damage."
"You have no need to worry, Father. With both you and Mother there to provide support, I rest easy knowing that she and the children will come out safe on the other side." I spoke with a smile and he continued to look at me before I chuckled as he gave a faint smile.
"You put too much trust in me, my son."
"On the contrary, I put just the right amount into you, Father. So, are we heading to Midgard?"
"Indeed we are. War is coming not to Asgard but to all the Nine Realms and while I do believe most of them are capable of defending themselves, the mortals are caught in forces beyond their comprehension. However, while they are fragile, they are not without their value as your time amongst them has taught you."
'Do not underestimate humanity's potential for infinite evolution.' I thought was I recalled the words of a wise man from a certain franchise that I loved and nodded at Father's words.
"That is true. However, the humans are wary of what they do not understand and I do not blame them. I did take the Tesseract and the sceptre from their grasp before they could begin to understand their power. If we go now, they will not be so welcoming."
"They do not have to welcome us; only listen." Father responded matter-of-factly and I smirked as I remembered a certain one-eyed human that had a hard time trusting others.
Let's hope you're right."
"A trip to Midgard, Thor, my King?" Heimdall asked as he regarded us with his usual stoic expression, his golden eyes gleaming as Father nodded.
"There is a reckoning that must be had."
"You will not be greeted as a friend, I imagine." The Gatekeeper said as he looked at the stone in my chest and at me, to which I smiled and nodded.
"It will not be the first time." With that said, the man said nothing more as he twisted his sword and unleashed a beam of light into the cosmos.
"We could have just used the stone to go there."
"We could have." Father responded with a nod even as he walked into the light and Heimdall and I just looked at each other before I shook my head and followed after the King.
Show-off.
"Well…this was to be expected." I muttered as the Bifrost died down and vanished, not surprised by the blaring alarm and the dozens of soldiers and agents surrounding us with weapons at the ready as we stood at the top landing bay of the Heli-carrier.
"It was." Father said and I just grew used to his curt responses to not worry about them anymore before looking over to see Nick Fury being lifted up from a plane's parking area along with both Black Widow and Hawkeye at his side.
However, I was surprised to see a curious Bruce Banner and a frowning Steve Rogers right at their side, the agents making way as Fury walked towards us.
"I was wondering when your ass was coming back here…and I see you brought back-up this time." Fury spoke as his gaze flickered to Father, lips pressing into a thin line as Father's brow arched slightly while I smirked.
"Nicholas Fury, it has been some time."
"About two or so days, I'd say. Last time we saw each other, you walked off with two world-ending artifacts like you were taking souvernirs. However, I see you're wearing one like a chest piece now. What, are you trying to copy Stark?"
"Hahaha~ Stark wishes he had this at his disposal."
"You better be glad I didn't get him to build something specifically for you."
"I would have found it amusing." I answered with a shrug and the man looked between us before folding his arms.
"Alright, I know you're not here for just pleasantries so why the hell are you here?"
"Because Midgard's fate is bound to something greater than you are yet to see. If we do not act post haste, your word may not survive what is to come."
"…Well, there's your answer on why he took them." Bruce Banner spoke up and the man shrugged his shoulder as Fury turned his glare at him before turning back to us.
"You said Midgard was in danger. That's not exactly news to us living on this little dirt ball, but coming from you, it means I should at least listen to you ever so slightly so start talking."
"Not here. Too many eyes and ears." Father responded and Nick Fury looked around at everyone before nodding.
"Very well. Follow me."
"Quite the sturdy room." I muttered as I knocked softly on the walls of the briefing room we were in before wincing as I dented part of it and looked at everyone looking at me.
"Uh, apologies for that." I apologized as I laid my palm on it while the Space Stone glowed, sucking in the space inside the dent and forcing it back into place before turning back to see the humans completely focused on what I did.
"What…was that?" Steve asked and I looked at Father who nodded.
"They are to be our allies. They need to know what it is."
"Very well. That was an application of the Space Stone or the Tesseract as you all so called it."
"That little thing in your chest…is that giant cube thing I had to carry around?" Hawkeye asked with a raised eyebrow and I nodded as I walked over and sat down next to Father as he laid Gungnir on the table while I placed Mjolnir down as well.
"And I'm guessing the stone gives you some control over space?" Bruce asked before his eyes widened at my next words.
"Not just some. With the Space Stone, one controls all forms of space itself. That is to say I can teleport to any destination in the universe, teleport anyone else to any destination and manipulate the concept of 'Space' as I see fit."
"And I'm guessing that the stone Loki had is something to do with mind-control, right?" Black Widow asked with her arms crossed and I nodded.
"That is the Mind Stone. It allows one to control all sapient minds throughout the cosmos as well as grants them obscure knowledge on various different subjects that they may find interesting."
"Do not tell them of the others." I was a bit surprised to hear Father's voice speaking in my mind, but I simply gave a faint subtle nod while crossing my arms.
"Well, isn't that lovely? So I see you guys have one here. What happened to this…Mind Stone?"
"We found out that the Mind Stone was not an Infinity Stone, but a lesser replica made to mimic some of its powers."
"So, you got tricked just like we did? Oh, I do love hearing that." Fury spoke and I rolled my eyes at the amusement in his eyes before Father spoke up.
"While I do enjoy my son being reprimanded for his rashness, I am here to warn you all and prepare you for when the Infinity Stones are found."
"You keep throwing that term around. I'm guessing that's the scientific term for the stones?" Black Widow asked and Father answered as I decided to stay silent.
"It is the term we have come to use for the stones. We know how many there are and after we are done here, we are on our way to collect the rest."
"And how many are there?"
"You need not worry about them, Dr. Banner. Simply take care to keep yourself out of stressful situations and let us worry about the rest." Father responded and Bruce shrugged as Fury's eyes narrowed.
"So, you've come to help us…but you won't even share information with us?"
"I find that humans strive to get their hands on everything they can to make sure they're the dominant species. However, I fear that if you pursue the stones, you will abandon the reason why we have truly come to talk to you."
"…And that is?"
"The Avengers Initiative. If Midgard is to stand a chance, they are your last line of defence."
"That kind of won't work considering you took away any reason there needs to be for them forming into a team." Fury responded and I rolled my eyes at that before looking over at Father as he spoke up.
"Nicholas Fury, if I were to tell you a simple secret of your agency, will you do the same and gather this group nonetheless?"
"There are no secrets in my agency that I am not aware of." Father simply looked amused at Fury's words before I kept my shock hidden while Fury froze as he spoke.
"The eight-headed serpent is abundant behind the shield."
"…What?" Bruce looked utterly confused at the man's words, but the others as well as Steve looked just as shocked as I felt as Fury spoke.
"Impossible. They were all wiped out during the war."
"It is merely a simple secret I wish to impart upon you. What you do with it is your choice." Father said as he stood up along with picking up Gungnir and I did the same as I placed Mjolnir on my hip while placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Did you just come here to place doubts in my mind, Odin? What is your play here?" The director asked and Father looked amused as he gazed at the man while a slight, knowing smile tugged at the edge of his lips.
"You will know soon enough." He responded and with a thought, a portal opened below us before whisking us off to our next destination.
'Time to get the Reality Stone.'
A vast emptiness stretched beyond sight, the void of space swallowing all light save for the faint, eerie glow emanating from a distant black throne.
The Sanctuary, a fortress adrift in the abyss, loomed in silence, its jagged architecture casting unnatural shadows across the surface. It was untouched by time, a graveyard for those who dared to defy its master.
At the foot of the throne, he trembled as he knelt on the cold stone floor. Skeletal hands twitching, the ghastly figure's breathing was ragged as he rested a twitching finger on the yellow stone pressed into his forehead, the voices having calmed down for a brief moment as he took a shaky breath
Above him, on the throne, sat a Titan, a massive figure wreathed in shadow. His deep violet skin gleamed under the dim light, his golden armor reflecting the eerie darkness of the abyss around him.
He did not move nor did he need to.
His presence alone…was enough.
"My Lord…I have seen him." The Other's voice was rasp as he spoke, not daring to shift his gaze from the stone floor below his knees.
Silence hung in the air and the Other swallowed hard as his hands shook before he continued speaking.
"The Asgardian prince, Thor…he looked upon me. Through the Space Stone, he saw me."
"Did he?" Unlike his servant's nervous state, the Titan sounded almost amused as he exhaled slowly, a deep and measured rumble stirring in the darkness.
The Other flinched at the tone that sounded not loud nor angry. There was no rage nor malice…and yet, it knew that such things lurked beneath the surface.
"My Lord, Odin's son is not what we thought. He is…becoming something more. He is gathering strength and allies and now he has gazed upon me."
"And tell me…what did he see?" The Other clenched his teeth, gripping his own cloak as he felt the man's words cutting through his very being.
"I…I do not know, my Lord, but I felt it. For the briefest of moments…I felt it." The Other had served the Titan for centuries and had seen entire civilizations brought to their knees in his name, but never-never- had he felt what he felt today.
"I felt resistance." The Other whispered and for the first time in decades, the Mad Titan smiled.
Not in anger at his servant's words nor at amusement for what he heard.
No, it was in sheer anticipation of the battles to come.
"Good."
"M-My…my Lord?" The Other asked, stunned at his master's words even as the shadows deepened and the void around them contracted and shifted as the Titan sat forward ever so slightly.
"Let him gather his strength. Let him bring his warriors. Let him believe he stands a chance." Thanos spoke as he looked out into the void, his voice calm yet ringing with the finality that came from someone that had no fear.
The Other was slightly confused and bewildered at his master's words for a split second before his eyes widened as he realized what his Lord wanted.
The Titan was not afraid. No, not in the slightest.
He was waiting, waiting for the moment when they would learn the one truth all worlds would one day understand.
No matter how hard they fought, no matter how bright they burned, no matter their struggles or defiance…
All would kneel to Thanos.
"As you wish, my Lord." The Other whispered as he pressed his forehead to the floor and Thanos said nothing as he leaned back in his throne and continued looking out.
Not speaking, not moving.
He simply…waited.
A/N: That last part was actually written with my mother's help as she is a fan of the MCU so I wanted her to help me figure out how to make Thanos sound like a big bad villain.
Tell me if you guys like it or not.
Anyway, Thor now has Odin's help as he goes about gathering a few of the stones before his father begins to prepare him for the times to come but what those times are, we'll have to wait and see.
Like always, you can go to my Pat-reon-.-com-/-KingCrimsonNova to read ahead on this as well as many other stories & even some that haven't been released out to this site yet. If you want to, you are free to, but if you don't want, all's good as I will still be uploading here. This is just me trying to get some extra cash.
Anyways, as always, read, enjoy, review and until the next chapter...
Ba-Bye~!