"Simple?"
Thor looked at his old friend from Earth with mild surprise. After giving her a brief hug, his gaze shifted to the man standing beside her. His eyes widened slightly.
"Are you... Superman?"
Since Asgard had established contact with Earth, and Earth was no longer the weak and barren planet it had been thousands of years ago, Thor had kept up with its news—even from Asgard. He wasn't a stranger to the name Superman.
Most of his information about Earth came from Heimdall's routine reports.
It was worth mentioning that, due to Wonder Woman's intervention, the Rainbow Bridge had never been destroyedduring Thor's first adventure.
As a result, the Nine Realms had remained connected, and Thor had never been cut off from Asgard. Because of this, he hadn't spent as much time fighting to restore order, as he did in the original timeline of Thor: The Dark World.
This gave him more time to stay informed about events on Earth.
And among all the figures Heimdall had reported on, Superman was one of the most noteworthy.
Thor had even reviewed the battle between Superman and the Super Skrulls. The Skrull leader, Carter, had been surprisingly strong—but Superman had defeated him effortlessly.
From what little Thor knew about the Justice League, Superman was clearly one of their most powerful members. Even more impressive, Thor had heard that Wonder Woman had completely outmatched Loki during his invasion of Earth.
Now that he stood face to face with Superman, Thor's suspicions were confirmed.
Because the man in front of him radiated power—as if he had a blazing sun burning inside him.
"Nice to meet you."
Thor, ever the battle-hardened warrior, couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement at the sight of such a formidable opponent. He extended his hand for a handshake, following the custom of Earth.
Anton saw the challenge in Thor's eyes—and understood immediately.
The two men shook hands.
Jane Foster watched their exchange, sensing that, although they were being polite, there was an unmistakable tension in the air.
And then, without a word, they both started squeezing.
"Hmm?"
Thor's expression shifted slightly. He could feel an incredible force coming from Superman's grip.
Anton, however, remained completely unfazed, his smile never faltering.
Within moments, the veins in Thor's arm bulged, and beads of sweat began forming on his forehead. His grip tightened, his teeth clenched, and his expression turned slightly wild as he pushed his strength to the limit.
On the other hand, Superman looked completely relaxed—if anything, he seemed amused.
Jane Foster's eyes flicked between the two of them before realization dawned.
They were competing.
Thor was losing.
Badly.
A childish contest of strength between two grown men, she thought, feeling mildly exasperated.
Not far away, Heimdall observed the exchange with a solemn expression.
His golden eyes settled on Anton—the Superman standing before Thor.
Heimdall recalled Superman's battle against the Super Skrulls—the sheer, overwhelming power that had swept across Earth.
With that level of strength, Superman wasn't just a powerhouse on Earth.
Even in Asgard, few could match him.
Thankfully, Heimdall thought, Superman is on Earth's side.
Right now, Asgard and Earth had a good relationship—and Superman had come here asking for help, not to start a fight.
Still, Heimdall couldn't shake the feeling that Thor had just met a true rival.
A flash of thought.
Thor and Superman had decided the winner.
Crack!
Thor's knuckles popped, the joints in his palm nearly crushed by the overwhelming force of Superman's grip. His face twisted in pain, and despite his best efforts, he couldn't completely hide it.
Even Heimdall and Jane Foster, watching from the side, couldn't help but feel sympathy for Thor's hand.
Then—
Whoosh!
At the last moment, Thor did not admit defeat aloud, but he abruptly pulled his hand back, masking his pain with a forced, composed expression. He gave Superman a curt nod, as if nothing had happened.
"Welcome to Asgard. I understand your purpose. Come with me."
He turned swiftly, leading the way.
But as he walked, his right hand subtly clutched his chest, shielding his trembling fingers from view. His shoulders rose and fell slightly as he took a deep breath, trying to shake off the lingering shock.
Superman's raw power had left an undeniable impression.
This brief exchange had forced Thor to confront something unsettling: Superman's strength was beyond his reach.
It was a feeling he had almost never experienced before.
Even when Wonder Woman had displayed power far beyond his own, Thor had reassured himself. After all, she was a goddess—and as a prince of Asgard, he carried the noblest divine blood. Given time, he had believed he would one daycatch up to her.
But now, facing Superman, who was far stronger than even Wonder Woman, that confidence vanished.
Heimdall watched the three figures walking away, his expression unreadable.
With his omniscient sight, he had seen everything—including Thor's small, hidden movements.
In fact, not only Heimdall, but even Jane Foster, an ordinary human with no special abilities, had noticed Thor's actions.
"Hopefully, Thor can gain something from this..."
Heimdall sighed, turning back toward the Rainbow Bridge's center, where he resumed his eternal duty—guarding the Nine Realms' gateway.
Anton and Jane Foster followed Thor into the royal palace, where they were soon brought before Odin, seated upon his golden throne.
"Father, my friend needs your help."
As Thor stepped forward, Odin's piercing gaze immediately bypassed him—instead fixing upon the figure behind him.
Thor wasn't surprised.
Superman's mere presence was enough to capture anyone's attention—including Odin, the King of the Gods.
Anton met Odin's stare without hesitation.
For the first time in a long while, he felt pressure.
A different kind of pressure—one that could only come from a being like Odin.
"Your Majesty, greetings."
Anton spoke, his tone polite but firm.
"I am Clark Kent, also known as Superman. A companion of Wonder Woman."
Odin gave a slight nod.
"I know who you are."
"I can sense it—you and Diana Prince share the same foreign aura. You are alike."
Foreign aura?
Anton blinked, then quickly understood—Odin was referring to the multiverse.
It made sense.
Odin's power level was comparable to the Ancient One's. If she could perceive the existence of the multiverse, then surely Odin could as well.
Not that it mattered to Anton.
In the Marvel Universe, the multiverse was the ultimate answer—a concept that could explain anything and everything.
"I won't waste words, Your Majesty."
Anton got straight to the point.
"We have come because of the Aether."
"We seek your aid in extracting it from Jane Foster."
Odin's expression remained calm.
Then he shook his head.
"I am sorry, but that is beyond Asgard's power."
"What?"
Thor and Jane Foster were instantly shocked.
"The Dark Elves were defeated by Asgard, and the Aether was sealed by you. How is it that you have no way to extract it from her body?"
Anton frowned slightly, gazing at Odin and waiting for his response.
But in truth, Anton was completely calm inside.
He had already expected this answer.
In the original timeline of Thor: The Dark World, Thor had brought Jane Foster to Odin for help—only for Odin to reveal that Asgard's records contained no method to remove the Aether.
As the story unfolded, it was not Odin, but Malekith, the leader of the Dark Elves, who ultimately extracted the Aether from Jane.
The film never explicitly explained how the process worked, only that Malekith succeeded where Asgard had failed.
In other words, if Anton wanted a quick solution, Odin was not the person to turn to.
The only one who could remove the Aether was Malekith himself.
Still, Anton had brought Jane Foster to Asgard on the off chance that Odin might provide an easier solution.
Or perhaps—unlike in the original timeline—Odin was simply withholding information.
After all, it wasn't Odin, but his father, Bor, who had fought the Dark Elves and sealed the Aether thousands of years ago.
Odin had inherited Bor's power, knowledge, and even expanded Asgard's rule, nearly conquering the entire Nine Realms.
As a ruler of such stature, it made no sense that he wouldn't know how to deal with the Aether.
Was it possible... Odin simply didn't want to help Jane?
In the original timeline, Odin had disapproved of Thor's love for a mortal.
Could it be that he had refused to help Jane not because he lacked the ability, but simply because he saw her as an obstacle to Thor's destiny?
If so, then had Anton misjudged him?
A flash of thought—
Odin finally spoke, breaking the silence.
"The Aether is extremely dangerous."
His voice was calm, but heavy with meaning.
"The more information recorded about it, the greater the risk of awakening its influence."
Odin's gaze swept across the three before him.
"So, after my father sealed the Aether, nearly all knowledge of it was erased. Only warnings of its danger were preserved, to remind future generations.
Thousands of years have passed... and nearly everyone who once understood the Aether is now dead."
A heavy silence fell.
Then—
"So what do we do now?"
Thor's voice was tense, his expression darkening.
Even though his relationship with Jane had not deepened as it had in the original timeline—due in part to the unexpected arrival of Wonder Woman—he still held deep affection for her.
That bond could not be ignored.
He could not stand by and watch Jane be consumed by the Aether.
For a strong warrior, the Aether could be a source of power.
But for an ordinary mortal like Jane, it was a slow death sentence.
The Aether would continuously drain her life force.
For those who possessed great strength, sustaining the Aether's hunger might be manageable.
But Jane Foster?
She wouldn't last long.
Fortunately, Jane Foster had not been in contact with the Aether for long. At this stage, if the Aether were extracted from her body, it would not cause her any lasting harm.
However, if too much time passed, the consequences would be unpredictable.
"What do we do?"
Jane Foster's face was pale as she looked between Superman and Thor. "Am I just supposed to wait for death?"
"Don't worry, we still have options."
Anton remained calm as he reassured Jane. "The Justice League has some of the greatest scientists on Earth. I'm confident they can find a way to remove the Aether safely. Of course, it will take some time—but rest assured, they'll figure it out long before your body suffers any damage."
His words sounded reassuring, but in reality, Anton wasn't convinced at all.
He was already thinking about Malekith, the leader of the Dark Elves.
If his assumptions were correct, then Malekith had already awakened along with his forces and was on his way to claim the Aether.
While Anton was lost in thought, Thor spoke up.
"I will help you too."
He pounded his chest confidently. "Asgard has the most advanced sorcerers in the Nine Realms. We will find a way."
Jane Foster listened to both of them, her tension easing slightly.
But the weight in her heart remained.
No matter what they said, the anxiety wouldn't go away completely.
Meanwhile…
At the center of the Rainbow Bridge, not far from where they stood—
A group of strange, armed invaders had breached Asgard's defenses.
However, these intruders were no match for Heimdall and the elite guards of the Rainbow Bridge.
Within moments, the Asgardian warriors effortlessly subdued them.
Heimdall, his face unreadable, stared down at the captives. His voice was cold and commanding.
"Throw them in the dungeons. Interrogate them. I want to know who sent them."
"Understood."
A guard nodded before leading the prisoners away.
Heimdall, however, remained standing, watching them go.
His golden eyes narrowed.
Something felt… wrong.
Who would be foolish enough to attack Asgard with such weak forces?
Over the centuries, many outsiders had attempted to infiltrate Asgard.
Most did so through illegal means—sneaking in via hidden space fractures, or braving the cosmic currents in desperate attempts to breach Asgardian territory.
But this?
Attacking the Rainbow Bridge directly?
The most heavily guarded entrance in all of Asgard?
It was either a reckless mistake… or a distraction.
A feint.
As Heimdall considered the possibilities, he dismissed the thought—
Until he sensed something.
His eyes widened.
He turned sharply, his gaze locking onto the prisoner transport unit crossing the Rainbow Bridge.
And then—
"No!"
Before he could act, the restrained prisoners suddenly broke free, slaughtering their Asgardian escorts in an instant.
Heimdall's grip tightened around his sword. His eyes blazed with fury.
Too late.
The enemy had already made their move.
From the cloak of one fallen prisoner, a small, rune-covered artifact was produced.
A single button was pressed—
BEEP.
Magic pulsed from the device.
The enemy turned to Heimdall—
And grinned.
It was in that moment that their disguises dropped.
And Heimdall finally saw their true faces.
Dark Elves.
A long-forgotten race.
A civilization that had once ruled the Dark World of Svartalfheim—now believed to be dead.
"An assault?"
The realization hit Heimdall like a thunderclap.
His mind went blank for a split second—then roared back to life.
"They're trying to destroy the Rainbow Bridge!"
…
patreon.com/Vks_sh