"Heimdall."

Alex inclined his head slightly toward the golden-armored guardian, his tone calm yet carrying an edge of acknowledgment.

"So, Heimdall? Surprised, aren't you? Didn't think you'd be seeing me again so soon, did you?" Loki stepped forward with a theatrical sweep of his hands. His sharp grin widened when he caught the faint flicker of recognition in Heimdall's usually stoic face. "That look! That expression is priceless."

Heimdall's golden eyes, however, betrayed nothing. His voice was even, as steady as the Bifrost itself. "Welcome back, Loki."

"Welcome?" Loki's laugh was cold, brittle. "Don't act as though you mean it. You'd rather I'd never returned at all."

To Loki, Heimdall was the embodiment of hypocrisy—loyal on the surface, swearing his service to Asgard and its throne, yet in truth nothing more than a dog wagging his tail at Odin and his hammer-wielding brother. When Loki had once worn the crown, Heimdall had openly defied his commands, letting those so-called "companions" of Thor sneak off to Midgard behind his back. The memory still soured his pride.

Thor shifted uneasily. Despite the countless barbs lodged between him and Loki, a part of him always longed to smooth things over, to keep some semblance of brotherhood alive. "Loki, come. Let us see Father and Mother first. They've longed for your return, whatever else has happened."

But Heimdall's voice cut firmly across Thor's words. "Prince Thor. King Odin has ordered that Alex be received first."

Thor froze. His jaw tightened, but no words came.

The silence was heavy, broken only by Loki's low chuckle. "Oh, Thor. How pitiful. In Odin's eyes, it seems you are hardly a priority at all."

Loki's delight was obvious. Odin overlooking him was tolerable—expected, even. But Odin overlooking Thor? That was delicious.

Thor's face darkened, yet his reply was steady, stubborn. "Father has his reasons. Whatever they may be, I trust them."

"Of course you do," Loki murmured, lips curling with disdain.

Heimdall turned his gaze back to Alex. "Alex, please. The All-Father awaits you." With a respectful gesture, he motioned toward the distant gleam of the Rainbow Bridge.

Alex said nothing more, though inwardly, questions stirred. What game was Odin playing? Why the elaborate gestures, the subtle precedence over his own sons? Heimdall's respectful tone left little doubt—this was not a hostile summons. Still, curiosity gnawed at him as he followed the guardian's long stride.

Their footsteps echoed faintly across the prismatic span. Beneath them, the cosmos shimmered like a living sea of stars, infinite and unfathomable. The cold brilliance of Asgard's skies pressed down like a crown of crystal. Alex took it in with an appraising eye, his senses stretched outward. Power resonated faintly everywhere, but it wasn't oppressive. It wasn't enough to unsettle him.

At the far end, the golden spires of Asgard loomed higher and higher until they seemed to pierce the heavens. Soon, they entered the great hall—seat of the realm's supreme authority.

And there, upon the throne, sat Odin.

At first sight, Alex's impression was not of overwhelming might, but of age. A weariness clung to Odin's form like the shadows of twilight, subtle but undeniable. To Alex, whose strength had soared far beyond mortal measure, there was no crushing aura, no suffocating pressure. Even if Odin still possessed hidden reserves, time itself had worn him down.

Yes. He was old. Truly old.

Alex clasped his hands behind his back, voice even. "Lord Odin."

The All-Father stirred. Slowly, deliberately, Odin rose from his throne and descended the steps. His one eye gleamed with wisdom and weight, yet when he spoke, his tone held warmth rather than hauteur. "Alex. Welcome to Asgard."

He did not address him from the throne, nor from above, but face-to-face, as equals. Gesturing with one hand, Odin beckoned. "Walk with me."

Alex followed without hesitation. They passed into a quieter chamber, a hall adorned with tapestries and relics of battles long past. It bore less of Asgard's pomp and more of its history. Odin gestured toward a seat, then lowered himself opposite Alex with a faint exhale.

"I regret the trouble my sons caused you," Odin began, his voice deep but tinged with resignation. "Thor and Loki… impetuous as always. But I trust they've been… disciplined adequately."

It wasn't quite an apology—Odin seldom bowed his head so far—but from one of his stature, the sentiment carried weight.

"They've certainly learned their lesson," Alex replied, his words clipped yet not hostile.

Odin inclined his head, then without preamble, shifted to the heart of the matter. "The Tesseract. It remains with you, does it not?"

Alex studied him. There was no malice in Odin's tone, no scheming in his eye. And even if there had been, Alex no longer feared entrapment. Whether or not he could defeat Odin outright, escape was always within his reach.

"It does," Alex admitted. "And I have my own uses for it. Important ones." His words carried a subtle warning: he would not surrender it lightly.

Odin raised a hand gently. "Do not misunderstand. I do not intend to strip it from you. Yet Asgard's need is real. The Rainbow Bridge lies shattered. Without it, our reach across the Nine Realms falters. The Cube could restore it. Once its work is done, it will be returned to you. On this, I give my word."

The assurance was plain, spoken with the gravitas of one who had ruled longer than most civilizations had stood. Alex believed him. And yet… the courtesy, the respect—it was more than expected. Almost uncharacteristic.

Why?

"I confess, Lord Odin," Alex said slowly, eyes narrowing, "your attitude toward me is… generous. More so than I anticipated."

Odin's expression softened, the weight of centuries etched deep into the lines of his face. "Alex, as you see me now… I am old." His voice faltered briefly, not with weakness but with the inevitability of truth.

In that moment, the illusion of timeless sovereignty cracked, and Alex saw the man beneath the crown. The end was not far for Odin. He would not reign much longer.

Alex remained silent, waiting.

"Like the leaves of a tree, I too must one day wither. So it is with all things. Kingdoms rise, kingdoms fall. Even Asgard. Nothing is eternal. This is the law written into the bones of creation."

His gaze grew distant, his voice carrying a solemn, quiet depth. "Call it fate. Call it destiny. Or the hand of prophecy. Whatever word you choose, Alex, I have seen it. Asgard's end approaches, and I cannot turn it aside."

He drew in a slow breath, his single eye flickering with fire. "Ragnarok."

The word hung heavy in the air.

Alex arched a brow. So it was about that, then. The famed doom of Asgard.

But in Alex's mind, the prophecy was not divine decree. It was a matter of strength—or rather, the lack of it. Thor and Loki had not been able to stand against Hela. Without victory, they had resorted to summoning Surtur, unleashing destruction upon their own realm.

Call it fate if one liked. To Alex, it was nothing more than weakness. Fate was only fate until someone strong enough broke it.

"You are not surprised," Odin said at last, observing Alex's calmness with a trace of curiosity. "It seems you already knew."

Alex gave a faint nod. "I've heard the story. The prophecy of Ragnarok."

Odin leaned back slightly, his tone dropping to a low, profound murmur. "It is no story, Alex. No legend. It is truth."

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