Alex gave no immediate reply. His face was unreadable, his eyes calm, but inside his thoughts moved swiftly. Of course he knew Odin was right—Ragnarok was not merely a tale whispered in myth, but a truth written into Asgard's destiny. In another branch of reality, he had already seen it unfold: the great realm collapsing into flame and ruin.

Yet Alex only sat quietly, gaze steady on the old king, letting the silence stretch.

Odin's voice grew quieter, almost contemplative. "We Asgardians do not weaken as the years pass. Our bodies grow stronger, our power deepens. Yet with that growth comes clarity. In my later years, I feel it more than ever—this weight of fate. It presses inescapably, like a chain none can break, a will that allows no rebellion."

He paused, his lined face shadowed by the golden light filtering through the chamber's high windows. "I have known for centuries that Asgard's end was inevitable. I accepted it, bitter as it was. That was the past."

His tone shifted, a subtle turn, and Alex felt the current of the conversation change. He straightened slightly in his seat. Odin was nearing the crux.

"We all live within the same great cage," Odin continued, his lone eye gleaming with a spark of insight. "But you… Alex… you are not bound as we are. You are different."

The words rang with quiet weight. His gaze did not waver. "It is as if you carry the breath of another world. You do not belong wholly to this universe, and so the rules, the laws that chain us all, do not grip you in the same way."

"In you," Odin said, leaning forward with the gravity of revelation, "I see the possibility of defiance. The chance to break the will of fate itself."

At last, Odin's purpose was laid bare.

Alex's expression remained cool, composed, but within he was shaken. So this was Odin—All-Father, king of kings, a man who had borne millennia of wisdom. He had peered straight through the veil and glimpsed something of Alex's truth. Not everything—he had not uncovered Alex's full nature—but enough. Enough to see what no ordinary mind could.

Indeed, Alex was no child of this world. He was a traveler from elsewhere, a man who should never have existed here.

"So," Alex said at last, his voice low, thoughtful. "You would have me shatter this prophecy. You want me to save Asgard from Ragnarok itself?" His brow arched faintly.

"Exactly." Odin nodded with solemn finality.

For centuries, Ragnarok had been the thorn buried in his heart. He had known the end would come, had long ceased to struggle against it, had told himself there was no choice but acceptance. Yet now, in Alex, he saw a glimmer of hope—a way to defy inevitability.

"In return," Odin declared, his voice strengthening with conviction, "Asgard shall stand as your firmest, most loyal ally. Whatever plans you hold for Krakoa, whatever ambitions you seek, know this: should you call upon Asgard, I will not hesitate. My armies will be yours to command. My vault of treasures, open to you. If you desired, you could walk away with them all this very day."

He raised his hand, the promise weighty, unshakable. "This is my oath—Odin's vow."

Alex leaned back, silent for a moment, his mind weighing the scales.

So this was the truth of Odin's summons.

The offer was tempting. Even with his current power standing among the highest in the cosmos, he could not dismiss the value of an ally like Asgard. Their realm still carried ancient weight, a legacy that stretched across the Nine Realms and beyond.

Alex knew what Asgard would face in days yet to come: Malekith and the Dark Elves, the return of Hela, even Thanos's shadow looming on the horizon. None of these frightened him. Alone, he could contend with them.

But alliances were not just about battles.

Krakoa, for all its promise, remained fragile. Out of millions of mutants, how many were truly strong enough to matter in the struggles of gods and titans? Too few. Its foundation was shallow. Its strength, in truth, relied almost entirely upon Alex himself. And what if one day he was gone—whether by choice, traveling to other realms, or by fate's hand? Then Krakoa would collapse.

He would not allow that.

And so, an alliance with Asgard was no burden, but an anchor. It strengthened Krakoa's future, ensured its survival beyond his presence.

When Alex finally spoke, his voice was decisive. "Lord Odin, I see no reason to refuse." His hands spread slightly, a rare gesture of openness.

Relief washed across Odin's weathered face, easing the lines etched deep by centuries of rule. For the first time in many years, hope touched him. "Good. Very good. From this day, Alex, you are Asgard's most honored guest." His laugh boomed, resonant with satisfaction.

Yet after a moment, his tone sobered again. "But for now, let this agreement remain between us… and Frigga. No others must know."

Alex inclined his head. He understood. For the proud realm of Asgard to admit dependence upon a man of Midgard would be humiliation. Odin still had his pride, his face to preserve.

The heavy air lifted soon after. Odin rose, his manner warm, inviting. "Come, Alex. Let me show you my Asgard."

What followed was not mere courtesy but a gesture of genuine respect. Odin took Alex first to Frigga, presenting him as guest and ally, the queen's perceptive eyes immediately discerning more than words could tell. Then Odin led him through the golden city, its towers and gardens gleaming in the light of the eternal sky. Warriors bowed as they passed, artisans paused in their craft—everywhere was proof of Asgard's splendor.

At last, they entered the treasure vault, where relics of ages past lay sealed in power and myth. Odin spread his hand to the glittering collection. "If any of these please you, they are yours."

But Alex only shook his head, voice firm. "I thank you, Lord Odin. Yet true strength does not lie in trinkets or borrowed might. A man who leans too heavily on weapons is bound by them."

He meant every word. Artifacts could amplify, but they could also chain. Thor himself was proof—so long tied to his hammer that without it, his strength faltered. Even when he had grown beyond it, he had still needed another weapon to slay Thanos. Dependency was not true power.

"Very well," Odin said, respect glinting faintly in his eye.

When the tour was complete, Alex clasped his hands once more. "That will do, Lord Odin. Send for the Tesseract when you wish. It will be ready."

And with that, the agreement was sealed.

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