Back on Krakoa, in the great council chamber, the air was thick with unease. Charles, Erik, Raven, and Hank were all present, waiting with visible tension for Alex's return.

Though Alex had assured Raven again and again that Asgard posed no danger to them—that Odin himself could be trusted—those words did little to ease the knot of worry inside the others. After all, Asgard was not just another foreign nation; it was another world, a realm sung of in myths, and its ruler was the legendary All-Father Odin. Few could hear that name without feeling a chill of reverence.

Only when Alex finally stepped through the doors, whole and unharmed, did the tension in the chamber break. A collective exhale passed through the room like a gust of relief.

"Everyone's here," Alex said lightly, offering a small smile. He greeted them each with casual warmth before striding to his seat and sinking into it as though he had just returned from a stroll rather than an audience with one of the most feared monarchs in the cosmos.

"Alex, are the issues with Thor and Loki… really resolved?" Raven's voice carried both disbelief and worry. She leaned forward, her sharp eyes flicking across him, searching for the smallest sign of injury.

"All resolved," Alex replied with a nod. His tone was steady, almost understated.

But then he spoke of the agreement he had reached with Odin, explaining the alliance forged between Asgard and Krakoa.

His words landed like thunder. For a long moment, silence gripped the council chamber. The senior mutants stared at him as though he had grown a second head.

If the story hadn't come from Alex himself, they would have dismissed it outright as impossible. It was too unreal. The sons of Odin—Thor and Loki—had both been defeated by Alex. Instead of retaliation, Odin had not only stayed his hand but had stretched it out in friendship, offering allegiance and the vaults of Asgard.

It sounded like a dream, but it was reality.

Shock gave way to relief, and relief blossomed into satisfaction. No matter how unlikely, this was good news, and the council knew it.

With the matter of Thor and Loki settled so perfectly, they were content to let it pass into history.

---

A week later, Krakoa once again welcomed an Asgardian guest.

This time, it was Thor himself, arriving not as an intruder but openly, as a messenger of Odin. His purpose was simple: to retrieve the Tesseract.

Alex received him not with hostility but with courtesy, hosting a banquet in his honor. Krakoa's halls were lit brightly, filled with laughter, the smell of food and drink weaving with the faint tang of sea air from the island outside.

At the feast, Thor's curiosity bubbled over.

"Alex, did you know my father before all this?" he asked suddenly, leaning forward across the long table. His booming voice drew the attention of those nearby.

"What do you think?" Alex raised a brow, sipping leisurely from his cup.

"I think it's impossible!" Thor replied, shaking his head so vigorously that his golden hair tossed about like a lion's mane. "If you'd known my father, I would have known of you long ago."

"Then why are you asking?" Alex countered with a faint smile.

Thor looked flustered but pressed on, his words tumbling out like a child's endless stream of questions. "What exactly did you and Father speak about that day? When he returned, he was… different. Lighter. Happier. What did you tell him? And—Alex—how many on Midgard are like you?"

Alex answered as casually as one swats away gnats, indulging Thor just enough without truly revealing anything. For all his divine blood, Thor in this moment was more like an overeager boy, endlessly curious, unable to resist probing.

Despite the flood of questions, the atmosphere remained cheerful. Cups were raised, laughter resounded, and the banquet ended on a note of mutual goodwill.

When all was done, Alex stood and, without ceremony, presented Thor with the Tesseract.

Their agreement with Odin had been clear, and Alex was not one to backtrack on his word.

---

Far across the stars, aboard Sanctuary I.

The throne hall was vast, yet the shadows that gathered in its corners made it feel suffocating. Black stone walls stretched high overhead, and the only illumination came from burning braziers that crackled faintly, their glow casting long, jagged shapes across the floor.

At the center sat a figure armored in obsidian and gold, his presence towering, his aura suffocating. The weight of his gaze alone could crush lesser beings.

This was Thanos, the Mad Titan.

Before him knelt a Chitauri general, half-bowed, trembling beneath that oppressive presence.

"Master," the general reported, his voice tight with fear, "Loki has failed."

Thanos leaned back slightly, his expression unreadable, his voice a low rumble that resonated through the hall. "I always knew that adopted son of Odin was untrustworthy. He is a pitiful creature—immature, forever steeped in his own self-pity, begging for scraps of Odin's regard."

The general did not dare agree too readily, but the contempt in his master's words was absolute.

"That is why I gave him the scepter," Thanos continued.

"Yes, Master," the Chitauri officer nodded hurriedly. "We believed with the scepter's power, success would be inevitable. But the truth was the opposite. Loki failed entirely. Not only did he fail to obtain the Tesseract, he even lost the scepter itself."

Thanos's eyes narrowed. A faint frown furrowed his features. "C53 should not have that kind of power. Explain."

The Chitauri general swallowed, his voice quivering despite himself. "A man named Alex defeated Loki… and Thor. He now holds the scepter. Which means… he possesses not one but two Infinity Stones."

At that, Thanos's head tilted slightly, interest sparking in his gaze.

"Alex?" he echoed, tasting the name. "So powerful?"

Thor was not invincible, but he was hardly weak. Against Thanos's Black Order, he might have been little more than an obstacle, but for a mortal from Earth to best both Thor and Loki… that was not trivial.

Even the Mad Titan found himself intrigued.

"Master, what should we do?" the general pressed nervously.

Thanos considered in silence, the faint crackle of the braziers filling the void. At last, he spoke.

"Get me Ronan."

The general obeyed instantly, producing a communicator and contacting the Kree zealot.

Moments later, Ronan's massive form flickered into being as a projection before the throne. His face bore its usual sternness, though beneath it lurked the faintest trace of fear.

"Thanos. What do you want from me this time?"

"Have you found the Orb?" Thanos asked, his voice like stone grinding against stone.

Ronan hesitated before answering. "I have reliable intelligence. I was just about to investigate further."

"So you haven't found it," Thanos said flatly, his tone sharpened with disdain.

"Thanos, we both know the Orb is not so easily uncovered!" Ronan snapped, frustration coloring his voice.

"Then you will suspend your search," Thanos replied coldly. "I have another task for you."

"That was not our agreement!" Ronan's voice rose, tinged with defiance.

"Then now it is," Thanos cut across mercilessly. His gaze bore down, a predator studying prey. "If you want Xandar destroyed, you will serve as I command. You've had ample time, and yet you've produced nothing. Are you toying with me? Do you think I will tolerate incompetence?"

His words were knives, each one sharper than the last.

"I am beginning to doubt your worth, Ronan. Perhaps you are not a suitable partner after all. This is your chance—prove otherwise. Go to C53. Something of mine lies there. You will retrieve it. Do you understand?"

Ronan's eyes widened. "C53?"

Memories clawed their way up—memories of fire, of humiliation, of a crushing defeat that had seared itself into his soul decades ago.

His voice dropped, heavy with reluctant acknowledgment. "Thanos… that place is not as simple as you think."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For 60 advanced chapters, visit my Patreon:

Patreon - Twilight_scribe1

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next chapter will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.