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Arthur's expression was a mix of confusion and concern.
Ragnarok… He'd heard about it more than once.
The general idea was always the same— gods meeting their end, those fated to fall perishing, and those destined to fade away vanishing into history.
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it likely referred to Odin's downfall, the destruction of Asgard, and the Asgardians' desperate escape to Earth— only for Thanos to attack and nearly wipe them out, leaving Thor and a few others as survivors.
"Old man, don't scare me like that…"
Arthur swallowed hard and said, "You look fine to me— healthy, strong, probably still eating well. Climbing five flights of stairs wouldn't be an issue, right? So why suddenly drop the whole 'Ragnarok is coming' bomb? That sounds a bit dramatic."
"Haha."
Odin chuckled, but his eyes held that detached, all-knowing gaze. "Joking won't make it disappear."
"So, what exactly is Ragnarok?" Arthur frowned.
His own theories and knowledge weren't going to be much help here.
"It is an ancient prophecy, a consequence of past sins, and the inescapable fate of all things."
Odin, as cryptic as ever, truly lived up to his reputation as a god of wisdom and deception.
Then, he looked at Arthur and said, "You may be the key to changing everything."
"I can save you?" Arthur asked, incredulous.
"…No," Odin shook his head. "My time is ending, and there is no way to prevent it."
"That's where I disagree. You can't just throw in the towel like that. Saying you won't continue isn't enough— you're making me nervous here." Arthur blinked.
"You don't need to worry about your place in Asgard," Odin said. "I have already made arrangements."
"…Wait, am I about to be crowned king?" Arthur blinked in disbelief.
"It's possible," Odin replied. "If you're willing…"
"As long as it doesn't involve your daughter, I wouldn't mind reluctantly taking on the role," Arthur muttered.
"That's impossible," Odin shook his head. "You can't marry Thor."
"…I thought we were having a serious conversation?" Arthur was speechless. Even the Allfather had a talent for being completely unreliable. Was this a common trait among powerful figures these days?
Odin laughed again, then looked at Arthur with an intensity that sent a chill down his spine. "Everything is in your hands now."
And with that, he turned and vanished.
Arthur suddenly felt lightheaded.
"Hey, come back! If you can dump everything on me, then you can stick around to explain!"
Arthur felt a surge of panic. What did he mean by "entrusting everything" to him? Entrusting 'what' exactly? If you have the time to be all mysterious, at least leave some clear instructions! Now you just disappear— what's that supposed to mean? What am I supposed to do next?!
But there was no answer. Odin was gone, offering no further clarification.
"What the hell…"
Arthur ran a hand through his hair in frustration.
This was way too serious. First of all, 'when' was Ragnarok actually coming? 'Why' was it happening?
If he had to piece together Odin's cryptic words, the logic seemed to be: that the consequences of past actions had led to an unavoidable Ragnarok, something foreseen in ancient prophecy. In other words, the 'why' didn't matter— nothing could undo what had already been set in motion.
Fine. But at least tell me 'when' it's coming!
What am I supposed to do? Shouldn't we at least make a plan?
Whether it was taking preventive measures, evacuating key figures, or worst-case scenario, abandoning Asgard entirely— there had to be options! As long as people survived, the gods could rebuild. Asgard wasn't a place; it was its people.
Even if nothing could stop Ragnarok, having 'some' plan would be better than Odin dumping everything on him and then vanishing like some melodramatic stage exit.
"…Sigh."
Arthur let out a deep sigh, rubbing his temples as he tried to think.
From what he remembered of the Marvel movies, he should currently be in the 'Thor: The Dark World' timeline.
Dark Elves, the Aether, the convergence of the Nine Realms— their goal was to plunge the universe into eternal darkness.
Stopping them wouldn't be 'too' difficult.
The key was ensuring Jane didn't become a vessel for the Aether. If he could find a way to extract it and contain it, the Dark Elves wouldn't stand a chance.
And even if things went south and they got their hands on it, he already knew their endgame: they'd deploy it on Earth at Greenwich.
That meant he had time to prepare. Dr. Selvig's equipment could be used to disrupt the Dark Elves' movements, scattering them across the Nine Realms before they could do any real damage. If executed properly, they wouldn't even pose a major threat.
That had been Arthur's original plan when coming to Asgard— to confirm the details with Odin and strategize accordingly.
Now, instead of addressing the Dark Elf threat, Odin had saddled him with an apocalyptic countdown, forcing him to worry about the fate of the gods.
How had things escalated like this?
Compared to Ragnarok, the Dark Elves suddenly felt like a minor inconvenience.
Frowning, Arthur stepped out of the Golden Palace. Every guard he passed saluted him with a respectful nod.
He barely acknowledged them, lost in thought about how to discuss the Dark Elf situation with Thor.
The real issue in the movie had been the Asgardians' complete lack of preparation. If they had anticipated the attack, Frigga wouldn't have died, and the Dark Elves wouldn't have been able to breach the Golden Palace so easily.
Before he knew it, Arthur realized he had wandered somewhere unexpected.
"…Wait, how did I end up here?"
He was at Asgard's prison.
The guards stationed at the entrance were as strict as ever, but before he could turn back, two Asgardian warriors suddenly knelt before him in a show of deep respect.
Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Uh… Can I go in?"
"Of course," one of them responded, lowering his head further.
"Oh?"
Arthur blinked. Was this part of Odin's "arrangements"?
He hesitated for a moment. He still wasn't entirely sure what kind of authority Odin had left him with, but one thing was clear— if Odin truly died, none of it would matter.
"Power left unused is just wasted potential," Arthur mused.
Besides, there was someone inside the prison he hadn't seen in a long time. An 'ally' he might just need.
Without another word, he stepped inside.
(End of Chapter)