Inside the Golden Temple
Loki had done it. With clever schemes and subtle manipulations, he'd sent Asgard's golden-armored guards away on false orders. Alone in the great hall, he sat on the throne of the All-Father, the Spear of Eternity in his hand. From this seat of ultimate power, he beheld the breathtaking view reserved only for Asgard's ruler.
In his mind, he saw it all: the Nine Realms in his grasp, Asgard kneeling in reverence, and his name etched into the stars. The thought was intoxicating.
But just as Loki was savoring his fantasy, a familiar voice shattered his reverie.
"How does it feel, Loki?"
The voice, laden with authority and experience, echoed through the hall. Loki's heart leaped. Without opening his eyes, he sprang from the throne, nearly dropping the Spear of Eternity. Kneeling swiftly on one knee, he stammered, "Father, I—I'm sorry! I was merely admiring the dome's depiction of your glorious past and... accidentally sat down."
"Accidentally?" Odin's voice carried the weight of skepticism. Draped in gold, the All-Father entered the chamber, his gaze piercing. "It seems to me you sat there quite deliberately."
Falling to both knees, Loki bowed deeply. His voice trembled as he spoke. "No, Father, it was truly an accident."
Odin approached and took the Spear of Eternity from Loki's grasp. Fixing him with a meaningful stare, he mused, "If you were truly the God King, Loki, you'd tire of it within half a year. After a year, you'd wish you'd never sat here. Two years? You'd invent ways to shirk the throne's burdens. And by the third year..." Odin smirked faintly. "Thor would knock your head clean off."
The remark made Loki look up in astonishment, not because of the insult, but because Odin's voice had suddenly shifted. It sounded... younger. Sharper.
That was when Loki saw it. Standing before him wasn't Odin, but—himself.
"What sorcery is this?" Loki hissed, his shock quickly turning to anger. Twin daggers materialized in his hands. "Impersonator! You dare mock me?"
With a snarl, Loki lunged, blades aimed at the imposter.
But the other Loki, who was actually Russell in disguise, had anticipated this. Calmly, he raised a hand. His palm met Loki's face with a resounding slap.
The force sent Loki spinning through the air. He crashed to the floor, dazed and humiliated, his cheek swelling rapidly. Struggling to his knees, he stammered, "You... How dare you?! I am Loki, Prince of Asgard, rightful heir—"
The Spear of Eternity sliced through the air, its tip grazing Loki's cheek and drawing a thin line of blood. Loki froze, his bravado crumbling into fear.
"Consider this a lesson," Russell said coldly. "For Odin's sake, I'll spare you this time." He turned toward the temple doors. "Guards!"
The doors burst open, and a phalanx of golden-armored soldiers marched in, their disciplined steps echoing through the chamber. The sight of Russell holding the Spear of Eternity, exuding authority, made them instinctively bow.
"Take this intruder to the dungeons," Russell commanded.
Without question, the guards seized Loki, dragging him away. As the doors closed behind them, Russell allowed himself a small smirk. "Pretending to be Odin is easier than I thought."
The Asgardian Treasure Vault
Russell strolled into the treasure vault, the Spear of Eternity in hand. The chamber was divided into two sections: one housing weapons and artifacts of immense power, the other containing ancient scrolls, magical texts, and rune inscriptions.
While divine power was Asgard's primary strength, Russell couldn't resist exploring its magical knowledge. He attempted to memorize the runes but found, to his frustration, that they vanished from his memory the moment he closed the scrolls.
Shaking his head, he turned his attention to a locked chamber protected by ninety-nine magical seals. Using the Spear of Eternity, he unlocked the doors and stepped inside, where a single glowing scroll awaited.
The scroll detailed the ritual for awakening ancestral power. It listed four tasks:
Hunt the frost dragon of Jotunheim.Slay the messenger of the fiery realm.Protect desperate creatures.Defeat the forces of darkness.
As Russell read the second task, "messenger of the fiery realm," the words burned away, marking the task as completed. He realized his future self had already slain Surtur, the fire giant.
"Well," Russell muttered, "time works in mysterious ways."
The Dungeons
In the cold, dimly lit dungeon, Loki sat in a corner, battered and humiliated. His face throbbed from the slap, and his pride ached even more. Muttering darkly, he vowed revenge against the mysterious figure who had bested him.
Suddenly, a green glow filled the cell, and Russell appeared once more.
"You again?!" Loki exclaimed, scrambling to his feet.
Another slap met his face, sending him tumbling into the cell's barrier. By the time Loki regained his senses, Russell was gone.
New Mexico, Earth
Under the starlit desert sky, Russell prepared for his next move. Using a Kamar-Taj portal, he arrived near the campfire where Thor, Jane Foster, and her friends were gathered. Disguised as a man resembling Thor, he approached the group.
Thor, still stripped of his powers, noticed the figure first. Stepping protectively in front of Jane, he shouted, "Who are you?"
The figure lowered his hood, revealing a face eerily similar to Thor's.
"My name is Thor," Russell said with a faint smile. "Or, as you might know me... the God of Thunder."
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