"Bring your people and follow me."
Without even glancing at The Other behind Lothar, Hela turned coldly and walked away.
She had no time to waste on idle chatter with this man—there was still much to handle at the camp.
"Kotian, what's the situation?"
Returning to the temporary base, Hela wasted no time, instantly slipping into her usual decisive and forceful leadership style.
"H-Hela—uh, who are these two?" The slender, scholarly-looking man looked up, visibly confused by the unfamiliar figures now in their midst.
"Not your concern. Continue your report." Hela cut him off sharply, arms crossed tightly over her chest.
"Yes, ma'am." Suppressing a weary sigh, Kotian massaged his temples, hiding his fatigue behind a neutral expression. With a flick of his fingers, he manipulated the air before him. A map unfolded in midair, spreading slowly in front of them.
"All Nine Realms Coalition outposts within this region have been eliminated under your command, Lady Hela. In other words, the people behind us—for now—are safe."
"But only for now."
"The Coalition is likely already rallying forces for a large-scale counteroffensive." Despite his refined appearance, the war-weathered strategist wore a heavy look of concern.
After all, this was the United Forces of the Nine Realms—excluding Asgardians and Dwarves. Without Asgard's might backing her here on Midgard, Hela alone could not stop them.
Their last camp had been wiped out in an instant by the Coalition's vanguard. If he hadn't fought his way through the siege with everything he had, they would've never lasted long enough for Hela's belated rescue.
"We're pulling back to Asgard. Get our people packed and ready to move," Hela decided instantly. There was no honor in staying just to get slaughtered—Asgardian lives were too precious to waste.
These were seasoned warriors—Asgard's heroes. They didn't deserve to die on Midgard simply because the odds weren't in their favor.
As for the so-called Nine Realms Coalition… once Asgard's expeditionary forces reached Jotunheim, and the Chitauri legions descended upon Svartalfheim from the Black Quadrant, that army gathering on Midgard would be forced to split and redeploy.
"But, Lady Hela, our research on Midgard—"
"As long as you're alive, the research can continue." So long as people live, possibilities remain. But once they're dead, it's all over.
Kotian, one of Hela's top advisors, understood this truth well. Though visibly reluctant, he eventually nodded in silence. Hela was their leader—and when the leader speaks, they obey.
"What happened to that last group of C53 natives?" Lothar broke the silence, his voice low. Woz's scans had failed to locate the villagers who had once revered him as a god.
"They're gone. This place became a battlefield—they weren't meant to live here anymore."
Hela shot a sideways glance at Lothar, her expression unreadable. She still couldn't fathom what those people had been thinking—worshiping this man with statues, no less?
She had been the one to save them in their time of need. What had Lothar done?
"Prince Lothar, the Bifrost is opening."
The Other, clutching his scepter, reported with eerie precision. His sensitivity to energy had grown uncanny—he sensed the portal even before Hela, an Asgardian native, had.
The gateway had arrived.
...
Darkness was the dominant motif of Svartalfheim.
Rain splashed under worn boots, but the muddy paths could not stop the messenger.
"My King, word from our inside agent: Odin has found a powerful ally. He's returned to Asgard with a vast army."
"An ally?"
The man on the throne stilled, lifting a hand to let the scout continue.
"Yes. Judging from Odin's rallying speech at the plaza, this ally was brought in specifically to deal with us."
"...Do we have details?" The king of the Dark Elves tapped his temple, gaze sharp.
If even Odin—proud as he was—sought this man's help, he must be worth paying attention to.
"His name is Lothar. A survivor of Titan. Thanos's son."
"A survivor of Titan?"
Malekith's tone tightened with surprise. Back in his prime, the Eternal Titans had stood as rulers among cosmic empires. When did 'Titan' become synonymous with 'survivor'?
Since awakening from his slumber, Malekith had been catching up on Nine Realms history—but he hadn't yet reached the Cosmic Chronicles: The Titan Chapter.
"Fascinating. So, the last of the Eternals has chosen to interfere in our affairs?"
With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the informant, ordering continued communication with their mole in Asgard.
He had already swayed the Vanir gods to his cause. He had even drawn the once-neutral Elves into this war against Odin and Asgard. Just as victory was within his grasp… now this Titan-born appears?
"Lothar…"
The name rang a bell. His eyes drifted to the Intelligence Wall beside the throne—stacked with official and unofficial updates from Asgard's news division. The name stood out, prominently displayed.
"That monkey wrestling Laufey in the palace?"
Asgardians had a peculiar image of "Lothar"—nearly every depiction featured a tail. Malekith narrowed his eyes and opened a comm channel to the King of the Frost Giants.
"Malekith. What is it?"
Laufey's projection materialized—his hulking figure wreathed in snow, his aura pulsing with cold energy.
"Laufey, I have a question. About Lothar, the Titan's son."
Vrrrm—!
A low vibration of energy thrummed through the connection. Laufey's face darkened instantly. Malekith's mention of that name dredged up humiliating memories from the throne room in Jotunheim—memories of defeat, of retreat before Odin and Thanos.
"You mean… all those Asgardian plays were true?" Malekith's gravelly voice only deepened the fury in Laufey's eyes.
"Laufey, I need everything you have on Lothar—especially his power level." Cautious as ever, Malekith knew better than to underestimate a wildcard.
He never fought battles he wasn't prepared to win.
And since Laufey had crossed paths with Lothar before, that made him the ideal benchmark for constructing a power profile.
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