An invisible pressure surged from all directions. The fleet of warships trembled under its weight, writhing and struggling, but it was futile. Hela leaned against the window, her brows tightly furrowed. With both hands outstretched, two long swords pierced the floor to stabilize her stance.
"Impossible…"
Her gaze was fixed intently on the light screen where the self-proclaimed Cursed Warrior Ur stood. Her eyes reflected a heavy, oppressive solemnity.
"Alert! Alert! Lord Lothar—our warships are being pulled down by an invisible gravitational force! We are entering an uncontrolled descent!"
"Alert! Alert…"
Inside the command ship, Woz's warning blared amid electric sparks and arcing lightning. The ship, no longer under control, plunged downward—following the movements of Ur's raised arms on the ground below.
"Activate the Magus Drive System,"
Lothar's eyes flickered with a trace of surprise, but his voice remained calm. He reached out to the control panel and unlocked the warship's highest-level propulsion system.
"Affirmative, Lord Lothar."
With clearance granted, Woz immediately initiated the energy-intensive propulsion module. Under the force of the Magus Drive, the plunging fleet regained its balance—averting a catastrophic loss of ships and crew.
"Prepare for landing, Woz."
Having stabilized the ship, Lothar rose from the command seat and flexed his wrists.
The Magus Drive's power consumption was immense. Leaving it active for too long could drain the warship's core energy reserves. And on Svartalfheim, where no recharge stations existed, Lothar's Chitauri army would be crippled in mobility.
In such circumstances, the fastest and most efficient solution…
The main bay doors opened with a hiss. Clad in shimmering silver armor, Lothar vanished in a flash.
In an instant, a silver streak cut across the air and hovered before Ur and his legion of Dark Elves.
"Be gone."
Hovering above with commanding presence, Lothar raised his right hand. A silver-white beam of pure energy erupted, blasting straight down toward the ground.
Ur's face twisted beneath his obsidian armor—clearly expecting some pre-battle dialogue rather than immediate aggression. A dense cloud of black mist exploded from his arms.
A Crystal Wall, now tainted with shadows, materialized between heaven and earth, intercepting the energy blast with grim precision.
BOOM!!!
The impact scattered shards of force across the battlefield, engulfing the surroundings in dust and debris.
"Hmm? This technique…"
Lothar's brow lifted. The familiar move sparked his curiosity. Waves of invisible force burst from beneath his feet, surging forth like a raging beast under the propulsion of his inner energy. But no matter how violent, the assault dissipated into the wall like pebbles into the sea.
"A wall that even gods lament before."
With a cold expression, Hela stepped to Lothar's side. Her eyes, fixed on Ur, brimmed with hostility.
"That's impossible. How could you…?"
"Daughter of Odin, there's still much you don't know,"
Ur laughed wildly. The twin horns of the beast beneath him flared crimson. Its screech sent The Other, still aboard the ship, clenching his ears in agony.
"Then I'll make sure you tell me everything, down to the last detail."
Energy surged in Hela's hands, forming a radiant bow of red-gold. As she drew the string taut, her obsidian hair fluttered in the golden glow, even though it no longer reached her waist.
WHOOSH!
A blazing arrow tore through the sky, its golden tail burning away at the Crystal Wall. But in the end, it too faltered, falling silently to the ground like a dying firework.
"It's useless,"
Ur's grin deepened beneath his shadow-clad helmet.
"This is the power bestowed upon me by the King—power far beyond your decaying Asgard!"
Ancient chants began to rise from his lips. Black mist thickened, blotting out the last remnants of daylight.
A black greatsword condensed in Ur's hand, its edge gleaming with deadly cold. It pointed directly at Lothar and Hela.
"Die! Perish beneath the very magic your Asgard once held so dear!"
He swung. The sword cut through the Crystal Wall like it wasn't even there, arcing toward the pair with deadly precision.
CLANG!
Metal clashed against metal. A spark of light tore through the darkness below.
"What…?!"
Silver-white energy flared wildly from Lothar's body. A cold smirk curved across his lips, freezing the triumph on Ur's face.
He had stopped the massive black blade effortlessly.
"I think I understand now—your energy flow and control structure are… shallow."
Before Ur could react, Lothar's fingers tightened around the sword. An explosive burst of energy rippled through his hand, disintegrating the blade into countless fragments.
???!
"Where is the Aether?"
Lothar stepped forward, treading across the shattering pieces beneath him.
"Or perhaps… where is Malekith?"
HUMMMM—
Sensing danger, Ur raised both hands. The black mist on the Crystal Wall spread rapidly to all four corners.
"Tell me—Malekith, or the Aether's location."
Lothar's hand pierced the tainted Crystal Wall. His fingers clawed inward, dragging and twisting with raw force.
"Wh—What?!"
Ur, who had been channeling energy to sustain the wall, found himself being drawn in—his body distorting along with the warping crystal.
"No… this… can't be…"
His limbs elongated and contracted as he was pulled deeper into the wall, his voice trembling with fear.
"You… what… are you?!"
CRACK!
The wall shattered as Lothar tore apart its internal energy matrix.
Ur, flung out of the collapsing structure, gasped the acrid air of Svartalfheim once more.
"The Aether is this world's most sacred treasure—you—"
Before he could finish, Lothar's foot stomped him into the dirt. His armor cracked open, drawing fresh blood with each split.
"If it's a treasure of this world, I'll take it. Got a problem with that?"
Looking down at the writhing figure below, Lothar eased his grip. A familiar face emerged from beneath the dust.
"Kotian?!"
Hela, who had been readying another arrow, froze in disbelief.
"My name… is Ur,"
Coughing blood, Ur wiped his mouth and tried to stand. Lothar kicked him down again.
"Kh… kh…"
Gasping on the ground, Ur raised his bleeding arms. The mark of a Dreamblossom flickered faintly. Around him, only a handful of Dark Elf warriors still clung to life under Hela's relentless assault.
"You're really looking pathetic now, Ur."
Purple petals danced in the air, slicing through Hela's arrows like falling blades. As screams from the dying Dark Elves echoed, two figures clad in black armor stepped into view.
A woman with graceful hips and long, inky hair, her face pallid and eyes gleaming with unnatural violet. At her side, a towering man with a square jaw like chiseled stone.
"Ora. Velruz. Took you long enough."
Seeing his allies arrive, Ur exhaled in relief.
"Late? I'd say we're perfectly on time."
Velruz's voice rumbled like the growl of a demon trailing behind him.
"Velruz is right. Just in time, wouldn't you say?"
Ora smiled sweetly. The bouquet of violet blossoms in her hand resembled the very Dreamblossoms that once ravaged the Asgardian outposts.
A heavy aura of death emanated from Ora's bouquet, shaping a new domain—
"Welcome to the Realm of the Dead, Lothar. Hela."
-----------------------
Want to read ahead of schedule?
Join here for advance chapters: PATREON.COM / PRIMALDEMON