章 75: Chapter 75: Mjolnir (Part 2)
"What happened here?" Daniel asked as he stepped into the makeshift command center. He noticed Melinda, Hawkeye, Coulson, and Sitwell locked in a tense discussion.
"It's this," Melinda said, pointing to a computer screen flashing red warnings. Another screen showed footage of a young man breaking into the base, fighting his way to Mjolnir. The young man struggled to lift the hammer, screamed in anguish, and was eventually captured by SHIELD agents without further resistance.
In another video, Coulson was interrogating the young man before abruptly leaving the room. The young man then muttered to himself until Coulson returned and inexplicably released him from the base.
"This can't be happening," Coulson and Sitwell were in disbelief. As seasoned Level 6 SHIELD agents, they couldn't fathom making such an obvious blunder, especially with a high-security breach.
Even if the young man had somehow managed to fight his way through, there was no way agents of their caliber would release him so easily, ignoring all the security protocols and warning signs.
"If Melinda didn't trust Coulson, she'd probably have ordered Hawkeye to detain both him and Sitwell by now," Daniel observed.
"What's going on?" Melinda turned her gaze to Daniel for an explanation.
"It's cognitive impairment. Someone used magic on them, similar to hypnosis. Even the most unreasonable actions would seem perfectly logical to them," Daniel explained.
"Magic?" Coulson and Sitwell looked at Daniel in astonishment.
"Are they okay now?" Melinda asked.
"No, to break this kind of spell, you need to jolt them hard. A good hit on the head should do it. Who wants to go first?" Daniel said, pulling up a chair and sitting down, ready to watch the show.
"Can't you break the spell?" Melinda looked at Coulson, hesitating slightly.
"This is Asgardian magic. It's different from the system I've learned. I could try to dispel it, but I can't guarantee there wouldn't be side effects. So, it's probably better if they take the hit," Daniel suggested, not minding the extra drama.
"What's Asgard?" Coulson began to ask, but Melinda didn't wait for an answer. She punched him hard.
Coulson, understanding the need to break the hypnosis, didn't resist and accepted his fate. Sitwell, on the other hand, tried to defend himself, but Melinda's strikes quickly subdued him.
"Do you have a personal vendetta against him?" Daniel asked, noting the noticeable difference in the severity of injuries. Coulson had minor bruises, while Sitwell's face was swelling.
"No, I just haven't been active in a while and misjudged my strength," Melinda replied. She wouldn't admit that she found Sitwell annoying and relished the chance to hit him without repercussions.
After a bit of rough handling, Melinda seemed oddly satisfied, and Daniel noticed a change in her demeanor, almost as if she had enjoyed it a bit too much.
"How do you feel now?" Melinda asked as Coulson and Sitwell regained consciousness.
"Not great. I can't believe I made such a mistake," Coulson said, rubbing his head with a rueful smile.
"Couldn't you have hit me a little lighter?" Sitwell complained, nursing his bruised face.
"Going easy wouldn't have worked," Melinda said, glancing at Daniel.
"Everything seems fine now. Alright, it's time to pay our prince a visit," Daniel stood up, ready to leave.
"That guy?" Melinda seemed surprised.
"Yes, although our prince seems to have some issues, it doesn't change his status," Daniel confirmed.
"Wait, Melinda, what prince?" Coulson seemed to catch on late.
"Prince of Asgard, Thor, the Thunder God, son of Odin," Daniel said before Melinda could respond.
"I haven't had the chance to explain yet," Melinda said, noting that she was about to inform Coulson and Sitwell before the security breach diverted her attention.
"Thor, the God of Thunder? That's impossible," Coulson, Sitwell, and Hawkeye were all dumbfounded.
"Nothing is impossible. Now, where is he? You do know, right?" Daniel asked.
"Actually..." Coulson's face turned awkward, but then he seemed to remember something. "I know where the person who took him lives."
Dr. Erik Selvig, a renowned astrophysicist with impressive achievements in his field, was seen as a mad scientist by some due to his unprovable theories. He was also the one who had taken Thor away. SHIELD quickly traced him to a nearby town.
Daniel and the others soon arrived at a house rented by Erik, used for conducting their experiments.
"What are you doing here again? Give me back my things!" A young woman jumped in front of Coulson as soon as they appeared, shouting angrily.
"We'll return your items soon," Coulson replied, feeling a bit embarrassed.
Ignoring the commotion, Daniel walked into the house, finding a man and a woman seemingly enjoying each other's company while cooking. They were Thor and Jane Foster.
Thor's imposing physique was quite popular in the West, and despite their brief acquaintance, he and Jane had developed a fondness for each other.
"What do you want now?" Erik Selvig came rushing out, seemingly attempting to confront SHIELD but with a nervous look.
"Lord Thor, welcome to Midgard." Daniel approached Thor and bowed with a formal Asgardian salute he had learned from the berserker, Elliot Randolph.
"And you are?" Thor finally set down his plate, looking curiously at Daniel.
"The Sorcerer Supreme greets King Odin," Daniel said, tracing a golden line in the air.
"Sorcerer Supreme? Midgard has sorcerers now?" Thor seemed puzzled.
"He doesn't know about the Ancient One," Daniel thought, realizing Thor's ignorance.
"Midgard has had sorcerers for a long time. It seems Lord Thor is not aware of this. I am here to ask why you've come to Midgard."
"I was banished. Father thinks I am unworthy to inherit the throne," Thor admitted, surprisingly honest, even mentioning that his father, Odin, had passed away because of him.
"So, you can't return to Asgard?"
"Yes."
Thor's face fell as he spoke of being unable to return home.
"I see. Here's my contact information. If you need anything in Midgard, call me." Daniel handed over a business card before standing up to leave.
After Daniel left, Coulson and the others quickly followed.
"Are you really Thor?" As soon as Daniel and his team exited, Erik, Jane, and Darcy surrounded Thor. Though Thor had claimed to be the God of Thunder, no one had believed him until now. Daniel's visit had validated his words, as it was implausible that SHIELD would play along with such a ruse.
"What's going on?" Back at the temporary base, Melinda opened a laptop, and Fury's stern face appeared on the screen.
"What do you mean, 'what's going on'?" Daniel asked calmly from his chair.
"I've heard the reports. Is he really Thor? What are you planning? Don't you think you owe us an explanation?"
"He is indeed Thor, as I've already explained. As for my plans, I have none. Since you've heard the reports, you should know Thor said Odin was dead. But to my knowledge, Odin is very much alive. Asgard is clearly facing some upheaval, and without knowing the details, it's best to observe for now."
Odin had exiled Thor to Earth to teach him humility. Daniel didn't want to interfere, knowing it was part of Thor's growth. Intervening might incur Odin's wrath, something even Daniel wasn't willing to risk.
"I see. Understood," Fury said before ending the call.
"Come out; your magic doesn't work on me." After Fury disconnected, Daniel's right hand suddenly held a wand, pointing to a seemingly empty space.
"No wonder the old man didn't want anyone coming to Midgard," Loki appeared in a sharp suit, his illusion finally broken. Daniel had hurriedly left Thor's side because he sensed Loki's presence.
Unlike Thor, who relied on brute strength, Loki was highly skilled in magic, having learned from the sorceress Frigga.
Thor needed the Bifrost to travel between realms, but Loki had other methods to move freely across the Nine Realms, including Midgard.
Loki's illusions were formidable, and without the keen energy perception granted by Kamar-Taj's magic, Daniel might not have detected him.
"Asgardian," Daniel addressed him, knowing it wasn't wise to call Loki by name immediately.
"Why are you here? This place..." Daniel began to speak but noticed Loki's expression change. Then, Loki vanished.
"He's gone. Was that an illusion?" Daniel mused, knowing Loki's illusions were incredibly convincing, having fooled Thor multiple times.
"Something's happened." Coulson rushed in, looking concerned.
"That's the Bifrost. No wonder Loki left suddenly." Stepping outside, Daniel saw massive clouds swirling in the eastern sky, followed by a beam of light as the clouds dissipated.
"It must be Sif and the Warriors Three."
"We've spotted them." SHIELD agents monitoring Thor relayed descriptions of Sif and her companions, confirming their arrival.
"Let's go check it out." Daniel instructed Coulson and Melinda to take him back to Thor's location. By the time they arrived, Thor had already reunited with Sif and the Warriors Three, learning that Odin was alive and that Loki was behind the recent events.
Daniel had refrained from revealing the truth earlier because he knew
Thor was deeply loyal to his brother. Hearing the truth from an outsider would only alienate him, whereas learning it from trusted friends wouldn't have the same negative impact.
Just as Sif and the others were discussing how to return to Asgard and expose Loki's plot, the sky churned again. A beam of light heralded the arrival of a silver-white giant robot at the town's edge—the Destroyer had arrived.
Boom.
As soon as the Destroyer appeared, it attacked. Beams of energy from its faceplate demolished several buildings in the small town.
By the time Thor and his friends reached the scene, the Destroyer had already devastated a street, causing chaos among the townspeople. In their panic, most fled in all directions, though some brave souls fired weapons at the giant. However, the Destroyer, being one of Asgard's mightiest weapons, was impervious to ordinary firearms. The attackers vanished in the face of its destructive beams.
"Attack!" Sif and the Warriors Three charged the Destroyer from different directions, weapons ready.
"Aren't you going to intervene?" Coulson asked, noticing that Daniel hadn't moved.
"Let's see how they handle it first," Daniel replied. Facing the Destroyer, Daniel was curious about its capabilities. If Odin controlled it, he wouldn't dare intervene, but with Loki at the helm, it was a different story.
As Asgard's ultimate weapon, the Destroyer's power was vastly different depending on whether Odin or Loki wielded it.
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