บท 599: Asgardian Prince
"What do you think?" Odin asked as they walked toward their sleeping chambers.
"My eyes could not see much, so he should be very adept at Anti-Divination and Clairvoyance," said Freya. Witches raised her, so she learned to see things that others could not.
"So, what did you see?"
"He's like a walking Demon God."
"What do you mean?"
"His body contained its own dimension and was full of energy. So, confrontation with him would be like facing one of the Demon Gods, but even worse since he's not restricted."
"Did you detect how strong he is?"
"No. He did an excellent job at suppressing his energy," replied Freya. "However, by intuition, he reminded me of a Lower Ranks one."
Odin frowned. In his prime, he would not care about Lower Demon Gods as he was responsible for changing these positions a few times after killing many of these creatures. However, he was now old and dying, and more importantly, he had lost his war-like spirit.
"This is not like the old times when you need to see everyone as a threat," Friya reassured as she linked arms with him.
"I'm just worried about Thor," replied Odin with a sigh. "I'm running out of time, and he's not close to being ready." As he said these words, he looked in the distance. One of his crows transmitted a vision to him.
…
"So, you're a sorcerer from Midgard?" asked Thor, his face slightly red due to all the alcohol he's drank.
"That's right," replied Edward, looking at his drink. He placed his hands above it, and a green liquid ball flew from it before dissipating. Then, he sent a direct message into Loki's mind: "Don't do anything stupid like this again."
The mischievous god has used his illusion magic to pretend he was still next to Edward while his real body dropped what seemed to be a truth serum into his drink. Loki was shocked as only his mother could see through his illusions.
"Are you any powerful?"
"More powerful than you."
"Haha, what bold words," roared Thor as he slammed his drink on the table. "Man, did you hear this?" The other Asgardians laughed, especially the Warriors Three, who were the most boisterous. These drunken bastards seemed very entertained.
"Care to prove that?"
"Why not?"
Edward stood in the arena with two long swords designed for rapid combat. Meanwhile, Thor had his trusted Mjolnir with him. "Are you a sorcerer?"
"Who says sorcerers cannot use weapons?"
"You have a point, but don't make excuses after you lose. Now, I'm starting." The Thunder God no longer hesitated as he rushed toward his opponent to smash him with his hammer. However, Edward stabbed his head before he even completed his stabbing motion. Thor moved his head to evade and continued his attack.
However, Edward parried the hammer with his other sword despite the sheer difference in their weapons' sizes. Then, he kicked Thor a few meters away.
"You're more powerful than I anticipated." Edward wanted to roll his eyes. If he had not restricted his physical stats to be the same as him, he would have died with one attack. Currently, all of Thor's stats are between Tier 3 and 4, with his defense being Tier 5, borderline Tier 6.
"This should be more fun," declared Thor as he threw Mjolnir with all his strength, and Edward calmly moved his head to evade. Thor rushed, and by the time he reached his opponent, the hammer had flown back toward him. Edward again moved his body to evade the hammer from the back, and Thor took this opportunity. As soon as he caught it, he swung.
Edward moved faster than him as his swords went for his foot. Thor reacted and moved one foot, but the second sword still swept his second leg, moving his center gravity, resulting in him falling to the ground. However, Thor instinctively rolled to the side, evading Edward's attack. He used one hand to push himself from the ground while using his legs to kick his opponent.
Edward's moved swiftly to evade the kick while deep in thought. His skills are much higher than those of the best martial artists on Earth, but they're nothing extraordinary in the grand scheme of things. However, I must praise his natural battle instinct; he seems perfectly capable of using all the experiences he's learned during his time fighting or war.'
Thor no longer held back as he activated his magic prowess. He raised his hammer to the sky to summon a potent lightning bolt before directing it toward Edward. However, the latter casually raised one of his swords and absorbed the attack.
"What? Are you also a God of Thunder?"
"Sorcery."
"Is that so? Well, let's see if you can take this." Thor raised his hammer to summon even more lightning. However, Edward casually threw his sword, forcing him to stop his actions and block. Edward rushed toward him, and Thor instinctively swung his hammer. Edward moved his head to evade before tapping Mjolnir. Thor watched in horror as his trusted weapon fell to the ground, and he could not pick it up or summon it.
"Come on, Mjolnir," he said, but nothing happened. "What did you do?" he asked in an irate tone.
"I sealed it."
"Then, unseal it."
"If this were a real battle, would you ask your opponent to free your weapon?"
Thor had no words, which immediately made him angry out of shame. So, he rushed to punch Edward, but with two swift swings of his swords, he cut off a few nerves on Thor's body, rendering his arms useless. He looked at the dejected Asgardian Prince, "You were born with a potent Thunder Energy Source. Why aren't you using it?"
"How can I do that without Mjolnir?" asked Thor with gritted teeth.
"As knowledgeable as your mother is in the mystic arts and as wise as your father is, I'm sure they've told you that your power comes from within, and Mjolnir only helps you channel it. Don't tell me you think you're useless without it?"
Edward did not want to use the joke that Thor was the God of Hammer instead of the God of Thunder, but it was truly the case.
Thor looked at him in surprise. His parents told him that, especially when he was young and forced to attend school. However, he's been so used to using Mjolnir to channel his powers that he almost forgot these words.
"I think this battle is over, don't you think so?" Edward asked.
"Yes, you're the winner," Thor said dejectedly. He had lost his trusted Mjolnir, and his arms were useless. Edward dispersed his swords before releasing a green light that healed Thor's arms. His eyes saw a crown in the corner of his eyes, but he ignored it. Then, the banquet continued. The Asgardians became more welcoming to him after proving he was a warrior and defeating their prince.
Loki looked at him with hidden jealousy, and Edward understood why. According to Asgardian cultures, these people seemed to respect "warriors" more than "mages" despite the fact that the main difference was how they used their energies, with warriors focusing more on internal use of extraordinary energies and sorcerers focusing more on external applications.
The banquet continued until late in the hours, and by then, only Edward and Loki were conscious. Edward did not say much to him but found a palace lady to lead him to his sleeping chambers. His voyage to this realm could go many ways, and he needed to ensure the best possible outcome.
…
"Do you think we should take Mjolnir from Thor for a while?" asked Odin.
"That might be the best course of action," nodded Freya. "However, after years of relying on that hammer, it won't be easy for him to tap on his power alone."
"I'm more concerned about whether he's mature enough to use his powers responsibly once he has mastered them," sighed Odin before continuing to his chamber.
บท 600: Breakfast Talk
Loki could not sleep that night. He had always been envious of his father's better treatment of his brother, and deep down, he always wanted to best him in battles. He would then gain the praise and worship of his people, and with the increase in popularity, he would have an easier path to one day becoming king.
Sadly, he had to admit he had no chance in a fair fight with his brother without tricks. Adding his people's love for warriors and slight disdain for magic, he believed he never stood a chance. But today, he saw a [Sorcerer] who defeated a [Warrior] in direct combat. He saw how his people loved said Sorcerer, and he wished it was him receiving these eyes of adoration.
'I must do something,' he thought, walking back and forth. 'The Midgard Sorcerer displayed abnormal physical prowess that was on par with Thor. He must have used a powerful spell or artifact. I must get my hands on it.' A mischievous light flashed in his eyes as he contemplated how he would achieve his goal.
Edward woke up from a state of meditation, and a servant told him Odin and Frigga wanted to see him for breakfast between only them. He knew the official meeting had started, and he was ready. After a brief eating session of Asgardian's delicacies, Odin started the conversation.
"What do you think of my sons?"
"They are great talents full of untapped potential," Edward replied. "Whoever is your successor will be an excellent choice."
"Oh, come on, I'm sure you've observed more than that," added Frigga.
"What do you want me to say?" Edward shrugged his shoulders.
"You can start with the truth. Tell us what you really think."
"The truth, huh?" he muttered. "Thor is not fit to be a king. He has the heart of a great hero, but that is all buried by his pride and arrogance. His idea of a good king is someone who is strong and can overcome everything with military might. I don't think I need to tell you what such a king would do to Asgard, which is currently in an era of peace and tranquility."
Odin was quiet. Although it was uncomfortable for people to tell him he raised his son poorly, he could not argue with these words as he had noticed some signs, especially that his son might not share some of his more peaceful views on governing. The current Thor reminded him of a young version of himself when he ruled the Nine Realms with an iron fist with the aid of his daughter — Hela.
"What about Loki?" asked Frigga.
"He has a great latent talent for sorcery. However, his character…"
"What's wrong with his character?" Odin asked. Loki was his most reliable son. Although somewhat mischievous, he believed he would one day be a great advisor to Thor's rule. The combination of Thor's might and Loki's intelligence would elevate Asgard to an era of greater prosperity.
"His envy of how much you favor Thor has twisted his mind and personality. Now, he is driven by the ambitions to become the next king, thinking only this way would he be able to prove something. Sadly, he's reached the point where he's willing to do anything for his ambition — including hurting his brother."
"Absurd!" Odin declared with a slightly raised voice. "I've never favored Thor, and Loki would never do such a thing."
"Are you sure? I know your wife has noticed for a fact," Edward replied calmly. "Isn't that why she spent so much time with him? Why do you think she taught him sorcery?"
"It can't be, right?" Odin looked at his wife. "Frigga, tell me it isn't true."
Frigga sighed, "I've mentioned this to you before. Back then, you would spend a few more days with Loki before focusing on Thor. But now, you don't even do that."
"I… always thought they had the greatest bond given how much time they spent together." Odin looked defeated, maybe even a little older, as he sat in his seat. "Is it really that bad?"
"Worse than you imagine," added Edward. "Once he discovers his true heritage, he will spiral out of control. His hatred will increase as he believes you lied to him, making him believe he might rule Asgard one day when he never had a choice. He will reject your love for him, thinking you only adopted him as a diplomatic move. Then, the only thing in his mind was destroying everything you or his brother hold dear."
"How can that be? How can he not know how much I love him?" Odin muttered.
"Hatred is a potent emotion," Edward commented.
"My poor child," uttered Frigga, resisting the urge to sob before a stranger.
"Am I such a terrible father?" Odin asked, and Frigga held his arm. Edward believes Odin was indeed, unintentionally, a bad father. Many of his decisions and actions led to how Loki and Hela turned out; they even contributed to many of Thor's suffering and the eventual destruction of Asgard.
However, his response was vague as he said: "That's not for me to comment."
The dining room became quiet for a good five minutes. Most people would feel uncomfortable in this silence, but not Edward; he remained quiet to give this old man time to process his words. Odin took a deep breath:
"If I understand correctly, some of the information you stated was because you saw the future?"
"That is correct."
"The Ancient One promised me you had something important to show me about the future?"
"See for yourself." Edward placed a device on the table that showed a hologram with images of one of the futures he saw. He chose specific events that focused on Asgard — like Loki interfering with Thor's crowning ceremony, Thor's banishment, the return of the Dark Elves, Frigga's death, Odin's death, Hela's return, the destruction of Asgard, New Asgard, and the main event, the Convergence where countless timelines crashed into each other.
Odin and Frigga had no words. Frigga was a witch with special abilities, so she had long predicted her death date, so she was relatively calm after she saw it. Meanwhile, Odin was growing weaker by the day and relied on the Odinsleep to keep him alive, so he was also not too concerned about his death. The true worry was their children's fate and Asgard's fate.
None of them could accept such a result. The worst part is after Asgard barely kept a flame of their former civilization with New Asgard on Midgard, they still faced annihilation after the Convergence started. Even Thor, their last descendant, did not survive this universal phenomenon.
Odin caressed his temple. "She told me it was bad, but I never thought it was this bad."
"We cannot allow this to happen." Frigga accepted her death because she knew this was a natural part of life. Furthermore, death was not true death for her as she would enter Valhalla afterward. However, she did so because she believed her children and her legacy would be fine after her departure.
"That's for sure, but what steps must we take?" Odin was old and tired; he grew closer to death every time he used the Odinforce. He had made many preparations to prevent this future, but he was tired both physically and mentally.
"That's why I'm here," Edward interjected. "I came here for an official allyship to prepare for the future."
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