บท 186: Aether Attack
The Dark Elves, the ancient weapon known as the Aether, and their plot to turn the entire universe into a realm of darkness.
These mythical tales, once thought to exist only in ancient legends, slowly unfolded before the trio of scientists as Blake and Thor recounted the story.
Although their narration was as plain as water, it didn't stop the scientific trio from unleashing their wild imaginations to fill in the gaps.
"So, you're saying that our research here not only caught the attention of two Avengers but also ties into a cosmic-level disaster? And the Earth's sorcerers predicted that we could locate the hiding place of this ancient weapon through this spatial anomaly?"
Blake responded to Darcy's question with a firm nod.
"Jane, you should stop being a scientist. Maybe we should switch careers and become witches or something—join the Avengers."
Darcy made an exaggerated gesture to emphasize how absurd the situation was.
"Alright, enough joking around. Back to business. Let's put your device to good use. Come on, Miss Scientist Foster!"
Blake pointed to a small instrument in Jane's hand, about the size of a card reader.
Jane Foster, holding the device and watching its fluctuating readings, led the group through the building, searching back and forth.
The building was already filled with bizarre spatial fluctuations and warped gravity. Blake had felt several faint spatial rifts flash by, tiny cracks appearing momentarily around him.
The air beyond the cracks was sometimes chilling, sometimes scorching—definitely not of Earth.
After several rounds of searching, Jane suddenly stopped at a corner.
Darcy tugged on Blake's sleeve and stood on tiptoe to peer at the instrument in Jane's hand.
The needle on the instrument's dial was pinned to the maximum value, trembling as it jumped intermittently. It was clear that the spatial fluctuations here were almost beyond the device's capacity to measure.
Without saying a word, Jane nodded to the group.
"The spatial fluctuations here are severe. Crossing over might lead us to any of the Nine Realms, possibly even into the lair of some bloodthirsty creatures. You have to understand, many beings in the Nine Realms are incredibly powerful. If we enter such a place, we might not be able to protect you in time," Blake warned the group of scientists.
"I want to see it," Jane declared without hesitation. "This is the focus of my research. Even though you've explained the origins and causes of these warped spaces, I'm a scientist. I have to see my subject of study with my own eyes and experience its wonder firsthand."
In contrast, Darcy was a bit more cautious.
"I'll stick with you. Who knows when some random part of this place might go spatially haywire? I feel safest staying with you!"
"And me too! I'll stay with the group!" Ian added loudly, though his tone sounded more like a child afraid of being left behind.
"Alright then," Blake said, exchanging a nod with Thor. Blake took the lead, with Thor following at the rear to shield the three scientists in the middle, as they stepped around the corner.
Unlike Blake's usual use of spatial wormholes, where there was at least a frame or doorway to provide a psychological cue, this time there was nothing. As Blake stepped forward, without feeling any difference, the surroundings had already changed.
A step out of a dusty building with exposed concrete walls brought them into what was clearly a man-made structure.
The atmosphere was heavy with an eerie, mysterious vibe, laced with a faint sense of antiquity. The architecture exuded both a foreboding and an ancient charm.
The walls around them were constructed from massive monolithic stones, carved with indecipherable runes and intricate patterns.
The other four followed closely behind Blake, stepping one by one into the mysterious ancient structure.
Jane glanced at the instrument in her hand, observing that the fluctuation readings had gradually dropped to their lowest levels.
She stepped back a few paces, confirming her suspicion—there were no longer any spatial anomalies here. Even after retreating several steps, she neither returned to Earth nor ended up in another location.
"It's fine. Blake has the Space Stone. We can return to Earth from anywhere in the universe. And we also have the Bifrost!" Thor's words reassured the group, putting Jane and the others at ease. Meanwhile, Darcy and Ian had already pulled out their phones, snapping pictures of the surrounding walls.
"I'm publishing these photos. The archaeologists will go absolutely nuts. It's such a shame this place isn't on Earth!" Darcy exclaimed.
As they spoke, the group followed the direction of the doorway deeper inside. After passing through two or three rooms, they arrived in a sinister-looking hall.
The hall resembled an indoor altar of some dark and malevolent cult. At its center stood two massive square stones stacked atop one another.
What was peculiar was that the two stones didn't fully merge. Instead, there was a gap of at least 20 centimeters between them, from which a faint red glow pulsed rhythmically, like a living heartbeat.
From the ominous glow, both Blake and Thor could sense an air of danger.
The two exchanged a glance, silently confirming their shared suspicion—the Aether was likely sealed within.
Curiosity overwhelmed the scientists—or rather, Jane and Darcy—who couldn't resist reaching out to touch the stones, one on each side.
"Shit!"
"Fuck!"
Blake and Thor cursed almost simultaneously as they lunged toward the two women.
When it came to speed, Blake had a clear advantage over Thor.
Blake swiftly pulled Darcy into his arms and yanked her behind him. But as he turned his gaze back to the red glow between the stones, its color had shifted. It was no longer a bright crimson but a darker, blood-like hue, resembling venous blood.
The dark red light, initially a mass, began stretching into a long thread, slithering like a living serpent toward Jane.
A glint of cold determination flashed in Blake's eyes. Before the Aether could entwine Jane's arm, he grabbed the majority of it still beneath the stones.
A tremendous force erupted in his hand as the Aether's amorphous form thrashed and twisted, breaking free from his grasp in an instant.
It continued its path toward Jane, wrapping itself around her arm.
"The Space Stone, idiot! The Infinity Stones are connected. Use your other hand!"
The system's voice suddenly echoed in Blake's mind. He didn't have time to argue about its name-calling.
Lightning-fast, he extended his other hand, barely managing to grab the Aether's tail.
Once again, an immense force coursed through his hand, but this time, before he could let go, the Space Stone emitted an energy wave that counteracted the Aether's power.
Then, before everyone's eyes, the Aether, already partially coiled around Jane, trembled violently. Suddenly, it reversed direction and surged into Blake's body like a tidal wave.
"Ahhh!"
Blake let out a cry of pain. With the last vestiges of his self-control, he pushed Darcy away. Flames erupted all over his body as he floated midair in a crucifix-like posture, engulfed in blazing fire.
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