"I didn't cause any trouble. I just... just wanted to talk with you."
Loki gazed at Thor's feet with a complex expression, his voice low. Clearly, he felt the conversation would be a heavy one.
From time to time, he would glance up at Thor's eyes, but never maintaining eye contact for long.
"Alright, Loki. You must know that you are my brother, and I will do everything I can for you."
Thor loosened his grip, and the Butcher's Cleaver, barely hanging in his hand, thumped heavily onto the ground.
This colossal cleaver, which could easily be mistaken for a two-handed great axe, was still a bit too massive, though it felt satisfyingly swift to wield.
"Bul-Kathos, let's give the brothers some time now."
The Ancient One gently took Bul-Kathos's arm, speaking earnestly.
She could sense the pressure emanating from Bul-Kathos's anger, a threatening presence that continued to linger in the environment.
The matter between Thor and Loki perhaps required a more tranquil setting for discussion, rather than awkward whispers in this tense atmosphere.
Bul-Kathos glanced at the Ancient One with a playful look, then turned to wink at Raekor, before heading directly into a small adjoining room.
Inside, Constantine was still deeply asleep.
Perhaps the completeness of his soul had brought him a profound sense of relaxation, making this sleep unusually long.
Thankfully, the kind Vido always spoon-fed him a gruel made from soaked black bread. But now, it was probably time for him to leave Harrogath.
Raekor would relay the situation here to Voluskk; Bul-Kathos's glance conveyed this message.
Bul-Kathos felt that rather than continuing to simmer in silent anger, it was better to leave and calm himself.
He had already revealed enough information for today.
"Please send those two children back. I don't intend to appear in the city right now."
Bul-Kathos directly instructed the Ancient One, gently removing her hand from his arm.
Then, he casually grabbed Constantine by the neck, making him stand upright, and added to the Ancient One:
"And this lad. Send him back. He's no longer suitable to stay here."
Without waiting for Bul-Kathos to say more, the Ancient One immediately opened a portal, and Bul-Kathos simply tossed the Constantine he was holding through it.
The other side of the portal led to London; the Ancient One remembered this man was born in England.
As for what would happen after Constantine landed, the mages of London would handle it.
Constantine was about to awaken, and continuing to stay here might – or rather, definitely would – be annoying.
"So what do you intend to do? You are not calm right now."
The Ancient One looked at Bul-Kathos, speaking in her usual serene tone.
She was completely unconcerned by Bul-Kathos's commanding tone; to her, such things were not important.
"I don't know. I just want some quiet for a while."
As Bul-Kathos spoke to the Ancient One, he had already walked out of the Elder's Sanctuary.
He slowly raised his head, gazing far into the distance. It was a rare clear sky.
Bul-Kathos's golden hair swayed in the wind. He reached up, pressed his shaking beard, and pursed his lips, looking quite British.
"It seems you don't even wish to open a portal yourself. Then I shall."
The Ancient One chuckled softly, then beckoned to Natasha and Hawkeye, who were standing outside.
"You should know about the portals by now. You can return."
The Ancient One maintained her dignified demeanor as Sorcerer Supreme, her calm gaze briefly meeting Natasha's and Clint's.
Speaking while looking directly into someone's eyes was a sign of respect, especially important when meeting new friends.
After she finished speaking, Hawkeye seemed about to say something, but Natasha stopped him.
"You haven't been home in a long time. Go back and rest. I'll report to Nick Fury for you."
Natasha's words made Hawkeye nod. This family-oriented man would not refuse such kindness at this moment.
Moreover, Hawkeye understood what Natasha wanted to tell Nick Fury, and since it wasn't a matter of great importance, providing a little convenience was fine.
"Shall I send you to the entrance of S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
The Ancient One asked, but she had already opened the portal.
Natasha, pulling Hawkeye along, said nothing more and walked straight through.
She didn't believe there would be any danger on the other side of the portal; after all, in this place, there was no need for deception to kill her and Hawkeye.
With this simple transit, Natasha and Hawkeye finally returned to the city, feeling a momentary nostalgia for the steel jungle before them.
Being away from modern civilization for too long, one not only becomes simpler but also a bit dull, which was not good news for agents.
…
"I suppose I shouldn't delve into what you said earlier."
The Ancient One took a bottle of wine from her sleeve and placed it in Bul-Kathos's hand. She was trying to follow Bul-Kathos's gaze, but his eyes were somewhat unfocused.
"I remember you saying you would ascend the throne here after its reconstruction. So, can you tell me where your original palace was located?"
"I'll simply sit on Voluskk's chair then, and he will naturally find a new place."
Bul-Kathos took a swig of the wine, but the tartness of the aged vintage jolted him. As he looked down, his eyes met the Ancient One's for a fleeting moment.
"I still want to say, this wine tastes like a waste of grain."
Bul-Kathos complained casually, then raised his head again, his emotions gradually calming.
"Cough cough~ Let me tell you about the Seven Great Evils. What you've seen and known is but a small part of it."
He walked to a flat stone and sat down, speaking somewhat evasively.
The Ancient One sat beside Bul-Kathos, completely unconcerned, awaiting his stories.
On the other side, after gaining a relatively private space, Loki suddenly rushed towards Thor, embracing his elder brother fiercely.
Before his ambition could even fully ignite, Loki's emotional defenses were shattered by the suddenly revealed "truth."
Now he needed a pillar of emotional support, and Thor, who was always willing to protect his younger brother, happened to fit this role perfectly.
"Brother, you must know, I am not Father's son. I am the child of a Frost Giant."
Loki spoke, looking at the somewhat flustered Thor, his eyes searching for something.
Thor was bewildered by Loki's sudden actions, appearing a little foolish.
The two had practically grown up together, but since they began learning combat, there had been no such intimate gestures between the brothers.
"Loki, I mean, no matter what happens to you, I am still your brother."
Thor, for a rare moment, showed a flash of emotional intelligence. Perhaps this was the legendary "straight shot."
Or perhaps natural straightforwardness being the bane of cunning was an unchangeable truth.
Loki let go of Thor upon hearing this, then continued to look directly into his eyes, but this time his expression was no longer tense.
"I thought you would wield Mjolnir and smash me, the Frost Giant, my brother."
Loki spoke with self-deprecating humor, then averted his gaze to the ground.
"Who says you're a Frost Giant? As the God of Mischief, how could you be fooled by others? Loki, tell me who told you!"
Thor, unaware of the truth, swung his hand, wishing his weapon would spin like Mjolnir, but the Butcher's Cleaver had no such function.
It merely emitted a disgusting grunt, characteristic of the Butcher.
"This is the truth, not a lie, Thor! I am a Frost Giant!"
Loki scoffed, showing Thor the characteristics of a Frost Giant; his azure skin radiated an eerie cold.
"Now, do you still think I am your brother? Thor, the God of Thunder of Asgard, the next King of the Golden Realm!"
Loki spoke in an unreserved tone, but with a hint of anticipation in his eyes.
He wanted further confirmation and to convince himself to continue as the younger prince of Asgard, accompanying his elder brother.
"Loki, what does identity represent? You are a Frost Giant, but you are also my brother. Don't our thousands of years together dispel your doubts?"
Thor didn't hesitate for a moment, speaking these words directly.
As a warrior whose brain was merely a decoration, Thor hadn't even taken the time to ponder what the identity of a Frost Giant represented.
But his decisiveness made Loki put aside his misgivings.
If Thor had hesitated, there would have been no more harmony between Loki and him.
"Alright, brother. I will assist you as the King of Asgard, but for now, you must first reclaim Mjolnir."
(End of Chapter)
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