"Jotunheim once marched on the Nine Realms." Heimdall began, gazing up at the starlit dome. His voice was a slow-burning fire, ancient and heavy.
"With the Casket of Ancient Winters in hand, they spread frost and ruin. It took all of Asgard's might to stop them."
Soren and Thor stood still, listening as if caught in the pull of destiny itself.
"King Odin himself led our armies." Heimdall continued. "And in the final battle, he faced King Laufey. The Frost Giants were forced to yield. The Casket was taken. And Odin… lost his right eye in that war. The cost of peace was steep."
The Gatekeeper's gaze grew distant, deep with long-forgotten sorrow. "When the battlefield grew still, amid the ruins, Odin found… a child.
"A giant-born infant, twisted and frail. Too small. Too weak. The other Giants had abandoned him. He would have perished alone."
Thor's expression was unreadable, eyes fixed on Heimdall.
"The All-Father took pity. He used his divine magic to suppress the child's true nature, he disguised him in Asgardian form. And he raised him beside you, Thor, as his own son." Heimdall turned toward him fully now. "That child… was Loki."
A thunderclap couldn't have shaken Thor more.
He staggered back a step. "No… no, that's not possible. Loki is—he's my brother. He's always been my brother."
Heimdall's voice did not rise, but his words struck like hammer blows.
"Not by blood. By choice. And perhaps… by guilt."
Thor's mind swam. "Why? Why would Father hide this from me? From us?"
"To protect you both. To preserve the illusion of peace." Heimdall's eyes darkened. "But the truth has a way of breaking through even the strongest magic."
Soren finally spoke. "So Loki… heir to the Frost Giants? And Odin raised him without telling anyone?"
"Exactly that." Heimdall's tone was grim.
"And now, with Odin in the Odinsleep, Loki sits on the throne." He paused, voice low.
"He has already left Asgard once… without passing through Bifrost. I do not know what he did in Jotunheim. But he blocked my sight, and that… should not be possible."
Soren frowned. "Not a good sign."
Thor's heart was a storm. Loki, his clever, mischievous brother… lying? Plotting? Working with the enemy?
It didn't make sense. And yet,he remembered the Frost Giants that had broken into Odin's vault. The stolen Casket. Loki's strange behavior.
Could it be…?
He clenched his fists. "You're saying this was Loki's doing? That he let the Frost Giants into Asgard?"
Heimdall didn't answer right away. Instead, he turned to Soren, golden eyes narrowing thoughtfully.
"… You restored Thor's divine power. That alone is remarkable. But there are few places in the Nine Realms that escape my gaze. On Midgard, I see nearly all."
He paused. "And yet, I could not see inside your… clinic."
Soren smiled faintly. "Let's just say… my clinic is layered with some unusual protections. But I'm not here to interfere in your wars."
He looked Heimdall squarely in the eye. "Thor invited me. I came to heal Odin. Nothing more."
Thor nodded firmly. "He speaks the truth. He saved my life. And if he can wake Father…"
Heimdall tilted his head slightly, still studying Soren. After a pause, he nodded. "Very well. I sense no malice in your intent. Still… waking Odin is no small claim."
"I don't claim lightly." Soren said. "But I've dealt with forces beyond comprehension before. If Odin's mind is still within reach, I can find it."
Heimdall turned to Thor. "Then time is of the essence. Asgard may seem calm… but the storm is close. Loki's rule is thin. The people murmur. The nobles watch. And if he truly conspires with Jotunheim, war will come again."
Thor's face hardened. "Then we have to stop it. I must confront Loki, and I will speak to him not as a rival, but as a brother."
Soren raised an eyebrow. "Do you think he'll listen?"
"I don't know. But I have to try."
Thor clenched his fists, his voice now tinged with unease. "What concerns me most is that Loki now holds the highest authority in all of Asgard."
"If he truly conspires with the Jotuns… Then he will never allow Father to awaken."
Thor turned to Soren. "If the only way to awaken Father is to treat him in your hospital... then must we really take Odin to Earth?"
Soren shrugged, arms crossed casually, entirely unfazed by the storm of divine politics swirling around him.
"You want your father awake? Then yes. Everlife is the only place I hold full control over life and death. Outside of it, I'm just a talented doctor. Inside... is my domain."
Thor looked conflicted, but Soren's tone held no hesitation, just simple confidence.
Heimdall's brows furrowed as he considered the implications. "If Odin leaves Asgard… Loki will notice. He may revoke my authority as Gatekeeper. He holds the royal seal now. Once revoked, Bifrost will no longer answer my call. You may be stranded."
Soren gave a small smile. "Don't worry about that. If I want to leave, I'll leave. And if I want to bring someone back, I will. Gate or no gate."
That caught both gods off guard.
"You, what?" Heimdall blinked, momentarily uncertain. "You can bypass Bifrost?"
"I have my ways." Soren replied cryptically.
He tapped his temple, then gestured vaguely toward the air. "Your world sees travel as bridges. Mine sees it as coordinates… everything is possible"
Thor laughed, slapping Soren on the back with joy. "Ha! Then let's not waste time. Heimdall, stay vigilant. If Loki moves against us, alert me however you can."
Heimdall gave a nod of respect to Soren. "If you can truly awaken the All-Father... you may be the reason Asgard survives what comes next."
Thor extended his hand to Soren. "Come. Let's bring my father back."
It must be said that the Dominion of the Gods has ruled the Nine Realms for millennia, its technology and strength far surpassing that of Earth.
Soren has seen the movies and the Asgardians, and he has quickly realized that their power is unparalleled compared to Earth's. Nearly every Asgardian possesses combat abilities that are unmatched, with the lowest being at least at D rank. Many elite warriors are ranked at C or above.
If he establishes a portal here to provide healing for the powerful warriors of the Dominion, he could potentially heal a large number of them who are at C rank or higher.
With a connection to Asgard in place, he would no longer need to worry about the future of his business.
The possibilities were limitless.
꧁𓊈𒆜༺⚜༻𒆜𓊉꧂
Dare you peek into my other tales? The opening three chapters of select stories are free to all.
PhantomDream