Sigurd looked at the dark and bleak realm. He had always thought that "darkness" implied a kind of evil, but looking at the environment, he understood that darkness here was literal.
There was no light source in Svartalfheim; their best source of energy was black holes, which powered their technology.
"Looking at this realm, it seems like a haunted forest, and the mountains are black. So, this is what true darkness means."
Sigurd observed the scenario and sighed.
"This might be the least favorite realm I have traveled to so far. Let's look for the Dark Elves to get a clear direction."
Using his space magic, Sigurd blended into the environment of Svartalfheim. Although he didn't know the general location, he continued to search for a Dark Elf tribe.
While roaming, he soon spotted a tribe where Dark Elves lived.
Sigurd looked at the tribe and strengthened his space magic to avoid detection; after all, the Dark Elves themselves had powerful magicians.
In the hall, a Dark Elf sitting in the main chair looked toward his guests.
"Chief of the Hag-wat Clan and Chief of the Snake-face Tribe, you should both know the present situation we are in. Although Malekith has announced himself as the king of the Dark Elves, his behavior is not aligned with the benefit of our race. He is only looking for something from this war to increase his own power."
The chief of the Hag-wat clan looked tired.
"What can we do? Even the previous king was cruel, and this one only wants war. He always talks about bringing back glory for the Dark Elves, but I don't see any prosperity for our people."
The chief of the Snake-face clan looked toward his friends.
"You shouldn't speak about Malekith. I don't know how, but his men are everywhere. I heard a clan that wanted to leave the battlefield was slaughtered by him for treason. Try not to be targeted."
The chief of the Dove-gut tribe looked at his friends.
"What are we going to do? We are losing our tribe members in war, first with the Trolls, and now he wants to start a war with Asgard. You all know the strength of Asgard. Even if we form alliances with others in the Nine Realms, do you think they will let their own worlds become the main battlefield?"
He looked toward them.
"No one wants to bring the enemy into their own house, but Malekith is trying to bring war right here. Whether we win or lose is one thing, but have you considered the destruction the Asgardians will bring to Svartalfheim? Do any of you have any idea why Malekith has such confidence to go to war with Asgard?"
The chief of the Serpent-face clan looked hesitant to speak, but he still released his magic to check for anyone listening.
"From what I have heard from King Malekith's inner circle, he might be planning to bring darkness to the Nine Realms. Rumor has it Malekith has obtained something powerful that can change the very reality of everything."
The chiefs of the Hag-wat clan and Dove-gut tribe looked at the serpentine Dark Elf, urging him to continue.
"Don't look at me; I don't know everything. But what I do know is that he will change the reality of the Nine Realms to eternal night, which will increase the power of the Dark Elves. The weapon for this needs to absorb life force, which is why Malekith is provoking war everywhere."
Sigurd, hiding within space, recorded everything he heard and sent it to his brother. This was enough reason for Asgard to go to war with the Dark Elves.
Sigurd didn't stay long; he needed to locate the Aether himself. Although it might not be powerful enough to stop Asgard, it was better to know its whereabouts to prepare for the war.
Sigurd left the Dove-gut tribe without interfering. Although they were his enemies, he did not think these tribes were the main culprits. They themselves had to meet in secret for fear of being killed for simple dissent.
With the information secured, Sigurd just had to scout the area to ensure nothing was missed before the war.
At the same time, in the central hall on Asgard...
Bor sat on his throne and looked at Odin.
"What is the reason for calling a meeting so suddenly? And where is Sigurd? He should be here."
Odin met his father's inquiring gaze.
"Father, let's first look at this recording. Then we can talk."
Odin didn't wait for a response and played the video Sigurd had sent. After everyone in the hall saw its content, a heavy silence fell, even though Odin said nothing more.
Bor, who had watched the recording, did not flinch but turned his head toward Odin.
"So, Sigurd went into enemy territory, and you didn't stop him."
Odin looked at his father, knowing he would find out.
"Father, it was our mutual decision to send him. Tension in the Nine Realms is growing by the day, and even Surtur has come out of hiding."
Bor looked at his son. Although he understood their reasoning, he was still the king of Asgard, and they should have informed him.
"Very well. I will order every army from Asgard and our allies to gather. We will attack the Dark Elves' territory."
Suddenly, the dragon horn of Asgard sounded, signaling every warrior to march to their respective armies.
In the meeting hall, everyone left except Bor, Odin, Frigga, and Bestla.
Bestla looked at Odin.
"You were careless, Odin. Even if Sigurd wanted to go, you should have stopped him. He may be powerful, but we don't know what other means our enemies possess."
Odin looked at his father and mother.
"Mother, you still think of Sigurd as a child. He is very strong. Although he may not be as powerful as I am yet, he is catching up. You shouldn't worry."
Bor looked at his son, a bit angry.
"You know, the biggest reason I am angry with you and your brother isn't about starting the war early. It is that you didn't come to me directly to make plans to attack the Dark Elves. One thing in this world is fixed: when you are powerful enough, truth and falsehood are just a narrative."