Sigurd didn't go to his father or brother but found a place nearby and sat on the ground, lost in thought.
Malekith is still alive, but without the Reality Stone this time. How did that space rift occur? If not for that, I would have finished him. Did the Reality Stone try to protect its user? That's possible. Or is there something I'm missing?
Sigurd shook his head.
At least Surtur is dead for now. I think security in the Asgard vault should be increased; otherwise, those idiot nephews and nieces of mine might destroy everything we've built just for the throne.
It's a real headache to be born so far ahead of my time. Even ten thousand years would be manageable, but a million? I don't know what to do. King Laufey of the Frost Giants is still an unknown variable. He should appear in this era, but the specifics are unclear.
Sigurd looked toward the Asgardian army, who regarded him with newfound respect. He knew his strength, revealed during the war, had changed their perception of him. While they knew he was powerful, witnessing him fight at the peak of the Skyfather level was not a common sight. With three powerhouses of this level, Asgard had fundamentally altered the balance of power in the Nine Realms.
Sigurd knew future enemies would be more secretive, having learned a lesson from Asgard's displayed might. They didn't know about his continuously growing power, but they did know Asgardians grew stronger with age.
Let's see what conspiracies they cook up and how much power growth they imagine for me.
While Sigurd was busy with his thoughts, Odin watched his brother sitting alone. He didn't interrupt, assuming Sigurd was contemplating the killing and death he had witnessed on the battlefield.
Bor approached Odin's side. "No need to disturb him now. He needs to process the consequences of war himself; it will help him in future battles."
Odin agreed with his father. "Father, what should we do with Svartalfheim? While we can deploy an army here, I don't think it's wise to leave our forces stationed long-term."
Bor surveyed the bleak surroundings of Svartalfheim, knowing it was unsuitable for Asgardians. "There's no need to leave the army. We will test the mindset of the Dark Elves—see if they are capable of following Asgard's command."
Bor and Odin entered a small, hastily arranged meeting hall. As everyone was getting settled, several Dark Elves who had not participated in the war arrived, showing no signs of aggression.
Sigurd, pulled from his thoughts about the future, recognized a few faces among the Dark Elves and knew the meeting was starting. He moved toward the temporary meeting room.
God-King Bor sat at the head of the table, with Odin on his right. Sigurd's place was arranged on the left—a departure from tradition in Asgard, where he was often seen merely as the young prince. Today, everything had changed; he was now a recognized powerhouse of Asgard, a guardian of the realm.
Sigurd didn't care about the seating arrangement, but he knew that in the future, factions might arise believing he was better suited for the throne than Odin. Such discord often plagued royal families, with certain parties seeking to benefit from the rift. He knew Asgard had such people, but they feared Odin and had never seen any ambition for the throne in Sigurd, making it difficult for them to create division. He thought of Hela, who had been corrupted by such conspiracies and her own godly power.
Bor looked at the Dark Elves who had remained neutral. "You are all aware of Malekith's conspiracy to plunge the Nine Realms into darkness. Do not pretend otherwise. I offer you a simple choice: Svartalfheim will be ruled by Asgard, and you will pay tribute to us every hundred years."
The Dark Elves knew they had no other option but to accept Asgard's rule, or share the fate of those who had died on the battlefield.
"We accept the decree of God-King Bor."
Odin began establishing the rules: the Dark Elves were forbidden from warring with the Dwarves, Light Elves, and Vanir. Beyond that, Odin did not meddle in their internal kingship or territorial matters.
It took two days for Asgard to formally conquer Svartalfheim, news of which spread like wildfire across the universe. The name of Asgard's new powerhouse became known to all.
Sigurd and Odin did not return to Asgard immediately but traveled to Muspelheim, home of the fire demons. There, they announced that Surtur had been slain and that Muspelheim would now be ruled by Asgard, under new laws. Some fire demon warriors resisted, but Sigurd killed them. When Odin showed them Surtur's crown, it broke their final will to fight.
Sigurd looked at the surrendering fire demons and knew that almost every realm in the Nine Realms was now under Asgard's control. The remaining ones, like Heaven, would meet their fate in time. As for Niffleheim, it was an underworld realm where the living could not go, so conquering it was unnecessary.
Jotunheim, having seen the fate of its two allies, was unlikely to wage war against Asgard for thousands of years. Yet, Odin took no chances, sending the Valkyrie with a strong warning and an ultimatum to surrender to Asgard. Sigurd didn't think the present ruler of Jotunheim—Ymir's son, who knew the consequences—would refuse.
Finally, Sigurd's thoughts turned to Midgard. Now that all other realms were either allies or had surrendered, he considered Earth. He thought of Agamotto as the most powerful person on Midgard, and of the Stone Age Avengers, who were friends of Odin. So, Midgard could also be counted as an ally. As for its future, he didn't dwell on it.
At the same time, in the void of space, two beings sat, observing the cosmic debris of a universe below them.