[Ding! It is now Midnight, March 3rd, 2006.]
[Ding! You have enjoyed some fine Asgardian Ale!]
[Ding! Poison Resistance has leveled up! 1 -> 3.]
[Ding! You have enjoyed a fine Asgardian Meal!]
[Ding! Consume has Leveled Up! 3 -> 5.]
[Ding! Your STR and DEX have increased by 30!]
[Ding! You have obtained 2000 EXP!]
[Ding! Current Level: 13 (5,800)/20,480)]
[Ding! Total EXP: 43,206]
Some time later...
Plop.
The moment my back hit the mattress of the private room that was assigned to me, a deep tiredness wracked my head as I let out an exhausted sigh. I stood blankly toward the intricately carved ceiling above me. Between the endless rounds of introductions, the overwhelming banquet, and surviving enough cups of Asgardian Ale, the Gamer System rewarded me with two levels of Poison Resistance. I guess getting drunk was no longer an option for me. It directly feeds into Poison Resistance now.
Classic.
Getting drunk is part of the process of having fun, so I don't know how I feel about that. Instead, I felt that tiredness striking against my entire body. It was a very, very long day. Both my mind and body were equally drained. At the very least, I gained some Stats out of Odin's Banquet, so I'm not complaining here. 30 STR and 30 DEX is a lot. I even got some EXP out of it!
"Be ready at 07:00, Lord Alex. I will begin our training by testing your aptitude. I am quite curious as to how Humans from Midgard fare as of late."
Frigga's gentle voice lingered in the air as she stepped out into the corridor. I saw a trace of her shadow before she vanished from sight. Several attendants followed after her, but a couple remained behind. Astrid and Sigrun. Unlike before, the two now equipped exquisite Shields over their bodies, ready to strike at a moment's notice. Well, they weren't just service maids. I assume they are part of the Valkyrie, a group of elite warriors, solely female, who belong to the Einherjar. But Astrid and Sigrun have an extra condition, they serve Frigga directly. They likely do not have as much spare time as someone like Sif does.
Astrid and Sigrun quietly watched the young, brown-haired man slumped over, laying across the luxurious bed. In unison, they exchanged a knowing glance, before shaking their heads.
"Do not be even a minute late, Lord Alex.", Astrid said. "Every moment Lady Frigga spares for your instruction is precious."
"I know...", I uttered, groaning. I didn't even bother to lift my head from this pillow that is rather heavenly, no pun intended. "Seven sharp. I'll be there. Not a moment too late."
"You had best.", Sigrun replied.
A faint smile tugged at Sigrun's lips, curving upward. She chose not to say anything else after that. After all, anyone who managed to survive a banquet attended not only by Thor but by the Allfather himself and countless Asgardian warriors along with him, was bound to end the night looking half-dead. I certainly fit the bill.
Nonetheless, an undeniable sense of satisfaction welled up inside me. I had made it through my very first night here in Asgard. Unscathed. Yahoo!
Sadly, this feeling of triumph barely had any time to register before another yawn escaped from my lips. I rode the waves and went with the flow. During that was a lot of adrenaline pumping through my body, similar to how I tackled those two Instance Dungeons. In a way, that celebration alone was enough to be considered one, honestly speaking. Now, only exhaustion remained. My eyelids were growing heavier with each passing moment. Astrid was the first to notice this.
"It would be best for you to rest now, Lord Alex. We shall excuse ourselves. Rest well.", Astrid said, before looking at Sigrun a second time. The two exchanged another nod in silence before they dismissed themselves from the room. They retreated into the corridor nearby. Perhaps they would remain on night patrol, not in my immediate vicinity.
I was left alone now. It was then I was hit with that surreal feeling, despite how tired I felt. My eyes remained fixed on the ceiling. I couldn't help but reach my arm out.
"So this is Asgard...huh?", I uttered, keeping my voice to myself.
As if sensing what I currently felt, I received a sudden Gamer Notification. Some of that drowsiness was immediately swept away the moment I checked its contents.
[Ding! A new Quest has been issued to you.]
[Ding! You can now challenge Quest: Welcome to Asgard!]
[Welcome To Asgard]
After having been brought into the MCU, you managed to call the Bifrost, and arrived in Asgard. You have successfully endured your first day in the Realm of the Gods. Now, your true journey begins. The Nine Realms have opened before you, revealing countless paths to forge your own future. To tread these paths, you must acquire the strength to do so. Right now, you are but a simple fish in a vast ocean!
Task 1: Acquire Asgardian Magic From Frigga (0/1)
Task 2: Reach Level 20 (13/20)
Task 3: Fight In The Asgard Arena (0/1)
Reward:
100,000 EXP
$100,000 USD
1 Equipment Box (Random)(Rainbow)
1 Asgardian Rune (Random)
1 Asgardian Skill Book (Random)
Lightning Magic
Reputation Function
...! Holy rewards, Batman. And isn't that ironic? Lightning Magic can be learned by doing a Quest in Asgard.
I bet it's because of Thor, isn't it? He is the God of Thunder, after all. Thunder and Lightning are two different things. If we're talking about who the God of Lightning is, that's Zeus's territory. You get to see him in Thor: Love & Thunder, and even see Zeus use his iconic lightning bolt. Thor uses that very same lightning bolt to pierce Zeus in the heart and while most assume Zeus dies from that attack, he actually doesn't. After the movie, Zeus is shown recovering the damage he received, and eventually decides to send his son, Hercules out into the MCU.
So yeah, I have to get used to the fact that Greek Gods exist here as well. I wonder if we'll get to see more of them in the far, far future? Only time will tell. And since I'm along those lines, I shouldn't forget the existence of the Eternals, even if they have a bad reputation in the MCU. Right now, Planet Earth is on a ticking time clock, and while Tiamat's eventual resurrection does get foiled, I need to make sure that happens. I don't want Planet Earth to be destroyed, haha!
Still...I am quite liking this Quest. It is likely taking into the fact that I will be Level 20 by the time that happens. And while I'm showing Level 50 and beyond Stats right now, I can only assume it is factoring that in, thanks to all of these rewards I'm getting.
Level 20 may seem a long ways away, but I have access to Instance Dungeons. ID Creation brought me here to Asgard, and guess who is available? That's right, Thor! I don't have to fight in the Asgard Arena right away. I'm planning to tackle Task 1 and 2 together. Heading into Instance Dungeon's outside of Frigga's lessons. I don't need to do that alone. Disregarding Loki's current circumstances, I have a Level 500 Thor. If I ask nicely, I'm sure he'll love to accompany me. with how well we bonded over Odin's Banquet. I don't know why, but we hit it off rather well as we enjoyed some fine Asgardian Ale together.
I won't get too complacent with that, however. I am treading each moment carefully here while I'm in Asgard. I'm still under the impression that one wrong move and It's game over. These are Gods, while I'm just a Human. Yeah, I know I could have become a God myself when I was given those options from the Gamer System, but starting out as a God is rather boring, don't you think? I'd rather work my way up to become one, if such a path is available!
It is Midnight now, and the drowsiness was going in and out of my mind. I received a momentary sense of clarity once I reviewed those details of the Quest, but I really am quite tired. I saw Astrid and Sigrun dismiss themselves from my private room, and were now patrolling around the palace, likely keeping their distance. Not too far away, but not too close. Knowing that was the case, I couldn't help but smile.
I did think about heading back to Azure Point and retiring for the evening back in my own bed, but I don't know what it's like to experience Asgardian comfort. Jarvis knows that I am currently out and about, just not the location. Thankfully I warned him ahead of time so he wouldn't panic back inside Azure Point. If anything, I'll return later today. It is after midnight, so it is March 3rd, already. I am quite looking forward to what Frigga has to offer!
This is treading unknown waters here in the MCU. Frigga has never taught a single person, and while I know of what is most to come, I do not mind seeing what the unknown parts of the MCU has to offer. Asgardian Magic awaits me!
Stripping off my Asgardian Robe, which, by the way, only counted toward my appearance. Whenever you open your Inventory, it gives you a miniature version of how you look with the Equipment slots surrounding the image. That is where the Asgardian Robe went, it isn't counted as an actual piece of Equipment. Which makes sense, since there is no Armor Slot to use. I'll need to see if I can check out a blacksmith here or something and hit them up down the line. A story for another time.
For now, I was now just in my boxers, and I felt a cold draft enter the room. I knew it was time for bed.
A very comfortable feeling struck my body the moment I went into the covers. It didn't take long for me to enjoy my second night here in the MCU, drifting off into dreamland.
Zzz...
A steady snore reached the corridor attached to the room. Once Astrid and Sigrun heard it, the two glanced at each other and nodded their heads with an affirmative silence. They didn't dare bother the brown-haired man. In their eyes, Lord Alex was now the personal retainer of Frigga, who had as much say in ruling Asgard as Odin has. One wrong play on their end could end their lives in an instant. While it may be fine and peachy on the outside in Asgard, Asgard is not the same place as Planet Earth is. Only the strong have the say in most matters. Just like how any eastern story depicts that. Asgard is not foreign to such a concept.
All Astrid and Sigrun did was return to their patrols, ensuring no harm came to Myles as the night passed. Before everyone realized, dawn came, and with it, the start of the next day!
This is where the grind truly begins. Myles has much to prepare if he wants to stand face-to-face with the Avengers here in the MCU!
*
VOL 2 FIN.
Didn't expect to see that now, did you? :D
Vol 3: The Real Grind!
If it wasn't super obvious, I am going to start speeding up the timeline. I want Myles to interact with more characters, so I hope you readers are ready!