Thor stood on the battlefield, staring in astonishment at Garus as he ascended into the sky. The weapon in Garus' hand radiated a crimson glow, like a thin mist unfurling across the broken lands beneath him. Everywhere the light touched, the devastation wrought by the battle began to reverse.
It was as if time itself had rewound. Shattered buildings reappeared whole, and the massive craters carved by Galactus' invasion slowly filled in. Asgard's rivers flowed once more in their original courses, shimmering beneath the returning light.
Thor marveled at the restored Asgard but couldn't shake the sense that something was different.
In truth, this was not time manipulation—only the Time Stone could achieve that. Garus was wielding the Reality Stone, reconstructing Asgard according to his memories. It was a feat that left him drained, and even then, he could only restore the landscape and architecture. To accomplish anything greater, he would need the remaining two Infinity Stones.
No wonder the legends spoke of Thanos obliterating half the universe with a snap of his fingers. With four Infinity Stones in his possession, Garus could rebuild a broken continent—an extraordinary display of power.
The looming threat of Thanos cast a long shadow. Under no circumstances could he be allowed to gather all six stones. Garus had already slain Black Dwarf and Ronan. If he could claim the remaining two stones, would it be possible to return to his original universe? The thought sparked a flicker of hope in his heart.
The Marvel universe still harbored another artifact—the Heart of the Universe, capable of rewriting the very fabric of reality. Possessing it would be like obtaining the ultimate cheat code.
"Such immense power... not even my father could achieve this," Thor murmured, approaching Garus.
Garus noticed Thor fumbling through his belongings before producing a crystalline shard. The transparent crystal shimmered in the dim light.
"My father asked me to give this to you," Thor said.
Garus sensed a faint trace of soul energy emanating from the crystal. "What is this?"
"I don't know. You'll have to find out for yourself. I'm going to bring everyone back to the city. Wait here for me." Thor departed in haste, leaving Garus with a nagging suspicion that he'd just been roped into something without realizing it.
Alone, Garus examined the crystal from every angle. He couldn't discern its purpose—perhaps a memory crystal?
Infusing his power into the shard, the crystal flared to life. A hazy projection flickered into existence before sharpening into a familiar figure.
"Odin... aren't you supposed to be dead?" Garus asked, noting that the All-Father's appearance betrayed no signs of recent battle.
Odin's projection paused momentarily. "My death is inevitable. This is merely a fragment of my consciousness, prepared in advance."
Even as a Sky Father, Odin was not a true god—immortality had always been beyond his reach.
"You've already spoken with Hela, haven't you?" Odin's voice grew heavy. "She will soon be free. It will be a calamity for Asgard."
Garus narrowed his eyes. The old fox had anticipated everything, preparing the crystal long before his death. Still, Garus felt no hint of reproach in Odin's tone.
"What does this have to do with me? This is your family business."
"If Hela is unleashed, she will wage war across the Nine Realms. Countless lives will be lost—something none of us wish to see."
A vision materialized in front of Garus: Hela, clad in dark robes, wielding her Necrosword. Corpses littered the ground before her—Asgardian warriors twisted into undead thralls by her power, turning their weapons against their former comrades.
Garus could have raised an army of the dead himself, but the paladin's memories within him rejected such methods. He preferred the company of the living.
"Hela is the Goddess of Death. Every soul in Asgard falls under her dominion in death. She commands an army of fallen warriors, and the entire realm empowers her."
Odin's projection began to fade. "When the time is right, tell Thor the truth. My soul's final remnants are about to dissipate. Hela's return is inevitable—I can only hope you'll aid Thor in safeguarding the Nine Realms."
"I'm not a babysitter!" Garus muttered. "And Hela is small potatoes compared to Thanos."
With that, Odin's last vestiges vanished, leaving no trace of his existence behind.
"Was that my father? What did he say?" Thor reappeared, his face lined with worry. "He's been falling into slumber more frequently... his strength waning day by day."
Garus remained silent, unwilling to reveal the truth.
Thor took his silence in stride. "I was planning to visit Earth to see Jane. This time, I'll go with you."
He sounded eager, barely concealing his anticipation.
"Let me go! Father appointed me as King of Asgard!" Loki's protests echoed through the air as Hogun and Volstagg flanked him.
"It's only temporary," Volstagg grunted, releasing Loki.
"Prison would suit you better," Sif quipped, giving Loki a shove. "I still don't understand why Odin entrusted you with ruling Asgard."
No one dared defy Odin's decree, however begrudgingly.
"Go to Earth, son," said Frigga, watching them depart. "Seek out your Avenger companions... and Garus, please look after Thor."
Garus smirked at Loki's smug expression. No matter how cunning the trickster might be, he'd been outmaneuvered by Odin once again. He only hoped Hela wouldn't kill him outright.
If she could crush Mjolnir with one hand, neither Thor nor Loki would stand a chance. Perhaps no one in Asgard could.
Odin's gambit aimed to preserve as many Asgardian lives as possible—but Frigga's survival, thanks to Garus' intervention, might yet tip the scales.
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TN: This fanfic has been fully translated and is available on my Patreon —— PATREON.COM / PRIMALDEMON