"So these are the soldiers of the Dark Elves?"
Night had fallen. In the dimly lit chamber, Lothar sat in a chair, eyes fixed on the azure light screen before him. His right index finger tapped rhythmically against the desk, his mind awash with thoughts.
At a glance, these soldiers bore little resemblance to the elven races Lothar had encountered during past missions across the galaxy.
"Yes, Lord Lothar. However, according to the information provided by Kiel Marza, not all soldiers stationed at Svartalfheim's border are of this caliber."
Even before the words finished echoing, the light screen displayed another variant—larger, more imposing—of the Dark Elf soldiers.
"From Kiel Marza's intel, it appears that Malekith's awakening has reintroduced an ancient, long-lost enhancement arcana to Svartalfheim. Soldiers subjected to this method gain exponential boosts in strength."
"There was once an attempt to capture a specimen for study. Unfortunately, the enhanced soldiers seem to have explosive triggers implanted in their bodies. If captured, they immediately self-detonate, leaving nothing behind."
Arcane enhancement… huh?
The two holographic projections of the Dark Elf soldiers rotated slowly before Lothar's eyes, the limited data plunging him into contemplation.
"The Other." After a long silence, Lothar finally spoke into the comm channel.
"Prince Lothar!"
In the vast expanse of heaven and earth, none held greater authority than Prince Lothar. Dropping everything at once, The Other sprinted from his quarters and rushed into Lothar's room, still panting from the haste.
"Your command, Your Highness?"
"Rally our forces. We strike the Svartalfheim border tonight."
"Understood, Prince Lothar!" Although doubt flickered in his heart, The Other faithfully abided by the sacred maxim: Obey all of Prince Lothar's commands. He thumped his chest, pledging unwavering commitment.
"Make as much noise as possible. And ensure our troops engage the Dark Elf soldiers enhanced by that arcane technique."
"I understand, Prince Lothar. I'll begin preparations immediately."
With unspoken questions still simmering beneath the surface, The Other exited Lothar's chambers and strode briskly toward the outer encampment to carry out his master's will.
"Woz. Begin full-spectrum energy analysis mode."
Standing by the window, watching The Other's figure blend into the shadows, Lothar gave the order.
After the incidents on planets U40 and B48, Lothar had grown increasingly skeptical of Malekith's so-called enhancement techniques.
According to the leads given by Odin himself, one of the six Infinity Stones—the Reality Stone—had once surfaced on Svartalfheim.
Lothar had every reason to suspect that this 'arcane enhancement' was nothing more than energy augmentation from the Stone itself. U40 and B48 had already demonstrated similar precedents.
And for Lothar, verifying this theory was simple.
Woz's databanks already contained the energy profile of the Mind Stone. If it could detect even the faintest echo of that same energy within the enhanced Dark Elf soldiers, his theory would be confirmed.
Rumble…
Thunder rolled across the dark sky. A drizzle formed and began to fall in fine threads across the landscape.
"Rain, now?"
Lothar reached out to close the window, but the instant his fingers touched the raindrops, a flicker of wrongness surged through his senses.
"Lord Lothar! Woz has detected two anomalous energy signatures rapidly approaching your location!"
Barely had Woz finished speaking when two Dark Elf soldiers—disguised in Asgardian uniforms—smashed through the door.
Bang!
The metal door, forged from special alloys, exploded into fragments. The two soldiers locked eyes for a brief moment, then without hesitation, tore open their garments and charged straight at Lothar, sparks and lightning trailing in their wake.
"ANHUUK!!!"
They shouted some unintelligible incantation. Their bodies began to swell grotesquely as lightning crashed outside and flames surged within the room...
BOOM!
KRA-KOOM!!
Thunder and explosions overlapped. Blue lightning intertwined with crimson fire, illuminating Lothar's impassive face.
Raindrops trickled down his cheeks and hit the ground. Arms crossed over his chest, Lothar stood unflinching, his gaze sweeping the room where four hostile figures had appeared, his expression radiating disdain.
"Lothar!"
From above, Hela was intercepted mid-air by three attackers, while four others surrounded Lothar. Their weapons shimmered coldly, blades stabbing directly toward his heart!
SHHHK-SHHHK-SHHHK-SHHHK!
CLANG!
A deafening screech rang out as metal met metal. Yet Lothar stood unmoved. The four blades, soaked in rain, pressed against his gleaming silver armor—but not one could pierce through.
"Is this the best you've got?"
With those scornful words, the energy within Lothar's body erupted. An invisible shockwave blasted outward, so fierce even the raindrops were repelled from his presence.
"Woz."
"Lord Lothar, no traces of Infinity Stone energy were detected on them."
Woz's analysis was complete. And with it, the verdict was sealed.
No Stone energy. No chance of survival.
"Retreat!"
One failed strike, and instinct kicked in. The four assassins exchanged a glance and bolted, plotting escape routes on the fly.
The alarm had already been triggered across the fortress. None of them believed they could walk out alive once surrounded by the military.
"Lord Lothar, The Other has reached the border of Svartalfheim."
"Let him continue. Ignore what happened here. Just a few assassins with a misguided sense of infiltration."
Hovering above the ground, Lothar raised both hands. Ten silver-white beams lanced through the air, impaling each of the fleeing Dark Elf assassins straight through the chest.
Assassins needing backup? Clearly, they misunderstood the very art of stealth. How laughable.
With a wealth of infiltration experience, Lothar scoffed.
On a rainy night, a true assassin brings an umbrella—not a blade. Slashing wildly is no substitute for a convincing disguise.
"Lothar."
Having dealt with her own attackers, Hela descended beside him, her face a stormcloud of fury as she looked over the corpses.
"Princess Hela!"
"Marza! You betrayed me!"
A furious roar suddenly tore through the air in the distance, only to be swallowed moments later by a torrent of fire.
Above the Dark Elf defensive line at Svartalfheim's border, five mechanical beasts bared their fangs, wreaking havoc under The Other's command.
Rushing to Hela's side, Kiel Marza suddenly felt his throat go dry.
"This is... defamation!"
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