Chapter 542

I learned from past mistakes.

As in, I didn’t leave the dangerous box unattended inside my storage this time. I made sure to slap on quite a few seals just in case before adjusting it inside my storage.

We don’t need another damn Pandora’s Box fiasco.

But, you know, ignoring everything that just happened, my greedy devil nature is tickled right now. Just from the perspective of coming to this world, if I gained nothing else, the trip was now worth it.

And I wasn’t even finished.

But I pushed those kinds of thoughts away because it seemed really shitty to be thinking about that sort of thing with everything that happened around us.

A frosty haze still hung in the air. Despite the fire spells I had cast to start warming the area, they weren’t doing a very good job.

I held up my Staff of Magnus, pointing it at the sky right above the town that was covered in snow and ice.

I didn’t need substance; I didn’t need anything carefully designed or powerful.

I just needed big.

A gigantic Magic Circle, detailed enough at first glance, but perhaps one of the roughest Magic Circles I’ve ever made since reaching this point, but it was cheap, easy, and got the job done.

It was designed simply to create a large ball of fire and contain it so it didn’t cause harm to the surroundings, just releasing a large amount of heat.

Finally, it was enough that the walk back to the others wasn’t disrupted by large swathes of snow on the ground.

There was still a…small matter to deal with.

Probably about a hundred or so Frost Giants remained, and they were now looking rather fearful.

On one side, I held up my staff, pointing it at them. On the other, Sif and the other Asgardians took certain spots around them as they were forced into a singular group.

Gradually, any conjured weapons were dropped and dispersed, and one after another, they began to silently surrender.

I dragged the Staff against the ground, making a small wall of earth rise up to mark a boundary around them. The intent was clear; I didn’t need to voice to them that they would not be crossing the threshold.

Jeanne gave me a soft smile as I got back; she was helping the others who were having difficulties. 

If it weren’t for her, honestly, several of them probably would have died. It would have taken me several more moments to get a shield off strong enough to not freeze over instead. And if even I could feel the cold like that and get affected by it, some of them stood no chance.

Even so, the ones around us weren’t doing well. The humans, that is, the Asgardians, were handling it much better.

Though, it seems like the Ebony Armor on them staved off a good amount of the danger.

However, I think I noticed signs of hypothermia. Maybe even a bit of frostbite at first glance.

They all shot me varying looks; some were a bit scared, some appreciative, and others weren’t something I could discern at a glance.

“Agent Coulson, I hope you’re not right-handed.” He was up at this point, missing an arm—which was wrapped up tightly—and shivering from the cold, but he was standing and handling matters with the other agents that came with him.

He turned to me, smiling awkwardly. “I was.”

Oof.

“Drink this.” I handed him a Regeneration Potion specifically. “It’ll help with the frostbite and other cold-related ailments.” Though, despite the name, it wouldn’t regenerate his arm.

“Tastes like a more earthy vegetable juice.” He noted with a hint of an amused tone.

“...You just drank it without any question?” I had thought I would have to convince him.

“If you wanted to hurt me, there are simpler ways.” He said rather nonchalantly. 

…true.

I took out a few more, setting them on the ground. “Have your people help themselves.”

“Thank you.” He spoke with clear genuineness before snapping to someone near him, who obviously overheard us talking. They began to hand out the potions to each member around, not even hesitating to drink at Coulson’s directions.

“Do you need to call some stuff in? I can lend you my phone if yours is now broken.” I find it hard to believe that his phone would have survived the cold that he just experienced.

“Your offer is appreciated, but unnecessary. Before the fighting started, I had already sent out several distress messages. They should have been evacuating the town while the fighting was happening.” He replied coolly. 

That’s good at least. I couldn’t really pay attention to things too far away.

“Thank you for protecting me, Mr. Coulson.” Jeanne bowed her head towards him. Despite it not being needed, Jeanne would not let the act go unthanked. 

‘It’s my job.” Coulson said again without an iota of hesitation. “Though, I wish I had known it wasn’t needed beforehand.” His expression softened a little, and his normally neutral smile turned a bit more genuine. “Now I just feel silly. Or that could be the painkillers.”

“Agent Coulson.” I continued. “The lengths I would go to in order to protect Jeanne are something you cannot fathom. So please understand me when I say that despite it being unneeded, you have my gratitude and thanks.” I flicked my fingers and produced a talisman, handing it to him.

It was a special talisman made with a combination of my magic and other principles. It’s not too dissimilar to the ‘beacon’ that I gave Venelana a while ago when the whole Kokabiel thing happened.

“If you rip that, no matter where you are or what’s happening, I’ll come.” I informed him.

He looked it over with a strange glint in his eyes before pocketing it. “I’ll gladly accept.”

Truthfully, I liked Coulson for a while now; he seemed like a nice guy despite him interrogating me before.

“And if you want to wait a bit, I can bring someone over to heal your arm.” I pat his shoulder.

“And give up the chance for a cool robot one?” He pretended to be thinking it over.

I felt Jeanne tug on my sleeve a little, looking a bit more bashful than when I normally tease her. The cute way her cheeks puffed up with a pink tint to them, and she pushed her head into my side.

“Sister, are you unharmed?” Thor came over, inspecting her closely.

“I’m fine!” Jeanne smiled, regaining her cheerfulness.

Thor laughed and patted her shoulders. “Good, and a wonderful fight! Truly you are my sister if you possess such skill in battle.” 

He really is a simple-minded person, isn’t he?

Not in a bad way either, just… very direct and straightforward.

He then coughed a little awkwardly, looking my way. “I would like to request the same potions you provided for Jane and the others, if possible.” He took another moment. “Please.” He added.

They weren’t far enough away to not hear, and they were clearly waiting expectantly. Shivering and clutching their hands, the residual ice and snow still melting away even if I put a giant fireball up in the sky, they were just normal humans.

“Of course.” I held three bottles out. “Come on, girls, and Erik.” I dangled them.

“Thank you so much!” Darcy all but snatched one out of my hand and gulped it down.

“Wait, what’s in it?” Jane asked, eyeing it skeptically despite her own shivering and pale complexion.

“...Is it drugs?” Erik also asked rather quietly. 

“God, I hope so.” Darcy downed it without a second thought. “Maybe I can trick myself into thinking this is a bad trip.”

The others looked at her. 

Erik then shrugged and downed his too. “Definitely not acid.”

“Erik!?”

“What?” He looked at Jane. “Do you think I didn’t go to college?”

Jane shook her head and pinched her nose before drinking it down in one gulp. “It tastes like tomato juice.”

“You know, a lot of people say that.” I rubbed my chin. “I personally feel like it tastes more like beets.” I shoved one into Thor’s arms too; he didn’t ask for one himself, but he was also shivering and not looking too well. “Got a few questions, if you don’t mind, Thor.”

“Ask, and I shall answer anything to the best of my ability.” He spoke before drinking his own potion.

“Frost Giants are supposed to be the enemies of the Aesir and Vanir, right?” I started off.

“Aye, they are long enemies of our people.” He nodded. 

“Why are they that weak?” I got right to the point.

Jane nearly choked. “That was weak?”

Thor glanced at her, then back at me. “The Casket.” He paused as if realization dawned on him. “Where is the Casket?”

All eyes landed on me.

“How strange, it just disappeared.” I said helplessly.

Jeanne smacked my shoulder. “No lying.”

I could see Thor’s lips twitch like he wanted to laugh. “It’s mine now.”

Maybe Thor wanted to say a few things, but he seemed to reluctantly relent. “It’s best if it’s kept safe regardless of the source for now.”

Thor seemed to go deep in thought, pursing his lips as he considered my question. “I recall some things my father once spoke. Just as the Odin Force is the heart of Asgard, the cosmic energy that runs through Yggdrasil itself, so too is the Casket of Ancient Winters the Heart of Jotunheim. Long ago, when my father led the forces of Asgard deep into Jotunheim and pushed them back, he retrieved the Casket. He never told me why he spared them, only that they were no longer a threat.”

Huh, is he saying that without the Casket of Ancient Winters, they…degraded over the centuries? While I doubt that was the cream of the crop for the Frost Giants, it was a bit too…lackluster to be accompanying their supposed King.

I remember when I sat on the throne of Asgard and had the pool of energy I could draw from. Is the Casket a sort of variation of that? Like a literal heart of their world given a crystallized form?

In that case, it would certainly explain a lot.

“And the Casket as well, you said that it can freeze a star? Is that an exaggeration or not?” I wanted a bit more detail before I started playing around with the thing.

Thor shook his head. “I know little about it; my father wove the tales to me as a child. He did tell me that it was not a weapon, not meant to be. And that the longer it remained open, the more power is released.” He shifted a little awkwardly. “Father scolded me and Loki when we tried to open it on a hot summer day.”

So, that wasn’t its full power; that makes more sense now.

He said it wasn’t a weapon, and considering the Frost Giants as a species, it sounds more like…like a terraforming object than anything else.

Regardless, it’s mine now.

“The Frost Giants have been secured.” Sif came marching over. “They agreed to formally surrender and will act as prisoners in return for being treated as such.”

“Are they trustworthy?” Coulson was the first to ask, despite everything.

Sif gave him a scrutinizing look. It held a newfound respect for him if I was reading right. “They are monstrous, willing to freeze all of Midgard for their own gains. However, they have their own honor, and they have held to the previous treaties for eons.” Her eyes briefly swept over me. “And they speak with fear that the Demon wields the power of the sun.”

They all looked at me.

“Ah, the weapon of mass destruction in the shape of a bow casually used by someone who for all intents and purposes doesn’t exist.” Coulson deadpanned. “That will be an interesting conversation to have with my superiors. Now, who is going to be held responsible for this attack?”

Sif crossed her arms and stared at Thor. “Yes, Thor, who do you believe is responsible for utilizing the Bifrost to send Frost Giants down here to Midgard?”

“...you do not know.” Thor was quick to defend. “For all we know, Loki might be in danger, Asgard under siege.”

“The same Loki who appeared and told you that your father was dead.” I asked.

“He did what?” Sif’s nostrils flared. “Thor!”

I looked up at the sky. “Something is coming again.”

“See? Asgard sends aid!” Thor said happily as the Bifrost was in the ground again, not far away. It distinctly missed the same cold and frost air with the arrival of the Frost Giants, but there was something else this time.

A metal fist hit the ground as a towering figure pushed itself up straight.

“Hah, I was right! Loki sent the Destroyer to aid us!” Thor clapped.

“The….Destroyer?” That sounds like a name the Devils would come up with.

Sif looked at me and spoke in a low voice before turning back towards the supposed Destroyer with her weapon clutched tightly. “It is one of the mightiest weapons of Asgard. An autonomous weapon meant to guard Asgard, but it’s mainly used to guard the inside of the Treasure Vaults. They say it was crafted from the essence of many a fallen god during the early years of the All-Father’s conquests.”

A godly magical robot.

I want it.

“The timing does not fill me with confidence.” Jeanne spoke up, and despite usually being hopeful and optimistic, she didn’t show that right now.

“Son of Coul, tell your warriors to retreat; this is not a fight for you.” Sif whispered.

“Right.” He heeded her warning quickly this time as he began barking orders; the agents grabbed Jane, Darcy, and Erik before quickly getting out of the sight of the towering metal construct.

“The other three are keeping the Frost Giants contained; it seems we must fight the destroyer ourselves.” Sif went on. “It will be a glorious battle.”

“Lady Sif, let me talk to him. Clearly, it is Loki operating it as King; he is my brother; I can reason with him.” Thor also didn’t have the same optimism from a moment ago. And to be honest, I think he was trying to convince himself more than anything.

“There’s an easy way to test if Loki is hostile or not.” I said rather confidently.

“And how is that?” Sif asked me.

I cleared my throat, taking a few steps to the side of everyone. “Horse Fucker!”

The Destroyer stilled; everyone went silent. 

All of a sudden, the air vibrated and shifted as a beam of power erupted from the head of the godly armor, hitting me square on, and I felt the world begin to flip upside down before realizing I was outside of the town, smooshed into a mound of dirt after skipping across the ground for several hundred feet.

“Owww…..”

Regret.

[You were asking for that one,] Ddraig commented.

“Yeah…..”I couldn’t deny that. “I take full responsibility for that one.”

“Who are you talking to?” I glanced up from my prone position to see the Ancient One standing over me.

“The dragon that lives in my soul.”

“Neat.” She barely even reacted. “Are you alright?”

I held a shaky thumbs-up. “That had a lot more concussive force than I expected from a laser.” I got up, brushing myself off. “Well, back into it then.”

“Hold on for a moment.” She put a hand on my shoulder.

“Why, what’s wrong?”

“Oh, Thor is just giving a self-sacrificing speech to Loki; it’s rather beautiful. Apparently, Loki sent the Destroyer to kill everyone to cover up the whole Frost Giant thing. And he plans on using the Frost Giants as an excuse and claim he sent it to save them and act the hero. Thor’s telling Loki to leave everyone else alone and, if he must, kill him instead and that he cares not for the throne. Loki rejected him because Loki believes he must also kill Miss Arc as she was…..adopted? Oh, quite a lot has happened, hasn’t it?” She recited. “I just didn’t want you to ruin it.”

“Was it important or something?” I certainly didn’t miss the parts about Loki apparently coming to kill Jeanne for whatever stupid reason. But I kept my temper under control for the moment.

“Well, as important as getting a bunch of unruly godly children off my lawn.” She snorted. “I’d rather not have Thor running around causing problems anymore than I have to.”

Ah, I thought I tasted a faint, godly lightning in the air.

Did he get his hammer back?

How convenient.

“You can join in now.” She gestured.

“Does Thor have it handled?” I asked.

“Oh yes, the Destroyer is a frightening weapon, but Loki does not have the proper power to wield it. He can only bring out a fraction of its strength, so Thor can handle it tidily if needed.”

I stood up, stretching. “Wonderful, then I’ll leave it to him.” I took out Mirage and stabbed it into the ground while looking up at the sky.

“What are you doing now?” She tilted her head.

“Calculating.”

“Calculating what?”

“The return path.” I grabbed Mirage and swiped it through the air, cutting open a portal.

“...Is that Asgard?”

“Yes, it is.”

I took out a different staff, one I don’t use that often, and pointed it at the whole. Ddraig started laughing. “Bex Zii Zoor Frul Lo!” I shouted, the Thu’um forcing the world to shift around it. “Disgyniad Yr Ymerawdwr!” And like that, a dragon’s roar reverberated throughout the world, and a massive black dragon appeared, flying right towards Asgard.

“...is that a dragon?”

“Yes, it is.” I answered again.

“Did you summon a dragon into Asgard?”

“Yes, I did.” I looked her right in the eyes. “Fuck Loki.” I said rather pointedly before closing the portal.

Ddraig knows what I want.

I glanced back at the town where a thunderstorm rampaged and a bunch of those same lasers were shooting all over the sky, a cyclone having pulled it up off the ground. 

Thunderous blows rang out; lightning danced with the ringing of steel.

I clapped my hands with a job well done.

I did warn Heimdal what would happen if any of them tried to harm Jeanne. 

Loki doesn’t get a pass, but Ddraig knows that my ire is only with Loki at the moment, and I trust him.

Regardless, I admit to nothing, and nobody can prove anything.

“I’m going back home.” The Ancient One decided without so much as a by your leave.

I dusted myself off one last time and Shunpo’d back over to the town where everything was seemingly getting settled.

“Will!” Jeanne ran up and hugged me even though I was far from actually harmed.

Admittedly, it did hurt.

But I was never going to reject a hug from Jeanne.

Thor stood there, clad in armor, a cap, and his godly power radiating off. And Jane was practically drooling all over him.

All’s well that ends well, I suppose.

“You are unharmed!” Thor laughed, clasping my shoulders. “Truly, you are a powerful warrior.”

“He uses magic; he would be a Seiðr.” Sif corrected, looking me over. “But to take a blast from the Destroyer and not show harm, it is a wonder. Even Thor felt the need to block it with Mjolnir.”

I shrugged, not caring to explain. “So what now?”

“Now, we must return to Asgard and stop whatever plans Loki has. If he wanted the throne, I would have given it to him, but his actions are unacceptable.” Thor said rather sternly. “Heimdal, open the Bifrost!” He shouted.

“.....Did it work?” I asked, and Thor gave me a flat look. 

“Heimdal!” Thor bellowed again, but there was no response.

“Loki must have done something.” Sif stated.

“Then how are we supposed to return?” Thor frowned.

“Wil.” Jeanne pulled on my sleeve, giving me a look, and the others caught on. “Help them go back home.”

“Fine.” I huffed. “But for a price.”

“A price?” Thor asked. “You shall be rewarded in as much gold— “

“I want that.” I pointed to the dented and deformed Destroyer that lay on the ground unmoving.

“It is broken.” Thor blinked. “As mighty as it was, it is but scrap metal now.”

Did…he not know what that thing was? Even without the Ancient One telling me something about it, I could tell it was far from simple.

“Yup.”

Thor shrugged. “The spoils of battle belong to you.”

“Wonderful.” I clapped my hands and produced a new portal right to Asgard. “There you go.”

Thor looked through and then back at me. “Your magical prowess is worthy of song and legend. I thank you for your assistance. Lady Sif, please stay here with the Warriors Three to assist the Midgardians with the Frost Giants. I will return back soon once everything is settled.” He gave her no chance to retort before flying through.

Sif looked annoyed but didn’t argue.

“Why did you call Loki a horse fucker?” She put her hands on her hips.

“There’s a story about Loki turning into a horse so another horse can fuck him, and he births a horse for Odin to ride—the eight-legged Sleipnir.” I answered with a rather abridged version of the tale.

Her lips twitched; I think she was trying to hold herself back from laughing. “That horse is older than him.” She said with a shake of her head. “But I will certainly remember this one.”

I was about to say something else, but a dragon’s roar was heard from the other side of the portal, and I quickly snapped it shut.

“What was that?”

“Did that sound like a dragon?” Jeanne tilted her head.

“You must be imagining things.” I turned around to collect my spoils before throwing Jeanne over my shoulder and opening a new portal. “Time to go, thanks for the fun, bye!” And I quickly brought her to leave.

I needed to get in touch with Orihime to see about healing Coulson, but I didn’t want to get caught up in any bureaucratic nonsense.

Though, oddly enough, I felt like I was going to be further dragged into the circus that was whatever was happening in Asgard at the moment.

@***@

A/N

Not entirely sure I’m happy with the chapter; we’ll see. And Wilhelm isn’t done with Asgard yet; that would feel pretty shitty if that was a well and truly hand-wiping moment of Asgard entirely. Some butterflies are happening, so not everything will be the same.