Chapter 68 - Thor Part 3

POV: Baldur. 

Desert near Puente Antiguo, New Mexico. 

Shortly after Thor's capture. 

2011. 

I must say, S.H.I.E.L.D is very efficient. Within hours, they set up a massive facility around Mjolnir, complete with an energy fence and numerous watchful soldiers. The curious bystanders who discovered the hammer haven't budged an inch and are gathered a few meters away from the facility. 

Spotlights illuminate the entire compound, and several cars are driving back and forth, likely monitoring everything. The security is top-notch. However, it was built to prevent humans from invading. 

"The spell will stop working if someone touches you, and only Loki will be able to see you." 

Before entering the facility, I asked Amora to cast a spell on me to make me invisible to all. I can do the same, but to a much lesser extent. Even so, I can still be detected by heat sensors and other means. Amora's magic will protect me from that. All of this because I'd like to have a conversation with Loki, who, after speaking with Thor, is attempting to lift Mjolnir. 

"I'm ready." 

Green mist envelops me, rendering me invisible, and a sensation unlike when I distort light. As I approach the installation, I notice that even my footprints are being erased from the ground. It's perfect magic for assassins. 

I pass through the fence like a ghost through a wall and head toward the center where the hammer lies. 

{I sense him, he's close.} 

Amora's telepathic voice confirms that Loki is here. As I enter the center, I see several men in blue protective suits around Mjolnir. Some are even using metal detectors, searching the ground for anything. There are several soldiers with weapons, their eyes sharp atop the building. But invisible to all of them, like me, is Loki. He's wearing a handsome black suit and is facing away from me, trying to lift Mjolnir with both hands. 

"It's not a matter of strength." 

My statement makes Loki turn to me as if he were a cat whose tail had been stepped on. 

"It's not a matter of strength, you need to be worthy in his eyes to lift it," I repeat. 

Loki stares at me. I don't know how he managed to come to Earth without using the Bifrost, he's always been able to travel among the Nine Realms without it. 

"So tell me, brother, are you worthy in our 'father's' eyes?" 

He says this with a smile, but at the end of his sentence, I sense anger at the mention of the word 'father.' 

"So you found out you were adopted." 

"How did you know that!?" 

(This surely caught him off guard.) 

"I've always known, Loki, since I was a child." 

Loki looks down, then comes toward me, facing me directly, tears in his eyes. 

"So it was all a big joke to you? Everyone pretending to be my family and friends, especially you, Baldur?" 

"Our parents don't know that I know the truth. Thor is just an idiot, and he certainly hasn't figured it out. Think about it, Loki, do you really think I was joking with you? Or is that option better than accepting the truth, that even knowing the truth, I still love you as a brother?" 

"I'm just an ice giant! A hostage taken from your world to be used as a bargaining chip when needed by the All-Father." 

"You are my brother, and I love you, no matter what blood runs through your veins." 

There's only sadness and anger in Loki's eyes, which later turn into a cold, emotionless stare. 

"No, I'm not your brother. You're just an exile, unable even to use the name Odinson. I am the king of Asgard now, and I will do what none of them could!" 

"Loki, there's still time. You haven't gone too far." 

Of course, he didn't listen to my words and disappeared from my sight, his last sentence indicating that he intends to carry out his plans to kill the current king of the ice giants. 

(Trying to have a conversation with my brothers is harder than fighting a celestial. They're all stubborn idiots.) 

I leave the place and head to the front of the complex. I see two guards dragging the man I recognize as Doctor Selvig, Jane Foster's current mentor. If I recall correctly, this is where he tries to free Thor. 

"His name is Donald Blake." 

When I approach them, I see the man who, to me, is one of the most important characters in the Marvel movies. The agent is wearing a flawless black suit, with short hair and a gentle smile on his face, Agent Phil Coulson. 

"Doctor Donald Blake!" 

Good Doctor Selvig tries to sell his foolish idea using fake documents to the world's largest espionage organization, the second largest if you consider the WarDogs. 

"You have dangerous colleagues, Doctor Selvig." 

Coulson has already understood the situation and is just having fun with it. 

(I guess it's time to show up.) 

"In fact, Doctor Donald Blake is my employee." 

I appear a little behind him, finally giving Coulson a bit of a surprise. 

"Arms!" 

"Don't move!" 

The soldiers' reaction was instantaneous, all those nearby aimed their guns at me, awaiting the order to shoot. They were well-trained. 

"Lower your weapons!" 

Coulson didn't take long to recognize me, which didn't surprise me, given how close he is to Fury. 

"Now, this is a surprise. It's a pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty." 

He spoke politely to me, still surprised by my presence. 

"The pleasure is mine, Agent Phil Coulson." 

"You just mentioned that the supposed Dr. Donald Blake is one of your subordinates from Genosha?" 

When the name Genosha was mentioned alongside how Coulson addressed me, the more intelligent among those present understood who I was. Genosha remains the world's biggest mystery to this day. The doctor also knows that I am the king of Genosha, he is now wide-eyed, looking at me. 

"Dr. Donald was sent to be part of Dr. Foster's research. My staff should be sending documents proving his citizenship right now." 

"You'll have to forgive me, Your Majesty, but Dr. Donald broke into a secret government base. Despite being from Genosha, he has to be held accountable for this." 

Phil would let Thor be released to keep an eye on him closely, but I couldn't let my brother remain imprisoned and do nothing, he's an idiot. But he's also Odin's son, even though it would be easier to let things unfold as history dictates, I decided to do things my way. 

"He was distraught when he found out they took the research!" 

Dr. Selvig recovered from his shock and entered the conversation again, trying to help me. 

"Years of his life lost. It's understandable why he would react like that when a large anonymous organization like yours shows up with their goons." 

The soldiers didn't like being called goons, they glared at Selvig angrily. 

"He described them that way!" 

He noticed and blamed Thor, I must say it's quite amusing to follow these conversations. 

"So, you expect me to believe that a simple doctor alone invaded my facility and took care of several of my best men?" 

"Steroids! He's addicted to the gym." 

(This time he got it fifty percent right.) 

"Steroids? Seriously?" 

I don't think Coulson ever imagined he'd have a conversation like this today. 

"Unfortunately, it's true. He became addicted after an accident in the laboratory left him a eunuch. Truly a sad story." 

I also joined in the banter. 

"So, you mean to say he lost..." Coulson said, looking between his legs. 

"Exactly." 

There was a moment of silence among all those present in solidarity with Thor, a moment of respect. 

"Sir!" 

A bald man wearing glasses and a suit approached Coulson and showed him the tablet, I remember this bald man is part of Hydra, so I'm not surprised they're here. 

"We've just received documents proving that Dr. Donald Blake is a citizen of Genosha who came to the country legally with a vacation visa. I've been ordered by the director to release him as a gesture of goodwill." 

Coulson handed the tablet back to the bald man and addressed us. 

Genosha is a closed kingdom, but civilians can travel to other countries. Of course, we don't accept anyone into ours, and there are also many protocols for their protection. For this reason, nobody who tried to kidnap someone from my kingdom to obtain information had a happy ending. 

"Bring the eunuch! I mean, the prisoner," Coulson shouted to his men. 

Shortly after, two men brought Thor, who walked with his head down until he saw me. Before he could say anything foolish like calling me brother, I tossed a golden tube to the second guard who was leading Thor. The second guard had short black hair and wore a tight black suit, but what caught everyone's attention was the bow on his back. Clint Barton skillfully caught the golden tube and held it, looking at it with curiosity. 

"What is this?" he asked. 

"Something for when you're worthy," I replied. 

Without waiting any longer, I grabbed Thor by the arm and dragged him towards the exit. 

"Let's go, Dr. Selvig, can you give me a ride?" I asked the doctor. 

"Of course!" 

Also eager to leave as quickly as possible, the good doctor hurried over to us. 

"Your Majesty is more than welcome to stay with us for a while, the director would like to have a word with you." 

Coulson didn't try to stop us but said this before we left the complex. 

"Tell Fury that I'll speak with him when I want." 

And so we left the complex and went to the doctor's car, an old jeep covered in dust. He opened the door and sat in the driver's seat, Thor sat beside him, and I sat in the back seat. 

"My God, my heart almost exploded." 

Selvig had certainly had too many surprises for one day, but it seems fate wants to give him a heart attack today. 

"You'll have to be clearer." a mysterious voice says 

"JESUS!" 

Selvig jumps from his seat when he looks back and sees a woman magically appear beside me. 

"There are three gods here." 

"Brother..." 

"Shut up, Thor!" 

Thor starts to speak, but I'm not in the mood for another sentimental conversation at the moment. 

"Let's go drink! Dr. Selvig, could you please take us to the nearest bar?" 

POV: Third Person. 

Thor's Palace Hall, Asgard. 

End of the same night, 2011. 

In the enormous golden hall of Thor's personal palace, there were six golden thrones around a fireplace, the place where Thor's group gathered to celebrate their victories and plan their next moves with their friends. 

Now only four of the six thrones were occupied. 

"Our dear banished friend, Loki on the throne, Asgard nearly at war, and you managed to consume four boars, six pheasants, a beaver, and two barrels of mead!" 

Fandral, who was once also one of Baldur's childhood tutors, walks over to the immense man who was lounging on his throne with a golden tray laden with meat. 

"What a shame. Don't you care?" 

Fandral slaps the tray out of the man's hands, who gets up angrily and glares at him. 

"Don't confuse my appetite with apathy!" 

Volstagg shouts, nearly starting a fight with his friend. 

"Stop! Both of you! Stop!" 

To prevent a fight from breaking out, the other two people occupying the other thrones stand up and approach their friends, the woman who shouted to stop them was a beautiful woman with long black hair, Sif, she was the last to join this group. 

The other man had oriental features and a serene face, Hogun. 

"You know what we have to do," Sif says. 

"We have to go, we have to find Thor," Hogun adds. 

"It's treason." 

"Fuck treason. It's suicide." 

Fandral and Volstagg have a good idea of what will happen if they try this insane plan. 

"Thor would do the same for us." 

With that statement, Sif nails shut any other objections the two might have. 

"Even if we go to Midgard, how in Odin's name are we going to restore Thor's powers? The magic of the Allfather is not like the party tricks Loki uses." 

"Volstagg is right," Fandral agrees. 

"If there's anyone who can do something about the enchantments, it's those two." 

Hogun proposes a plan that only Fandral and Volstagg can understand, Sif notices that something is wrong when she looks at her friends' faces, which show a hint of sadness." 

"Who are you talking about?" She asks. 

Her friends return to their seats unwilling to tell her. 

"We don't have time for drama, speak up now!" Sif insists. 

"The third son of Odin, Baldur. He and his wife are the greatest researchers and runic mages of the nine realms, second only to the Allfather himself." Hogun tells Sif. 

"Baldur? Are you talking about the one who was banished for nearly destroying the entire realm of the Frost Giants single-handedly?" 

As time passed, the legends surrounding her deeds in the past replaced the truth, most of the people of Asgard believe Baldur was banished not for disobeying the Allfather, but for nearly destroying an entire realm. 

"The story has been somewhat distorted over time, things are not as straightforward. But yes, we were considering asking for his help." 

Fandral knew Baldur quite well, having trained him in his childhood. He missed him the most after his mother. 

"Do you think it wise to ask for his help? He might also try to seize Thor's throne or power for himself," Sif asks. 

"There's no reason for him to want Thor's power or throne, Baldur has already conquered and established his own realm," Volstagg speaks with pride in his voice. 

"Be it so! Let's seek his help then. What we need now is a way to get to Midgard." 

Before Sif could propose another plan, a guard clad in golden armor enters the room and speaks. 

"Heimdall requests your presence." 

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