Odin returned to the grand halls of his palace, the weight of the day visible in the weariness etched across his face.
As he dismounted Sleipnir, his eight-legged steed, a young soldier stepped forward, bowing respectfully before taking the reins.
The horse let out a quiet huff before being led away, its hooves clicking faintly against the stone-paved path as it disappeared into the distance.
Inside the palace, Frigga stood waiting for him near the entrance. Her calm yet worried expression revealed her thoughts even before she spoke.
Her long, flowing robes swayed gently as she stepped closer, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. "What happened?" she asked softly, her voice filled with concern.
Odin exhaled deeply, his one good eye meeting hers. "Eirikyr has found a way to block the Bifrost," he admitted, his tone carrying a mixture of frustration and disappointment.
Frigga nodded slowly, her lips curving into a faint, bittersweet smile.
"Then this will be the second defensive battle Asgard has to fight," she said quietly. "One was with him… and now, against him."
Odin didn't respond to her remark, his gaze distant and thoughtful as they began walking together down the golden, echoing halls of the palace.
When they reached the throne room, Odin ascended the steps to his high seat, the throne that allowed him to oversee all nine realms and the entirety of Asgard.
As he gazed at the projection of Asgard, his jaw tightened, and his expression grew more resolute.
"Heimdall," Odin called out firmly.
The response was immediate. Heimdall's calm and steady voice echoed through the throne room. "Yes, my king."
"Keep your eyes on him," Odin instructed. "Do not let him move unnoticed. Inform me the moment he makes his play."
"As you command," Heimdall replied without hesitation.
Frigga stepped closer to Odin's side, lightly brushing her hand against his arm. "He is cunning, Odin," she murmured gently but firmly. "Eirikyr knows about Heimdall's All-Seeing Eyes. He will find a way around it."
Odin's lips pressed into a thin line as he responded in a low, steady voice, "That doesn't mean I will let him gain an edge over us."
Frigga lowered her gaze, her tone soft yet filled with quiet resignation.
"Why don't you make it easy for him?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "You know this is inevitable. He's Asgard's Ragnarok, after all. Why must it come to this?"
Odin's grip on Gungnir tightened. Though his expression softened slightly, the weight of his resolve was clear. "For my death," he said finally, his words heavy with meaning. "For Hela's sake."
Frigga's chin trembled, her composure slipping as she absorbed his words. She remembered what Yao (Ancient One) had said and showed them.
She turned away from him abruptly, her voice barely audible as she murmured, "I am going to see Loki."
Odin nodded silently, his gaze following her retreating figure.
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Meanwhile, Heimdall stood at his post, his ever-watchful eyes focused on Eirikyr, who was on Mars. For hours, all Heimdall had seen was Eirikyr talking and strategizing with two women.
But then, something changed. Eirikyr turned suddenly and smiled—a smile so unnerving it sent a chill down Heimdall's spine.
Their eyes locked.
And then, in an instant, his figure vanished along with his surroundings, as if that place had never been there - like a void in space.
"It can't be…" Heimdall whispered, his voice barely audible as realization dawned on him.
His heart sank as the truth hit him like a thunderclap—it was a trap. An illusion. An illusion so real and convincing that it had fooled even his all-seeing eyes.
Before he could react, a commotion erupted outside on the Rainbow Bridge. Heimdall didn't hesitate. He left his sword in the central mechanism of the Bifrost and sprinted out of the chamber.
The scene outside was utter chaos. Asgardian soldiers were engaged in battle, firing at fast-moving aircraft and Chitaurian chariots that swarmed the skies like locusts.
Without missing a beat, Heimdall scaled one of the towering pillars of the bridge. With a powerful swing of his dagger, he cleaved through a chariot, sending it crashing in a fiery explosion. He leaped down to the bridge, landing in a roll before springing back to his feet.
He froze as his eyes widened, his breath catching in his chest.
A massive, glowing portal rippled in the sky above. Through it emerged a colossal mothership—the cursed dark elven mothership.
Heimdall's chest tightened as a bitter sense of déjà vu washed over him.
Just months ago, that very ship had nearly destroyed Asgard and almost succeeded in killing their queen.
But the worst was those pouring waves of enemy forces—thousands of Chitaurian chariots, dark elven fighters, and enormous leviathans. They filled the sky, a vast and unrelenting swarm of destruction.
Heimdall's heart clenched as his thoughts raced. 'The one who once stood by our side in that battle, who helped us defeat this very enemy… is now standing against us. Aligned with the same darkness he once fought.'
A bitter pang of betrayal shot through him, but Heimdall pushed it aside, his resolve hardening. This was no time for doubt. He had a duty to fulfill.
He turned and sprinted back into the Bifrost chamber inserted his sword deeper into the central mechanism. As the blade locked into place, the intricate circles on the chamber walls began to glow with a soft, golden light.
A deep hum of energy filled the chamber, growing louder as the palace's protective shield activated.
But this time, something was different. The glow of the shield surrounding the royal palace wasn't golden as it had always been—it was blue.
After the dark elves' last attack, the shield had been upgraded. It was no longer powered by a fragile mechanism that could be just destroyed with brute force.
Now, it was fueled by something indestructible: the Tesseract.
Heimdall allowed himself a brief moment of relief, knowing the palace was protected—for now.
Then he heard it. Footsteps. Slow and deliberate, echoing through the chamber.
He turned sharply, his golden eyes narrowing as his grip tightened on his sword.
Eirikyr stepped into view, his expression calm and faintly amused.
With a faint, mocking smile, Erik said, "Heimdall, how did you like my little prank? Did I fool you? Judging by the surprised faces of your soldiers when the portal opened, I'd say I did."
Heimdall's jaw clenched as he glared at him, his voice steady but laced with tension.
"Eirikyr," he said through gritted teeth, and then he grabbed the twin daggers from his waist, his eyes burning with determination.
Without a second thought, Heimdall lunged at Erik, aiming to take him out with a clean strike to the head.
But Erik didn't even blink. With a lazy wave of his fingers, an invisible force hit Heimdall mid-air, slamming him into the wall with a loud crash.
The impact sent cracks through the stone, and Heimdall crumpled to the ground, coughing up blood.
Erik didn't rush. He walked up the steps slowly, heading straight for Heimdall's sword, still lodged in the Bifrost mechanism.
Heimdall groaned but pushed through the pain, spitting blood onto the floor. "Taking that won't disable the palace's barrier," he said, his voice weak but defiant. "You're wasting your time."
Erik paused, tilting his head as if amused. "Ah, no, Heimdall," he said with a faint smirk. "I'm not taking the sword to mess with the barrier." He pulled it free with ease, the soft hum of the Bifrost fading slightly. "I'm taking it for insurance, you can be crafty sometimes as well, can't you." But Heimdall couldn't hear his words as he passed out.
Erik raised an eyebrow as Heimdall collapsed, unconscious. With a shrug, he cracked his neck, the sound echoing in the quiet chamber.
He crouched by Heimdall, lightly slapping his face.
"Wake up," he muttered, when there was no reaction, he sighed. "Fine. Stay down."
Grabbing Heimdall's back of the collar, Erik dragged him across the smooth floor, his boots clicking as he hauled the limp body out of the chamber.
Once Heimdall was safely outside, Erik dusted off his hands and gazed at the dome-like structure of the Bifrost.
Raising his hand, he summoned dark, twisting energy—Beelzebuth's power. The area dimmed as the energy consumed the Bifrost like a hungry beast.
Erik smirked, satisfied, and turned away.
Odin on the other hand smiled as he waited for him on his Throne.
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