Strax had been sitting atop one of the hills north of Asgard long enough for Lithara to start losing her patience. Ever since they arrived, he had barely moved from the spot. He remained with one leg bent, his right arm resting on his knee, and his eyes focused on the Gauntlet of Darkness, observing every subtle movement of the black chains wrapped around his forearm. Every now and then, he would close his hand, release a small amount of energy, and then cut off the flow without explaining what he was looking for.
Lithara was lying on the grass a few meters behind him, her head resting on her arms. At first, she had tried to remain quiet and simply watch what Strax was doing. Then she started watching the clouds. After that, she counted how many birds flew overhead. Finally, after realizing that Strax was still sitting in exactly the same position, she raised her upper body and asked:
"How long do you plan on staring at that gauntlet?"
Strax did not take his eyes off the weapon.
