Everything was fine. As the light of the Bifrost descended, Arthur and Thor had already arrived in the Bifrost Hall. Heimdall stood at his post. Upon seeing Arthur and Thor return, he shot Arthur a curious glance before returning to his usual stoic silence.
Heimdall wasn't one for conversation, rarely speaking unless absolutely necessary.
He didn't convey any orders from Odin either, which was typical.
In the past, whenever Arthur showed up, Odin would summon him right away, either to drop some cryptic line that left Arthur more confused than ever or, more annoyingly, to push his daughter onto him, something Arthur could 'never' refuse.
But now, Odin was Loki in disguise. Arthur would rather not see him again… Unfortunately, while Loki might've preferred to avoid Arthur, Arthur wanted to see him.
But not right now.
Arthur nodded at Thor, then spread his wings, ready to take care of an important matter.
This was why he had come back with Thor; otherwise, he wouldn't have been in such a rush to leave Xandar. However, he'd left a certain uncle behind in Asgard last time, one with a high hairline. He hadn't thought much about him, but now it was time to bring him along.
Arthur also needed to visit Earth and check in with Black Panther.
Though old Black Panther should still be around, Hydra's troubles had mostly been contained, and the civil war had yet to break out. Little Black Panther probably wouldn't ascend to the throne anytime soon.
But regardless, Arthur needed to check if the advanced medical equipment on Earth could help Coulson.
After all, Coulson was quite a talent, and it'd be a shame to lose him so easily.
With just a few words, or none at all, the two of them quickly arrived at their destination.
The moment the healers in Asgard saw Arthur, they cheered.
Previously, Arthur had left Coulson with them, promising to return for him after a while. But in the blink of an eye... he had vanished.
Days turned to weeks, and it seemed as if he'd gone missing for good.
There was nothing they could do. The God of War, personally appointed by Odin, was respected by everyone, no matter their rank or title. On the surface, Arthur was simply the God of War, but in reality, his power surpassed that of many warriiors.
Arthur wasn't aware, but Odin's orders included one important detail: if any major issues arose in the future, as long as Arthur was present, everyone was required to listen to him.
He didn't specify that Thor should be in charge. And Loki? Well, Loki was still locked up in prison.
The fact that everyone, even Thor, had to answer to Arthur was already clear enough.
That's also why Arthur's background was so clean; otherwise, people might have wondered if he were Odin's illegitimate son.
The God of War had left Coulson in their care, ordering them to look after him, so what else could they do?
They hoped every day that Arthur would return to take him, because looking after Coulson had become a daily chore. If they could cure him, that'd be great, but the problem was, he couldn't be cured.
When Coulson first arrived, he was a breath away from death. Keeping him stable had been a small miracle. Reviving him, however, was another matter entirely.
So taking care of someone in that condition was more of a burden than a blessing.
Still, they kept hoping Arthur would come back. Later, they heard he had returned to Earth, and then that he was off fighting alongside Thor. They figured it was best to let go of their hopes, maybe he had just forgotten.
But while Arthur could forget, they couldn't. What if they forgot and Coulson died while waiting? That would be a nightmare they'd never be able to explain.
So they kept up their care routine, and it had almost become a habit.
When Arthur finally arrived, they thought, "He finally remembered!"
Everyone was in high spirits. An old man, who Arthur recognized immediately, approached him.
They had spoken at length last time, so Arthur wasted no time in asking about Coulson's condition.
The old man sighed, his voice filled with sorrow. "He can't survive."
Arthur exhaled slowly. "It's okay. Where is he? I'll take him."
The old man led Arthur to the innermost room, where Coulson lay hooked up to Asgard's advanced medical systems. Bright lights surrounded him, keeping him alive, but it was clear he was too far gone to recover.
Arthur gave the situation a quick look before asking, "If we disconnect him from these machines, can he survive?"
"He won't wake up," the old man replied, "but he won't die either. However, he'll need a steady supply of energy, either divine power or some other substance to replenish his body's reserves. If not, he will eventually die."
It was essentially a vegetative state.
Arthur thought for a moment, then nodded. This was as good as it was going to get.
He reached out, gently patting Coulson on the shoulder. In an instant, Coulson vanished, leaving no trace behind.
Arthur thanked the healers, then walked out.
A group of people stood, watching him leave, quietly relieved that the troublesome task was over. They thought to themselves that next time, maybe they should let someone else handle it...
Once outside, Arthur unfurled his massive, raven-black wings and soared toward the Golden Palace without hesitation.
He didn't need any formalities. He'd spent enough time in the Golden Palace to know it better than most places. If he were to name the place that felt most like home, the Golden Palace would probably be second, only after his own quarters. He'd spent more time here than even Kamar-Taj.
He landed in front of the Golden Palace's grand entrance and strode inside. There, he found Thor kneeling on one knee, recounting the events of his latest mission. "Odin" was seated, listening intently. Thor hadn't looked up, so he didn't see the expression on "Odin's" face. But Arthur could see it clearly, it was unmistakably smug.
Impressive.
Arthur rolled his eyes internally, stifling a chuckle. It was just Loki taking advantage of Thor's unwavering honesty. Anyone else would have figured it out by now.
But when Loki noticed Arthur's arrival, his expression instantly shifted, becoming much more restrained. He waved a hand dismissively and said, "Alright, I understand. You can leave now."
Thor, clearly bored, was relieved to be excused. As he passed Arthur, he leaned in and whispered, "Wait a moment. When you're done, I'll find you for a drink."
Arthur nodded in agreement. Once Thor had left, he turned his attention to "Odin," who was now looking directly at him. The two shared a long, silent gaze.
After a moment, Loki let out a deep sigh. A layer of light shimmered around him, and in an instant, his form shifted, revealing his true identity.
Loki shook his head. "I thought you'd expose me just now."
Arthur, ever observant, knew the truth instantly. His Eye of Horus allowed him to see through any illusion, and after researching the Light of the Mind, he had a deeper understanding of Loki's tricks. When Loki met his gaze, he knew it was pointless to hide anymore.
The truth was, Arthur had already figured out that Loki wasn't dead, and he could guess just how much Loki had been manipulating the situation.
(End of Chapter)
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