With Vilgax's destruction, the space war that had threatened to consume multiple realities finally drew to its close. But victory, Ben was discovering, carried its own burdens that were in some ways more challenging than the conflict itself.
The Nine Realms, once the crown jewel of Asgardian civilization, now existed largely in name only. Malekith's earlier campaigns had already destabilized the dimensional framework that connected these legendary worlds, while Vilgax's space rampage had completed what the Dark Elf king had begun.
Asgard itself had been transformed into a necropolis of black thorns and death-touched architecture, its golden spires replaced by Hela's obsidian monuments to conquest. One of the underworld realms had been completely shattered during Ben's earlier interventions, and while he had managed to piece it back together using space forces, the result was more patchwork than restoration.
Jotunheim remained the frozen wasteland it had been for generations, its Frost Giant population long since reduced to a handful of survivors scattered across the galaxy. Muspelheim bore the scars of Vilgax's occupation, its volcanic forges dimmed and its Fire Giant rulers either dead or enslaved.
Only Vanaheim had emerged from the crisis relatively intact, thanks largely to Loki.
Now, in the aftermath of universal-scale destruction, Ben found himself facing a responsibility he had never sought and didn't particularly want.
"Shouldn't you be the one handling this?" Ben demanded, glaring at Odin with the kind of exasperation that came from dealing with someone who was clearly trying to avoid responsibility.
The All-Father, who had indeed grown noticeably younger and more relaxed since taking up residence in Genesis, simply smiled with the serene confidence of someone who had already made up his mind.
"The Nine Realms require strong leadership," Odin replied with maddening reasonableness. "And you have demonstrated that strength in ways I never could."
Beside them, the Ancient One sipped her tea with the satisfied expression of someone who had successfully achieved retirement and had no intention of getting dragged back into space politics. Her transition away from active leadership had been remarkably smooth, the mystic arts community and the Plumbers had developed an effective working relationship during the recent crisis, while her former students had proven themselves more than capable of handling dimensional threats.
Let other people worry about invasions from the Dark Dimension, she thought contentedly. The Earth was no longer the vulnerable backwater it had once been. If entities like Dormammu wanted to test themselves against the current planetary defenses, they were welcome to try. She doubted they would enjoy the experience.
"The Nine Realms have been Asgard's territory since time immemorial," Ben continued, his voice carrying the patient tone of someone explaining something obvious to a particularly dense child. "You can't just abandon them because cleaning up after a space war sounds like work."
"Ah, but that's where you're mistaken," Odin countered, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "The Nine Realms have only acknowledged Asgard's authority for a few thousand years, barely a moment in space terms. And that conquest was achieved by me and my daughter Hela during her... less enlightened period. I never truly approved of her methods."
He gestured expansively, as if discussing the weather rather than the fate of entire dimensional realms. "Now Hela is in your custody, Asgard has been transformed beyond recognition, and the old order has clearly ended. It's only natural that new leadership should emerge from those who proved themselves during the crisis."
Ben recognized the tactic immediately, Odin was throwing around enough philosophical justification to make his abandonment of responsibility sound like space wisdom rather than laziness.
"You're just trying to stick me with the cleanup work," Ben accused.
"Perhaps," Odin admitted cheerfully. "But consider the benefits. After thousands of years bearing the burden of rulership, I've learned that titles and territories are far less important than the wisdom to know when to pass them on to more capable hands."
The Ancient One set down her tea cup and decided to contribute something more substantial than amused observation.
"Odin raises a valid point," she said, her voice carrying the authority of someone who had witnessed the rise and fall of countless civilizations. "The crisis has already fundamentally altered the dimensional structure connecting these realms. The old World Tree, which had been dying for millennia, finally collapsed completely when Vilgax was destroyed."
She gestured toward the window, where Genesis could be glimpsed through dimensional barriers that had become increasingly permeable. "The new World Tree is already taking root, nourished by your Mana rather than traditional Asgardian might. In a very real sense, the Nine Realms have already changed hands, this is simply the formal recognition of what has already occurred."
Ben followed her gaze, his enhanced perceptions allowing him to see the energy flows she was describing. Threads of Mana were indeed spreading throughout the dimensional substrate, creating new connections and pathways that bypassed the traditional Asgardian infrastructure entirely.
"This is space reincarnation in action," Odin added, his tone becoming more serious as he addressed the fundamental nature of what they were witnessing. "Ragnarok, the twilight of the gods, has begun and ended without most of the universe noticing. The seeds I once planted with Odin-force have become seeds of Mana. The old Nine Realms have been shattered, but new ones will inevitably emerge under your guidance."
He leaned back in his chair, looking remarkably satisfied with this space transition. "Besides, the entire premise of Asgardian authority was based on my promise to provide protection during times of crisis. That promise was broken when I couldn't prevent the recent catastrophe. The Plumbers, however, did provide that protection, successfully. I suspect King Eitri and the other surviving leaders would be quite willing to acknowledge Sakaar as their new protector."
Ben had to admit the old god had a point, however inconvenient it might be. "The dwarves have already requested permission to settle on Sakaar," he confirmed reluctantly. "They're too traumatized to return to Nidavellir and would prefer to establish new forges beneath the surface of my world."
The decision had been easy enough to make. Sakaar possessed abundant space, its native population and the Korbinite refugees combined numbered only in the millions, barely a fraction of what the planet could comfortably support. The dwarven survivors, perhaps fifty thousand individuals in total, would hardly strain available resources.
More importantly, their legendary craftsmanship would be invaluable during Sakaar's ongoing reconstruction. With Eitri's people working alongside Plumber engineers and Korbinite shipwrights, the planet would emerge from its recent trials stronger and more capable than ever before.
"But ruling nine realms..." Ben shook his head, contemplating the administrative nightmare that would entail. "The Plumbers already coordinate with dozens of star systems and galactic governments. Adding broken pocket dimensions to that mix sounds like a recipe for perpetual headaches."
"You're thinking about this incorrectly," the Ancient One interjected, refilling her tea cup with the unhurried precision of someone who had all the time in the multiverse. "The energies that Vilgax absorbed during his rampage haven't simply vanished, they're returning to the space substrate as the new World Tree establishes itself. Those powers will gradually restore the damaged realms, with the process accelerating as your own authority becomes more firmly established."
She took a sip before continuing. "As Lord of the Nine Realms, you'll receive metaphysical feedback from that restoration process. The stronger and more stable these dimensions become, the greater your own capabilities will grow. It's a symbiotic relationship, as long as the realms prosper, you'll be functionally immortal and possess power that scales with their combined might."
This was how the Asgardian pantheon had originally functioned, she explained. Their gods weren't simply powerful individuals, they were living embodiments of their realms' strength and stability.
"Of course," she added with a slight smile, "you already possess the genetic template for space godhood. Your Asgardian transformation would become significantly more powerful if bound to the Nine Realms' dimensional network."
Ben considered this. His Aesirion form, the space god transformation derived from Thor's DNA, had always seemed underutilized compared to his other aliens. The prospect of it becoming a multiversal-scale power source was intriguing, if not necessarily appealing.
"Excellent!" Odin declared, slapping Ben on the shoulder with enough force to rattle windows. "I hereby formally transfer all authority over the Nine Realms to you. Congratulations on your new position!"
Before Ben could object, the All-Father had already begun backing toward the exit with the practiced haste of someone who had just successfully delegated an enormous responsibility.
"Wait, you can't just, " Ben started.
"I'm afraid I must depart immediately," Odin continued, his retreat accelerating. "Family obligations, you understand. Thor is still somewhat upset about certain... educational deceptions I employed during his character development."
The truth was that Thor had finally learned about his father's staged death and the various other psychological manipulations Odin had employed over the centuries. The God of Thunder's newfound maturity hadn't extended to forgiveness for being treated like a particularly slow child, and he had spent the past several weeks using his enhanced divine power to hunt his father across the Nine Realms.
Even hiding in Genesis hadn't provided safety, since Thor's Mana-enhanced abilities allowed him to enter and exit Ben's dimension at will. The rainbow bridge he now commanded operated on principles that transcended conventional dimensional barriers.
"He's become quite persistent," Odin admitted with what might have been parental pride. "I believe he intends to challenge me to single combat in order to settle various grievances. Best to let him work through his feelings before we attempt reconciliation."
With that, the former ruler of Asgard vanished in a flash of displaced air, leaving Ben holding the metaphysical bag for an entire dimensional realm system.
"Well," the Ancient One observed, her amusement evident, "that went about as expected. Odin has been looking for an excuse to retire from space politics for at least a century."
Ben slumped into the chair Odin had vacated, contemplating the scope of what he had just inherited. "So now I'm responsible for rebuilding multiple shattered dimensions, managing the surviving populations of various mythological species, and maintaining the space balance that keeps the universe from unraveling. Wonderful."
"It's not as overwhelming as it sounds," the Ancient One assured him. "Most of the work will be handled by the dimensional restoration process itself. Your primary responsibilities will be establishing new leadership structures and ensuring that former enemies don't immediately restart their ancient conflicts."
She set down her tea cup and leaned forward slightly, her expression becoming more focused. "Among the Nine Realms, Jotunheim, Niflheim, and Nidavellir have effectively ceased to exist as independent entities. However, Sakaar and Genesis can easily be integrated into the dimensional network to replace them."
The logistics were actually quite elegant, she explained. Jotunheim had been depopulated for generations, maybe incorporating its frozen territories into Sakaar's northern regions would provide additional space while preserving the realm's essential nature. Nidavellir's technological infrastructure could be rebuilt on Sakaar using the dwarven refugees' expertise.
"Niflheim can be merged with Helheim," she continued. "One realm of the dead is sufficient for the new configuration. As for the Tenth Realm, Heaven, it can be restored to the network now that its angelic population has been... pacified."
The various hostile factions that had allied with Malekith and Vilgax presented a more complex challenge. The fire demons of Muspelheim, the surviving Dark Elves, and the angelic warriors of Heaven had all surrendered when their space benefactor was destroyed, but they remained potentially dangerous if left unmanaged.
"Simple imprisonment would be wasteful," Ben mused, already beginning to see potential solutions. "They possess skills and knowledge that could be useful if properly directed."
"Precisely. Odin's children could serve as regional administrators," the Ancient One suggested. "Thor has certainly matured enough to handle significant responsibility, while Loki's talents are well-suited to managing the more... diplomatically challenging populations."
Ben nodded slowly. The plan was taking shape in his mind, a new Nine Realms structure that combined traditional elements with the practical necessities of post-war reconstruction.
"And the Tenth Realm that was cast into the void," he said, remembering the angelic dimension that had been severed from the World Tree in ancient times, "I've been meaning to establish a proper command center for interdimensional operations. Converting Heaven into a strategic outpost would serve multiple purposes."
The Ancient One smiled with satisfaction. "I believe you're beginning to appreciate the opportunities this position provides, rather than simply focusing on its burdens."
Ben had to admit she had a point. The Lord of the Nine Realms wielded authority that extended across multiple dimensions and reality layers, power that could be used to prevent future space crises rather than simply responding to them after the fact.
"Fine," he said, settling back in his chair with resignation that was only partially feigned. "I accept the position. But I'm delegating the actual administration to people who understand bureaucracy better than I do."
"A wise decision," the Ancient One agreed. "True leadership involves knowing when to trust others with the details while maintaining focus on the larger vision."
As she spoke, Ben was already beginning to plan the new structure of his expanded domain. The Nine Realms would rise again, stronger, more united, and better prepared for whatever space threats the future might hold.
The age of Asgard was ending, but the age of Sakaar was just beginning.
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