The mage's contributions during the battle had been timely and effective. From the hauntingly beautiful song of his phoenix to the eerie shadowy whip, Solomon's spells had significantly aided the fight. However, Thor cast a glance at the rivet-studded, clunky explosive rifle in Solomon's hands, a weapon far from elegant.
The rifle hurt when it hit, but that was about it.
This left Solomon marveling at the Asgardians' incredible resilience. He had assumed that even if a stray bullet struck Thor's armor, it might penetrate through to flesh. After all, the cursed warrior had lost chunks of flesh to Rodin's handcrafted bullets—even with the added damage from Solomon's Binding Lash spell, which hadn't reduced the warrior's constitution much at that point.
Yet Thor remained entirely unharmed, even when bullets exploded near him. It was extraordinary—an enviable physique and innate talent. Asgard's dominance over the cosmos, including its territories beyond the Nine Realms, was no accident. Few species in the universe could match such robust bodies. Judging by current trends, Thor's power might one day surpass even Odin's.
This realization weighed heavily on Solomon.
"We should return to Asgard immediately," Solomon said, extending a hand toward Thor while glancing at the bubbling, mucky pond nearby. There was no life left in the pond, save for an ancient, nearly immobile frog. Solomon thought it best to leave before accusations of environmental destruction came their way. "Who knows what's happening in Asgard now? When we left, the fighting had just reached the palace gardens. Doesn't the palace have air defenses?"
"It does," Thor replied, sniffing as he grabbed Solomon's hand. The force of his grip nearly toppled Solomon, but he managed to stand. Thor hoisted the massive body of the cursed warrior onto his shoulder, showing no sign of the exhaustion he had displayed moments earlier. "Our defenses are built using mountain giant technology, but they failed. There must be an issue inside the palace. We have many enemies to face. Let me summon Heimdall—stand close to me… Heimdall!"
Thor looked skyward and called out, while Solomon tilted his head up, waiting for the Bifrost to descend.
Seconds passed, but the expected beam of light never appeared. Thor called for Heimdall again, but the Bifrost remained absent, his agitation growing. The state of Asgard seemed increasingly dire. Before leaving, they had seen dark elf soldiers leaping from their ships, their blank, white masks exuding a chilling aura—not physical, but psychological. These soldiers seemed utterly indifferent to everything, devoid of interest or emotion.
Solomon shared Thor's concern, having recently pieced together how Malekith had used the Aether to cheat death.
To put it simply, the act of destruction wrought by Bor, the former Allfather, which had wiped out the Dark Elves, paradoxically ensured Malekith's survival.
As above, so below; as below, so above. To achieve the miracle of the One Thing.
This principle, rooted in alchemical philosophy, suggested harmony and reflection between the macrocosm—universe, nature, and ideals—and the microcosm—individual, soul, and spirit. In the transformative process of alchemy, liberating the spirit from matter re-creates both the material and the spiritual, mirroring the cosmos.
The same concept could apply to the relationship between a race and its individuals.
This explained why Malekith had preserved only a small number of dark elf soldiers. By sacrificing his race, he had ensured his survival and that of a select few.
It was a terrifying mastery of alchemy, manipulating life and death through something akin to the Philosopher's Stone. Only one person, Nicolas Flamel (also known as Niccolò Lemel), had ever achieved such feats before. A witch Solomon once encountered had also relied on Chthon's power, but her methods weren't on the same level—transforming life to death was far simpler than the reverse.
Malekith had deceived Bor into believing the Dark Elves were extinct, flipping the concepts of life and death entirely.
"Perhaps Heimdall is preoccupied," Thor offered awkwardly.
"Excuse me…" A small girl with messy, curly red hair emerged from the bushes. Thor noticed her trembling legs and instinctively lowered the cursed warrior's corpse to obscure the grisly sight. He even considered whistling casually to appear nonchalant.
Solomon, less tactful, merely rolled his eyes. He had noticed the children earlier but decided against addressing them. The secluded location and the absence of a confidentiality contract in his dimensional bag left him hoping to leave without further complications. Otherwise, he would have hauled the kids over to sign a contract already. With the Convergence approaching, Kamar-Taj had few people to spare for trivial matters.
As for the Sorcerer Supreme, she was likely no longer in this dimension. Solomon touched the hidden artifact beneath his robes, his thoughts briefly turning to otherworldly entities.
One way or another, Kamar-Taj was not an option for reaching Asgard.
Anduin and Newton also emerged, with Anduin struggling to contain his companions' enthusiasm. The fight they had witnessed was "awesome," a spectacle of magic and might beyond anything ordinary. While Anduin remained concerned, Daenerys Hermione Lucien was anything but satisfied.
"Excuse me… Do you need help?" Dany asked, her voice trembling with a mix of excitement and fear after witnessing such a savage yet elegant battle. Thor glanced at Solomon, who shrugged—it certainly looked like they could use help. Thor's muddy hair and Solomon's sweat- and dirt-streaked face were evidence enough.
"Ahem. If you have… towels, perhaps," Thor replied.
"We do!" Dany proclaimed proudly. "We've got lots of towels at home. But we can't stay here—the community police will arrive soon. Old Mark is slow, but when we broke a water pipe once, it took him forever to show up, so we had plenty of time to play first. But I bet you don't want to deal with police—that'd be a hassle!"
"Fine, little miss," Solomon interjected. "If you have towels and hot tea and can keep the police away, we'll accept your help. But let me warn you—"
"You don't want us to tell anyone. We get it," Newton interrupted with a nod. "We won't say a word."
"And my mom won't mind helping you!" Dany added cheerfully. Behind her, Anduin looked worried. "She'll be so thrilled to meet you, she might faint!"
"I'd prefer no one faint," Solomon sighed, echoed by the phoenix on his shoulder. "And I hope you have a large tarp and that your mother isn't too attached to her garden. Heimdall's landing can be… destructive."
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