Arthur's face was utterly blank with disbelief. How had the stakes suddenly become this personal?
And judging by Hela's serene, triumphant expression, he couldn't shake the terrifying feeling that she had somehow, fundamentally, tricked him in the last conversation.
"You're not planning to… keep chasing me even after I beat you the third time, are you?"
Arthur stared at Hela, the awful suspicion forming a knot of ice in his gut.
"Chasing you?" Hela straightened her back, looking at him with calm, chilling pride. "Do you truly think I, an Asgardian goddess, would cling obsessively to a mere human?"
Arthur let out a shaky sigh of relief. Good. She still had her divine pride intact.
Though for some reason, that relief carried a faint, bizarre sting of disappointment, being looked down on had its own unique way of irritating him.
Still, deep down, he felt the heavy weight lift. If the "third time" really was the end, then he just needed to train relentlessly and make that final battle the true, conclusive end between them.
But then Hela said, "You're right, I will."
Arthur blinked. "Mm-hmm… wait, what?"
He jerked his head up, eyes wide. "What do you mean by that?"
"I will chase you," said Hela, utterly matter-of-fact. This goddess of the Æsir showed not a single shred of shame or restraint. "Anything I desire, whether it's a planet, a man, or Asgard itself, I will claim with my own hands. Don't think the third time is an end point. My life is endless, and so is yours. Given that, we have all the time in the world to keep entangling ourselves. A hundred years, a thousand… in the end, you'll be mine."
Was this woman a divine delinquent, a cosmic bandit, or something worse?!
Arthur's jaw dropped. He pointed at her, his hand genuinely trembling. "Y-you… you can't just do that!"
"Why not?" Her simple counter-question sliced through his indignation, leaving him speechless.
Hela wasn't like Natasha. Saying "no" wouldn't stop her, and unlike Natasha, she wasn't the kind of woman who would quietly sacrifice everything for a love that could never be.
No. This one was dominant, overwhelming, carrying a destructive kind of passion that could swallow worlds whole. She had just declared, openly and unapologetically: I'm in your life now. Deal with it.
What the hell am I supposed to deal with?!
Arranged marriages were supposed to be resisted by both parties, weren't they? Why was she taking Odin's plan so seriously?!
Arthur ran his hands frantically through his hair. Even the ancient entity Ego, with millions of years of experience, had never given him a frame of reference for this level of situation!
Ego had been simple and brutal, plant the "seed," then leave, never caring what became of the woman afterward. Ego had countless "relationships," but none of those women knew about each other, they were light-years apart, after all. Who could possibly know that Ego had lovers scattered across the galaxies?
In short, Ego had never faced a situation like this, and even in his eternity of existence, he had absolutely nothing that could help Arthur now.
So here he was, sitting across from Hela, who looked as serene and unbothered as ever, while all Arthur could do was tug at his own hair and internally lose his mind.
"This is actually something that benefits both of us," Hela said, fixing her unsettling gaze on him. "My ambition could find its ultimate focus in you. Through the endless years, I could stay by your side. With you, my hatred for Asgard would finally fade, and I wouldn't feel compelled to destroy them completely. Do you know why Odin wanted to push us together? Deep down, he knows how complicated my feelings toward Asgard are, and your strength and character give him the confidence to entrust Asgard to you. So, if you and I unite, and you become King, Odin will surely support you. Do you realize what that means?"
She pressed the political advantage, her voice gaining a compelling warmth. "In the ages to come, Asgard could finally know true peace and stability. And Earth, under Asgard's protection, would be safe from all but the most catastrophic cosmic threats. The world would prosper, isn't that what you want to see?"
Hela continued, her fierce eyes softening only a fraction. "And as for us… if you wish it, I could stop conquering other realms altogether. I could stay quietly in Asgard, bear your children, raise them to greatness, and let Asgard's glory continue, generation after generation. Our children, yours and mine, would surely be the most powerful beings in the universe…"
Arthur waved his hands wildly, cutting her off. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on! My dear sister, aren't you getting way ahead of yourself? We haven't even taken the first step, and you're already writing our goddamn family history?!"
Hela's gaze didn't waver. "If you wish to be a superhero, I will help you fulfill that dream. No matter how dangerous the battlefield, I will be your strongest shield."
She tilted her head slightly, the sincerity in her declaration oddly frightening. "So tell me, Arthur, is there anything about me you find unsatisfactory?"
"…"
As a rival, Arthur couldn't be more satisfied with Hela, she was powerful, regal, and absolutely unyielding.
But as a lover?
They'd have to spend eternity together… and that, Arthur thought, was a kind of battle he was definitely not ready for.
They even had to have children?!
Arthur couldn't even imagine what kind of world-breaking children a dominant, violent woman like Hela would give birth to…
Okay, no, that's not the point!
The real issue was: when had he ever agreed to be in a relationship with her?!
And why, out of nowhere, did something that should be between two people have to involve Asgard, Earth, and even the peace of the entire universe?
Wasn't that going way too far?!
Arthur suddenly felt his head pounding. This situation was completely different from what had happened with Natasha. He had this terrible, sinking hunch: if he refused her now, then one day, Hela might actually lead the entire Asgardian pantheon to invade Earth, just to drag him back to Asgard and force him to be her consort.
That was bandit logic, divine or otherwise!!!
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, until finally he shot to his feet and shouted, "No! Absolutely not! I'm not doing it!"
"It's fine," Hela said, still seated, still unnervingly calm. "We have all the time in the world. In the countless ages ahead, there will inevitably be a final battle between you and me. It all depends on… how you choose to prepare for it."
Arthur glared at her. "Can't we talk this out rationally?!"
Hela tilted her head, genuinely puzzled. "Have you ever made a rational argument to me?"
"…"
Arthur froze, realizing after a moment of agonizing reflection that she was right, all the back-and-forth had only been happening in his head. He hadn't actually said much of anything aloud.
He coughed awkwardly, just about to open his mouth to try reasoning with her, when Hela raised a commanding hand. "There's no reasoning to be done between us. Unless one day your power grows strong enough to erase me with a snap of your fingers, until then, our only solution is to keep fighting it out! Just be mentally prepared. In this world, might makes right!"
Arthur was left speechless, Hela clearly had no intention of a negotiated settlement at all.
Then, without another word, she stood and turned away. Her body lifted effortlessly into the air, rising high above the shattered, desolate landscape.
"Think carefully about what I said today," she called down, her voice ringing with the authority of ages. "You still have time, but not too much time."
(End of Chapter)
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