The rings of fire formed by the Eternal Flame caused no damage. The remains within the circle immediately glowed with orange light.
Under the combined influence of the Greed Orange Light and the Eternal Flame, the corpses of the Asgardian army reassembled and sat up in unison.
"Holy crap! They're alive?!"
Thor shouted in shock. He had never seen anything like it.
For years, before meeting Dante, he was the type who charged blindly through battlefields, barely noticing the corpses under his feet. He had never once witnessed an entire army of "ghosts" climb back to life.
"And why is it orange? I distinctly remember that necromancy, the kind that drags corpses out of graves, should glow green."
Loki, more rational, analyzed after his initial moment of surprise.
But before they could get an answer, a long wolf howl rang out behind them.
They turned.
Like the soldiers, the massive wolf had also risen.
With the Greed Orange Light filling in the decay, Fenris, once reduced to bones, was restored to the colossal wolf of their memories, the beast that devoured everything.
But unlike the soldiers, whose souls had long dissipated and who were now nothing more than shells controlled by the Eternal Flame and Orange Light, Fenris was different.
Fenris was an Asgardian God. His soul had never left. It had remained in solitude, waiting for his Master, the Goddess of Death.
And then, as always, Dante ruined the dramatic atmosphere.
"Alright, alright. Asgardian army, form ranks!"
He barked the order, and the soldiers assembled instantly.
Then he looked at Hela.
"Raise the Furnace. That's right. Now these Asgardian warriors, brought back by the Eternal Flame and Orange Light, are truly your power once again."
Though she wore the Primordial Orange Ring, Hela's understanding of it was shallow. She thought it was like the Green or Red Lantern Rings, just a weapon to channel the orange spectrum.
But when Dante commanded the resurrected soldiers, the Greed Orange Light began to flood her with knowledge.
In the original timeline, Orange Lanterns materialized the enemies they killed as Orange Lantern Constructs, retaining all their power, to serve their master.
But this Primordial Furnace was different. Forged with uru, stellar energy, mammon's blood, and the Eternal Flame, its properties had changed.
Now, the warriors who once followed her across the Nine Realms were her Orange Lantern Specter army.
They could exist physically or be stored as specters within the Furnace.
Fenris, however, was an exception.
As the Asgardian soldiers marched proudly toward Hela, their forms shifted into pure Greed Orange Light and flowed into the Furnace.
Soon, the mausoleum that had been "revived" was quiet again, leaving only Dante, the three Asgardian siblings…
…and Fenris.
The giant wolf squatted on the ground, rolling over and begging for pets.
He could not transform into a specter.
No matter how Dante tried, the dog stayed solid, unable to become pure energy like the army.
After studying for a while, Dante reached a conclusion.
Because Fenris's soul had never departed, when his body was repaired by the Eternal Flame and Orange Light, his soul returned to his flesh.
This wolf had been truly resurrected.
A genuine resurrection.
Dante had originally regretted losing the chance to have Fenris as an Orange Lantern Specter. A beast who could spar with Hulk would've been terrifying.
But seeing the loyalty and adoration in Fenris's eyes as he looked at Hela, like a child toward its parent, Dante decided it didn't matter.
One more or less specter made no difference.
Besides, under the Eternal Flame's power, Fenris's body brimmed with vitality again.
…
"Fenris, sit."
"Awooo!"
"Fenris, spin."
"Awooo awooo!"
"Fenris, backflip… Holy crap, you actually can?!"
In Asgard's garden, Dante commanded Fenris like a circus trainer.
After leaving Odin's vault, Hela and her brothers were summoned to Odin.
That gave her the chance to tell him she had resurrected Asgard's dead warriors as energy beings.
Odin had only summoned his children. Dante, being the spare wheel, naturally didn't go.
So, guided by an attendant, Dante arrived at Asgard's garden.
While he had been on Nidavellir forging the Furnace, the Star Team, plus high schoolers Peter Parker and Jessica Jones, had stayed here, living the good life.
Now, Dante brought Fenris to meet them.
And to everyone's surprise, Fenris not only followed Dante but flawlessly obeyed his commands.
Logic said Fenris should only obey Hela.
But after his resurrection, Fenris instinctively treated Dante as family too.
Dante figured it was because of the Orange Ring. Though split into two, his and Hela's rings were still one Primordial Ring. The authority was the same.
To Fenris, Dante was basically another Hela.
So, sit, spin, backflip — all performed perfectly.
Fenris immediately stole the spotlight from the Star Team and the kids.
"What a big dog!"
Harley was the first to squeal, dropping the flower she had been "studying."
She didn't understand botany, but she liked cutting flowers apart.
And now, she liked Fenris more.
"Um, Teacher Harley, with respect, isn't that a giant wolf?" Jessica Jones asked cautiously.
She never treated Dante with respect, but Harley Quinn? Even Jessica held back.
That alone said enough about Harley's authority as an instructor at New S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy.
"A wolf?" Harley's interest immediately dropped. "So not a puppy? Damn. I wanted to put Flower's pink dress on him. Oh well, guess it wouldn't fit. He's too big."
Flower was the hyena she once kept in Arkham. Bruce had arranged for it, but after Harley's release, she forgot about it. Bruce probably had it released back into the wild by now.
Dante ignored Harley's fleeting obsession. He gestured, and Fenris obediently lay down behind him, watching the Midgardians curiously.
The moment his eyes fell on Hulk, the wolf froze.
A predator's instinct.
Hulk also stared, fighting intent flashing.
A wolf this size had to be strong.
But Dante shot him one look, and Hulk backed down instantly.
"Hulk, we're at Hela's home. Do you remember what I told you?"
"No. Hulk cannot destroy a friend's home."
"Good. Remember that." Dante smirked. "Fenris is coming to Earth with us. Then you can fight him eight hundred times a day for all I care."
Hulk nodded quickly.
He trusted Dante one hundred percent.
First, Dante was stronger.
Second, Dante kept him fed.
And not just Hulk. Every personality inside him, including Banner, trusted Dante.
Few people understood Hulk and Banner. Not even their teammates in the Star Team or Coulson's crew.
Only Dante did.
"Hela's problem is resolved. Once she and her brothers finish with Odin, we prepare to return to Earth."
"So fast?"
Dante turned. Of course it was Peter Parker.
"What did you expect? Vacation in Asgard?" Dante rolled his eyes. "For you, sure, it's been a vacation. For me and Hela? It's been nonstop."
"…You're right."
Even Peter had nothing to add.
Because it was true.
For them, lounging in the garden was rare peace.
For Dante and Hela, it had been work.
They'd come expecting a tough mission. Instead, it turned into an all-expenses-paid trip.
And no FBI agent actually longed for war.
But…
A warning flared in Dante's chest.
Danger.
He looked toward it. At the same time, Peter looked in the same direction.
"Peter. You feel it too, don't you?"
"Agent Dante… how did you know?"
"Nonsense. You're an FBI Academy student. If we don't understand your powers, how can we teach you?"
"You're right. My Spider-Sense says danger is coming. From there."
He pointed toward Odin's residence.
…
After being summoned, Hela and her brothers headed there.
Halfway, Thor asked, "Elder Sister, are we going back to Earth immediately?"
"I don't need to stay in Asgard. I am the Master of Midgard now." Hela didn't look back. "As for you two, you signed the contract. You'll fulfill it."
"You're right," Thor nodded.
"Hey! Does nobody care about my feelings?" Loki jabbed a thumb at himself. "I mean, I agree we should go back to Earth, but you could at least ask me."
"Hmph."
Two cold snorts hit him at once.
Loki's heart froze.
Sure enough. Adopted. Always sidelined. Sniffle.
He conveniently ignored all the traps he'd laid for Thor over the years.
They soon reached Odin's residence.
Thor hesitated, but Loki quickly stepped forward.
"Father, we've arrived."
He even glanced at Thor.
What an idiot. Are you waiting for Sister and Father to start first?
On the surface, Hela and Odin had reconciled. But resentment still burned in her, especially over being erased from Asgard's history and Fenris's death.
Even Thor finally sensed it, guilt flickering in his eyes.
The residence door opened.
They entered. It was unusually dark.
"Father, are you here? We've arrived."
Thor strolled forward carelessly.
He reached Odin's bed. Someone lay there under the blanket.
"Father, what's wrong!?"
Thor grabbed the blanket.
A dagger shot out, aiming for his face.
Thor's instincts flared. He dodged instantly.
A Nightsword pinned the assassin and the blanket to the bed.
Loki yanked the blanket back.
Black armor. Pale skin.
A Dark Elf from Svartalfheim.
(To be continued.)
***
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