Now that, was a prize worth celebrating.
Darren's eyes gleamed as he stared at the Uru metal glinting in his palm. He hadn't expected Thor's old man to be this generous.
This was no ordinary metal.
This was the metal, the same divine material used to forge Mjolnir and Gungnir, the backbone of Asgard's most legendary weapons.
"Good stuff," Darren murmured, turning it over in his hand. "But... how the hell do I use it?"
[Players can fuse Uru Metal into any equipment to imbue it with Uru's magical properties. The effect depends on the equipment type and size.]
The game system's voice chimed in at just the right moment.
"Well, that's convenient," Darren said, nodding appreciatively, only to immediately fall into his old enemy: choice paralysis.
What should he upgrade?
He went over his options,
His Golden Desert Eagle, his Sun Blade, the Gantz Suit, and of course, his BT Vanguard Titan.
Each one was powerful in its own right, but which would benefit the most?
After a long moment of contemplation, he sighed and decided to keep the Uru Metal stored away for now. No need to rush. There might come a day when he'd find the perfect piece of gear for it.
Pity, though, he couldn't run the Asgard Arena twice. If he could, he'd probably set up camp there permanently.
...
Stepping out of his palace, Darren immediately sensed something off in the air.
Asgard's usually tranquil streets were crawling with soldiers. Patrols doubled. Tension rippled through the golden city.
Curious, Darren made his way toward the Golden Palace. Just as he approached, he spotted the Warriors Three marching by with a platoon of Asgardian troops.
"Hey! What's going on?" Darren called out.
Volstagg, never one to hold his tongue, turned back and shouted, "Loki's escaped from the dungeon! He stabbed Thor on the way out! Heimdall's tracking him right now, we're going to bring him back!"
Before Fandral and Hogun could stop him from oversharing, it was already too late.
"Loki escaped?" Darren raised an eyebrow.
So Asgard had its very own redemption arc now?
Before he could ask more, the trio and their soldiers boarded their ships and blasted off into the skies.
And just like that, Darren's curiosity got the better of him.
He turned and walked straight into the Golden Palace.
Despite the supposed crisis, the atmosphere inside remained composed. Guards stood firm, routines continued; the majesty of Asgard's order was unshaken.
It made sense, really.
When the All-Father himself was sitting on the throne, panic was pointless.
If Odin decided to handle it, the problem would disappear.
And if even Odin couldn't handle it...
Well, then the best thing to do was strike a heroic pose and wait for annihilation.
...
Using the access pass Sif had given him earlier, Darren explained his purpose to the guards. They led him through the grand corridors toward the Hall of Healing.
A few guards stood watch outside the doors. When they saw him, they didn't block his way, apparently, Frigga had already told them to expect him.
Inside, Thor lay flat on an elegant, rune-lined medical apparatus that looked like a mix between a stasis pod and an alien sarcophagus.
Beside him stood Queen Frigga, her hand resting lightly on his shoulder.
"Mother, let me go!" Thor's voice was hoarse with frustration. "Loki escaped! I have to bring him back!"
Frigga's voice was calm, gentle, but carried a quiet authority.
"Thor, your wounds are grave. You need rest. Leave Loki to me."
Her tone was kind, but her hand held him down with the ease of a goddess. Thor strained, but he might as well have been pinned beneath a mountain.
"It's nothing!" he protested. "Just a scratch!"
Frigga sighed softly. "A hole through your side is not a scratch, my son."
Then, sensing Darren's presence, she turned, her gaze softening.
"Darren, I'm glad you came. This child is far too stubborn for his own good. Would you help me convince him to stay and heal?"
[NPC Frigga has issued you a new quest!]
[Quest: Convince Thor]
[Objective: Persuade Thor to remain in the Hall of Healing until his wounds recover.]
[Reward: +1000 EXP, +10 Frigga Favorability, 2 Random Items]
"Of course," Darren said at once.
"Thank you." Frigga smiled, graceful and radiant even in worry, before departing to deal with the Loki situation herself.
The poor woman, neither of her sons ever gave her a moment's peace.
As soon as she left, Darren turned to Thor. "So... what happened this time? Loki just decided to jailbreak for fun?"
Thor's expression twisted with guilt. "He tricked me, Darren! I did exactly as you said, treated him kindly, tried to guide him. Today, he told me he'd realized his mistakes, even wept for forgiveness... and asked me for a hug."
"And?" Darren already knew where this was going.
"And it was an illusion!" Thor roared. "The real Loki stabbed me from behind and ran off!"
Darren rubbed his temples.
"Again?" he muttered. "How many times are you going to fall for the same trick, man?"
Thor sighed, then pulled his shirt aside to reveal the wound, right near the kidney.
Darren's expression went blank.
"Oh, for, did he stab you there on purpose?"
It hit him instantly. Of course Loki did. That devious little bastard had deliberately targeted Thor's kidney, literally robbing Asgard's crown prince of his godly vitality.
If that wasn't political sabotage, what was?
"I'm going after him," Thor said, forcing himself upright.
Darren pushed him back down. "No. Frigga told you to rest."
Thor waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry. Loki's stabbed me there since childhood, I'll be fine."
Darren stared. "..."
What kind of brotherly relationship was this?
The more he learned about these two, the less he wanted to understand them.
Thor tried to stand again, muscles straining. Darren gritted his teeth, he wasn't strong enough to overpower the God of Thunder by brute force.
Frigga could do it with one hand; Darren, not so much.
If persuasion didn't work... well, he had other methods.
He reached into his inventory and pulled out a small lump of pitch-black matter, the "Dark Matter" dish he'd received earlier.
The thing pulsed faintly, radiating an aura that screamed "Do not eat me."
Thor opened his mouth to argue again, and Darren, moving faster than lightning, shoved the substance straight between his teeth.
Thor gagged, his Adam's apple bobbing instinctively as he swallowed before realizing his mistake.
A heartbeat later, his face contorted.
"What... what is that taste, "
His eyes bulged. His skin turned from red to purple in seconds. Every muscle in his body spasmed before he collapsed limply back onto the healing pod like a puppet with cut strings.
The air filled with the scent of ozone and regret.
Even for a god, that thing was too much.
[Quest "Convince Thor" Completed!]
[Rewards: +1000 EXP, +10 Frigga Favorability, Items: "Spoon Slayer" and "Drumstick"]
[Item: Spoon Slayer – Summons an invisible assassin who attacks enemies endlessly with a spoon. Cannot be seen, trapped, or killed. Duration: Eternal.]
[Item: Drumstick – Restores HP upon consumption.]
Darren froze, rereading the first item description twice. Then,
"Hoo..." he exhaled slowly.
That was... horrifying.
Sure, the damage might be minimal. But an immortal, invisible spoon assassin that attacked forever? That was the kind of nightmare that broke people.
A slow grin spread across his face.
"Congratulations, Asgard," he murmured. "You've just invented psychological warfare."
...
Thor lay peacefully unconscious behind him.
Darren pocketed the new items and stretched lazily.
Mission accomplished.
And for once, the god of thunder would actually rest.