Sigurd heard the whole story and was more surprised than anyone. First of all, the scenario Odin narrated was that of the Stone Age Avengers, which Sigurd had read about in Marvel comics to better understand and feel connected to the movies.
Sigurd's mind raced, trying to pinpoint the era he had been reborn into. The Stone Age Avengers existed in a time period millions of years ago, but according to the Marvel movies, Asgardians could only live for about 5,000 years. However, the comics suggested they could survive much longer.
His desire to know the current date on Midgard grew, but he understood that while a dating system might exist, the 21st century could be far beyond his reach. Doubts began to creep into his mind about whether he could survive for so long, as the power dynamics in the Marvel world were far more complex than one could imagine.
Odin continued, explaining that a few other Celestials had come to Midgard intending to destroy it for killing their brethren. They only relented after verifying that the humans were not responsible, though many had died in the ensuing battles. It was then that Odin learned about the Horde race essentially giant cosmic germs. Any being in contact with them would die or become infected, though the Celestials did not elaborate further.
Sparing Odin and the others, the Celestials did not even retrieve their fallen comrades' bodies. Odin and his allies spent over 50 years searching for any remaining Horde, recognizing them as a grave danger, but found none. Finally, Odin returned to Asgard.
Listening to the story, Sigurd realized the Celestials had withheld information about the Horde and had likely already set in motion their plan for Earth, which would involve sending the Eternals in a few thousand years.
Odin observed everyone's expressions as he recounted his adventure. As the heir to the throne, he needed to build his own legend; otherwise, the people would not regard him with the pride a future king deserved. He was still a young god who had to prove his leadership through battle.
Odin then looked at his brother. "You need to travel to the Nine Realms to understand the situation of each world. We cannot judge anyone if we do not even know their strength."
Sigurd knew these words were meant for him. "Thank you, brother, for your wisdom."
Although he knew about the Marvel world, there was still much he didn't understand, and he had to remain open to the unexpected.
Odin then began to speak of his 50 years on Earth, where he met a sorcerer whose body was that of a demigod. "Agomotto is a truly powerful sorcerer. His magical style is unique and potent enough to seal a Celestial, whose power is close to or even surpasses that of the Sky-Father. He might be a powerful ally for us in future."
Bor, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke. "Let us leave this topic for now. Our main focus should be on the Frost Giants. We will consider other matters later."
Sigurd looked at his father, sensing that Bor knew more about Earth but was unwilling to share. He reflected on Bor's history; in the comics, the god king was never mentioned to have visited Earth in his prime, as if he had been advised against it or something else had prevented him.
Bor turned to Sigurd. "Let us go to the Hall of Valor to awaken your divine power."
Hearing this, Sigurd waited for everyone to move and then followed behind, a nervous feeling growing within him. Although he was born an Asgardian, he feared he might not awaken a godhead. He knew that if that happened, it would be a significant problem. While not every Asgardian developed divine power, he was the God-King's youngest son; he needed power, or there would be no distinction between him and a normal citizen power and that won't help him in this dangerous world at all.
Odin, noticing his brother's nervousness, came to his side. "Are you nervous? Relax. The awakening requires a calm mind. You must focus on the power you can hold."
"Thank you, brother. But I am not sure which divine power will choose me." Sigurd's eyes remained fixed on the Hall of Valor, where the powers of different gods existed in spiritual form, choosing their successors based on their own will, beyond anyone's control.
They arrived at the entrance to the Hall of Valor, where a crowd had already gathered. Among them was Sigurd's mother, Bestla, who was waiting for him.
Sigurd saw his mother and knew she had come specifically for him. As queen, she had many duties and rarely participated in every Asgardian function.
"Greetings, Mother," Sigurd said as he approached her.
Bestla looked at her son, who was thin but well-built, and felt a surge of happiness. "You have forgotten your own mother. You did not come to visit me when you weren't practicing the art of war."
"But Mother, I visited you just yesterday," Sigurd replied.
Bestla didn't blink. For Asgardians, who live for thousands of years, a 15-year-old was merely a child; even a 100-year-old was considered young. "Oh, so the child talks back to his mother now? We will see how I deal with you after this ceremony."
Bor, hearing their exchange, couldn't help but let his mouth twitch into a faint smile. He recognized his wife's bickering for what it was: an attempt to calm their son's heart.
"Enough," Bor said. "Now, enter the hall and focus. Try to connect with the power you feel the greatest resonance with, or you may lose more than you can gain."
Hearing his father's words, Sigurd moved toward the Hall of Valor with great anticipation.
Inside, he saw statues of previous gods, including one of his grandfather, Buri. Although he didn't recognize all the deities, he was sure of his grandfather's portrayal. Even from the statue, he could feel a powerful pressure; Buri had been one of the great elder gods of the universe.
As Sigurd moved deeper into the hall, he saw the World Tree, Yggdrasil. His father had discovered that this tree was connected to the Nine Realms. Odin himself had gained great wisdom from it, forging his weapon, Gungnir, from Uru metal and a branch of the World Tree with help of dwarves. It was here that Odin sacrificed his eye for wisdom and learned the secrets of the runes.
Sigurd's thoughts converged on his brother's history, but he suddenly pulled himself back to the present. Not everyone was destined for the same path as the great God-King of Asgard.