The Royal Palace - Asgard
Ernst was captivated by Frigga's words.
His previous knowledge of the Queen was limited to fragmented lore. He knew she was destined to die during a future invasion by the Dark Elves.
He hadn't realized the true depth of her abilities. She possessed the Sight.
She could discern absolute truth and peer into the shifting currents of the future.
Ernst had offered the Phoenix Blood Potion to Odin specifically to earn favor.
He also calculated that it might be the only thing capable of saving Frigga when her critical moment arrived.
Odin trusted his wife implicitly.
They had fought side-by-side for millennia. Frigga's witchcraft and foresight had saved the Allfather's life countless times.
As Odin accepted the glowing vial, he pondered Frigga's last words:
"I have a feeling it may prove useful in the future."
Odin respected her intuition. Her words were often inadvertent prophecies.
The potion's function was revival. This implied a potential, catastrophic death within the royal family.
It was a terrifyingly precious resource. Who would qualify to use it?
Sensing a sudden, ominous weight settling over his reign, Odin looked down at Ernst.
"I appreciate this gift," Odin rumbled, his voice echoing in the hall.
"I offer you a boon in return. Any request, regardless of its nature, will be fulfilled."
Ernst hesitated.
His first instinct was to refuse, to play the humble scholar. But he was mindful of Odin's status.
Refusing a direct boon from the God-King was a dangerous insult.
Ernst swallowed his objection. He looked at the vial of Phoenix blood in Odin's hand.
Inspiration struck.
"Your Majesty, venerable God-King," Ernst began slowly.
"I must be honest. The essence within that vial is extracted from the blood of a Phoenix."
Ernst paused, choosing his words carefully.
"Due to the unique magnetic environment of my sanctuary, the bird's bloodline is currently undergoing a massive transformation. The process is incredibly time-consuming."
"However," Ernst continued, "a shortcut exists. If I possessed a ray of absolute, divine flame, it could serve as a catalyst. Asgard is the realm of gods. I wonder if you possess such a fire?"
Ernst bowed his head. "I humbly request a spark to aid my Phoenix in completing its evolution."
Odin considered the request. It was an ambitious ask, but mathematically fair for the price of true resurrection.
Odin nodded.
"I can offer you a wisp of the Eternal Flame," Odin declared.
"It originates from the realm of Muspelheim, the source of the fire demon Surtur's power. It burns forever. It will meet your requirements."
Ernst's heart leaped. The Eternal Flame was an apocalyptic artifact.
"Thank you very much for your generous gift, Your Majesty," Ernst expressed with deep gratitude.
His gamble had paid off instantly. The unexpected reward filled him with intense anticipation. The knowledge vaults of Asgard were going to be a goldmine.
As Odin departed the hall, guards escorted Elliot away.
The immortal mason would face severe punishment as a deserter.
Ernst watched him go but remained silent. It was internal Asgardian politics. He had his prize.
The Royal Library - Asgard
Ernst became a highly esteemed guest.
Queen Frigga arranged a luxurious suite for him, complete with a dedicated staff.
Ernst's first action was to assemble a cross-dimensional communicator using spare parts from his bag.
He burned a spatial energy crystal to punch a transmission through the veil back to Earth.
He sent a compressed data packet to the Red Queen.
He explained his situation and ordered her to inform Kyle, Chris, and Tina that he was safe.
With his earthly affairs settled, Ernst plunged into a new, brutal learning regimen.
He dedicated himself entirely to the vast, golden ocean of Asgardian knowledge.
He had to build a new scientific paradigm from scratch.
The Asgardian scholars expected the mortal to take decades just to grasp the foundational mathematics.
Ernst astonished everyone.
Driven by his hyper-evolved brain, Ernst surpassed the knowledge of the average Asgardian academic in exactly one month.
He barely slept. He barely ate.
He spent every waking moment inside the sprawling library. His refusal to waste even a single minute left a deep impression on the palace staff.
His obsessive determination evoked a sense of fear and awe.
Initially, the four warriors had openly disapproved of Ernst following his humiliating defeat of Thor.
But witnessing Ernst's relentless, almost violent pursuit of knowledge altered their perspectives.
Ernst had claimed he was a scientist first. His actions proved it.
Among warriors, absolute dedication commanded respect.
Half a year flew by in the blink of an eye.
For Ernst, it was a profoundly fulfilling era.
Every day brought constant, paradigm-shifting surprises.
The exposure to advanced extraterrestrial mechanics widened his horizons exponentially.
The Asgardians could not have foreseen that a human would assimilate a millennium of research in just six months.
In Ernst's final assessment, Asgard's technological supremacy revolved around two key pillars: Photonic Energy and Spatial Mechanics.
First, their light energy technology was borderline miraculous.
They could harvest and convert any ambient light source, including deadly cosmic radiation, into clean, infinite fuel.
Second, their space technology.
According to the ancient historical texts Ernst devoured, Asgard initially focused solely on energy weapons.
Their spatial technology evolved much later.
Ernst easily deduced the catalyst.
The Tesseract. The Space Stone.
It was the crown jewel of Odin's vault. Ernst hypothesized that Asgard's entire spatial infrastructure was reverse-engineered from studying the Infinity Stone.
The Rainbow Bridge was the ultimate proof.
It was the absolute pinnacle fusion of photonic energy and spatial mechanics.
While primarily used as a mass transit system, the Bifrost was secretly Asgard's most formidable weapon of mass destruction.
When the energy regulators were bypassed, the bridge transformed into a continuous, destructive laser.
It was capable of slicing through tectonic plates and annihilating entire planets, eradicating all life on the surface in minutes.
This apocalyptic capability was Asgard's true deterrent.
It solidified their brutal reputation as the mightiest realm in the Nine Kingdoms.
Furthermore, Ernst uncovered heavily redacted files concerning Yggdrasil, the World Tree.
It wasn't a literal tree.
It was a massive, naturally occurring cosmic phenomenon.
It was a network of raw spatial power connecting nine distinct planetary systems.
Asgard was positioned at the apex node of this network, reaping the densest concentration of cosmic energy.
Ernst was fascinated.
The "branches" of the tree were actually stable wormholes created by immense spatial distortions.
Ernst spent weeks secretly mapping the nodes. He realized that if he could physically harvest a piece of the biological matter growing near these apex nodes, he could craft a magic wand capable of ripping holes in reality.
He conducted subtle, probing magical tests near the palace gardens.
He quickly realized it was impossible.
Asgard worshipped the World Tree. The primary nodes were guarded by Odin's most elite, paranoid sentinels.
Any attempt to harvest the branches would trigger a realm-wide war.
Reluctantly, Ernst shelved the ambition. He would have to wait for a better opportunity.
Unexpectedly, an opportunity arrived that very evening.
The Royal Corridors - Asgard
After a grueling, fourteen-hour study session, Ernst packed his notes and prepared to head to the dining hall.
As he rounded a golden pillar, a tall, slender figure stepped into his path.
The man wore a pristine, emerald-green tunic and an unsettling, perfectly practiced smile.
Loki.
Ernst sighed inwardly. Loki was the absolute last person he wanted to deal with.
Throughout the past six months, the God of Mischief had persistently stalked Ernst.
Loki invented various administrative excuses to engage him, constantly attempting to win the powerful wizard over to his side.
Ernst was hyper-aware of Loki's toxic ambition.
He had zero desire to become entangled in a bloody, fratricidal struggle for the Asgardian throne.
Ernst had successfully used his obsessive study schedule as a shield to ignore the prince.
To his credit, Loki was persistent. He never displayed the usual, arrogant disdain most gods held for mortals. He played the polite, curious intellectual.
"Dr. Ernst," Loki said smoothly, his voice like oiled silk.
"Diligent as ever. Working hard while the rest of the palace feasts."
Loki stepped closer, maintaining his perfectly crafted smile.
"Are you heading to the kitchens? I happen to have a rare moment of free time. How about I invite you to dine? I have a philosophical matter I wish to discuss with a mind of your caliber."
Most mortals would be charmed by the prince's apparent humility. Ernst saw right through the mask.
Ernst opened his mouth to deliver his standard, polite refusal.
But a sudden, sharp calculation flashed through his highly evolved brain.
He needed access to restricted areas. Loki had the keys to the kingdom.
"It is truly an honor to be invited by Prince Loki," Ernst replied, his tone perfectly matching Loki's false politeness.
"How could I decline such gracious hospitality? I accept."
Loki blinked. A flicker of genuine surprise broke through his mask.
Despite dozens of previous, elaborate invitations, this was the first time Ernst had ever agreed.
Loki recovered his composure instantly. His smile widened into something slightly more predatory.
"Excellent," Loki purred.
"Please, follow me. I have arranged a vintage of Asgardian wine that I am certain you will find... enlightening."
Loki did not lead Ernst to the bustling main dining hall.
He guided the wizard through a series of twisting, heavily guarded corridors, arriving at Loki's private, opulent wing of the palace.
As the second prince, Loki's personal kitchens boasted delicacies far superior to the standard royal fare.
They entered a lavish dining room.
A nervous maid promptly served silver platters of exotic meat and poured glowing, amber wine into crystal goblets.
Loki waved a dismissive hand. The maid bowed quickly and scurried out of the room.
The heavy oak doors clicked shut.
Ernst and Loki were completely alone.
Ernst took a slow sip of the glowing wine.
He sighed inwardly.
He had a very strong feeling this meal was going to be incredibly difficult to swallow.