Athena's suggestion wasn't born of personal bias—perhaps a little, but no more than ten percent. The magus was quite certain of that, because if he ever suggested it exceeded that number, his beautiful foster mother would throw her spear at him, tip first.
Though Solomon didn't know exactly what had transpired between Hela and Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war had spoken the truth. The aging All-Father of the gods was indeed extremely dangerous, and that danger only increased with time. Even the Supreme Sorcerer couldn't predict what Odin might do for Asgard's future—there were too many possibilities, and some of the prophecies were horrifying and cruel. Athena had foreseen part of it, including Odin's numerous contingencies for almost any eventuality. But even Odin had his limits.
That limit was Kamar-Taj—the safest magical stronghold in the entire material plane.
A person's life path could be guided, much like shaping the growth of a plant. A powerful seer could orchestrate someone's life trajectory so they developed in a particular direction. The Supreme Sorcerer and Athena had borne this burden, carefully educating Solomon while shielding him from outside interference—even Odin, with all his might and foresight, had been unable to influence him. That was why Athena had initially opposed Solomon's cohabitation with the witch, until they spent years negotiating.
Solomon's birth was part of a grand plan for a rise to power. But the galactic ecosystem held no vacancies.
And so, as part of this plan, a once-great galactic empire would have to step down. Asgard would be the sacrifice, and the Aesir the stepping stone. It was a plan drenched in blood—an intricate web of schemes spanning the deep cosmos. Now, the Supreme Sorcerer and Athena had finally revealed a portion of it to him. Though Solomon had already deduced parts of the truth with his intellect, what he knew still wasn't the whole picture. Hela had been Odin's attempt to unite the Aesir and humanity, granting her titles and power in a bid to escape Ragnarok. But if Solomon rejected this attempt, who could say Odin wouldn't lash out and hurl Gungnir at him? Never underestimate the All-Father—only naïve fools like Thor and Loki thought of him as a kindly old man. Those who knew Asgard's rise understood the one-eyed ancient's hands were soaked in blood—enough to drown a planet.
This was a carefully arranged conversation—meant to help Solomon preserve his pride while accepting that he might need to go into hiding. The witches had been informed in advance—at least Bayonetta had.
"While I don't care about those grand plans, Miranda, the Supreme Sorcerer, and I all agree that you need to understand your situation." She hooked her arm around the magus's neck, her earlier domineering air vanishing in a blink like mist under clear skies. Proof that women were the finest actors in the world—and witches, the best among them. Even while apologizing, Bayonetta maintained her pride and the lilting, flirtatious tone of her kind—always teasing Solomon with soft whispers and subtle touches.
"You're the man who's supposed to get me pregnant. Just like you did half an hour ago." She slipped off her high heels, her long, athletic legs shifting from the sofa's armrest to Solomon's lap. "There's no way I'm risking losing you. Got it, my little boy?"
"I'm not angry. And I don't need this kind of setup to accept a suggestion," Solomon replied with a smile. He kissed Bayonetta on the cheek and opened his mind and emotions to her—a gesture to show that he truly didn't mind the small deception. His heart held only warmth and love, just as he had always longed for. If anything, the gesture made him look like the one apologizing—but he didn't mind at all.
"Then give up emotions, for a king must betray his feelings to make necessary decisions. Holding on to them leads to irrational choices and mental torment," the Supreme Sorcerer had once told him. That conversation had taken place years ago, during a discussion on what it took to be a true ruler. "We don't have the luxury of the Aesir, child. We must risk everything—to survive."
"But not yet." Solomon had replied at the time. "I think I'll know when it's time."
The Supreme Sorcerer had simply nodded. "Of course. I trust you'll know."
"I know you did it for my sake—that's enough." Solomon said. "But next time, I'd like more straightforward advice. Don't treat me like I'm too fragile, my dear witch."
Bayonetta let out a satisfied purr. Jeanne clicked her tongue in annoyance. Lorna rolled her eyes so hard it was almost audible, then hopped off the sofa armrest and went off to play with Cheshire Cat and the barn owl.
"So you can still take the hint?" Athena snorted. "Should I go ahead and prepare a room for you two?"
Meanwhile, Stephanie had just stepped into the Ministry of Internal Affairs office when she received an encrypted call from her superior. She hadn't even had time to report on the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents' recent movements or her recruitment of Lara Croft when Solomon spoke first.
"Today, make sure the teleportation chamber's energy supply is stable," he said. "Apologies, but I'll need you to receive the mages from Kamar-Taj on my behalf."
"What happened?" Stephanie's nerves snapped taut.
In that moment of Solomon's pause, she mentally raced through several scenarios—and all of them were terrible. If Kamar-Taj was fully taking over the Eternal City, or if dark magical creatures in the city's dungeons had been exposed, prompting the mages to intervene, either scenario would mean Solomon had lost control. She felt as if she had swallowed a shard of ice—one that now melted upward, mixing with acid and burning her from the inside out.
Solomon picked up on her distress. Anyone could have, really—her breath practically assaulted the mic.
"Don't worry. I don't know what you're imagining, but I promise it's not that bad." He chuckled reassuringly. "They're just here to reinforce our magical defenses."
"Why?"
"The anti-teleportation wards I cast only cover part of the buildings. They're here to help strengthen and expand the range and variety of the spells. As for why they're willing to help—"
"Tell me, my lord. I believe I have the clearance to know."
"—Before the Royal Guard system is complete, Kamar-Taj needs to ensure my safety," he said. "It's a directive from the Supreme Sorcerer."
"Who could threaten your safety, my lord?!" Stephanie swallowed hard. "We've poured a fortune into our intelligence division—they're capable of identifying any threat to your power. The Martian forge has already begun producing weapons. Your Titan Project is well underway. Even if the enemy were a damned warlock, the Eternal City could crush them. Unless—"
"—Unless the enemy isn't mortal. Unless the enemy is someone who warrants utmost caution." Solomon said. "Until our defense systems are fully operational and diplomatic agreements secured, I must limit my trips back to Europe. I'm sorry I can't tell you more, Stephanie—there's much you'll need to do here in New York."
(End of Chapter)
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