The flow of time seemed to slow down, as if affected by the Time Stone itself. At least, that's how it felt to Lothar. His useless heart was pounding, and the sight of Hela holding out the engagement earring was seared into his mind.
"What's wrong, don't you approve?" In the setting of the beautiful galaxy, Hela's playful smirk was jarring. "Listen, Lothar. I'm not going to dwell on what happened between you and that Mera because I was sealed away then, unsure if I was dead or alive."
"But I'm back now. So, no one can take you from me. Do you understand what I'm saying?" The silver earring sparkled in Hela's hand. Lothar's lack of reaction was exactly what she had expected.
She stood on her tiptoes and placed the earring on Lothar's right earlobe.
"It's so much more pleasing to the eye now that it's symmetrical," Hela said, pleased with her work. Lothar's left earlobe already held the earring Thanos had given him to absorb her dimensional energy. Now, Hela had filled the empty spot on his right ear. It was perfect.
"Well? Aren't you going to do it?" Hela asked, holding out her palm, where another earring remained. The meaning was clear: she wanted symmetry, too.
"I have no interest in conquering the universe," Lothar said, finally snapping out of his daze. He turned his head and refused with a smirk, but his hands didn't hesitate. Under Hela's gaze, he completed the task, making her ears symmetrical.
"I know. Right now, you're only interested in killing Frieza," Hela said. Even after more than a thousand years, she hadn't forgotten the figure and the name she had seen by touching his soul in the Chamber of Agamotto. "But don't forget, in your memory, he is the 'Emperor of the Universe.'"
"That means he controls the resources of an entire universe. It won't be easy to surpass him unless you also command the resources of an entire universe." Hela's analysis was rational and realistic. An emperor who commanded an entire universe's resources didn't seem like someone who could be easily defeated.
"You once said you wanted to become the strongest warrior in the universe. I can help you, but only if you come with me to conquer this universe," the ambition of the Queen of Asgard was now in full display. "We'll conquer this universe and gather all of its resources for your use. Only then will you truly become the strongest warrior in the universe."
Everything Hela said came from the heart. With Asgard and the Black Quadrant united, the entire universe would bow before them. When that time came, with the power of an entire universe at their disposal, what could stop them from surpassing the so-called "Emperor of the Universe" Frieza?
"I know, but not now," Lothar shook his head.
"Why not?"
"Darkseid has arrived. He's an enemy I defeated in another universe. He used the coordinates I left behind and with your brother Loki's guidance, he's launched a war against us."
"Those people you met on Midgard were the guardians of that other universe, including Mera. But now it looks like they've all been taken over by Darkseid and have become his vanguard." Lothar pressed the silver ring on his wrist, and images of Darkseid and the Justice League appeared before Hela.
Standing in the beautiful galaxy, Lothar recounted everything that had happened.
"He's after me. And this time, I'm going to kill him for good." He clenched his fist, and the images vanished. Lothar's eyes were filled with a crazed killing intent that made Hela shudder. She had never heard of any of this.
"Kill him?" she asked casually, still processing the sudden news of the war. "How do you know he won't just be a clone again this time?"
"If he is, I'll find his real body. I will," Lothar said. It was the first time in his life he had felt so wronged. An inter-universal manhunt? Did they really think he was so easygoing that killing a clone would be enough? He wasn't Lothar if he didn't beat the brains out of Darkseid!
"I understand. Then, let's get married after this war is over," Hela said. She wasn't an unreasonable person. Getting married in the face of such a formidable enemy was not a wise decision.
"But there's one thing I need to make clear," she continued, her expression suddenly turning cold. "I know that woman named Mera is still alive. So, if she ever gets in my way again, I'll kill her. And if she still hasn't given up on you, I will also kill her."
The proud Queen of Asgard would never allow a third party to meddle in her relationship. Never.
"She won't remember me," Lothar said, his expression unchanged. He gripped the Time Stone and prepared to leave, but then he felt a powerful tremor!
"???" Lothar whipped his head around. The starry background of the throne room had disappeared, and Hela, whose hair was now styled for a fight, was also looking at him.
Could Asgard have earthquakes?
"ROOOAR!!!!"
The pained, furious roar was deafening! The roar of the demon dragon Nidhogg was no longer something only Thor could hear. All the inhabitants of Asgard stopped what they were doing and looked up at the sky, which was suddenly dyed red by a strange energy!
"My power... it's being suppressed?" Hela felt a surge of bewilderment. Standing on Asgardian soil, her power should be endless, but now she felt her connection to Asgard weakening.
"LO! THAR!!!"
BOOM!
A gigantic axe, accompanied by a heaven-shattering roar, fell from the sky and slammed into the ground in front of Lothar! Black dragon scales covered the axe's handle, and its sharp blade made Hela feel an unprecedented sense of danger.
As the dust cleared, a kneeling Thor slowly stood up, his bulging muscles surrounded by lightning. Below his short golden hair, his ink-black eyes looked especially menacing!
"Oh, you didn't die on Sakaar?" Lothar said, raising an eyebrow. He took a wide stance and stomped his feet!
BOOM!
His golden ki flared up! He had destroyed the entire planet of Sakaar, yet Thor was still alive.
"I told you, you would pay for what you did, Lothar." Thor wiped the blood from his mouth, which had overflowed from the energy overload. He gripped the axe with the black dragon scales, his ink-black eyes burning with a fire of vengeance that could scorch everything.
This was his new power, the power he had gotten in a deal with the demon dragon Nidhogg. The power to suppress Hela's connection to Asgard.
The rain had passed, the sky was clear, and Thor felt he could do it again.
"You?" Lothar scoffed, holding up two fingers on his right hand, his face full of ridicule. "You're twenty thousand years too early to defeat me."
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