Finally, I have uploaded 20 advanced chapters on my Patreon for the readers. Go check them out and read them, and please don't forget to give this story a Powerstone and show your support.
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Here's my Patreon: "patreon.com/Hussain678" — 20 advanced chapters have been uploaded there.
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Not long after Clark and the others arrived, Thor reached the Triskelion as well, transported by the Bifrost. At that point, with the exception of Banner, nearly all the Avengers were present.
As if perfectly timed, Nick Fury entered the room with Coulson and several agents just after everyone had gathered.
"It's good to see you all again," Fury said. "We called you here because we believe you may need to prepare for another war—with extraterrestrials."
As he spoke, Fury gestured to Coulson standing nearby.
Receiving the signal, Coulson activated the projector, casting a series of images onto the wall. The footage lasted only about thirty seconds. It appeared to have been recorded at night, and the resolution was poor—nothing more than standard surveillance footage at first glance. But what it captured was anything but ordinary.
A suspicious object—clearly resembling an alien spacecraft—suddenly appeared in the sky. It hovered briefly, then vanished. During that short time, it destroyed what appeared to be a fighter jet.
The moment Clark saw the video, he recognized the ship. It was almost certainly a Dark Elf warship. Its sword-like, elongated design was far too distinctive to forget.
"What is that—your new weapon?" Tony joked, watching the ship disappear on-screen. Though he knew it was almost certainly an illegal alien incursion, he couldn't resist teasing Fury.
"We don't have the technology to build anything like that," Fury replied flatly. "Which means it can only be an alien craft."
In fact, this wasn't the ship's first appearance. The footage was recorded that morning, but the craft had already been spotted the previous afternoon. Since then, sightings had been reported worldwide, with the most recent appearance in London—where this video was taken.
Each time, the ship only appeared for a few dozen seconds. Every attempt to establish contact had failed. Not once had they received a response.
As Coulson switched the footage to the moment the aircraft was destroyed, he continued, "Judging by their willingness to shoot down our planes, these newcomers don't seem particularly friendly."
After further analysis, we believe their recent movements suggest they're searching for something.
"They're looking for a location," Thor suddenly said from his seat, before Coulson could finish.
"A location?" Fury asked. He didn't know how Thor could be so certain, but if Thor said it, there had to be a reason.
"I don't know exactly where," Thor replied, "but if my understanding is correct, that ship belongs to the Dark Elves—a race that was supposed to be extinct. If they're appearing now, then their goal is likely to take advantage of the convergence of the Nine Realms once again… to create eternal night."
As the future king of Asgard, Thor had studied the history of the Dark Elves extensively. Even so, seeing their warship still shocked him. He didn't understand how a race believed to be wiped out could still exist—but the ship in the video matched the Dark Elf vessels described in ancient texts perfectly.
"Aether…"
The thought struck Thor suddenly. According to legend, the Dark Elves once planned to use the Aether during the convergence of the Nine Realms to plunge the universe into eternal darkness. If the Dark Elves had returned, did that mean the Aether—the symbol of their power—had never truly been destroyed?
The idea made Thor restless. He had to return to Asgard immediately and report this to Odin, to confirm whether the Aether had truly been destroyed.
"The Nine Realms… Dark Elves… eternal night…" Fury felt a surge of relief upon hearing those words. At least Thor was still on Earth. Without him, they might not even know who they were dealing with.
"I'll explain later," Thor said, already standing up and grabbing Mjolnir. "I must return to Asgard at once. I need to confirm whether the Aether still exists. If it does, we must find it before the Dark Elves do. Otherwise, the consequences will be catastrophic."
But before Thor could take a single step away from his chair, Clark stopped him.
"I don't think you need to go back," Clark said calmly. "The Aether you're talking about should be with me right now."
Thor froze and looked at Clark in confusion, convinced he had misheard him.
"The Aether… is with you?"
"Yes," Clark said. "I only obtained it recently."
As he spoke, Clark opened his right hand. At his prompting, a dark red, crystal-like substance flowed into existence above his palm.
Compared to Jane, an ordinary human, Clark had far greater control over his energy. Even extracting the entire Aether was relatively easy for him.
"Why… is the Aether with you?" Thor asked, staring at the flowing crimson crystal circling Clark's hand.
Though he couldn't yet be absolutely certain this was the legendary Aether of Asgardian myth, Thor felt instinctively that Clark had no reason to lie.
For a moment, Thor was speechless.
First, the supposedly extinct Dark Elves had returned. Now, the supposedly destroyed Aether had reappeared.
Thor couldn't help but question just how much of Asgard's recorded history was truly accurate.