Over a hundred million people dead. Entire towns and cities slaughtered. Because of Hitler's greater efficiency, more resources had to be put into stopping the war in Europe. The Japanese went unchecked for a longer time, and the result was greater devastation. Death and destruction everywhere.
But the war was over. Helvar had forced it to end, no matter what any side had to say. And his declaration banning all future wars without permission was just the dangling hammer world leaders needed over their heads to get their things in order.
The USSR couldn't threaten to annex any lands more than what it already had. Old colonies were being given freedom left and right, fearing Helvar's fury. Humanitarian work started at a global scale, and food and medicine replaced the ammunition that the ships carried not long ago.
In the midst of that, Helvar returned home.
He'd barely slept over the past few months, having spent all his time awake ending any conflict that dared arise. And when he returned, he still had no plans of resting.
"Mother." Helvar found Hela quickly, busy teaching his sister something. "I want to go and find dad."
"He won't be found unless he wants to be found."
Helvar annoyedly stared at his mother, not even looking bothered. "But… someone has to go find him."
"You haven't even found yourself, Helvar. How will you find your father?"
"What does that even mean?" Helvar frowned. "Don't you love him? At all? Aren't you worried for him? That giant thing was an Aspirant. Father can't fight it."
"He can." Hela finally looked at Helvar. "Marshall will return when he is ready. There is nothing you can do to seek him or pull him back. And love… I cherish him. He is the first man to ever earn my favor, and that should be enough to tell you who he is. Believe me, Helvar. He is the strongest being out there, and deeply wounded all the same. Trust your father. Now go to the vault and bring his sword. I will train you."
Helvar didn't move for some time, staring at his mother. He dearly loved them both, his mother and father, and he wanted to do something for them. But having decided not to be a brat, he agreed and went to fetch the sword.
Finally feeling tired, he went down the stairs of the temple. And it really went deep, more than one would imagine. The tens of thousands of years' worth of treasures were stored there, all intact, never before used. Dinosia was rich beyond imagination.
Where's the sword?
He checked a few levels before arriving at the bottom one that had a door. Without much thought, he unlocked the weird lock and kicked it open. Thanks to his dad, he'd received eyes that could see at night and…
"What the—"
"Oh! My hero! You have saved me!"
Helvar frowned, finding a completely naked, tall, red-skinned woman with horns on her head and dark wings on her back. She was… gorgeous, he thought.
"Who the fuck are you?"
"Oh, I knew you would save me, First Man! Oh, my fated hero!"
Helvar received the woman in his arms as she threw herself on him. He felt electrified by how soft and warm her flesh was.
"I ain't the First Man. I'm his son, Helvar."
"..."
"Oh, my hero Helvar! I'm Mephista."
Wheels turned in Helvar's head, and he said the word that rhymed with that name. "Me…phisto?"
"I'm his daughter. I adore First Man's work. The way he has turned my father more insane, how lovely!"
With a sneer, Helvar pushed the woman away and headed to the door.
"Makes sense why you were locked in here. I'd better take a bath, dammit."
"Wait! Wait, wait! I'm a friend!"
"Classic demon talk. I ain't falling for that, bitch."
"Woof! I can do that, but that doesn't make me a bitch. I'm a demoness."
"Huh?"
Helvar turned back, confused and weirded out by what she had said, and yet… aroused?
"How long have you been here? Locked?" he asked.
"Oh, I stopped counting after a year."
"..."
Who the fuck locked her in here?
"I guess… Follow me."
"Oh, my savior!"
Fuck, this whole country attracts weirdos, only weirdos!
####
Asgard,
"No bullshit, give me the answer. Where do I find the Celestials? Who can resurrect Marty?"
Odin looked at his fiend standing before his throne, emanating an air of threat he hadn't felt in years. Before, he was doubtful that he'd win. Now, he knew he couldn't win against Marshall, not without losing everything else in the process. Not that he wanted to fight.
"Even my remaining eye cannot find them, my friend. The Celestials are not sought. They choose when to appear," Odin said. Seeing Marshall's temper rise, he continued more gently. "Still, I have known some to visit Zeus' court for sport. As for who might restore that gentle soul of Marty, such power lies with the Abstracts and the highest cosmic forces. Death, Infinity, Eternity. Perhaps Galactus, the Phoenix Force, or the Celestials themselves. One of the Elders may manage it as well. And yes, darker hands like Dormammu or Mephisto."
Odin hid nothing. He could see the mental state Marshall was in. Eyes red, body teeming with untamed power he couldn't understand the source of. He knew Marshall had lost a lifelong friend, and he had no intention of belittling that loss.
Just like that, Marshall nodded to him and proceeded to leave.
"My friend, Hela—"
Before Odin could finish, he saw Marshall snap back a look and speak.
"Tell Hela I'll come home with Marty back and I've ripped every Celestial's heart out through their goddamn throats. The bastards set it all up, Odin. They let Marty die to break me. I'm done being broken. You tell her that."
Snap!
In a blue portal, Marshall disappeared.
Odin felt the cosmic power in that blue portal. A power so primordial yet hard to forget.
"My old friend… may the odds be in your favor."
There was nothing Odin could do to stop Marshall. Still, he chose to speak with Hela personally and tell her what happened.
####
Olympus, Omnipotence City,
The Parliament was in session, all the gods were in their seats, and Zeus was just done making his spectacle before taking his high seat, surrounded by women.
And right then, in the large open arena, a beam of rainbow light fell. At first, Zeus got excited that, finally, Odin decided to visit his parliament. But his excitement turned to rage as the red-eyed figure of Marshall appeared.
"You!" Zeus roared. "You are not welcome here!"
He threw his thunderbolt at Marshall. But Marshall grabbed it and threw it back at him, now mixed with a strange blue energy and Cosmic Flames.
"Aaaargh!" Zeus groaned; his own lightning bolt pierced him in the shoulder, pinning him against the backrest of his throne. "Ugh… that one hurt!"
"You know you can't kill me, so stop fucking around. Tell me, where do I find Celestials, or Infinity, Eternity, Galactus, the Phoenix Force… Or Elders, or Dormammu, or Mephisto."
Zeus frowned. Those were the names even he didn't take so lightly. "What? Who do you think I am, their slave? Leave be—"
Before Zeus could finish, he found Marshall teleported right to his face. And before he could speak again, he heard a recognizable voice in his mind, one belonging to his one-eyed white-bearded rival.
Give him what he seeks, Zeus. He has lost someone dear to the schemes of Celestials.
Zeus stared at Marshall's deadpan face and felt the threatening power crackling invisibly.
Hela? Zeus asked.
No, his old friend. The dinosaur called Marty.
Even Zeus knew of the lizard-like friend of Marshall. He'd observed Earth for eons, and Marshall was always accompanied by that creature. Even before the rise of his pantheon on Earth, the two were there.
"Celestials have all vanished. They often visited this realm, yet not now. Infinity and Eternity remain beyond my sight; their domain is the vast multiverse, and even I could never reach them unless they wish to be reached. Galactus still wanders, devouring worlds as he goes. The Phoenix Force has not been seen since Firehair passed."
Zeus saw a shiver in Marshall's eyes at the mention of that name.
"Dormammu and Mephisto dwell in realms far from ours. You'd do well to ask your sorcerers about them. As for the Elders, I can share what I know. The Collector resides in Knowhere, the severed head of a Celestial. The Grandmaster holds sway over Sakaar. The Gardener wanders, bringing life and green to dead worlds. The Runner roams the cosmos freely. The Champion hunts worthy foes. Ease your guard. I will tell you their last known whereabouts."
Zeus didn't do more than what he said. And just like that, Marshall disappeared.
___________________
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