CH 356

Chapter 356 “The Dark Elves Descends”

A day ago, aboard the plane, Coulson’s team celebrated the successful dismantling of high-power weapons when a message arrived on Coulson’s cell phone.

“We have a mission. There’s a suspected super-powered individual near the University of Greenwich in London. Headquarters wants us to investigate.”

“Someone like Captain America?” Skye exclaimed in astonishment.

They had encountered a similar situation before and registered as a super-powered individual registered by S.H.I.E.L.D.

“This person is likely even more powerful than him. According to the information, the target incapacitated over 20 police officers and their cars.” Coulson’s expression turned serious.

“Fitz, headquarters has sent the specific information about the individual to the computer. Go and retrieve it,” Coulson ordered.

“Yes, sir,” replied Fitz.

He swiftly made his way to the console and performed a series of dazzling maneuvers, projecting a virtual screen from the console.

“Darcy Lewis, a graduate student at Columbia University…” Fitz read aloud.

“Is that her?” Coulson murmured, recognizing the photo displayed on the screen.

May raised an eyebrow. “Coulson, do you know her?”

“We’ve met once, in New Mexico, when she was assisting Thor’s girlfriend during her training,” Coulson briefly recounted the events from that time.

“Could this matter be related to the Asgardians?” Grant speculated.

Coulson pondered for a moment, “We’ll only know when we get there. Regardless of whether it’s connected to Asgard or not, we have to handle it. Now, change the course and head to London!”

…

“Wow, everyone here knows each other!” Jerry stepped through the portal, and in addition to Thor and Jane, he was greeted by Coulson and several members of the S.H.I.E.L.D. team he led.

“Jerry, it’s been a while!” Thor exclaimed, engulfing Jerry in a hug.

“Long time no see, Thor. Can you fill me in on what’s happening with Darcy?” Jerry looked around but couldn’t find the Darcy Thor had mentioned.

“Darcy fainted. She’s being examined in the medical room by a woman named Jemma. I don’t know her well. Jane and I arrived here not long ago. For more details, you’ll have to ask Coulson.” Thor replied, indicating Coulson.

Feeling somewhat helpless, Coulson stepped forward and began recounting the entire story.

Upon receiving the information the day before, they hurried to Greenwich in London as quickly as possible.

At that time, Darcy was surrounded by a group of police and SWAT officers in an unfinished building, according to the information provided by the police and the intern who was with Darcy.

Darcy and the intern had discovered an anomalous gravitational phenomenon in the unfinished building, prompting them to investigate with their instruments.

However, Darcy suddenly disappeared from the building for five hours, and the intern had to call the police for help.

Oddly enough, shortly after the police arrived at the unfinished building, Darcy reappeared out of thin air.

When the police requested an explanation for their trespassing, Darcy’s body emitted a powerful surge of energy, propelling all the police officers and nearby cars away from her.

Coulson surmised that Darcy had undergone significant changes during those five hours.

With SHIELD’s authority, he took control of the unfinished building and attempted to console Darcy.

However, Darcy insisted on waiting until Thor arrived before leaving the unfinished building.

Subsequently, Thor and Jane arrived, and they brought Darcy aboard the Airbus. Sensing the immense energy within Darcy’s body, Thor concluded that mortal technology wouldn’t suffice to address the situation, so he sought Jerry’s assistance.

“Do you know what happened to Darcy during those five hours when she disappeared?” Jerry pondered, sensing that Darcy’s energy was likely connected to that period of time.

Jane stood beside Thor and replied, “Just before boarding the plane, Darcy told me she was suddenly sucked into a mysterious space while investigating the building. She saw symbols similar to those left by the Rainbow Bridge and felt something enter her body. When she regained consciousness, she was back in the building.”

“Sir, our instruments can currently detect the immense energy within Miss Darcy’s body, but they cannot determine its nature, nor can we extract it,” Jemma entered the conference room with the test report.

“Mr. Wizard?” Jemma expressed surprise upon seeing Jerry, realizing she had not properly expressed her gratitude to him for saving her life last time.

“Hello, Miss Jemma. How are you feeling now?” Jerry greeted her with a smile.

After hearing Coulson mention Jemma’s expertise in biology, Jerry thought he might need her skills in his future study.

“Thank you, I’ve fully recovered,” Jemma replied gratefully.

Jerry nodded and then turned to Coulson, saying, “Take me to Darcy’s location. I want to see for myself.”

“Have those Hydra spies been apprehended?” Jerry asked Coulson as they walked along the aisle of the airplane.

Coulson shook his head with a hint of helplessness. “After I informed the intelligence director, they began a covert investigation and obtained some leads. However, capturing all of them will likely take another month or two.”

As a highly classified intelligence within the S.H.I.E.L.D. system, the wizard’s true identity is known to only a select few with clearance.

To avoid detection by the wizard, he had even gone so far as to avoid agents in S.H.I.E.L.D. Because it is likely Hydra operatives were there.

Upon receiving Coulson’s report, Fury called upon several of his most trusted agents. He initiated a clandestine operation to uncover the extent of the hidden Hydra network before its presence was discovered.

The goal was to eliminate them once their identities were fully exposed.

“If you ever need assistance, don’t hesitate to contact me,” Jerry offered, extending a magic mirror to Coulson.

Once Fury had identified all the Hydra spies, Jerry intended to aid in their capture and further deepen his favor with Fury.

“Thank you,” Coulson exclaimed, his eyes lighting up as he accepted the magic mirror.

“Don’t bother me with trivial matters. I’m usually quite busy. Feel free to reach out if you encounter any major issues you can’t handle. And you know my rules. Either pay me or provide something of value,” Jerry reminded him.

Fury had taken the previous magic mirror Jerry had given him, so now he was offering a replacement to Coulson.

Coulson’s team specializes in handling unconventional and extraordinary events.

They might face significant challenges at any moment, which will give Jerry plenty of red stars.

“This way, please. Darcy collapsed due to the repeated energy shocks she endured while resisting the police’s attacks. She fainted as soon as she boarded the plane,” Gemma informed them as she entered a series of passwords and opened a transparent, high-strength, bulletproof glass door.

Inside, Darcy lay unconscious on a bed, her eyes closed.

Jane approached cautiously, intending to touch Darcy, but Thor stopped her. “Her energy is highly unstable, and it’s best not to agitate her.”

“Everyone, except Thor, should step back outside,” Jerry instructed, allowing him to sense the immense energy within Darcy’s body.

He recognized that it was not ordinary energy but something much more complex.

Jerry wanted everyone, except Thor, to leave the room because if the energy within Darcy were to erupt, it could potentially harm them.

Upon hearing Jerry’s serious tone, Coulson wasted no time. He motioned for his team members to retreat to the safety of the glass door.

Jane glanced at Thor before reluctantly exiting the room.

“What’s the matter? Is it dangerous?” Thor inquired.

Jerry nodded. “I can sense that the energy within Darcy’s body contains incredibly intricate fundamental laws of the universe. It might be similar to what I’ve observed with the Tesseract and Loki’s Scepter. I suspect it’s the legendary Aether.”

If it weren’t for his recent visit to Kamar Taj, Jerry might not have been able to make such a confident assessment.

However, during his time there, he immersed himself in the knowledge of the Ancient One, studying hidden secrets and ancient texts.

He had learned about the original Stone Keeper in ancient times and had delved into the origins and abilities of the six gems that Thanos would later seek.

Based on his perception and previous encounters with the Tesseract and Loki’s Scepter, Jerry deduced that the energy within Darcy’s body could be the Aether associated with Reality Stone.

Since Earth was one of the Nine Realms, Darcy might have unintentionally come into contact with the seal placed by Bor, Odin’s father.

However, the circumstances behind her entry into the place where the Aether was sealed remained unknown to Jerry.

“The Aether? Didn’t my grandfather destroy them?” Thor asked, a look of surprise crossing his face upon hearing the term.

Jerry was taken aback. “Destroyed? The records I came across mentioned they were sealed.”

“When I was a child, my father told me that the Dark Elves sought to use the Aether to plunge the universe into darkness,” Thor recalls his childhood.

“In response, my grandfather led the Asgardian warriors to defeat the Dark Elves and destroy the Aether,” Thor recounted, recalling the stories Odin had told him and Loki when they were young.

“It seems that either your grandfather lied to your father or your father lied to you because the Aether is now within Darcy’s body,” Jerry shrugged.

The records of Bor sealing the Aether were derived from a book Jerry had discovered in an ancient library, hidden on a private bookshelf.

The book’s author was none other than the Ancient One.

The Time Stone’s ability to perceive past and future events had likely provided The Ancient One with these secrets, which she subsequently recorded.

“Well, regardless, can you save Darcy? Otherwise, Jane will be devastated,” Thor said, concerned about Jane’s emotional state.

Thor could understand that his father might have lied to him in the past.

After all, Loki was the son of a frost giant, not Thor’s biological brother, and Odin had never revealed this truth to him before.

However, their current focus was on whether the ether particles within Darcy’s body could be safely extracted to restore her to normal.

“I’m not entirely sure either, but we have to try and find out. That’s why I asked everyone to leave the room,” Jerry explained as he walked slowly toward Darcy.

He gently tapped into her consciousness, using his mental energy to investigate.

The Reality Stone possessed the power to manifest any idea into reality, disregarding scientific laws. It was also one of the most challenging stones to control.

During Jerry’s initial encounter with the stone, he couldn’t guarantee that he could safely extract it from Darcy’s body.

“Actually, to be honest, it would be safest to take her to Asgard. After all, the ether particles were sealed by your grandfather, and His Majesty Odin must have a way to remove them safely,” Jerry suggested.

“I’m afraid that’s not possible. I can’t return to Asgard for the time being, at least not in the near future,” Thor replied helplessly.

Jerry’s curiosity was piqued, but Thor started to ramble on before he could inquire further.

“The last time I went back to Asgard, Father found out about my disagreement with Jane through Heimdall. He believed I wouldn’t return to Midgard again. He was thrilled and planned to hold a ceremony to pass the throne to me.”

“But later, I realized I was still concerned about Jane, so I declined. This angered Father, who ordered Heimdall to stop opening the Rainbow Bridge for me. So, I won’t be able to return to Asgard for a while,” Thor revealed, choosing to tell Jerry instead of sharing this bad news with Jane.

Jerry shook his head, listening to Thor’s lengthy explanation behind him.

Whether it was domestic or intergalactic, Earth or another planet, the complexities of relationships could be equally perplexing.

“Thor, I have a suggestion. Let’s have a baby with Jane as soon as possible. With a child, even if Odin disapproves of Jane, he probably won’t object any longer,” Jerry proposed, offering a potential solution to their predicament.

“Oh, I love the idea.” Thor’s eyes lit up, and he turned to look at Jane, who appeared worried outside the bulletproof glass wall.

Jane couldn’t help but shiver as she caught sight of Thor’s passionate and tender gaze.

Suddenly, Darcy’s body surged with a powerful wave of energy. Thor was caught off guard and was propelled backward, his face colliding with the bulletproof glass wall.

Those watching outside the glass wall instinctively took a step back. Fortunately, Thor’s robust physique prevented any serious injury. It merely caused some discomfort to his face.

“I’m fine, I’m fine!” Thor reassured, touching his mouth and nose.

He smirked at Jane outside, indicating that he was okay.

Outside the glass wall, someone whispered, “Is that what the God of Thunder from Mythology looks like? Why do I feel like he seems a bit… goofy?”

“Coulson mentioned that they’re aliens but have longer lifespans than us. Though he may be a bit foolish, he seems to have a good physique..”

The two stood at the back and exchanged hushed comments.

“It’s a bit troublesome,” Jerry admitted, dispelling the Protego Charm that had shielded the energy shock wave.

He halted his magic and stepped out of the medical room.

“What’s wrong, Jerry? Is there nothing we can do?” Thor inquired, joining Jerry outside.

Jerry shook his head, “I have a method to extract the Aether from her body, but as you can see, every attempt triggers a release of energy waves as the particles resist.”

“You’re concerned that the energy waves might damage the plane. We can land first, find an open area, and then proceed with the extraction,” Thor suggested, thinking he understood Jerry’s concern.

Jemma stood nearby, raised her hand, and interjected, “I believe Mr. Wizard is more concerned about Darcy’s well-being than the plane. Based on our examination, each release of energy from Darcy’s body burdens her tremendously, and the frequency is increasing. Continuous releases might cause her body to rupture.”

Jerry nodded in agreement. Although her explanation could have been more accurate, it captured the situation’s essence.

During his examination, Jerry had taken great care to avoid triggering the energy rebound from the ether particles while thoroughly assessing Darcy’s condition.

He had attempted to use magic to remove the ether particles while protecting Darcy’s body. Still, she lacked the physical resilience to withstand the continuously released energy as the particles resisted.

Even with Jerry’s magic, her body risked being overwhelmed.

It underscored the fact that ordinary human bodies on Earth were relatively fragile. If Darcy possessed Thor’s or even an average Asgardian’s physical prowess, such issues wouldn’t arise.

“Is there no other Solution?” Thor turned to Jerry, his gaze conveying concern for Jane.

Jerry smiled reassuringly. “There is another option, but it’s not here. We have to go somewhere else.”

There was simply no way to extract the Aether without endangering Darcy’s life.

However, Jerry knew someone who could perform the extraction safely: the Sorcerer Supreme, The Ancient One.

…

In Kamar Taj, within the Himalayas, The Ancient One was in the living room, stirring a cup of milk tea as per Jerry’s suggestion. After trying milk tea, she felt that adding honey to tea was far superior to her previous choice.

Just as she was about to take a sip, her gaze shifted toward the open space in the center of the living room.

A moment later, a portal materialized slowly. It was Jerry who had opened a portal from the Airbus to Kamar-Taj.

“Good afternoon, The Ancient One.” Jerry greeted as he stepped through the portal, holding Darcy in his arms.

Thor and Jane followed, their expressions filled with surprise.

“Good afternoon, Master Carmen.” The Ancient One smiled and nodded upon recognizing Jerry.

She then glanced at Darcy in his arms and sighed softly. “The presence of the Aether after five thousand years is not a promising sign.”

After a momentary sigh, The Ancient One resumed her smile and warmly greeted Jane and Thor, “Welcome to Kamar-Taj, Doctor Foster, and Thor of Asgard.”

“Greetings.” Jane and Thor were slightly taken aback that The Ancient One knew them, but they reciprocated with polite greetings.

Jerry showed no surprise when he saw The Ancient One with Jane and the others. She accurately called out their names.

He realized that The Ancient One must have used the Time Stone to perceive the future and had already witnessed the possibility of their arrival.

“The Ancient One, can you help extract the Aether from Darcy’s body?” Jerry asked, his tone hopeful.

“Of course, but before we proceed, there’s a problem we must address,” The Ancient One replied, placing the teapot with milk tea on the table.

She looked up, gazing out through the window at the cloudless sky. Meanwhile, a massive spaceship in stealth mode traversed countless wormholes, arriving just outside Earth.

It was the Dark Elves’ spaceship, awakened by the presence of the Aether.

“I never expected that even after five thousand years, Midgard would have progressed and become more prosperous,” Malekith remarked, observing the blue planet below and the satellites orbiting it.

“For us, they are still insignificant ants,” an elf beside him disdainfully commented, seeing Earth’s technological advancements as insignificant.

As far as they were concerned, their true enemies were the Asgardians.

Malekith nodded, a glint of determination in his eyes. “Indeed, even stronger ants are still ants. Our goal is for the Dark Elves to rule the entire universe.”