[124] : Aether Particles

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.....

"I must've forgotten something," Odin said with a genial smile, appearing completely unbothered by his frail state.

Roger knew that at this stage in his life, Odin had only a few years left. Soon, his time would run out, and with his passing, Hela, sealed in Hel by Odin's power, would emerge to face Thor and Loki, marking the beginning of the events of *Thor: Ragnarok*.

Odin had no recollection of Andrea, or perhaps he had simply forgotten her existence. Unable to pursue the topic any further, Roger waited quietly before finally saying:

"If even you don't know, then I'll take my leave."

"Won't you stay a while longer? I don't know why, but I feel a certain kinship with you," Odin replied, smiling.

"A kinship?" Roger asked, surprised.

"Yes… like with Thor and Loki…" Odin mused.

"..."

So, in other words, you're telling me I remind you of your sons? If anyone else had made that kind of comment, Roger would have been annoyed. 

But Odin was the All-Father, a god who had lived for countless millennia. Given his ancient wisdom, Roger did not think Odin was making light of the situation.

Moreover, like the Sorcerer Supreme, Odin wasn't someone who spoke without reason.

Roger thought for a moment, then pulled out another Mind Stone he had concealed and placed it on the table, looking at Odin.

"Do you… recognize this?" Roger inquired.

"The Mind Stone… wait, that's strange," Odin remarked. The moment he laid eyes on it, he knew it was the Mind Stone. But the Mind Stone was supposed to be encased within the scepter Roger held in his other hand, Loki's scepter.

Odin's expression shifted, becoming serious. He raised his gaze to Roger, asking, "Where did you get this?"

"It was left behind by a Sorcerer Supreme named Andrea. Inside this stone is the coordinate of your world, and that's how I came here," Roger explained again.

Odin stared at the Mind Stone for a long while before suddenly snatching it up with a speed that left Roger stunned. 

It was hard to fathom how such a frail-looking, Old God could move with such swiftness, the All-Father lived up to his reputation.

Roger marveled at Odin's prowess but soon realized something was off. The Mind Stone in Odin's grasp began to emit a radiant glow. In just moments, the light enveloped both Roger and Odin, creating a separate, illusory space.

Roger leaped to his feet, his combat suit instantly manifesting around him. He had no idea what was happening, but it was always wise to be prepared.

In this independent space, Roger turned to look at Odin once more. Odin's one good eye had turned completely white, his head tilted back, and the Mind Stone's power was swirling around his mind. It projected an image into the illusory realm created by the stone.

...

The vision shifted, and in an instant, a spectral image of Asgard materialized before Roger. He recognized it as the interior of Asgard's royal palace.

Inside the palace, a younger Odin, clad in what looked like sleepwear, seemed to have just awoken. Standing outside the palace, he surveyed Asgard, lost in thought.

Behind him, a young woman wielding Mjölnir pressed the hammer against Loki, who seemed to be up to something. She then approached Odin, saying:

"Your Majesty, hasn't Thor's trial ended? Shouldn't Mjölnir be returned to him?"

"Thor? Hmph, the moment he unlocks the power hidden in him, Mjölnir will return to him on its own. I never sealed his power; he just hasn't discovered it yet," Odin said warmly, unconcerned about Thor's fate.

Then, Roger heard Odin ask, "So, you really have no interest in becoming the All-Father?"

The young woman sighed, exasperated. "Why are you powerful beings always so eager to relinquish your roles? The Ancient One wants me to be Sorcerer Supreme, and now you want me to be All-Father… I just want to ascend to the highest form of life, not take on these massive responsibilities."

"That's a pity," Odin remarked.

The young woman's expression was a mix of frustration and resignation. It seemed she wanted to argue but ultimately held back out of respect for Odin.

"If not as All-Father, what will you do next? Stay on Earth?" Odin asked after a pause.

The woman hesitated before replying, "I'll handle the Aether. I'm planning to explore the cosmos and find a secure place to seal it."

"Then I'll leave it in your care."

...

The scene shattered like glass, breaking apart, and the light from the Mind Stone receded. 

Odin, previously under the stone's influence, now looked as if he had just run a marathon, breathing heavily.

The vision had ended, and Odin tossed the Mind Stone aside as if it were garbage, his hand trembling as he pointed at Roger.

Roger was startled. He quickly grabbed the Mind Stone and turned to Odin, worried that the All-Father might collapse or, worse, blame him for what had just happened.

Fortunately, Odin did neither. After a few deep breaths, he managed to say, "… the Aether… seek the true Aether…"

With that, he slumped forward onto the stone table.

Roger panicked, thinking Odin might be dying. He rushed over to check the All-Father's breathing and heartbeat, relieved to find that Odin was just unconscious. Using the Mind Stone had taken a heavy toll on his already fragile body.

Roger entrusted Odin to nearby attendants before leaving the nursing home.

The Ancient One's intuition had been spot-on: Odin did indeed know something. Or rather, the Mind Stone had unlocked memories buried deep within him. 

The girl wielding Mjölnir was Andrea Kelson. Based on her conversation with Odin, it was clear that she and the All-Father had shared an adventure sometime after the events of the first Thor film.

That was when Thor, banished to Earth, overcame trials and returned to Asgard. Andrea's intervention had altered the story, preventing Loki from succeeding and instead imprisoning him in Asgard's dungeons.

Odin had wanted Andrea to become the All-Father, but she had declined. And somehow, the Aether, the Reality Stone that was supposed to appear in the second Thor film, had already emerged during the events of the first.

But all that was irrelevant now. Andrea's entire presence and actions had been erased. 

Roger did some research online and found that two years ago, New York had faced an alien invasion led by Loki wielding a scepter. The scepter eventually ended up in HYDRA's hands. 

Everything had proceeded as per the original storyline. Andrea's existence, along with all her influence, had vanished without a trace.

"Erased from existence…"

The thought unsettled Roger. Worse than death was being erased, leaving no one to remember you or your deeds.

Roger couldn't fathom what Andrea had done to warrant such a fate, but he resolved to avoid making any reckless moves that might lead to a similar end.

Shaking off his unease, he focused on his next objective: finding the Aether, or Reality Stone. Andrea had sealed it somewhere in the universe, and now it was up to Roger to track it down, following in her footsteps.

"If the timeline hasn't changed, the Reality Stone should be with the Collector."

Andrea's erasure meant the story had reverted to its original course. 

Roger still didn't understand how Andrea had ended up in the DC Universe or split the Mind Stone in two, but finding the Reality Stone was the next logical step.

To retrieve it, Roger needed a starship capable of interstellar travel. Earth didn't have that technology yet, so he'd have to find a way to reach another planet first, then travel from there to the Collector's domain.

"I know, Thor."

Thor and Asgard's Bifrost Bridge were his fastest means off Earth. He'd have to approach Thor and explain the situation, using Odin's presence at the nursing home as leverage if necessary.

Though Odin seemed uninterested in visitors, finding Thor meant contacting the Avengers. 

Conveniently, Roger still had Loki's scepter, which would be a good bargaining chip. The Avengers would want the scepter, and Roger could use it to make a deal.

With any luck, Thor would agree to help without too much persuasion.

...

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