Chapter 280: Delivered Anyway

Around 3 p.m. on Earth, a beam of light descended from the sky, landing just outside Stark Manor.

"Jarvis 2, where's Pepper right now?" Tony asked.

"Miss Pepper is currently at Stark Industries. She's expected back around six this evening," Jarvis 2 replied, continuing, "She's been notified that you've returned safely."

Tony, reassured, simply nodded, satisfied that Pepper knew he was back. He and Banner headed inside the villa, where Tony immediately instructed the chef to prepare a meal to enjoy in a couple of hours.

"Feels good to be back on Earth," Banner sighed, relaxing on the couch as Tony arranged for afternoon tea, an easy smile on his face.

Banner didn't live here but had his villa in New York. Staying at Tony's place was always comfortable, especially since, with only Tony around, he could relax as he pleased.

"Of course, there's always a bit of restraint when you're a guest somewhere," Tony chuckled.

"Right. So, how are you planning to secure the Aether?" Banner asked, eyeing the gem Tony held.

"The main thing is not to let word get out about it," Tony replied. "According to Loki, this thing could attract some major players. I don't want us to have a constant target on our backs."

He pulled out the Aether, which gleamed like a beautiful red gem. Since they borrowed it, it was essential to ensure nothing happened to it. Its reality-altering ability could be disastrous if it fell into the hands of a powerful entity.

"Should we let Lord Harvey safeguard it?" Banner suggested.

"It's possible," Tony considered, "though I'm not sure if Harvey would want to hold onto it."

For now, they couldn't do much with the Aether, so entrusting it to Harvey seemed the safest choice. Tony couldn't imagine anyone in the universe being able to steal it from Harvey.

"Why wouldn't he want it?" Banner asked, surprised. "This thing could tempt even the most powerful beings. It's practically capable of wish fulfillment."

"Harvey has known about the Aether's appearance for a while now," Tony replied. "He likely also predicted Malekith's invasion of Asgard. If he wanted it, he'd have already taken it without trouble."

After all, Harvey had warned him that something big was coming to Earth, involving a powerful artifact on par with the Tesseract, implying he'd known about these events.

"How could he know about something that hasn't happened?" Banner asked, astounded.

"Harvey's strength and abilities are unfathomable; foresight wouldn't be surprising. I'll ask him if he'd like to keep it safe temporarily," Tony said, picking up the phone. After about ten rings, Harvey finally answered, appearing as a projection before Tony and Banner.

"What's up?" Harvey asked.

"Harvey, Banner, and I borrowed the Aether from Odin. We can't study it yet, but we're concerned about its potential allure for certain individuals. Would you mind keeping it safe for a while?" Tony explained.

"The Reality Stone belongs to you two for research. You'll be fine holding onto it. Neither of you is an easy target," Harvey said.

Odin's willingness to lend them the Aether was a subtle way of currying favor with Harvey, signaling goodwill. Odin knew that Harvey's assistance could be vital in future battles.

"Reality Stone? Isn't it the Aether?" Tony questioned, now more curious.

"Yeah, even Thor and Malekith call it the Aether," Banner added, puzzled.

"The Aether is indeed the Reality Stone," Harvey clarified. "It can modify reality to an extent, allowing creations from nothing and changes to matter. But unless combined with the other stones, its reality-warping power is limited."

Since the Reality Stone was in Tony's hands, it was effectively under Harvey's watch, so he wasn't in any hurry to take it. Letting Tony and Banner study it might even lead to interesting technological discoveries.

"A stone with reality-altering powers?" Tony's interest was piqued. "Are there other stones like it?"

"There are six of these stones, collectively known as the Infinity Stones, each representing unique, boundless abilities," Harvey explained. "The Reality Stone is just one, though its power alone is somewhat limited."

Using the Reality Stone to its full potential required enormous energy, which Odin was likely aware of, making it safer to loan out.

"These stones can each reshape reality?" Banner's eyes widened.

"Individually, their powers are impressive but limited without significant energy," Harvey said. "Odin's trust in lending the Reality Stone to you is a way of signaling goodwill."

"Lending it as a gesture of goodwill?" Banner was stunned.

"That explains why Odin didn't specify a return date," Tony mused.

"Odin lent it to you, but in his mind, it's effectively in my hands," Harvey said. "And once it's in my possession, it won't be easy to retrieve."

"Odin is nearing the end of his life and hopes I'll honor this gesture when Thor eventually seeks my help."

"Wait, Odin is dying?" Banner exclaimed, shocked. "I thought he was one of the most powerful beings in the universe."

Tony looked at Banner and nodded, piecing together the underlying connections. While Tony had initially declared he'd only help on his terms, Odin had specifically asked for Harvey's thoughts, viewing him as the Void God Kassadin's representative.

"Harvey, did we cause you any trouble by borrowing the Reality Stone?" Tony asked, realizing the favor might have involved more than he first thought.

"You've already brought it over," Harvey said, "so just make sure you keep it safe for now. Once you're ready, study it carefully. But don't lose it. A single stone alone isn't too dangerous, but all six together would be devastating."

"If all six are gathered, what would that mean?" Tony asked.

"With all six, you're essentially omnipotent," Harvey said. "One snap, and you could wipe out the universe."

"A single snap… could wipe out everything?" Banner was wide-eyed.

"Few know this, and even those who do find gathering them challenging. The Time Stone, for instance, is under the Ancient One's watch. Odin holds the Space and Mind Stones, and now, I hold the Reality Stone. The Power and Soul Stones have yet to appear."

Tony, hearing this, began connecting the dots with the Tesseract. Could combining it with the Reality Stone amplify the power to rewrite reality? If they managed to harness this power through technology, it could open unimaginable doors.

Note: If you are interested, read up to chapter 358 at patreon.com/MythicForge11