385

[Lay on Hands]

"Boom--"

Forseti and Eitri soared out of Jinlunga, engulfed in an endless torrent of rainbows.

Staring at the rainbow light filling their view, Eitri seemed dazed: "Are we dead?"

"Not yet," Forseti replied solemnly.

The seconds ticked by as the Divine Shield slowly depleted, its spell fragments fading away.

They were safe as long as the fragments held out, but Forseti wasn't certain they could withstand the torrent's destructive force once the shield failed.

The Torrent of Destruction tore through Mount Scarborough, shredded Jinlunga, and surged outward, colliding with the molten sea of the Lava Sea. Despite its speed, the torrent's energy rapidly diminished.

Five seconds remained...

Forseti clenched his fists nervously.

The vast lava sea weakened the torrent's power; after three seconds, the radiant torrent visibly dimmed.

By the end of five seconds, the torrent of destruction unleashed its final blow upon Eitri.

"Boom!"

"Ahh—" Eitri cried out, his Nidavi armor absorbing most of the blow but not all, leaving him bruised and bloodied, unconscious from the severe injuries.

Forseti fared slightly better, covered in cuts and bruises but conscious.

He reached out with Lay on Hands, a burst of radiant light healing Eitri's wounds almost instantly.

With his injuries mended, Eitri woke abruptly.

"Grab me, don't let the magma sweep me away," Forseti said, taking a potion and drinking it.

Eitri quickly steadied him.

While they escaped the torrent's wrath, their situation remained precarious amidst the towering waves of lava.

The Potion plunged Forseti into a deep slumber, accelerating his mana recovery.

Upon waking moments later, most of Forseti's mana had replenished. He used Lay on Hands on himself, healing his wounds, then summoned his holy wings.

Forseti pulled Eitri close, their holy wings beating against the magma waves, propelling them out of the lava sea and back onto solid ground within moments.

"Phew..."

Safe on land again, they both exhaled deeply.

"Who knew Jinlunga held such power? It's like a miniature Rainbow Bridge!" Eitri remarked, sighing. "It's a shame about Scarborough Iron Mountain."

"We're alive and well, and we have more than enough Scarborough Iron," Forseti reassured him.

"True," Eitri nodded.

Using their anti-metal pickaxes, they hadn't mined long but had gathered a substantial amount of Scarborough Iron.

Forseti alone collected at least three tons.

With such a haul, they could forge not only a Sulfuron Warhammer but also ensure a steady supply for the future, rivalling even the finest Vibranium.

After a brief rest, they gazed at the distant lava sea with its tumultuous waves.

Such a disturbance in the heart of Muspelheim would surely impact the entire realm... Forseti speculated that Muspelheim's celestial orbit might even shift slightly due to this event.

"How do we return? Should we contact Heimdall?" Eitri asked.

Forseti hesitated briefly, then replied, "Let's not. Such a significant event, tied to the legendary Jinlunga, is best known to no more than just us. It could complicate matters."

"Then what's the plan?" Eitri inquired.

"I recall a spatial passage in Muspelheim that can take us back," Forseti recalled the location.

Having authority over the Rainbow Bridge with his title, he rarely used the spatial passage in recent centuries, possibly forgetting its exact location.

"Where's this spatial passage?" Eitri asked in surprise.

"Follow me," Forseti stood and led the way.

Eitri took a few steps but stumbled on the worn armor, almost falling. He hastily shed the damaged pieces, tossing them aside before continuing after Forseti.

Under Forseti's guidance, they found the spatial passage.

"Surprising to find a passage here. Besides you, does anyone else know about it?" Eitri queried.

"Probably... well," Forseti began, noticing clear signs of tampering near the passage—enough to suggest recent activity.

Could it be Loki?

Given Loki's familiarity with the passage from the movies, Forseti considered the possibility.

Passing through the passage to the Moon, they boarded the Waterdrop spacecraft, seized from the Kree, and set course for Nidavi.

"Ah, so this ship runs on Shiar energy crystals," Eitri examined the vessel curiously, quickly reaching a conclusion.

"Shiar energy crystals?"

"Specialty crystals of the Shiar Empire," Eitri explained, adding, "I heard recently that the Shiar Empire has fallen into turmoil, battling powerful interstellar pirates."

"I've heard similar," Forseti nodded.

Eitri continued, "The pirate captain causing trouble, Horks—I've never heard of him before. It's surprising he could cause such havoc in the Shiar Empire..."

The Shiar Empire, a technological powerhouse on par with the Kree and Skrull Empires.

For a pirate to challenge the Shiar Empire spoke volumes; even Forseti and Eitri, uninterested in interstellar politics, had heard the tales.

After some gossip, Eitri changed the subject, "Forseti, what about upgrading this ship? It's quite old and purely technological."