Been Thinking

A few hours had passed since the harrowing events unfolded in Asgard. The realm was now marked by the scars of battle, but the Asgardians with their magic had already begun the arduous task of restoration.

Powerful incantations echoed through the air as golden runes shimmered and pulsed, weaving themselves into the fabric of reality and repairing the shattered structures and cleansing the blood-stained ground. The dead Fenrir Wolves were being gathered and dissolved into light particles with practiced efficiency. As if they have been trained on doing this countless times before.

Thor standing alone in his tower. The room was dimly lit at this moment, the only light coming from a few flickering torches mounted on the walls and the pale glow of the moon outside. Thor stood by a tall window, holding a goblet filled with a brownish-yellow liquid that now filled to the brim. He took a long sip and feeling the warmth of the drink spreading through him, though it did little to ease his mind.

He heard the soft rustle of footsteps behind him and knew without turning that it was Sif. For a moment, she said nothing and simply standing by his side, following his gaze out over the horizon.

"What troubles you now?" she finally asked.

Thor remained silent for a moment longer, his grip tightening around the goblet.

"The children. They are too young for this. They were meant to come to Asgard when they were adults, when they were ready. Not now, not like this."

Sif nodded, understanding the conflict that tore at Thor. "I understand your reasoning. But you know as well as I do that those children… they are our only chance. Whatever attacked them today they knew that. Sending them back to Midgard… it might protect them for now, but it won't solve the problem."

Thor sighed, the sound filled with frustration and a deep sadness. "They are just children, Sif. They should not bear the burden of our battles. What Beowulf… I mean, Liam said is right."

Sif placed a hand on his arm. "They are part of a greater destiny. Sending them away… it may only delay the inevitable. But, I guess its your choice."

Sif also felt that dragging the children here was the same as pulling them into a miserable fate. But she also knew they didn't have a choice. As the goddess of Asgard, she believed it was her duty to protect them.

If Thor intended to send them back to Midgard, she wouldn't stop him.

---

Erik lay in his bed. The warmth of the healing elixirs flowing through his veins soothed his body but his mind was far from at ease. The events of the day replayed in his thoughts, Their families waiting in a different room.

He felt a deep-seated fear every time he remembered the figure they had faced. The battle had been brutal, the kind of fight that left marks on the soul. But alongside the fear there was something else, something strange, yet undeniable.

A sense of satisfaction, of pride. He had defeated the enemy. He had protected his mother, Mia's father, and Liam's grandpa. The realization sent a shiver down his spine, not from fear but from a thrill of power he have.

This was his doing, his strength that had turned the tide.

Erik closed his eyes trying to steady his racing thoughts. But the images continued to swirl in his mind reminding him that his normal life was now gone. There would be no returning to the simple days of school, of playing games with friends, of worrying about trivial things.

Ragnarok had begun, and with it, the world he once knew had been irrevocably changed.

Even if he wished to go back to Earth to pretend that this nightmare could be left behind, he knew deep down that it wouldn't end so easily. The enemy had shown themselves and they were targeting him, Liam, and Mia.

That meant they would be chased, hunted, even if they returned to Earth. And that would put their families in even greater danger. The thought made Erik's chest tighten.

He sighed. He didn't have a choice. If he wanted to protect his mother, his friends, and the world he cared about, he would have to stay here in Asgard and do his part. There was no running from this, no escaping the fate that had been thrust upon him.

But what about Liam and Mia? Erik's thoughts drifted to his friends. If they wanted to leave and go back to Earth to their a normal life, he wouldn't stop them. They deserved that choice, the chance to walk away if they wanted to.

But Erik knew that he wouldn't follow them. They maybe called him stupid or idiot but the fact is lay bare in front of his eyes. He can not run form it.

Suddenly, Liam jolted awake. He sat up abruptly and a loud frustrated grunt escaping his lips.

Beside him Mia stirred at the sudden noise. She grabbed the nearest pillow and hurled it at Liam.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" she snapped, her voice sharp with irritation. The pillow smacked Liam square in the face, knocking him back slightly.

Liam rubbed his forehead. "Sorry, Uhm, I've been thinking. I think we can't run from this anymore."

Mia's expression softened slightly, her irritation giving way as she heard Lima's words.

"You think I don't know that?" Mia replied rhetorically. She let out a sighed. "I've been thinking as well. We can't run from a disaster that consume a whole world."

Erik blinked in his bed while looking at them. It turns out, they have been thinking the same thing as him.

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