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Chapter 696: Kings Meeting (2)
Daughter of Surtur watched the axe blade, as large as a Mountain, fall towards her, yet she remained completely unfazed. Instead, a manic Smile spread across her face as she extended her Right Hand behind her into empty Air.
Instantly, a Sword Blade radiating orange Light emerged from her Palm. Once free from Daughter of Surtur's Palm, the Sword Blade, initially only as thick as a Slap, rapidly expanded, becoming nearly as large as her Body in the blink of an eye.
Yet even then, the Giant Sword, as large as a Door panel, appeared almost comically small compared to the colossal Giant Axe bearing down like a tidal wave. The difference was akin to that between an American Muscle Car and a toothpick.
However, Daughter of Surtur remained unfazed. Leaping into the Air, she gripped the 'Giant' Sword and slashed upwards towards the Giant Axe. Seeing that the two were about to collide, Malekith shrugged with a hint of resignation before dissolving into Smoke and vanishing from the Original Spot.
Meanwhile, Hela remained motionless in the Original Spot, wrapped in her Cape, calmly observing the impending clash of the two Divine Weapon.
"Bang!"
Sword and Axe finally collided, the immense Qi Wave generated rippling outwards. Heat Wave and Cold Wind intertwined, resulting in a stalemate where neither could overcome the other.
Laufey's Arm wielding the Giant Axe recoiled sharply, causing his Body to lean back slightly. Conversely, Daughter of Surtur was propelled even further back by the Great Strength of the impact, only regaining her Build in the Air after crashing through a Mountain.
Daughter of Surtur erupted in boisterous laughter, jets of searing Flame erupting from her Foot, propelling her towards Laufey at an even greater Speed than before. Clearly, crashing through the Mountain had inflicted minimal Damage.
If Daughter of Surtur was barely affected, Laufey, who had only been slightly thrown off balance, was even less likely to have sustained significant Damage. He merely swayed momentarily before regaining his Body. However, Daughter of Surtur was approaching too rapidly; attempting to wield the Axe knocked from his Right Hand was clearly no longer an option.
Thus, Laufey instinctively raised his Free Time Left Hand. The moment his Left Hand clenched into a Fist, it became encased in a thick layer of solid ice, its sheer thickness rivaling the Ice Mountain surrounding them.
Seeing this, Daughter of Surtur hurled the Giant Sword from her Hand. The Giant Sword arced through the Air, and then she thrust her Right Hand forward, unleashing a burst of Flame resembling the mushroom cloud that engulfs a Little Boy upon falling.
The Flame did not dissipate in the Air; instead, it solidified into a colossal Hand, no smaller than Laufey's Fist, which seized the Flame Giant Sword mid-Air. As the Giant Sword was clutched in the Hand, a pillar of Fire erupted skyward, and upon its dissipation, a truly formidable Giant Sword remained.
The massive Hand wielding the Giant Sword slashed downwards towards Laufey's Fist. Should these Attacks collide, the resulting impact would undoubtedly dwarf their previous clash, potentially drawing Odin's attention – a scenario Hela was determined to prevent.
A swirl of green Smoke enveloped Hela's Body, and then she transformed into a Raven, appearing between the two combatants with astonishing Speed. This signified Hela's intention to directly confront their Attacks.
Confronted with this formidable Thing, Hela, having reverted to her Humanoid form, simply extended her Left Hand and Right Hand towards their oncoming Attacks. Observing her demeanor, one might mistakenly believe she was merely about to restrain two Students throwing clumsy punches.
Yet, this seemingly nonchalant Act yielded unforeseen consequences.
Flame and Cold Wind simultaneously struck Hela's Hand. At the very moment of contact, both the tangible solid ice and the intangible Flame transformed into wisps of Ashes, symbols of utter ruin, which then drifted gently downwards with the Mist permeating all of Niflheim.
Daughter of Surtur and Laufey simultaneously ceased their Attacks. Had they not, their own Bodies risked suffering the same fate as the elements they commanded, and their Nations would soon be seeking new Kings.
"Cease this, Cynder, Laufey," Hela commanded, observing the two as they reluctantly regained their Calm. "I selected this Meeting Location precisely to avoid detection by Odin, that Old Timer. I do not wish for that Old Timer to be privy to my plans beforehand, is that understood?"
Though phrased as a question seeking Opinion, Hela's tone was utterly resolute. Her seemingly approachable demeanor masked an undeniable air of superiority, prompting one to question whether the true nature of their relationships aligned with her pronouncements.
Whether it was an alliance or a manipulation, only those Presence knew the truth within their Hearts.
"Our Goals for gathering here may differ, but the ultimate outcome upon achieving those Goals is the same, and that is the Reason we have convened."
Malekith, who had vanished for some Time, reappeared as if from nowhere. This Time, he held a Crystal Ball in his Right Hand. As his Left Hand, resting upon the Crystal Ball, rotated slightly, the once pristine crystal grew cloudy.
Like a Crystal Ball one might receive as a Christmas Gift, as the indistinct forms – be they snowflakes or Mist – dissipated, a Woman's Face materialized within the Crystal Ball. Though a Mask obscured half her Face, it was evident that the Woman possessed considerable beauty.
"I confess, I anticipated this Party would be rather tedious. Little did I expect such a grand Act to unfold before my very eyes," the Woman within the Crystal Ball jested, though her Smile faltered and vanished as Hela cast a sharp glance her way.
"Silence, Haven!" Hela commanded icily. Not only the Woman named Haven, but every other individual Presence fell utterly silent. The stillness was so profound, one could have heard a pin drop, and even the sporadic Cold Wind seemed to cease its whisper.
"I Hope you all understand that internal strife is unacceptable, particularly when we face a formidable common Enemy. Bear in mind, that Old Timer possesses the Power to extinguish any of our lives with a mere whim."
No one offered a Response to Hela's Words, yet they all knew the Queen of the Underworld spoke truth. Odin Borson, the God King of Asgard and Guardian of the Nine Realms, wielded undeniable Power, a fact acknowledged by these otherwise imperious Kings.
"Leave your petty kingdom squabbles behind. Here, Kings are hardly a rarity. I, Hela, Queen of the Underworld; Cynder, Flame Queen, Daughter of Surtur; Laufey, Giant King of Jotunheim; Malekith, Dark Elf King; and Haven, Angel Queen."
"You may possess Invulnerability within your own Aspect of dominion, but when confronted by God King Odin, we are no more significant than Ants, easily crushed beneath his Foot. I Hope you will remember this Point."
"Remember this: we are but a swarm of Ants, Ants with the audacious ambition to devour an Elephant. Unity is our sole advantage, our only path to victory. I will brook no further Words that undermine this unity. Next Time, I shall personally excise the dissenting elements."
(End of Chapter)
Daughter of Surtur watched the axe blade, as large as a Mountain, fall towards her, yet she remained completely unfazed. Instead, a manic Smile spread across her face as she extended her Right Hand behind her into empty Air.
Instantly, a Sword Blade radiating orange Light emerged from her Palm. Once free from Daughter of Surtur's Palm, the Sword Blade, initially only as thick as a Slap, rapidly expanded, becoming nearly as large as her Body in the blink of an eye.
Yet even then, the Giant Sword, as large as a Door panel, appeared almost comically small compared to the colossal Giant Axe bearing down like a tidal wave. The difference was akin to that between an American Muscle Car and a toothpick.
However, Daughter of Surtur remained unfazed. Leaping into the Air, she gripped the 'Giant' Sword and slashed upwards towards the Giant Axe. Seeing that the two were about to collide, Malekith shrugged with a hint of resignation before dissolving into Smoke and vanishing from the Original Spot.
Meanwhile, Hela remained motionless in the Original Spot, wrapped in her Cape, calmly observing the impending clash of the two Divine Weapon.
"Bang!"
Sword and Axe finally collided, the immense Qi Wave generated rippling outwards. Heat Wave and Cold Wind intertwined, resulting in a stalemate where neither could overcome the other.
Laufey's Arm wielding the Giant Axe recoiled sharply, causing his Body to lean back slightly. Conversely, Daughter of Surtur was propelled even further back by the Great Strength of the impact, only regaining her Build in the Air after crashing through a Mountain.
Daughter of Surtur erupted in boisterous laughter, jets of searing Flame erupting from her Foot, propelling her towards Laufey at an even greater Speed than before. Clearly, crashing through the Mountain had inflicted minimal Damage.
If Daughter of Surtur was barely affected, Laufey, who had only been slightly thrown off balance, was even less likely to have sustained significant Damage. He merely swayed momentarily before regaining his Body. However, Daughter of Surtur was approaching too rapidly; attempting to wield the Axe knocked from his Right Hand was clearly no longer an option.
Thus, Laufey instinctively raised his Free Time Left Hand. The moment his Left Hand clenched into a Fist, it became encased in a thick layer of solid ice, its sheer thickness rivaling the Ice Mountain surrounding them.
Seeing this, Daughter of Surtur hurled the Giant Sword from her Hand. The Giant Sword arced through the Air, and then she thrust her Right Hand forward, unleashing a burst of Flame resembling the mushroom cloud that engulfs a Little Boy upon falling.
The Flame did not dissipate in the Air; instead, it solidified into a colossal Hand, no smaller than Laufey's Fist, which seized the Flame Giant Sword mid-Air. As the Giant Sword was clutched in the Hand, a pillar of Fire erupted skyward, and upon its dissipation, a truly formidable Giant Sword remained.
The massive Hand wielding the Giant Sword slashed downwards towards Laufey's Fist. Should these Attacks collide, the resulting impact would undoubtedly dwarf their previous clash, potentially drawing Odin's attention – a scenario Hela was determined to prevent.
A swirl of green Smoke enveloped Hela's Body, and then she transformed into a Raven, appearing between the two combatants with astonishing Speed. This signified Hela's intention to directly confront their Attacks.
Confronted with this formidable Thing, Hela, having reverted to her Humanoid form, simply extended her Left Hand and Right Hand towards their oncoming Attacks. Observing her demeanor, one might mistakenly believe she was merely about to restrain two Students throwing clumsy punches.
Yet, this seemingly nonchalant Act yielded unforeseen consequences.
Flame and Cold Wind simultaneously struck Hela's Hand. At the very moment of contact, both the tangible solid ice and the intangible Flame transformed into wisps of Ashes, symbols of utter ruin, which then drifted gently downwards with the Mist permeating all of Niflheim.
Daughter of Surtur and Laufey simultaneously ceased their Attacks. Had they not, their own Bodies risked suffering the same fate as the elements they commanded, and their Nations would soon be seeking new Kings.
"Cease this, Cynder, Laufey," Hela commanded, observing the two as they reluctantly regained their Calm. "I selected this Meeting Location precisely to avoid detection by Odin, that Old Timer. I do not wish for that Old Timer to be privy to my plans beforehand, is that understood?"
Though phrased as a question seeking Opinion, Hela's tone was utterly resolute. Her seemingly approachable demeanor masked an undeniable air of superiority, prompting one to question whether the true nature of their relationships aligned with her pronouncements.
Whether it was an alliance or a manipulation, only those Presence knew the truth within their Hearts.
"Our Goals for gathering here may differ, but the ultimate outcome upon achieving those Goals is the same, and that is the Reason we have convened."
Malekith, who had vanished for some Time, reappeared as if from nowhere. This Time, he held a Crystal Ball in his Right Hand. As his Left Hand, resting upon the Crystal Ball, rotated slightly, the once pristine crystal grew cloudy.
Like a Crystal Ball one might receive as a Christmas Gift, as the indistinct forms – be they snowflakes or Mist – dissipated, a Woman's Face materialized within the Crystal Ball. Though a Mask obscured half her Face, it was evident that the Woman possessed considerable beauty.
"I confess, I anticipated this Party would be rather tedious. Little did I expect such a grand Act to unfold before my very eyes," the Woman within the Crystal Ball jested, though her Smile faltered and vanished as Hela cast a sharp glance her way.
"Silence, Haven!" Hela commanded icily. Not only the Woman named Haven, but every other individual Presence fell utterly silent. The stillness was so profound, one could have heard a pin drop, and even the sporadic Cold Wind seemed to cease its whisper.
"I Hope you all understand that internal strife is unacceptable, particularly when we face a formidable common Enemy. Bear in mind, that Old Timer possesses the Power to extinguish any of our lives with a mere whim."
No one offered a Response to Hela's Words, yet they all knew the Queen of the Underworld spoke truth. Odin Borson, the God King of Asgard and Guardian of the Nine Realms, wielded undeniable Power, a fact acknowledged by these otherwise imperious Kings.
"Leave your petty kingdom squabbles behind. Here, Kings are hardly a rarity. I, Hela, Queen of the Underworld; Cynder, Flame Queen, Daughter of Surtur; Laufey, Giant King of Jotunheim; Malekith, Dark Elf King; and Haven, Angel Queen."
"You may possess Invulnerability within your own Aspect of dominion, but when confronted by God King Odin, we are no more significant than Ants, easily crushed beneath his Foot. I Hope you will remember this Point."
"Remember this: we are but a swarm of Ants, Ants with the audacious ambition to devour an Elephant. Unity is our sole advantage, our only path to victory. I will brook no further Words that undermine this unity. Next Time, I shall personally excise the dissenting elements."
(End of Chapter)
