Sparking Soul: Ch.18

“You know you could have teleported, right?” Mother began as I opened the door and I gave a sheepish smile as Darcy rolled her eyes.

“Do not worry, mother-in-law. I find that he tends to do what he thinks is best in the moment.”

“…I was gone for just a few hours and you two are already trying to team up against me.”

“Indeed. I have found the company of your beloved quite enjoyable…even if she is a bit vulgar.”

“Uh, I did say sorry for that, right?”

“You did, my dear. Do not worry. However, I must admit that I am a bit saddened you and your father did not invite me on your little excursion.”

“Oh, it was nothing much.”

“Getting a new Infinity Stone is more than just 'nothing much'.” She said while nodding at the Reality Stone in my chest and I smiled before looking at Darcy as she looked at it.

“Wait, that's another one? And you're sure it's the real one this time?”

“Considering we had to rip away possibly thousands of Asgardian and Dwarven runes as well as many others, it's safe to say that it is the real one.”

“Hmm, set by your grandfather?”

“That is what Father said.” I answered and she nodded before Darcy stood up and walked over with a hum.

“The energy from the stone kinda feels stronger than the energy from the other one.”

“Wait, the energy…feels?” I asked with a confused look and she giggled as Mother looked amused.

“While you were away, I decided to let Darcy get started on learning magic and she's passed the first step on sensing different energy.”

“I'm not a master at that yet, but I had to use this brain for something, right?” She spoke with a smile and I blinked at that before a happy smile spread across my face as I picked her up and swung her around.

“That is wonderful! Oh, thank the All-Father!”

“T-Thor! Down, boy~!” She squealed with a giggle and I laughed as I placed her down, amused at her exaggerated deep breaths before rolling my eyes as she gave me a glare despite the smile on her face.

“You have to stop doing that.”

“Am I not allowed to celebrate the achievements of my wife?”

“You did it when I passed my class as the top scorer.”

“And did you not enjoy it?” I asked with a knowing smirk and she huffed before she slowly nodded begrudgingly.

“I did, but you can't keep doing that especially now that I'm going to be living for four.”

“Ah, that reminds me. Would you like to become an Asgardian?”

“Am I not going to after I marry you? Or are you asking if you want to make the marriage be earlier?” She asked with a raised eyebrow while Mother looked just as curious before their eyes widened at my response.

“No, I mean that the Reality Stone allows me to alter reality and therefore people as I please. So, would you like to become an Asgardian in blood? That question is to you as well, Mother, since I know that you're not an actual Asgardian in blood.”

“She's not?” Darcy asked as she turned to Mother, who snapped out of her shock to slowly shake her head while staring at me.

“I am of the planet Vanaheim, but I was raised on Asgard by the former King Bor after he had slain my father in mortal combat.”

“…You gods really like killing everything you don't like, huh?” Darcy spoke with a shake of her head and I smirked as Mother giggled.

“We do, indeed, but back to what I wanted to ask. Are you certain you are allowed to do this? What did your father say?”

“I was never told of this so I assumed he wanted to surprise me with it.” Father's voice echoed in my mind and I sighed as I noticed Darcy looking around while Mother raised an eyebrow at me.

“In my defence, I just wanted to make sure you both were able to protect yourself in case we ever went to war.”

“The boy has a point despite the fact that he did not inform me of this decision.”

'Would you have approved it?”

“After some thinking…perhaps.” Father responded and I shook my head as Mother giggled before standing up and walking over.

“Well, I am in completely agreement with your idea that was so well thought out.”

“I wouldn't say well thought out.”

“Thor, your mom is being sarcastic.”

“Just let me have this moment.” I grumbled as I activated the Reality Stone, Mother taking a deep breath before I smirked as Darcy quickly spoke up.

“Are we sure of this, though? Wouldn't this affect the children in some way?”

“Well, since I am changing your constitution, I am also going to be changing theirs to make sure they match so they might be a fair bit stronger.”

“By a fair bit, he means a lot. Wait, are you going to be giving us the bodies of the average Asgardian?”

“Not in the slightest. For the Queen and soon-to-be-wife of the future King, nothing but the Royal blood will be deemed acceptable.”

“I agree and shall leave you to do so.” Father spoke before I felt his presence vanishing from my mind, looking at Mother as she rolled her eyes while Darcy looked smug.

“That's all I need to hear. Asgardian me up, oh future King.” I simply rolled my eyes with a smile at her words as I raised a hand towards them and felt the cosmic energy of the Reality Stone flow from my body and into theirs.

Slowly twisting my hand as I felt the energy going further in, Darcy had a dazed look in her eyes while Mother breathed slowly as I began to chant.

Reality, I harness your might through the blood of the All-Father Odin Borson. Let the Vanir known as Frigga Freyrdottir and the human known as Darcy Lewis stand among us, their bones of steel, their hearts of Asgard.” The chamber trembled and the air thickened as shimmering distortions rippled around us.

The Reality Stone was a beacon of scarlet light as it illuminated the room and before Darcy could speak, her eyes widened along with Mother's and mine's as I watched the energy engulf them both.

Despite the panic I felt, I suppressed it as I watched the signs of aging on Mother's face fading slightly while Darcy's glasses were completely obliterated as the Reality Stone's energy shot through them and back into my body.

As the light died down, Mother only stumbled and caught herself while Darcy would have fallen onto her face if not for me catching her, unable to help my concern as both of them were wide awake while breathing heavily.

“Are you okay?”

“A bit tired, my son.” Mother spoke up and I lifted her with the Space Stone, lowering her onto the bed as she looked at me with a thankful smile before picking up a groaning Darcy and placing her down besides Mother.

“W-When…does the world stop ringing and spinning and sounding like someone's taking a hammer to my skull?”

“That's the enhanced senses. You'll get used to them.” I spoke while marvelling at her voice, which now had this ethereal resonance to it while her formerly dark brown hair and brown eyes now shimmered with an otherworldly sheen and had a golden hue in them respectively.

“Great~ Urgh, I'm going to go to bed now because both this and the morning sickness did not make it worth it.”

“I'll be here to keep an eye on her. You need to go talk to your brother.”

“Has he been asking for me?” I asked as my eyes snapped up to Mother, who smiled before shaking her head.

“He would never, but a mother knows where her one child misses the other. Now go speak with your brother. Nothing will happen in the timespan that you are with him.” She spoke and I looked at her before letting out a soft sigh and nodding.

“Only because you asked. Hopefully, he doesn't try and kill me.”

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'Huh, he didn't try and kill me for once.' I thought with a smirk as I walked into his chamber, the ornate doors that had dozens of intricate Asgardian enchantments slowly closing behind me while I froze the space in between them to make sure he didn't try and escape.

Despite the fact that he was lounging upon a plush throne-like chair while idly flicking through a book on his lap, his gaze looked as sharp as ever as he looked up for a brief moment before looking back at the book with a hum.

“To what do I owe the honor of Asgard's finest warrior coming to visit me?” He drawled with a voice rich with sarcasm and I rolled my eyes as he continued.

“Perhaps, you are here to lecture me on the virtues of heroism? Or perhaps, you seek advice from Asgard's greatest mind on how to wield those glittering prizes you now possess?”

“Mother wished for us to speak, Loki.” I spoke as I walked over while creating a soft plush chair in front of his throne, sitting down and relaxing into it as he didn't even look phased by what I did.

“Ah, of course she does. And what does the mighty Thor wish to say to his wayward, imprisoned brother?” He asked while leaning back and closing his book, tilting his head slightly with an eyebrow raised.

“You are not imprisoned, Loki. Wayward, yes, but never imprisoned.”

“Is that so? I seem to recall many Asgardian enchantment on every exit one can find in the room to make sure I cannot leave.”

“That is because we could not risk you being used as pawn again, brother. The Tessera-!”

“The Space Stone, Thor. You may as well use its proper names now that you're collecting them like trinkets.”

“Do not mistake these for trinkets, Loki. They are far more dangerous than anyone can imagine.”

“You would know, wouldn't you brother? How was it to be manipulated by Thanos and his minion?” Loki asked with a mocking smile and I rolled my eyes at his attempt to anger me while shaking my head.

“You know, it's almost amusing in my eyes. I spent years plotting, grasping for power and struggling to get them only to end up a prisoner that has nothing. You on the other hand simply tried and here you sit in front of me, two Infinity Stones in your grasp that you acquired with little effort.”

“What is it you wish to say, Loki?”

“Oh, nothing much. I'm just wondering how much planning you put into this conquest for power to ensure that you did it so effortlessly.”

“They are not to be used for conquest. These are to be used for the betterment of Asgard.”

“Oh, you say so, brother, but you are not merely holding onto them for safekeeping, are you? No, I can see it in your eyes. You, dear Thor, have plans and I wish to know what they are.” He spoke with a soft commanding tone and I raised an eyebrow at him before he grunted as I forced him back into his seat with the Space Stone.

“I do. I intend to train and bond with them just as I do with Mjolnir and afterwards, I will seek out the Power Stone.”

“Ooh~ Quite ambitious. Do tell, where exactly do you plan on finding it?”

“I have my ways.” I answered and he frowned for the briefest of moments before his eyes widened as he smirked and sat back.

“I see~ You have a way to find the stones. Colour me impressed, brother. Here I thought you would be a buffoon that had no knowledge, but I see I may have underestimated you ever so slightly. Perhaps I should also go to my little kingdom of Midgard and see if I can't find any of that wisdom for myself, hmm?”

“Midgard is not your kingdom, brother. It never was.”

“A matter of perspective.” He shrugged with a bored look and I sighed as I leaned back.

'Yep, I had forgotten just how irritating he was in both the series and the movies.'

“Mother still wishes to believe there is good in you, Loki. So does Father.”

“And what do you believe?” He asked, but I smiled as I saw the slight hesitance that flickered across his face before the mask of indifference returned.

“I believe that you should stop acting like a child and started acting like a god.”

“Hah, of course you would.” He muttered softly, but I chuckled as I raised a finger and flicked it forward.

“Perhaps next time, you may try a different way to steal them.” I spoke as I stood up and looked behind me, smirking as the Loki in front of me vanished while the one behind me rolled his eyes as he was frozen in space before I placed him down onto his chair.

“I see you couldn't help enhancing yourself somewhat with the stones.”

“I did, somewhat. Stay out of trouble while I am gone, Loki.”

“I shall make no such promises.” He answered as I watched the Einherjar open the door and looked at him before shaking my head with a smirk as I placed a hand on my chest to cover the glow of the Reality Stone.

Reality, make it so that Loki never had the ability to cast magic

I didn't wish to do this, but I can't have him causing havoc and chaos upon Asgard while I tried my best to make sure the planet itself was still standing after this war.

'First, I have one thing to do before I start looking for the Power Stone.'

“Father?” I began as I connected my mind to Father's, having to wait only for a brief moment before he hummed.

“Yes, Thor?” He asked and I took a deep breath before a portal formed in front of me with a thought.

“I wish to start my training on being king.”

“…Step through.” He spoke and I simply nodded as I disconnected the link while closing the portal behind me, looking at Father as he sat upon his throne with a frown while looking at me.

“Form your words, I know what you wish to learn, but I wish to hear what exactly you expect from this training.”

“To be strong enough to finally erase the monster that's been plaguing the universe for eons.”

“Do you believe yourself capable of doing so?” He asked as he stood up from his throne and I froze as I felt a powerful presence rippling through the air.

“Do you believe yourself to become strong enough to do what I could not?” Father's tone was soft yet he might as well have been shouting as his voice bounced off of the walls while his aura was cracking the ground around the throne.

Straining myself to keep standing, I took a deep breath before looking directly into my eyes as the cosmic energy and Mjolnir's lightning pushed away his own pressure.

“I have went to battle many times and have returned victorious every time. The Looms of Fate cannot handle me and the abyss of Hel will not hold me. I vow on my name as Thor, son of Odin Borson and Frigga Freyrdottir and champion of Asgard, to defeat the monster known as Thanos and bring peace to the Nine Realms.” I declared and reality itself rumbled with my words as Father smiled for the first time since I met him.

“Very well. Then let us begin.”

A/N: And we end on this little cliffhanger~!! Next chapter, Thor and Odin does some training before the god of Thunder returns to his journey throughout the cosmos for the stones.

Also, Darcy is now a full-blooded Asgardian and Loki is slowly on his way to beginning his retribution arc, but it's going to be a while.

As always, read, enjoy, review and until the next one…

Ba-Bye~!!