[A/N: There was a heavy rain around our area, so I couldn't upload chapters. From now it should be regular since I have already scheduled the release]
The Vanir Protoss had been in decline for centuries, their once-great civilization reduced to shadows of its former glory. Yet Odin understood the threat they still posed better than anyone. The peace treaty between Asgard and Vanaheim hadn't been born from mercy—it had been necessary. Even weakened, the Vanir possessed power that could challenge Asgard's rule.
When Njord, the Sea Lord, had vanished without a trace, Odin had seized the opportunity. He had worked tirelessly, manipulating events from the shadows, ensuring that no second Njord would ever rise to challenge Asgard's supremacy.
If not for the two senators interference- stubborn old fools who clung to ancient traditions and protected the fragile balance of Vanaheim with fierce determination. Without them, Odin would have succeeded completely. The Vanir would have been nothing but memory.
Still time had taught Odin that complete destruction was often impossible, so he had adapted his strategy. Instead of trying to eliminate every threat, he had begun recruiting talented individuals from Vanaheim, slowly instilling loyalty and his own ideologies within them. It was a longer game, but one that had proven remarkably effective. It was not that hard too since between a declining realm and the ruling realm, it was obvious to anyone which one is better choice.
Among them, Heimdall had been his greatest success story. Taken as a child and raised within Asgard's walls, the future guardian had been molded from birth to serve Odin's vision. His unwavering loyalty had been earned through years of careful guidance and manipulation, though Heimdall himself believed it to be genuine devotion. Odin wouldn't have entrusted him with Hofund, the sword of guardianship that controlled the Bifrost, if he harbored even the slightest doubt about the man's allegiance.
The responsibility of monitoring the Nine Realms and guarding Asgard's portal had been given to Heimdall without hesitation. His all-seeing eyes served as Odin's most valuable intelligence network, watching for threats before they could fully manifest. But even this extensive surveillance had its limitations, as evidenced by their delayed discovery of the Vanir heir.
Despite Heimdall's all-seeing eyes and Odin's extensive spy networks, they only learned of the boy when he was already five years old. The Vanir were renown for their mastery of magic, after all. Skirnir, the last royal guard, made direct interference impossible—he never let the heir out of his sight for even a moment.
When reports finally came about the young prince's weak magical abilities, Odin felt relieved. A Vanir without magic posed no real threat. The boy would likely rule as a mere figurehead, unable to restore his people's former strength.
So when the coronation invitation arrived, Odin gave it little thought. He sent Thor to attend—partly for diplomacy, but mainly to remind the Vanir that Asgard still held dominance. Thor's presence would send a clear message about who truly controlled the Nine Realms.
But now, standing in his throne room, Odin realized his casual dismissal had been a terrible mistake. All his careful planning to prevent another Njord had crumbled in a single day.
"Heimdall!" Odin's voice echoed through the golden halls, carrying barely controlled anger. "Tell me exactly who Thor is fighting!"
The guardian stepped forward, his expression grave as he activated his mystical sight. Golden light blazed in his eyes as his consciousness reached across the vast distances between realms. After several tense moments, shock replaced his usual composure.
"All-Father," Heimdall said, disbelief clear in his voice. "Prince Thor is fighting the new King of Vanaheim himself."
Odin's single eye narrowed dangerously, his knuckles white as he gripped Gungnir.
"And?" Odin's voice was deceptively quiet, but those who knew him recognized the storm brewing beneath.
Heimdall hesitated then still confirmed. "Thor has been defeated, my lord. The battle is over."
"WHAT?!" The word exploded from Odin with such force that the throne room walls seemed to shake. Guards shifted nervously, hands moving instinctively toward weapons despite knowing no earthly threat could reach the All-Father here.
Odin rose from his throne, his imposing figure casting long shadows across the floor. His mind raced, trying to process this turn of events. "You reported earlier that this king gained Njord's power during his coronation?"
"Yes, All-Father," Heimdall replied steadily. "The moment the crown touched his head, the power of sea was awakened in his body."
Odin closed his eye slowly, the weight of this revelation crushing. "Awakening the power of a Pantheon King at merely twenty years old? And he defeated Thor?"
The implications were staggering. Both Aesir and Vanir grew stronger with age—it was fundamental law. The older royal family members invariably possessed greater power than the younger ones. Not to mention Thor, at over fifteen hundred years old, was a battle-tested warrior who had fought across the Nine Realms. Mjolnir was one of the most powerful weapons ever forged.
Yet this fledgling king—barely more than a child by their standards—had bested the God of Thunder in his first real test of power.
The humiliation was almost unbearable. Asgard's reputation, built over centuries of conquest, had been shattered in an afternoon. Word would spread throughout the realms like wildfire, and every enemy would see it as weakness.
Heimdall remained silent, his enhanced hearing picking up Odin's muttered frustrations. As a loyal servant, he knew better than to comment on what was clearly a private moment of vulnerability. He lowered his gaze respectfully, pretending not to notice the rare display of uncertainty from Asgard's usually unshakeable ruler.
"I have been too lenient with that boy," Odin growled, parental disappointment mixing with royal frustration. "Over fifteen hundred years old and still dependent on Mjolnir for his power. Now defeated by a child who just awakened his abilities! Does he think himself as the God Of Hammer instead."
Odin's mind worked furiously, calculating responses to this disaster. Thor's failure wasn't just personal embarrassment—it was a strategic catastrophe that could destabilize the entire balance among the Nine Realms.
How could he trust the throne to someone so thoroughly outmatched by an untested opponent? How could Thor defend Asgard if he couldn't handle a newly crowned king? The thought of handing over the throne in one hand to Thor and him losing it with the other was frustrating.
Odin's grip on Gungnir tightened as he made his decision. Drastic measures were needed to salvage this situation.
"Heimdall," he commanded, authority returning to his voice. "Summon Thor back to Asgard immediately."
"Yes, All-Father. Shall I explain—"
"Tell him nothing of my displeasure," Odin interrupted sharply. "I sent him to congratulate the new king, not challenge him and nearly start a war. His arrogance has grown beyond acceptable limits. He requires correction."
"Understood, my lord."
As Heimdall bowed and retreated, Odin's thoughts moved beyond the immediate crisis. This incident would change everything. The Vanir, led by a king possessing Njord's legendary power, would inevitably rise again. The careful balance that had kept them subdued for centuries was crumbling.
The history between their peoples was complex and bloody, filled with ancient grudges. If this young king proved as capable a leader as he was a warrior, old wounds might reopen. Odin needed to completely reassess his strategy. He have to ask the spies to dig more information.
"For Now I should let Frigga console the kid and see what's going on," he mused. "She has always been skilled at reading people and understanding their true motivations."
- - - - - - - -
Time Variance Authority.
In the sterile halls of the TVA, alarms blared through the facility. A time supervisor monitoring his assigned timeline noticed something that made his blood freeze. The timeline he oversaw had undergone massive transformation. Multiple branch timelines that had been connected with the timeline simply vanished, and from a specific point forward, the timeline moved as a single line.
Emergency protocols activated as the disturbance's magnitude became clear. Key personnel rushed to the crisis center as containment procedures sealed off facility sections.
"What's the situation?" Agent Mobius demanded, striding into the monitoring room with focused urgency. As the TVA's expert on Loki-related incidents, he was called whenever reality-threatening events occurred. Since Loki is the public enemy no 1 of TVA.
"Still analyzing the data," replied a technician, fingers flying across holographic displays. "But this is unprecedented. The timeline isn't just branching differently—it's been completely rewritten from a fixed point forward."
Judge Ravonna Renslayer and Hunter B-15 arrived moments later, their expressions grim as they assessed the crisis scope. Ravonna had overseen countless timeline prunings, including cosmic-level threats like Thanos. Even she was shaken by what they saw.
"Mobius, full report," she ordered. "This level of temporal disturbance is beyond anything we've recorded."
"Working on it," Mobius replied, though his troubled expression suggested the answers weren't reassuring. "The timeline appears stable around the disturbance point, but we've lost all predictive capability beyond that moment. The future has become completely opaque to our devices."
An analyst suddenly straightened. "Found the epicenter! The disturbance originates from Asgard and Vanaheim!"
"Should have known," Mobius muttered, running his hand through his hair. "It's always something involving that prankster God Loki."
"Wait," the analyst continued. "The primary event stems from Vanaheim specifically. A new Vanir King has awakened the previous king's power and defeated Thor in combat. This caused changes throughout the timeline. Odin is making decisions ahead of schedule, Thor's development is altered, and the Nine Realms' political balance is shifting dramatically."
Silence fell as the implications sank in. A new cosmic player, powerful enough to defeat Thor and reshape reality through his actions alone.
"A new Vanir King?" Mobius frowned. "That shouldn't exist. We have comprehensive records of all significant temporal events. No Vanir royal succession appears in any documented timeline."
Judge Ravonna's expression hardened. She had dealt with reality-warping threats before, made the hard choices necessary to preserve timeline integrity. Unknown variables were among the most dangerous forces in the multiverse.
The time Variance Authority governs a sizeable number of the infinite realities in the ever growing multiverse. overseeing, adjusting and balancing timelines while pruning unwanted ones.
While they can do that with their advanced scientific equipment's. At the the end of the day they are still normal humans. So they have to be extra careful when completely unknown cases make it their way.
"While we can't go to the past or future of the timeline," she said slowly, "we can still deploy agents in the present for assessment and containment. A newly crowned king, regardless of power level, should remain within our operational parameters."
Her confidence reassured the assembled agents, though those who knew her detected underlying tension. This was uncharted territory, and even the TVA's vast resources might not suffice against a completely unknown threat.
"Hunter B-15," Ravonna continued, addressing the veteran field agent. "Lead the containment team personally. Select your best operatives and prepare for immediate deployment. We need to understand exactly what we're dealing with before this spirals completely out of control."
B-15 nodded grimly, already cataloging necessary equipment and personnel. "Understood, Judge. Team will be ready within the hour."