"Hela has fallen…" Frigga sighed, the inevitability of Asgard's destruction weighing heavily on her heart.
"So this is Ragnarok? It shouldn't have ended like this… Perhaps not even Odin foresaw such a turn of events."
The emergence of the swarm had indeed been outside Odin's predictions—otherwise, he would never have permitted Thor to leave for Earth.
Due to Hela's interference, only one Asgardian ship managed to break through the encircling insectoid horde—a lone vessel carrying Asgard's fleeing survivors—while the rest of the Kree fleet, numbering in the hundreds, was utterly annihilated.
Watching the fleet's destruction, Will's heart ached. If he returned like this, the Supreme Intelligence would undoubtedly sentence him to death—and perhaps even punish his family.
The surviving Kree shared his fear. They couldn't go back. They couldn't allow the Supreme Intelligence to discover their existence. It would be better for the universe to simply assume they were lost.
"Heimdall…"
Heimdall shook his head before Frigga could speak. He knew what she wished to ask—whether Hela had truly perished. But if she had, nothing would be left of her—not even ashes. Yet, there was nothing he could do. Some unknown force clouded his vision, preventing him from seeing Asgard's current state. Likely, it was the result of the Swarm's mysterious weapon.
Asgard now lay beneath a suffocating shroud of black insects.
The swarm pursuing them eventually relented, turning back to feast on what remained of Asgard's surface—driven by instinct to prioritize the feast at hand rather than a distant meal.
Under the swarm's relentless gnawing, Asgard's great landmass began to crumble. All animals and plants left behind faced inevitable annihilation.
"Asgard… destroyed by mere insects…" Loki's self-deprecating smile flickered as he glanced at the huddled, bewildered Asgardian refugees aboard the ship.
As Commander Will prepared to speak, a shadow appeared beside him.
"Shkk!"
Loki's dagger plunged into Will's side, crimson blood staining his uniform.
"I thought you Kree didn't bleed." Loki sneered. "You're just as repulsive as Ronan."
The surrounding Kree soldiers immediately raised their weapons, aiming at Loki and the Asgardians.
"Release our commander!"
Many of the younger Kree still revered Ronan. Loki's insult only deepened their anger.
"Hmph. Your weapons are nothing but toys to me."
Illusions shimmered—dozens of Lokis appeared around the Kree soldiers, each pressing a dagger against a vulnerable spot.
"I could kill you all with ease."
"Enough, Loki." Frigga's voice rang out, stern and commanding. She produced a small device. "This contains the star charts to Earth. That is where we must go."
Though Earth and Asgard both belonged to the Nine Realms, the spatial pathways between them were treacherous without a guide. A single mistake could send them hurtling into the void.
Will gritted his teeth, the Kree's regenerative abilities struggling against the pain. He dared not speak out, surrounded by Asgardian warriors renowned across the galaxy for their strength.
Any rash action would get him killed.
With the wormhole conjured by Galactus already dissipated, the Kree piloted the ship through the luminescent mist following the star chart's coordinates. Soon, a blue planet emerged in the void—Earth.
"Those insects… they aren't following us, are they?" a Kree officer asked nervously.
"Don't delude yourself." Loki's sardonic voice cut in. "The Nine Realms are bound together. It's only a matter of time before they find us."
A heavy silence fell. None of the Kree dared suggest abandoning the star system—not with the Asgardians watching their every move.
"Queen of Asgard…" Will pressed a hand against his wound, addressing Frigga. "Ronan… had… conflicts with Earth's people. They likely despise the Kree. Perhaps… we should not go there."
Will's reasoning was sound. Even the Asgardians might be mistaken for invaders. A massive warship entering Earth's atmosphere would undoubtedly cause chaos.
Frigga's brow furrowed. He wasn't wrong.
"Loki, Commander Will and I will proceed to Earth. The rest will wait here."
—
Though Earth's satellites failed to detect the approaching Kree ship, the Skrulls hidden on the Moon did.
"It's a Kree warship," a Skrull officer reported, tension thick in the air. "Shall we shoot it down, General Kallruth? Our weapons are fully operational."
The Skrulls' newly constructed superweapon bolstered their confidence.
"Wait. A smaller ship has separated and is heading toward Earth. It seems they haven't detected our base… or they don't consider us their target." Kallruth frowned. "I'll report to Garus before making a decision."
Despite their pride, not a single Skrull objected. Even the Skrull Queen deferred to Garus—their savior.
In the universe, power commanded respect. Garus had earned his.
Kallruth entered the communications chamber.
"Mr. Garus, a Kree warship has entered Earth's orbit. A smaller vessel is descending to the surface."
Garus, watching Dr. Connors' experiments, was momentarily stunned. Kallruth's solemn expression left no doubt—he wasn't lying.
Why would the Kree dare approach Earth, knowing it was under his protection?
"Prepare for battle. I'll see what they want."
Before Garus could act, a subordinate rushed in.
"A ship is landing on the company rooftop."
—
In the silent void, a lone figure drifted.
Hela.
Even without Asgard's power, she had been nearly invincible—fighting alongside Fenrir and her undead legions to escape the swarm's maw.
But she had paid a price.
Her connection to Asgard's energies severed, her body battered from the battle, she now floated in the abyss. The Necrosword lay dormant—without power, she couldn't wield it.
Her consciousness flickered, sinking into slumber as the infinite void carried her toward an unknown fate.
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TN: This fanfic has been fully translated and is available on my Patreon —— PATREON.COM / PRIMALDEMON