That Aether must have been a pain in the ass." Tony said.
"Oh you have no idea." Thor told him.
Jane was examined by Asgardian physicians led by Eir via soul forge. She inquired about it but Eir told her not to move. Thor knew the thing within her was not from Earth and another physician told him Jane wouldn't survive the amount of energy surging within her, startling him. Jane asked if it was a Quantum Field Generator and EIr told her it was a soul forge. Jane asked if a soul forge transferred molecular energy from one place to another. Eir, startled by Jane's knowledge, said it did and Jane whispered to Thor that it was a quantum field generator, making him smile.
Everyone chuckled as Steve said, "Well, she is still as smart as ever."
"I can see why you liked her." Loki told Thor and Odinson.
Odin arrived, chastising Thor and asking him if his words were mere noises to him because of which he ignored them completely. He shut off the soul forge too.
"Boy is he in for a surprise!" Tony said.
"Took the words right out of my mouth." Scott said.
Thor told Odin she was ill and Odin told him she was a mortal and it was their defining trait. Thor said they could help her and Odin said she didn't belong here anymore than a goat at a banquet table, offending her.
"Okay, that was an unnecessary comparison." Hope said.
"Will you tell him that?" Scott asked her.
"Nope." Hope told him.
Odin introduced himself as King of Asgard and Protector of the Nine Realms. He told Jane he knew about her too, shocking her as she realized Thor had told his dad about her.
"Of course you would." Aunt May told him.
Thor told Odin something was within Jane and he had not seen it before. Odin said Midgard had 'doctors' who could deal with it and asked his guards to lead her back to Midgard. Two of the guards moved towards and Thor tried to warn them not to touch her but it was too late as they were sent flying back by the striking red mist.
"And there it is!" Tony said, "Surprise on the face of Old Father Time!"
Jane felt weakened and Thor ran up to her, gently touching her face and asking if she was all right. Odin walked up to her and saw the red energy flowing through her veins and was shocked. Eir thought the infection was defending Jane but Thor corrected her, saying it was defending itself. Odin told them to come with him.
"At least he's taking things seriously now." Peter said.
"No kidding." Benjamin agreed.
Odin led Thor and Jane into a room which had Yggdrasil in it and told them there were relics that predated the Universe itself and the thing inside Jane was one of them. He opened a book and said the Nine Realms were not eternal. They had a dawn and they will have a dusk. Before that dawn though, the forces of the Dark Elves had reigned absolute and unchallenged.
"And here comes a story." Sam said.
Thor remembered the quote from a story Frigga used to tell him and Loki as kids- "Born of eternal night the Dark Elves come to steal away the light." Odin showed them a picture and said Malekith made a weapon out of the darkness called the Aether which was fluid and ever-changing. It changed matter into dark matter and seeked out host bodies to draw strength from their bodies. Malekith had sought to use the power to return the Universe to one of darkness but after eternities of bloodshed, his father Bor had finally triumphed and ushered in a peace that lasted thousands of years.
