Infinity

Chapter 25 The Last of Them

"My Queen!" A voice shouts across the room.

I look up from the papers in my hands, "What is it?" It's been years since anything has come up. I've sent a few groups of seekers out to find the final Infinity Stones, but in the past three years they've come up empty handed. No trouble has risen within the nine realms, not any that is worthy of remembering.

"We've found them."

I set my papers down in disbelief, "Did you really?"

Vandir nods.

"Bring me my armor and my horse!" I command. My shieldmaid runs off. I recruited her about a year ago. I decided that I didn't want a handmaid, or a servant, I wanted someone who I could trust to fight beside me.

I follow Vandir out to the stables, where my shieldmaid waits with my armor, "Thank you Amria." She nods and helps me secure my armor quickly. The stable hands bring me Sleipnir, along with Vandir and Amria's horses. We fly toward the other end of the rainbow bridge. Heimdall quickly opens the bifrost and we are transported to another world.

The ground is covered in bright green grass, the sky is a crisp blue, trees surround me.

"Vannaheim?" I ask, "The fifth stone is in Vannaheim?"

"We believe so."

"Take me to it, If you are right, you can consider yourselves among the elite."

He nods and nudges his horse forward.

We wind through the stunning forests of Vannaheim. It's breathtakingly beautiful, but the scenery is not why I'm here. I'm here for one reason. The Stone.

We pull up to a cave, hidden far back in the woods, out of sight, out of mind.

I hop off of Sleipnir, leaving him to graze.

Vandir picks up a torch, lighting it and stepping into the cave. Amria does the same, following behind me.

"How far back is it?" I ask.

"Not far, maybe an hour of walking. Watch your step, there's no real path."

"Do not worry about me." I say.

He leads me through the cave, and he was right, an hour of navigating through the darkness and through the rock.

A strange green glow starts to reflect off of the walls, "Oh, Vandir, You've done well." I say, looking ahead.

"What should we do with it? We already have two stones on Asgard, if we bring it with us it will attract more enemies. One is on Midgard, and the other with the collector."

"If we secure this stone, we keep it silent until we find the last one. We gather all six and protect them- No force would dare stand against us."

The glow grows stronger, illuminating the entire room.

Vandir's group stands, waiting for me.

"You've all earned a place at my table." I say, placing a hand on one of their shoulders.

I carefully step forward toward the green stone. I can feel it calling to me. I can feel it drawing me in, trying to get me to pick it up.

My soldiers have already dug it up, evidence of a burnt pickaxe they must've struck it with.

"Amria, the box." I say, holding out my hand.

She quickly hands me the Uru box, the only thing I've been able to use to contain the Infinity Stones.

I carefully scoop the stone into the box and seal it. Hopefully we can get it back to Asgard safely, "Let's go, we need to get this home."

They all nod and we begin to file out of the cave, carefully stepping through and eventually finding our way back out.