✓ ❘ 𝐘𝐎𝐔'𝐑𝐄 𝐌𝐘 𝐁𝐎𝐃𝐘𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐃, 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐌𝐘 𝐎𝐖𝐍𝐄𝐑 ─ 𝐁. 𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐄

Ⅳ. ᴘʀᴏʟᴏɢᴜᴇ

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"Odin," Vili's voice boomed; the entire palace quivering as the god stormed towards his older brother.

That one utter of his name through the lips of his brother held undeniable urgency and demand, and Odin straightened up as he clenched his fists, preparing himself for what was to come.

"Where?"

"Midgard," Vili answered, the muscles in his body straining as he willed himself to resist the urge to descend down to Earth immediately, his jaw pulled taught as he continued, "A small Viking village not far from the pinnacle."

"Gather as many as you can. I'll do the same," Odin instructed as he strode towards the door, knowing full well that if Asgard had any chance at winning this battle, they would need to rely on strength in numbers. "Humanity will not face this threat alone."

The Frost Giants' invasion of the village had come with devastating effects. Using the Casket of Ancient Winters, their king – Laufey – murdered hundreds of human villagers, and Earth was threatened with the possibility of being plunged into a new ice age.

But humanity found their refuge in the Asgardians, who, led by Odin and Vili, assembled an army of Asgard's best warriors, and after a gruelling four months, drove the Frost Giants back into the heart of their own world.

The Frost Giants returned to their native Jotunheim, supposedly to replenish their forces, but the brothers led a huge force of Asgardian warriors against them. After a long, difficult battle, where Odin personally defeated Laufey while suffering the loss of his right eye, the Asgardians defeated the Jotuns.

Odin granted the Giants mercy and offered a truce between the races, a truce that Laufey was forced to agree to. In the process, Odin confiscated the Casket of Ancient Winters, and as he left Jotunheim, he discovered a baby Jotun who had been abandoned in conflict by his own father, Laufey. He adopted the baby, and named him Loki.

"I must admit, brother," Vili spoke as he entered Odin's Vault, eyes darting all around the room where his brother was examining the newest addition to his collection, "I was always under the impression that you would eventually grow out of your boyish fascination with collecting play-things."

"Better it be collected as a play-thing than it be used to commit mass killings," the older one retorted, turning to greet his brother by engulfing him in a gripping hug.

The gods stayed like that for a long moment, letting their tight hold on one another be the unspoken thankfulness they wished to convey to each other. It had been a draining, woeful battle, and they were both grateful to have gotten through it – and saved the Nine Realms – together.

After they had pulled apart, Vili looked at his brother and scoffed amusedly. "If your reign as King of Asgard does not offer sufficient domination of your time, you should consider spending some time on Midgard," he smirked, "I think you'd make an excellent pirate."

"Did you want something, brother?" Odin enquired with an irritated shake of his head, absentmindedly adjusting his eye patch, "Or did you come here simply to poke fun at me?"

"While that is indeed my most favoured pastime, no, I haven't. I've actually come to extend my goodbye."

Odin's face wrinkled up as he gazed at Vili in perplexity. "What are you on about?"

"You're most probably not yet aware, since we were all rather distracted the last little while, but during the battle, the Tesseract fell to Midgard, where it remains still."

"It..." Odin started, caught off guard by the sudden revelation, "What?"

"Not the ideal development, I know. But it is for that reason that I have decided to descend to Midgard, where I shall retrieve the cube and keep it safe."

"Vili..." his brother breathed, mind racing, "We've only just won the battle. There's no knowing what the after-effects may be. Asgard needs you here. Yes, protecting the Tesseract is of grave importance, but it is not impossible to send down another group of warriors to retrieve it."

"All of what you have said is true, brother. I am Vili, God of Motivation, brother to Odin and Vè, and Defender of Asgard. But I am also the Protector of the Tesseract, a title you so trustfully and wholly bestowed upon me. Now tell me, brother, would I prove true to that designation if I sent down a few warriors instead of following through myself? I have no idea when I may return – if ever – but I have no doubt that this is what needs to be done."

A silent word of understanding and incontestable respect was shared between the two, and Odin gave a curt nod as he extended his right hand.

"Then I bid thee farewell, brother. May the light of Asgard be with you always."

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