Marvel: Ned the Master of Mystic Arts

"What's the deal with this 'great enemy' you mentioned over the phone?"

Nick Fury fixed his piercing gaze on Ned as he asked.

"..."

"So, what you're telling me is... you forgot about it, only to suddenly remember when you were on your way out?"

Tony Stark, ever the king of snark, couldn't resist poking fun at Fury.

Fury ignored Stark, his eyes locked on Ned.

"Uh… great enemy…"

BOOM!

Before Ned could continue, a deafening explosion outside Stark's villa shook the room, abruptly cutting him off.

"WHAT THE HELL?! J.A.R.V.I.S.?"

Ned wasted no time donning his combat gear—except for the mask of pain he typically wore. Stark's Iron Man armor, Mark 42, aka The Wanderer, also zipped out of the lab and assembled itself onto him.

"What just happened, J.A.R.V.I.S.?" Stark barked.

"Sir, a massive energy surge was detected at the front entrance. The source is unknown," J.A.R.V.I.S. replied calmly. "Additionally, the energy appears to originate from above."

"Oh? Show me the external feed."

"I'm afraid all external cameras were disabled by the energy interference," J.A.R.V.I.S. added.

"Fantastic," Stark growled, blasting through the roof rather than taking the front door. No way was he walking into a trap.

Hovering above the villa, repulsors glowing in both palms, Stark aimed at the figure sprawled on the ground. "Hey, buddy, I don't know how you fell from the sky, but stand up now—or I'll happily blast your face off."

"Stark?"

The man on the ground slowly rose, battered and bruised, looking up at Stark with a mix of relief and confusion.

"Thor?"

It was unmistakably the God of Thunder. He looked utterly exhausted, his armor cracked and his cape in tatters.

Thor had just quelled a massive rebellion in one of the Nine Realms, battling the insurrection's formidable leader. Though victorious, the fight had taken its toll on him.

Summoning Heimdall to return him to Asgard, Thor had expected a moment's respite. Yet, here he was, on Earth.

"Thor, what happened to you?" Stark asked, noticing the god's unusually disheveled appearance.

"Don't even ask. Just get me somewhere to rest and—oh, bring me a round of beer, would you?"

Despite his injuries, Thor seemed to regain energy upon realizing he was back on Earth. With surprising agility, he flipped to his feet, grinning broadly.

Stark sighed. For reasons he couldn't quite explain, he felt bad for his poor roof.

Inside the villa, Thor's mood seemed unshakably cheerful.

"Ah, Sorcerer! Long time no see!"

Thor greeted Ned with a hearty slap on the back, clearly recognizing him even without the mask.

"And Fury! You're here too!"

Thor clapped Nick Fury's shoulder with his usual enthusiasm, oblivious to Fury's growing annoyance.

"What's with all the injuries?" Ned asked, genuinely concerned.

"Haha! I just wrapped up a battle against some rebels. Those cowards were no match for me!" Thor declared proudly, scars and bruises worn like badges of honor.

Before anyone could reply, Thor's eyes landed on the soda near Ned.

"No beer? Fine, I'll take that cola instead."

"Thor, you—"

Before Ned could finish his sentence, Thor collapsed face-first onto the couch, out cold.

"It seems like he just came out of an incredibly intense fight," Fury observed.

"J.A.R.V.I.S., escort our star guest to the guest room," Stark ordered, shaking his head. He turned to the others and quipped, "Thor says Loki is Odin's adopted son. Seeing this, I wouldn't be surprised if Thor wasn't Odin's biological kid either. Dumping him here after a fight? That's some serious 'parenting.'"

"Actually," Ned interjected, "I suspect Odin sent Thor here to discuss the enemy Heimdall mentioned—the one tied to the coming celestial convergence."

"Great. And just so you know, Heimdall is probably watching us right now. So, uh… congrats, Stark, everything you just said about Odin probably reached his ears."

"...Fantastic," Stark grumbled.

Once Thor was safely tucked away, Fury turned to the others. "Couldn't we have just discussed the situation ourselves and given Thor the cliff notes later? Let's be honest, he's not exactly the tactical meeting type."

"Agreed," Stark said.

"You guys are awful," Ned laughed. "But fine, I'll admit you're not wrong."

"So, what's the threat level here compared to the New York battle?" Fury asked, his tone all business.

"If Malekith gets what he's after, it'll make New York look like a warm-up round. If we stop him, Thor can probably take him down."

"Malekith?"

"The leader of the Dark Elves," Ned explained. "They hail from Svartalfheim and were once rulers of the Nine Realms, before Thor's grandfather drove them to extinction—or so it seemed.

"Now, with the celestial convergence imminent, Malekith aims to use an ancient artifact to plunge the Nine Realms into eternal darkness. To do so, he needs the artifact—and a specific location to activate it."

"Let me guess," Stark said, "that location is Earth."

"Correct. Both the artifact and the ideal activation point are here on Earth," Ned confirmed.

Fury sighed. "Great. Another intergalactic jerk thinking Earth is his playground."

"And this one wants to turn out the lights," Stark added grimly.

"Guess we'd better start preparing," Ned said.

The stakes are rising. With Thor battered but back in the game, the team prepares for a threat that could change the fate of the Nine Realms—and Earth. Malekith looms on the horizon, and the celestial convergence approaches.

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