Father's Daughter

2.03

CHAPTER THREE

Beside her, Jane Foster lay on a cold stone table, surrounded by shimmering energy. The healers of Asgard stood over her, studying the red-tinged aura with deep concern. Lyra's sharp eyes followed every movement, taking in the way the energy pulsed, how it seemed to shift around Jane like a living thing.

"What's that?" Jane asked, her voice weak but curious, pointing at the strange mass hovering above her.

"Be still," Eir, the lead healer, ordered firmly.

Lyra stepped closer, her brows furrowed in thought. She could sense the ancient power within the energy field, something old and dangerous. She exchanged a glance with Thor, who was standing protectively beside Jane.

"This is not of Earth. What is it?" Thor asked one of the healers, his voice low with concern.

The healer shook his head. "We do not know. But she will not survive the amount of energy surging within her."

Lyra's eyes narrowed as she studied the energy field more closely. Her mind raced, cataloging possibilities. It wasn't just any energy—it felt dark.

"That's a quantum field generator, isn't it?" Jane asked, pointing at the glowing structure.

Eir's lips twitched in faint amusement. "It's a Soul Forge," she corrected.

Jane leaned towards Thor, muttering, "Quantum field generator."

Thor chuckled, a small smile breaking through his worry. Lyra couldn't help but smirk at their exchange. Even with the Aether threatening her life, Jane's sharp mind never wavered. Lyra admired that.

Their moment of quiet banter was shattered as Odin's imposing figure strode into the room, his voice sharp. "My words are mere noises to you that you ignore them completely?"

Thor straightened, his expression hardening. "She's ill."

Odin's gaze swept over Jane, cold and dismissive. "She is mortal. Illness is their defining trait."

Lyra clenched her fists, holding back a biting retort. Odin's superiority grated on her. Sure, humans were fragile compared to Asgardians, but Jane wasn't just some mortal. Lyra admired Jane's intellect, her tenacity. Odin's dismissive attitude was infuriating.

"I brought her here so we can help her," Thor insisted, his voice resolute.

"She does not belong here in Asgard any more than a goat belongs at a banquet table," Odin replied coldly.

Jane sat up, her expression incredulous. "Did he just—" She turned to Thor, wide-eyed. "Who does he think he is?"

Lyra stepped forward before Thor could respond. "He's Odin," she said, her voice dry with sarcasm. "King of Asgard. Protector of the Nine Realms. You know, the usual resume."

Jane raised an eyebrow, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Oh, right. How could I forget?"

Odin shot Lyra a warning look, but she didn't flinch. She wasn't intimidated by him, not in the least. She'd faced far worse than Odin's ego in her time.

Thor cleared his throat, trying to diffuse the tension. "Something's within her, Father. Something I've never seen before."

Odin studied Jane for a moment, his expression hard. "Her world has its healers—doctors, I believe they're called. Let them deal with it." He gestured for the guards to take Jane back to Midgard.

Lyra's magic flared beneath her skin, ready to defend her, but before she could act, the Aether surged from within Jane. A wave of crimson energy blasted the guards away, sending them sprawling. Thor rushed to Jane's side, concern etched across his face.

"Jane! Are you alright?"

Jane blinked, dazed but unharmed. "I—I think so."

Odin approached cautiously, his hand hovering above Jane's arm. As his fingers brushed her skin, it glowed with the same eerie red light. His eyes widened in shock.

"It's impossible," he muttered.

"Impossible?" Lyra echoed, stepping closer. "What exactly are we dealing with here?"

Odin didn't respond immediately, his face tightening with concern. "The infection is defending her," he said at last.

"No," Thor corrected, his voice grim. "It's defending itself."

Odin's expression darkened. "Come with me."

---

The Hall of Science was grand, its vaulted ceilings and golden walls gleaming in the warm Asgardian light. Lyra followed closely behind Odin, Jane and Thor flanking her. She could feel the weight of history in this place, the centuries of knowledge stored within these walls. Her fingers itched to explore the library further, but now was not the time.

Odin led them deeper into the heart of the palace, eventually stopping before an enormous book, its pages glowing faintly with ancient magic. He opened it carefully, revealing an illustration of a black void swallowing the stars.

"There are relics that predate the universe itself," Odin began, his voice grave. "What lies within Jane appears to be one of them."

Lyra's eyes narrowed as she studied the moving illustration. The Aether. Now that it was comfirmed she could feel it now, pulsing in the air, dark and ancient. She had sensed similar energy before, in the remnants of her father's work.

"The Nine Realms are not eternal," Odin continued, his tone heavy with the weight of millennia. "They had a dawn, as they will have a dusk. But before that dawn, the dark forces—the Dark Elves—reigned absolute and unchallenged."

Thor leaned in, reading the ancient text aloud. "Before the eternal night, the Dark Elves come to steal away your light."

Lyra crossed her arms, her eyes still locked on the page. "The Aether," she muttered. "It's fluid, ever-changing. It can turn matter into dark matter. It's not just an infection—it's a parasite, feeding on her."

Odin nodded, his expression grim. "Malekith, the leader of the Dark Elves, created the Aether to return the universe to darkness. But after centuries of war, my father, Bor, defeated him."

Jane looked between them, her face pale. "And what happened to the Aether?"

"It was said to be destroyed," Thor answered, his voice tight with concern. "But clearly, it wasn't."

Jane's eyes widened in alarm. "Does your book mention how to get it out of me?"

Odin closed the book with a heavy sigh. "No. It does not."

Lyra's mind raced. There had to be a way. She wasn't about to let the Aether consume Jane, no matter how powerful it was.