The Dark World | Book 3

Twenty-Four: Wonder

The calm evening over Clint Barton's farmhouse was suddenly disrupted by the low rumble of thunder in the distance. Dark clouds swirled overhead, churning with a strange energy. Clint, standing by the porch, could feel the air grow heavy. "Hey, kids!" he called with a grin. "It's happening!"

With Thor momentarily gone, they had waited hours with the uncertainty that Princess Sigyn received his message, or that she would be willing to aid them.

His children's laughter filled the air as they sprinted outside, barefoot and wide-eyed with excitement. Clint scooped them up, placing one on each knee as they sat on the porch, their gazes fixed upward. His wife joined them moments later, and the rest of the Avengers gathered around, along with Nick Fury, their attention drawn to the sky.

The night was alive with an eerie silence just before the clouds split. With a sudden, violent tear, a vortex of shimmering light broke through the heavens—the Bifrost. Brilliant beams of energy shot down, piercing the atmosphere and crashing into the field beyond. The ground trembled beneath them as the children shrieked in delight.

"Whoa!" they shouted, their faces lit with awe as the sky seemed to ignite in vibrant, swirling colours. The power of the Bifrost sent ripples through the earth, shaking the farm. Clint exchanged a glance with his wife, both smiling at the wonder in their children's eyes.

As quickly as it appeared, the Bifrost faded, leaving behind scorched patterns on the grass and, at its center, a lone figure.

Sigyn.

She stood tall, adorned in gleaming Asgardian armour, the marks of the Bifrost still smouldering beneath her feet. The night around her seemed to dim in comparison to the ethereal glow that surrounded her arrival.

"About time," Tony muttered under his breath, arms crossed.

Without missing a beat, Sigyn marched toward them, her face set in determination, her cloak billowing in the faint wind. There was no mistaking the tension in her stride, and the Avengers could see it from a distance.

One of Clint's kids squealed, "That was so cool!" and tried to wriggle free from his father's grasp, eager to run toward the imposing figure. Clint held them back gently, his brow furrowed in concern at Sigyn's unyielding approach.

"Do it again!" the child yelled, oblivious to the seriousness of the moment.

Sigyn halted just short of the porch, her eyes flickering with intensity as she took in the group standing before her. There was a weight to her presence, an unspoken authority that made even the mightiest of the Avengers pause. All eyes turned to her—Tony Stark, Natasha Romanoff, Steve Rogers, and Bruce Banner. They looked exhausted, their faces worn from battle and stress.

"I don't have time for pleasantries," Sigyn announced, her voice cold and commanding. "Thor's message was clear—Midgard is in danger, and I am here to assist."

The tension hung thick in the air as she scanned their faces, her expression softening slightly at the sight of Clint's children, still marvelling at her entrance. She allowed herself a brief moment of amusement before turning back to the matter at hand.

"Let's get started," she said, her voice sharp as steel, cutting through the night like the Bifrost itself.

"Sigyn!" Tony called out, stepping down from the porch, arms open in mock warmth. "Good to have you back, though I gotta admit, I'm fresh out of cookies—"

"—You had one job, Tony Stark!" Sigyn interrupted sharply, closing the distance between them in an instant, her face flushed with irritation. She stood toe to toe with Tony, eyes blazing. "Where is the sceptre, and the stone it contained?"