Uniting Asgard [Book One]

Chapter Thirty-Four

The following morning, Loki and Alice met with the Grandmaster for breakfast. Alice felt groggy and her thighs ached in the best way. As they sat, the Grandmaster smirked slightly seeing Alice wince as she took her seat.

"So, did you enjoy your first night here, Alice?" The Grandmaster asked.

"Oh, yes. Very much indeed. I love the energy this place gives off." Alice replied.

"Since you love it so much, I hope that you and Loki will visit more often. In just a few months time, I am hosting one of Sakaar's most exclusive events. Loki knows which one I am talking about." The Grandmaster explained.

Loki's eyes widened as he choked on his drink, coughing harshly. Alice patted his back and he smiled softly.

"I know the event very well." Loki said.

"What is it? If it is so exclusive, it must be good." Alice inquired.

"Despite being so old, I do enjoy celebrating my birthday. So, what I do is-"

"He invites a select few guests to join him on a ride on one of his ships, overlooking the whole city." Loki interrupted.

"It shoots out fireworks!" The Grandmaster grinned.

"Oh, that sounds like fun." Alice beamed.

"Well, you and Loki are both invited. I'd love to have you two be guests on my birthday celebration." The Grandmaster stated.

"We'll hold you up on that offer, but we don't know what might happen until then. I am busy in Asgard helping Thor run the city and Alice has a lot of training to do with her magic, powers, and seidr." Loki explained.

"Powers? She is not mortal?" The Grandmaster asked.

"It is a long story." Alice replied.

"And I have all the time in the world." He grinned.

"Well, apparently I was created by the old Asgardian gods as some sort of experiment. They created my soul and sent me off to choose a couple worthy of having me. I was then born so I was technically mortal. However, I have the power of the Tesseract as well as seidr which no mortal possesses. To fully understand my powers and become what the gods intended, I was given the golden apple and will live as old as the gods. I was given the title of Goddess of Hope." Alice explained.

"The power of the Tesseract?" The Grandmaster inquired.

"Yes. We were confused too as the Tesseract was destroyed at the same time Asgard was." Alice told him.

"Ah, I see." The Grandmaster smiled.

Once breakfast was finished, Loki and Alice followed the Grandmaster as he showed them around the palace. He then walked past a few rooms he said were only accessible by a code only he and Topaz knew of. However, one room that could only be opened by a code, the Grandmaster allowed them to see. His artifact room. He explained to them that from his many trips and having existed since the beginning of time, he collected many relics himself.

"This is the only thing I share in common with my brother. Collecting things." The Grandmaster spoke.

"Your brother?" Alice inquired.

"Taneleer. The Collector." Loki replied.

"We never really kept in contact but he happened to send me some of his own pieces from his collection a few days before his death." The Grandmaster stated.

Loki and Alice looked at one another with a fearful look before turning their attention back to the Grandmaster who reached for one of his artifacts. He unsheathed a long sword that had a strange language etched into the metal of the blade. Loki tried to make it out and even he did not understand what it said. The Grandmaster handed it to Loki and chuckled as he watched Loki realize how heavy it was. He quickly adjusted to its weight and looked up at the Grandmaster.