Chapter 487 The dusty truth

Odin stood in the center of the throne room, staring quietly at the ancient wall in front of him. There seemed to be an invisible force surging in the heavy air, foreshadowing that the secrets to be revealed would bring unpredictable consequences. Thor and Loki followed behind him, and both of them could feel the unprecedented heavy breath of their father.

"Father, is there anything else you want to tell us?" Thor's voice broke the silence, with confusion and a hint of anxiety in his tone. He had just learned of his father's decision to abdicate, and now he was facing an unknown revelation. He didn't know what would happen next, but he had an ominous premonition in his heart.

Loki seemed calmer, his eyes sharp and alert. His fingers gently stroked his side, as if he had sensed some shadows hidden behind history. As a mastermind of power and secrets, Loki never believed everything on the surface. And this moment was obviously not just a simple family gathering.

Odin took a deep breath, then spoke slowly, his voice full of endless contemplation and fatigue: "It is time to tell you about a forgotten chapter in Asgard's history."

He raised his hand gently and pointed to the huge wall of the throne room. In front of them, the wall was painted with scenes from the glorious history of Asgard. In the mural, Odin held a scepter, symbolizing the ruling power of Asgard, and beside him were Thor and Loki, symbolizing the inheritance and power of the royal family. Asgard stood tall among the nine realms, guarding the peace and order of the universe.

However, a complex emotion flashed in Odin's eyes, and his voice was low and heavy: "This mural depicts the history of Asgard that you are familiar with...but this is not all."

As he spoke, he gently tapped the scepter in his hand on the ground. With a low sound, the brilliant murals on the wall began to vibrate slightly. As the vibrations continued, the surface of the originally brilliant paintings began to slowly peel off, revealing another layer of even more ancient murals hidden underneath.

Thor and Loki's eyes were immediately drawn to the scene, and as the surface was peeled back, new images emerged. These paintings were completely different from the previous style, full of violence and darkness. In the painting, Odin held a hammer and looked cold. Beside him was not Thor and Loki, but a woman in a black cloak. Her eyes were full of endless ambition and desire for destruction, and she held a long sword in her hand, with flames burning on the blade.

"Who is she?" Thor's voice trembled slightly, as if the truth before him made him feel uneasy.

Odin's eyes were still deep, and he said slowly: "She is Hela, the first heir of Asgard and your sister."

As soon as these words came out, Thor and Loki's expressions froze instantly. Thor looked at his father in disbelief, his eyes full of shock: "Sister? Loki and I have a sister? How is this possible?"

Loki's reaction was calmer, but his brows were also furrowed, as if he was digesting this sudden news. His eyes stayed on the mysterious woman in the mural for a moment, then turned to Odin: "You never mentioned her, why?"

Odin was silent for a moment, as if he was organizing his thoughts. His voice was low and painful: "Hela is not what you think. She once fought with me in the Nine Realms. Together we expanded Asgard's rule and established the present Asgard through force and conquest."

Thor and Loki looked at each other, and both showed uneasiness in their eyes. Thor's tone was full of disbelief: "Father, you said that you once used conquest to expand Asgard? But this is completely different from what we have learned. You have always taught us to protect the peace and balance of the Nine Realms."

Odin nodded, his eyes becoming more serious. "What you know is the decision I made later. Hela and I conquered the Nine Realms together. We used war and force to establish the current Asgard hegemony. Hela is my right-hand man, her power is unmatched, and she is as eager for power and expansion as I am."

Odin's voice seemed to carry an echo from the past, leading Thor and Loki back to the era of war and slaughter. In the picture, Hela held a sharp sword and led the army of Asgard to fight all the way. The land of the nine realms was burning under her feet, and no enemy could escape her butcher knife. Odin fought side by side with her, his eyes cold and merciless.

Loki raised his head, his eyes full of thought: "So, Hela was once your comrade, and even your heir. But what happened later? Why did you erase her from history?"

Odin's eyes dimmed, and he sighed softly, as if this question touched the deepest pain in his heart. "Hela's ambition gradually expanded. She was not satisfied with just conquering the Nine Realms. She wanted more. She wanted to destroy everything and establish her own order. She was no longer satisfied with being the guardian of Asgard. She longed to be the master of the entire universe."

Odin's voice became increasingly low, his eyes filled with helplessness and regret: "Her ambitions eventually got out of control, and I could no longer indulge her madness. She no longer obeyed my orders, and even began to threaten Asgard itself. I had no choice but to seal her away and erase her existence from Asgard's history."

Thor was deeply shocked when he heard his father's story. He had never thought that the history of Asgard was so full of darkness and blood. And the father they had always revered was once the tyrant who led Asgard to conquer everything. Thor's heart was filled with complex emotions, including respect for his father and a sense of strangeness he had never felt before.

Loki's eyes were still sharp. He looked at Odin with a hint of calm questioning in his tone: "So, you sealed her in the dust of history and let her disappear in the long river of time. But you should know that the secret will be revealed one day."

Odin took a deep breath, his eyes solemn: "I know that the seal will be broken one day. Hela's power is extremely strong, and she will not be easily bound. But when she returns, I hope you are ready. Because this will be an unprecedented disaster."

Thor clenched the battle axe in his hand, with a determined look in his eyes: "Father, Loki and I can join forces and defeat her. No matter how powerful she is, we will not back down."

Loki smiled slightly, with a hint of confidence and calmness in his eyes: "Yes, father. The two of us can do it. After all, we have defeated many powerful enemies. Although Hela is terrible, we are not incompetent."

"Thor, Loki..." Odin's voice was filled with deep worry and expectation. "Hela is not just an enemy. She was once the future of Asgard. She is my daughter and your sister. The duel with her will not only be a battle, it will test your strength, wisdom, and even your determination. No matter what the result is, it will change the future of Asgard."

Thor's eyes flashed with the light of the Reality Stone, and his voice was low and firm: "We will fight for Asgard, no matter how great the dangers ahead. The Stormbreaker in my hand will be the beginning of Hela's doom."

Loki still maintained a calm smile. He looked at Thor, then turned to Odin, with a relaxed tone: "Don't worry, father. No matter who we face, Thor and I will find a way to deal with it."

Thor patted Loki on the shoulder, with a bit of brotherly arrogance and confidence: "Loki is right, the two of us have always been indomitable."

Odin looked at his two sons, his eyes flashing with rare warmth and relief. Although the road ahead was difficult, he believed that Thor and Loki had grown into heroes who could stand on their own.

"Then may the gods bless you, and may Asgard stand forever."

......

Odin had just finished speaking, and the heavy and solemn atmosphere had not yet completely dissipated. The side door of the throne room opened slightly, and a slender and noble figure slowly walked in. It was Frigga, who was still as elegant and beautiful as before, wearing a silver-white silk robe that reached her ankles, with a golden belt tied around her waist, which outlined her exquisite figure just right. The patterns on the robe were so detailed that it seemed as if the stars were falling on her clothes, slightly reflecting the light in the hall, adding a mysterious and noble temperament to her.

Her slender legs were looming in her light steps, and her fair skin was occasionally exposed in the slits of her robe, as smooth and elegant as marble. Every step was full of endless power and wisdom, as if she was the oldest guardian of the palace and the most gentle queen. Her eyes were gentle and firm, as if they could penetrate the barriers of people's hearts and look directly into the depths of their souls.

When Thor saw his mother, there was a hint of tenderness and relief in his eyes. He bent down slightly, and his tone was filled with long-lost warmth: "Mother, why are you here?"

Loki's reaction seemed even more indifferent, but he still felt a little comforted in his heart. He chuckled, put his hands in his robe pockets, and said with a hint of sarcasm: "Mother, it seems that this matter is not just a family meeting."

Frigga smiled and said softly, "Thor, Loki, I am very relieved to see you return safely. But today, we have more important things to do."

Odin then slowly walked towards Frigga, his eyes filled with endless tenderness and respect, as if every word was carefully considered. He said in a deep voice: "Frigga, this time, I plan to seal Hela again, and I need you to stabilize the seal."

Frigga nodded gently, her eyes still calm, but the turmoil in her heart was undoubtedly hidden in her deep eyes. She knew very well how powerful Hela was, and she also knew the difficulty of this seal, but she never showed any fear, as if everything was under control.

"Hela is not invincible, but her power is indeed unique." Frigga's voice was soft but full of determination. "I will help you, Odin. But before that, can we really not try to communicate with her? She is our daughter after all."

Odin lowered his head slightly after hearing this, with a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. He sighed softly, with deep helplessness and pain in his tone: "I also want to talk to her. Although her ambition is difficult to suppress, she is still my bloodline and the heir of Asgard. I sealed her because she could not stop her desire for destruction... But perhaps, in the past thousand years, she has also changed a little."

Thor frowned, his inner conflict surfaced on his face. He knew very well how powerful and dangerous Hela was, and he couldn't help but worry about his parents' decision. He looked at Odin and said solemnly: "Father, Hela's ambition once almost destroyed everything. You plan to talk to her, but maybe she still won't stop. She used to be so...uncontrollable."

Loki sneered, raised his eyebrows, and looked sharp: "Father, you should know that the universe is no longer what it was thousands of years ago. Although Hela's power is strong, there are more dangerous forces than her in today's universe. We can't underestimate her, but we can't be intimidated by her either."

Odin pondered for a moment, then slowly turned his gaze to Thor and asked in a low voice: "Thor, I need you to contact Umbrella Corporation, especially that... Sephiroth. I hope he can stand on our side and help us when necessary."

Thor was stunned. He obviously didn't expect his father to mention Umbrella Corporation, especially the name Sephiroth. He was an extremely mysterious and powerful being. Although he had cooperated with Umbrella for a long time, he was not familiar with Sephiroth. He frowned slightly and looked at Odin in confusion: "Father, why did you turn this family affair into...'international affairs'?"

Loki's eyes flashed with understanding, and the corners of his mouth rose slightly. He quickly understood his father's intention, and his eyes became deep: "I see. Father, you finally softened your heart and wanted to give Hela a chance, but you were also preparing for the worst."

Thor seemed to understand his father's intention after hearing this. He sighed and said calmly but firmly, "Although I am not familiar with Sephiroth, Umbrella will do me a favor for Nathan Hawke. After all, we are allies now. If necessary, I will ask them for help."

Frigga nodded slightly when she heard this, her tone gentle but firm: "What Hela needs is a chance, even a tiny possibility. If she is willing to listen to our advice, perhaps this duel can be avoided. But if she still insists on doing what she wants, we must be fully prepared."

Odin's eyes flashed with determination, and he gently held Frigga's hand, his eyes full of tenderness: "Thank you, Frigga. You are always so gentle and strong, willing to believe that everyone has a chance to turn back."

Frigga smiled at Odin and said gently, "You and I have gone through countless storms together. This time, I will also face it with you."

Thor and Loki looked at them, with mixed emotions in their hearts. Whether it was fear of Hela or respect for their parents' determination, the two brothers knew that every step forward would be crucial. And this family showdown was destined to shake the entire Asgard.

Odin turned his gaze to the distance, as if he had seen the coming storm. His voice was low and firm: "We must prepare for the worst outcome, but we must not give up hope. No matter what the future holds, we must stand together and protect our home."