American Comics: Heaven's Reward

"The Queen Mother wants to accept me as an apprentice?" Aaron asked, a bit surprised.

In his memory, Frigga only had Loki as an apprentice, and that was because they treated Loki like an adopted son. There weren't any other apprentices that Frigga had taken under her wing.

But then Aaron remembered that Irene had once mentioned she had suggested to Frigga to take on an apprentice when she entered the Magic Academy, but Frigga had refused at that time. She had said that she would only consider teaching someone after carefully observing their abilities.

Aaron had never really expected anything to come of it, but now, hearing the news from Thor, there was no doubting its truth. After all, Thor was Frigga's son, and Odin likely approved of this decision.

"That's right," Thor confirmed. "In recognition of your immense magical ability and your performance during the rebellion, my mother, the Queen, and father Odin have discussed it, and they've decided to accept you as a disciple to teach you more about magic."

"Now that my mother knows about our relationship, she asked me to let you know that you can go directly to the Magic Academy to meet her in the future."

Thor's voice was full of pride and happiness. He fully supported his mother's decision. Aaron's magical abilities were clear to everyone, and Thor had witnessed firsthand how much Aaron had grown. Just a week ago, Aaron had been the weakest member of their group, but now, Thor wasn't sure anyone besides him could match Aaron's power.

Especially after the battle in Vanaheim—Aaron had been a revelation. His use of illusion magic and energy explosions had been astonishing, far beyond what anyone could have expected.

"Congratulations, Aaron," Hogan said warmly, his tone sincere. "You've been recognized by the Queen of Heaven. With your magical abilities, I have no doubt you'll become the greatest magician in the Nine Realms!"

Everyone else joined in with their congratulations, marveling at Aaron's rapid rise. They had all been impressed by him before, but now, after seeing his power in action, their respect had only deepened. Aaron had gone from being just an interesting talent to being the most formidable member of their little group.

Fandral, with a smile, couldn't help but tease, "Hahaha, that Loki, he used to say in front of me that you didn't know as much magic as he did. Well, now, with the Queen teaching you, he'll have a hard time keeping that smirk."

"Don't be too smug, Fandral," Sif replied with a playful gleam in her eye. "Loki's been spending a lot of time with the Queen lately, trying to learn magic. It sounds like he might be up to something!"

Everyone knew about the ongoing rivalry between Loki and Fandral, and they enjoyed watching the playful banter. It was all in good fun, and no one took it too seriously. They didn't think much of it. Even if Loki did learn magic, they figured he'd still just use it to play pranks as he always did.

"Let's see what happens when he tries to mess with me," Fandral said confidently. "Anyway, Aaron will soon be studying alongside him under Frigga's tutelage. I can't wait to see Loki's face when he realizes what he's up against!"

Everyone laughed, knowing exactly how Loki would feel when faced with Aaron's natural magical talent. No one had ever contested Loki's position as the top magician, but now Aaron was a serious contender. The dynamic was about to change.

Amid all the congratulations, Aaron took out a bottle of wine as a token of appreciation.

Over the time he had spent with them, Aaron had learned the preferences of his friends. Soldiers, like them, loved to drink. The people of Asgard were no different.

With Sif's influence, everyone had become quite fond of fine wine. As for Fandral, he was more interested in flirting with women than in drinking, which often earned him a scornful look from Sif.

This time, however, Aaron wasn't bringing out just any wine. He had some special high-strength wine that he'd been saving for just such an occasion. Aaron had become quite familiar with the fine wines of Asgard over the years. Despite his many changes in habits to ensure his survival, his love for good drink had remained unchanged.

As he set out over a dozen jars of wine, the rich aroma immediately caught Thor's attention. He stared at the jars, completely distracted by the scent.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Thor muttered, his voice a bit dazed. "You know I never thought you'd bring out something so... impressive."

Aaron clapped him on the back and grinned. "What are you waiting for? I'm not leaving until we're all drunk!"

With that, the group eagerly pounced on the wine. Thor, ever the powerhouse, was the first to grab a jar and down it in record time, his incredible strength and speed making him the fastest to indulge. The others followed suit, each one grabbing a jar and pouring the potent drink into their cups.

At first, there were some complaints about the strength of the drink, but it didn't take long before the entire group fell silent, save for the occasional sound of admiration and appreciation for the fine wine.

As the night wore on, everyone became drunk, celebrating Aaron's achievements and the progress of his plans.

Aaron, too, let go of the tension that had been building for so long. His strength was increasing, his goals were on track, and tonight, he allowed himself a well-deserved break. The progress was moving smoothly, and he was content.

The next day, when Aaron regained his senses, he briefly recalled the events of the previous night. He had enjoyed himself, but today he had business to attend to. He was eager to head to the Magic Academy and begin his studies with Frigga. Among the many spells he was eager to learn, invisibility magic was at the top of his list.