The Otherworldly Mercenary

Thor's hand tightened on Mjolnir's handle, his gaze narrowing as he stepped forward.

"Who are you two to dare stand before the All-Father and Queen of Asgard?" he demanded, voice cold and laced with suspicion.

Seph turned slowly, his expression unreadable, while Hela gave an amused smile, clearly unfazed by her younger brother's imposing stance.

"Thor," Seph said, his voice steady, "We're not here to challenge Asgard. But perhaps you are the one who needs to learn the difference between guests and threats."

Thor frowned, his eyes narrowing further. "You come into Asgard, the heart of my father's kingdom, unannounced and accuse him before his own family? I call that threat enough. And you have attacked one of my friends."

His gaze flickered to Hela, his expression hardening. "And you—who are you to stand beside him, defiant and smug?"

Hela raised an eyebrow, her smile growing sharper. "Ah, Thor. Always so quick to defend, so slow to think. I am Hela, your sister, Firstborn of Odin."

"Lies!" Thor barked, taking a step forward, lightning crackling at his fingertips. "You have no claim here. My father..."

"Your father is why you know nothing of me, brother," Hela interrupted, her voice cold and commanding. "Odin hid me away, hoping you'd never discover his mistakes or my existence. But I am his daughter, as surely as you are his son."

Thor hesitated, confusion flickering in his eyes, but he quickly masked it with anger, raising Mjolnir. "Enough! I don't care what you claim to be... both of you have tested Asgard's patience. Stand down, or I will see to it myself."

With a smirk, Hela stepped forward. "If you're so eager to prove yourself, little brother, by all means."

Before Thor could react, Hela unleashed a wave of black, spectral blades, each spinning with deadly precision. Thor barely had time to raise Mjolnir, using it to deflect each strike as he was forced onto the defensive.

Hela moved with lethal grace, her every motion a calculated strike designed to test him, to break him down piece by piece.

Thor fought fiercely, countering every blow with his hammer, but he was clearly outmatched. Hela had trained under Odin himself; she knew how to dismantle her opponent with minimal effort.

Within moments, Thor was disarmed and forced to the ground, her blade resting lightly against his throat.

"Still think yourself unstoppable, Thor?" Hela asked, her tone mocking yet tinged with a deeper anger. "You think a hammer makes you a god? That power alone makes you worthy?"

"Enough," Seph's voice broke through, calm but firm, and Hela stepped back, allowing Thor to scramble to his feet, his pride bruised far worse than his body.

Breathing heavily, Thor turned to Seph, still defiant. "Who are you to speak to me this way? Do you think besting me gives you the right?"

Seph's expression remained calm. "I don't seek your submission, Thor. I seek to help you understand the weight of what you think you know."

Thor scowled, chest heaving, but he held his ground, unwilling to look away from Seph's penetrating gaze.

"You see us as intruders, as enemies, yet you don't question why we're here," Seph continued. "All your life, you've been told what to protect, what to fight. But were you ever taught to listen? To see beyond the limits of your own pride?"

Thor clenched his jaw. "I know what my father has taught me. He has led Asgard to greatness, and I have followed in his steps."

"And that's precisely the problem," Seph replied, his voice steely. "You've followed, but you've never questioned. You wield Mjolnir, yet it is not the hammer that makes a ruler. Strength is not just a tool for fighting... it's a responsibility. You cannot charge blindly into every fight and expect to emerge a true king."

Thor's anger dimmed, his brow furrowing as the weight of Seph's words sank in. Beside him, Odin and Frigga watched their expressions a mixture of pride and regret, knowing the truth in Seph's words.

"If you are to lead, Thor," Seph continued, "you must first learn to look beyond yourself. True strength lies in understanding not only your own power but your limitations. Ruling is more than swinging a hammer. It's more than standing on a battlefield. It's knowing when to listen, when to hold back, and when to extend a hand instead of a fist."

Thor looked away, his grip on Mjolnir loosening as he absorbed Seph's words.

"Do not be blinded by pride, Thor," Seph said, his tone softer. "A true king knows humility. He knows compassion and the courage it takes to put others before himself. Become the king Asgard deserves, not just the warrior your father raised you to be."

Thor took a deep breath, his shoulders relaxing slightly as the anger ebbed away, leaving him standing in silence before Seph.

"I… will think on what you've said," Thor said finally, his voice low, but a newfound respect evident in his gaze.

Seph nodded, a faint smile gracing his lips. "Good. Because Asgard does not need a god of thunder, Thor. It needs a god who can lead."

Thor lowered Mjolnir, glancing at his parents and then at Hela. With a final nod to Seph, he turned and left the hall, the weight of Seph's words settling on him as he pondered what it truly meant to be worthy.

As Seph watched Thor leave, he turned to Odin and Frigga, their expressions somber but grateful. Though this confrontation had shaken the foundations of pride and tradition, Seph knew that, perhaps, the seeds of a new Asgard had been planted.

As the echo of Thor's footsteps faded down the hall, a faint rustling in the shadows caught Seph's attention.

He paused, glancing at a column near the edge of the throne room, where a familiar figure lurked in the dim light.

Loki, silent and watchful, had been listening from the shadows, his expression shifting between intrigue and guarded suspicion.

"Loki," Seph called, his voice calm yet cutting through the stillness. "You've been listening quite intently. Care to join us openly?"

Loki's eyes widened for a split second before he composed himself, stepping out from behind the column with a wry smile, his arms crossed in a show of feigned nonchalance. "Who, me? Simply ensuring these so-called visitors didn't overstay their welcome."

"Curiosity has always been your strength—and your undoing," Seph replied, his tone wry but laced with insight. He gestured to a spot beside him. "Come. You're already here; let's have a word."

Loki's smile faded as he took a few careful steps forward, though he didn't join Seph directly, opting to stand a few paces away, still cautious.

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