For five thousand years, they had waited for the convergence.
"I will go to its last location myself," Malekith decided.
He entered a cloaked fighter and left.
Following Loki's misdirection, the Cursed Warrior advanced toward the core of Asgard's defensive Shield.
The bodies of drained warriors lay behind him.
He had a single objective, and he was close.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Phew…"
James flexed his right arm slowly, feeling the pain had faded to a slight numbness.
"It's been a while since I've broke my bones," he muttered. "I haven't felt that kind of pain since the first Avenger against the chitauri."
He rolled his shoulder experimentally for any soreness.
"Assassination mission's honestly more simple to do. No prolonged confrontations, no pain on the level of broken bones, I miss those days where it ends in one bullet."
[Full recovery complete.] Cortana replied. [Your skeletal density has increased. The microfractures reinforced during repair had a net gain in durability.]
James chuckled at her report. "So I get stronger by breaking myself? I guess that's why they say 'No pain, No gain' am I right?"
[Not quite, but stress adaptation has occurred.] Cortana paused before informing James. [The war outside seemed to have started escalating beyond Asgard's forces]
He exhaled , "Well let's go ahead and join the war then," he said. "We still need Asgard's technology, and I want to understand their Soul Forge and how they could control the infinity stones energy."
[Engaging the Umbra Sentinel.]
The chest plate came first, locking on his torso and cinching tight at the spine. The back plate followed, the two halves meeting and locking with a solid thunk. Shoulder guards locked into position, then the upper arms, forearms, and gauntlets sealing at the wrist. Next came his leg armor, thighs, knees, shins, then boots clamping shut at the ankle with a final click.
The helmet unfolded and slid down over his face, the faceplate sealed. The HUD bloomed to life.
Deep in the chest piece, the Space Stone pulsed in a glow behind his Nocturne Logo, powering up the suit to full energy. The energy weapons in his left gauntlet and shoulder laser cutters hummed as it charged.
[Umbra Sentinel Mk III online. Space Stone energy flow is stable. Nexus Arms fully operational. Systems hot, ready when you are.]
"Time to let Asgard feel the might of Nocturne."
Getting outside the chamber, two Asgardian warriors stood guard.
Looking at them he asked for outside report. "Has the prison riot been contained?" His voice modulated through the armor's speaker, feeling metallic and more commanding.
"Prison riot is still ongoing, sir," one guard replied.
"Unlucky them, go ahead and support the frontlines, I'll take care of that riot."
James lifted off inside the palace's vast corridor, the high vaulted ceiling giving him ample clearance.
"Cortana," he ordered, "plot optimal route. Let's go, full speed."
[Route calculated.]
He shot through the halls and toward the underground Asgardian dungeon.
Asgardian soldiers rushed below him.
He landed heavily among them, in a hero landing, yet the polished stone beneath him didn't crack.
James glanced down. "Such durable craftsmanship."
He looked toward the warriors who now paid him attention.
Standing up he told them. "I am Nocturne, Friend of Thor! Asgardian warriors, fall back and aid the frontlines, I will handle the riot myself."
His voice thundered through the crowds.
Even Loki heard from his cell.
Inside, Loki stopped his idle playing and paid attention.
"That voice…" he murmured. "That is not Thor."
He stepped closer to the barrier to listen in.
When James landed in front of them, the warriors were hesitant, unsure on how they should respond, until he retracted his faceplate.
"Oh!" Volstagg boomed. "It is James! Everyone back off! Our friend got this!"
Fandral of the warrior three repositioned himself to cover the retreat of his fellow warriors.
James raised both hands as twin energy pistols materialized. Matte black frame with subtle red energy channels along the slide, each loaded with a BADASSIUM-enhanced core as ammunition.
[Weapons are hot and ready.] Cortana confirmed.
James aimed at the rioting prisoners as he warned. "Return to your cells, or die."
The rioters were desperate to escape so they charged.
James had no choice but to fire. Energy bolts tore through the wave of rioters, piercing clean through their bodies, hitting those behind them as well.
He advanced through the rioters as bodies fell one after another.
Two rioters lunged from opposite sides, but James with his suit and Cortana's aim gave him a full 360° spherical awareness, shooting them dead before they could even touch him.
Asgardian warriors surged forward behind him, reclaiming ground.
Panic soon spread among the rioters from the overwhelming firepower.
The rioters began retreating. Scavenged weapons clattered to the floor. Some fled back into the open cells and huddled themselves trembling.
The containment fields reactivated one by one.
James observed the hard lights shimmering to life.
"This should take quite some serious force to even make it flicker." He muttered.
He stopped before Loki's cell and retracted his faceplate.
"Are you disappointed?" James asked calmly. "You didn't expect me to come to Asgard, did ya."
"I have no idea what you mean," Loki denied.
"These prisoners aren't strong enough to escape on their own. Someone freed them."
"You suspect me?" Loki smirked.
"No," James said confidently. "Because you would have walked out with them."
Loki struck the barrier in irritation, but it didn't even flicker.
James tilted his head at his outburst.
"You couldn't even break it. Which means someone else did, and you gave it directions."
Loki's smile faded.
"What's it got to do with you?"
"Aren't you concerned?" James's voice sharpened. "Their first target will be the Asgardian Shield core."
Loki froze from the implication.
"Mother—"
"Thor is there with her," James cut in coldly. "But next time you interfere, consider the consequences. You might do something that would make you deeply regret."
He turned and walked away.
Loki stood silently of what could have happened.
For once, the trickster had no immediate comeback.
James launched toward the city's defensive perimeter.
The massive golden light shield shimmered overhead. Beyond it, the Dark Elf Harrows clashed violently with Asgard's fleet.
One Dark Elf craft exploded under concentrated fire.
But Asgard's response had been slow, too slow.
Skiffs finally rose in greater numbers with the riot suppressed.
But James watched, unimpressed.
"Asgard has been at peace for too long."
Malekith, the leader of the Dark Elves, piloted a fighter and made his way to the Asgardian Shield. Seeing the situation going into a stale mate and still no sign of the Aether, he can't help but seeth with anger.
This was supposed to be a clean surprise attack. But everything was going wrong.
The Kursed Warrior should have already caused havoc inside to delay the Asgardian army, how could the people of Asgard stop him? Five thousand years ago, the Kursed army of the Dark Elves were unstoppable.
Malekith contacted the mothership. "Deploy all fleets for a full scale attack, destroy Asgard."
Swoosh. Swoosh. Swoosh.
The mothership emerged again. Strange, blade-like ships(Harrows) poured out and began striking across Asgard. The Asgardian Skiffs(fighter ships) rose to meet them, but the gap in ship technology was brutal. Asgard's skiffs weren't as fast and agile, with their weapons proven to be insufficient at hitting their targets, the losses piled up fast.
James watched with a frown. Beyond the protected main city, the outer districts were already burning.
He'd changed too much. A surprise attack had turned into a full-scale war.
"I don't know if this is right or wrong," James muttered to Cortana, "but Asgard needs to learn a lesson. Maybe it'll shake that ego out of them."
[Agreed. Firepower distribution is inefficient. Vessel design is aesthetically traditional, but obsolete in modern battles. Their 'skiff' silhouette is non-optimal for highspeed aerial combat and maneuvering.]
James moved toward the edge of the Asgardian Shield
He looked around as he ran a quick scan over the main city, soon he found Odin.
The All-Father stood at the heart of the city, overlooking the battlefield.
James flew straight down.
Boom.
He landed in front of Odin, then retracted his faceplate.
"All-Father. I would like to go out of the shield and join the war. How do I get out?"
Odin gazed at James, raised his head, and declared. "You are our guest. We can't let you take any risk. Asgard can handle this."
James looked in his eyes then exhaled in frustration. 'Stubborn old man.'
"Oh? Can you really?" He gestured toward the distant flames. "Or do you plan to watch the outskirts burn? Your technology might be highly advanced with magic aiding in its progress, but Asgard had been in peace for too long and fallen behind in the art of art and right now you're getting pushed back."
Odin gaved a hard stare. "Mind your tone."
James didn't flinch. He knows his right, and this talk is just wasting time.
"Mind yours," he said flatly. "I'm a friend of Thor, and he's fought for the defence of Earth. Now I'm here, so I will fight for his home. Now tell me how to get out."
Odin stared at him for a long moment, seeing the steel determination in his eyes and conviction to aid his friend.
Though reluctant he spoke. "There is an access gate below. When the shield cycles, that is the only passage."
He indicated downward.
James looked, and confirmed the location, like a sealed door embedded into the perimeter system.
He left without another word.
The guards at the gate stood at attention as he approached. This area was clearly off limits.
"I'm going out to engage the enemy," James said to them. "The All-Father is aware. Please open it."
The guards hesitated, still tense with their hands near their weapons, but they didn't move.
'Their rigid loyalty is commendable but annoying,' James muttered.
Hooves clattered behind him.
"The All-Father orders the gate to be opened!" a mounted knight called out, as he came near.
Relief flooded the guards instantly. They moved as one, unlocking the mechanisms of the gate.
Once the gate opened James strode through.
The Arcshot rifle in his back mounted to his shoulder, locked into the two phased full powered rifle, getting ready to fire.
He didn't take off into battle, he locked his feet on the ground, and raised the rifle toward the sky ready to fire at full power.
[Extended energy output channel connected. Transmitting power… Charging… Complete.]
His faceplate retracted. His heartbeat increasing, adrenaline rushing to slow the world in his vision.
The dark elves, the asgardians, and every firepower exchanged dragged slow like it was moving through syrup.
Locking on to an enemy, he fired.
A dense, teardrop-shaped bolt of energy punched upward in Hypersonic speed.
A Dark Elf fighter on approach detonated in midair.
No one in the chaos noticed the smallest target on the ground, nor the trajectory of the bolt from its sheer speed.
But Odin did.
From the city's heart, the All-Father watched the "metal man" secure himself to the ground and erase a fighter with one shot.
Then Odin couldn't help but give him praise.
James kept firing, one bolt after another, disintegrating the Dark Elf Harrows in the sky.
The Dark Elves formation began thinning, and for the first time, the Asgardian skiffs started regaining ground(sky).
But Odin wasn't the only one who noticed the change in battle.
So did Malekith, confusion flashed through him—then fury.
What's aiding Asgard's army and killing my own?!
Malekith's fighter stayed hidden beyond the battle's sight, drifting closer to the Asgardian Shield. He finally caught sight of the source: a black armored figure braced on the ground, firing into the sky like a turret.
The rifle was so large it was the height of the man himself.
Malekith was filled with murderous rage.
"Target the metal man," he ordered.
Cortana snapped James's helmet shut and unlocked his feet from the ground.
"Hm?" James said, mid-breath. "What—"
[High-energy spike, starboard. Evade immediately.]
James reacted without thinking. Thrusters flared and ripped him off the ground.
At the same time, he stowed the Arcshot.
Boom.
The ground where he'd been standing detonated upward—an energy blast that would've ended him.
The shockwave was powerful enough that it caught him. He lost control and spun around, then slammed into a building hard enough to crater Asgardian craftsmanship.
Malekith's fighter emerged, its invisibility collapsing the moment it fired.
James came off the cratered wall and landed with a thud, dust and stone falling off him.
"Scan the surroundings," he ordered.
[Scanning. A lone Dark Elf fighter is operating near the shield's perimeter. Probability of it being Malekith.]
"You messed with the wrong man Malekith," James said, voice going cold. "Prepare to die."
Twin energy pistols formed in his hands, as well as two laser cutters popping out of his shoulder.
He fired, creating two bursts and two streams of light.
Malekith's fighter climbed, banking sharply to evade.
Soon, more Dark Elf Harrows and fighters peeled off the battle and converged, moving to support their leader.
James siked himself up, getting ready to Captain Mifune this Dark Elves.
He was done playing duck hunt.