Avi2112
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Chapter 176
🕑 Added 2025-01-20 09:06:30 +0000 UTC"Just a thank you? This is the second time I have saved your life... shouldn't I deserve more than just that?" I say, stepping a little closer, the air between us both charged. "Maybe even a small kiss," I murmur, my voice low and husky as I near her red lips.
"Well... you did save me," she replies, her breath quickening, eyes fluttering closed.
Just as our lips are about to meet, a familiar tug pulls at me.
"Ugh, Fuck!" I groan, my surroundings blurring before I am yanked back into the kaleidoscopic expanse of glowing paths.
"You definitely did it on purpose, didn't you, teacher?" I say with a pout, complaining to the empty space around me.
"Why? Luke, did something happen? You were called back because the anchor in this place was becoming unstable," I hear the Ancient One's voice in my mind, calm and steady.
Even though I have no concrete evidence, I am sure the Ancient One chose that exact timing on purpose. Well It is not like I won't meet Shanna again; next time, I might even activate my powers and go all the way with her.
Taking a deep breath, I explain my trip in minimal words. I am pretty sure she might have already known about everything, and maybe she can even spy on me after I have traveled through this cracks at the end of the paths.
Or maybe, since the Savage Land is on Earth itself, it falls under the Ancient One's domain of surveillance. So she might really not be able to watch my back when I venture to more distant places through the other paths, as she had previously warned.
"Savage Land is definitely a fascinating place, full of mystery," the Ancient One says, and I can tell she has known about that place all along. "So, what do you want to do now—take another path, or go back?" she asks, her tone curious.
As the Ancient One asks this, I once again realize that even this instant communication she is having with me is such an advanced form of connection. Communication on Earth itself is often filled with lag, but considering this is the Marvel world, it's all just normal stuff—nothing even worth mentioning.
"Let me choose another path," I say, after checking that I still have the vial of green liquid and the densely condensed vibranium coin with me.
[Path 1 (Roll: 8/100) Rainbow Hues: This path shimmers with vibrant, ever-shifting colors, a dazzling spectrum of light.]
I choose the path that shimmers with a cascade of radiant hues, almost like a living rainbow unfurling in front of me. The colours dance and pulse with life, a mesmerizing swirl of reds, blues, purples, and greens.
I float through the path, feeling a rush of excitement bubble up inside. This time, I hope to step into another world—one that's far from Earth. The thought of exploring uncharted realms is making me excited, as I am ready to finally lose my 'virginity' of visiting another planet.
"See you soon teacher" I say with a grin as I head inside the crack.
In the next instant, a brilliant blast of light blinds me, forcing me to shield my eyes. Instinctively, I activate my astral form's flight powers to steady myself, realizing there is no solid footing beneath my feet.
The blinding light makes it difficult to comprehend where I am at first, but I know something monumental lies ahead. As my eyes adjust, I finally catch a glimpse of the source—the sight before me leaves me in stunned awe.
Through the glare of light, I make out a massive golden city, gleaming with an almost ethereal brilliance. It stands against the backdrop of endless skies, radiant as if crafted from pure gold. Its grandeur is overwhelming, and I can hardly take in all the details—this is definitely something beyond my wildest imaginations.
I blink a few times, slowly opening and closing my eyes, gradually adjusting to the overwhelming golden glare.
I realize I am suspended high in the air, or perhaps space itself, far above and away from the city. The distance between the city and me is vast, but its imposing spires and immense structure are clear even from here.
The buildings are made of gold, their surfaces shining like molten sunlight. Surrounding the central structure is an intricate network of gleaming spires, each rising higher than the last, stretching towards the heavens. The center of the city is dominated by an immense, majestic palace, its summit hidden by clouds or perhaps the distant horizon.
As my senses sharpen, I start noticing floating objects and vessels—spaceships, perhaps—moving back and forth in the vast expanse. They hover like sentinels, a testament to the advanced technology of this place.
I take a deep breath, overwhelmed by the sight before me. "So this is the Golden City of Asgard," I whisper in awe, recognizing it from the comics and Marvel movies without needing anyone else to inform me.
The city seems alive with energy, a place where gods and warriors walk side by side. It feels like I have truly traveled through a wormhole, emerging in a civilization that feels beyond anything on Earth. It is as if a village child was suddenly shown the vast, sparkling city skyline, but on a scale beyond anything they could ever imagine—like a hundred, maybe a thousand times more incredible.
"It really does seem like a city of gods," I mutter, a sense of wonder filling my voice as I gaze at the awe-inspiring landscape. I can't help but feel lucky that I ended up here. Out of all the paths, I have stumbled upon the one that leads to Asgard itself.
"Let's see if I can spot anyone I know," I say excitedly, my gaze drifting downwards.
Looking below, my eyes catch sight of something even more wondrous: "The Rainbow Bridge, Bifrost," I recognize, recalling its iconic presence from the comics and movies.
It is a shimmering, transparent bridge extending out from beneath me, stretching towards the golden city. Its rainbow hues pulse in the air, casting a surreal light against the vastness of space. My eyes follow the bridge to where it meets the opposite side of the city. On one side, it gleams as bright as gold, while on the other, the deep expanse of space reveals a stunning view of stars scattered across the night sky.
I notice that the bridge ends at a pair of grand, golden pillars, reminiscent of ancient gateposts, towering at the far end of the bridge. Even from this distance, I spot several figures standing by the pillars—warriors, no doubt. They are adorned in ornate Asgardian armour, their regal, battle-ready postures giving off an aura of power and grace, there were three women and four men.
I catch sight of one figure among them who seems to be facing me.
A man, holding a sword, stands tall, his eyes fixed on me with a piercing gaze that cuts through the vast space between us. His eyes glow with an otherworldly light, and it almost feels as though he can see me clearly, despite the immense distance.
Before I can react, the man raises his sword, the blade igniting in a radiant rainbow of colors, each hue sparkling with a power I can feel even from this far. It's too late to do anything as the attack is already in motion.
BOOOM!!! SLASHHH!!
In an instant, the rainbow-coloured slash hurtles towards me with unimaginable speed. Panic sets in, as alarm bells start ringing in my head. I call upon the Ancient One in my mind, uncertain if my forcefield or astral projection could withstand the sheer force of the attack. The energy racing towards me feels like it could obliterate anything in its path.
Just before the attack hits, I feel that familiar tug—the sensation that I am about to be yanked from this place.
"Hey, Hemdall, maybe he was here to gaze upon the Mighty form of Thor you shou—"
The words of a booming female voice echo in my mind just as the world around me shifts, and I find myself back at the crossroads, breathing heavily, heart pounding in my chest.
"Haaa... Haaa... That was too close and freaking scary," I mutter, my astral form still trembling from the force of the near-miss raibow slash. The pressure and heat from the attack linger in my mind, and I can still feel the burn on my body as if it almost touched me.
"I didn't think you were in such a hurry to come back, Luke," the Ancient One says, her voice laced with curiosity.
"Well, I did say I would see you soon, teacher," I reply with a wry smile, trying to shake off the lingering tension in my body. I then proceed to recount what had happened.
"It is never wise to arrive in Asgard unannounced," the Ancient One says, her tone light but amused. "And that attack must have been a small portion of Bifrost's power itself."
"See? This is why I said I needed those OP defensive items, teacher," I say, the humor in my voice betraying my earlier panic. But all I get in return is the Ancient One's amused laughter echoing in my mind.
"So have you had enough then?" She asks me curiously.
"No, Teacher, my luck was just a tiny bit bad," I say, eager to experience even more paths—especially after visiting Asgard, albeit briefly, through one of them. A grin spreads across my face as I float towards a new path. "I will choose another this time. I know my luck is good."
***
I apologise that the hiatus got extended for some days, But I have mostly finished with the mutant backlog!
