Thor let out a roar and spun Mjolnir so fast the air cracked, lightning flashing around his body like a storm given form. He surged forward with raw force, aiming to smash through Alex's cage of shadows.
Alex didn't back down. His hands moved in sharp arcs, weaving light and darkness into chains that whipped out, clashing against the storm. The balcony shook as the two forces collided—thunder against shadow, lightning against light. The impact blew chunks of stone from the floor and sent shockwaves into the air, rattling the spires below.
Thor broke free, charging through with brute strength, Mjolnir swinging overhead. Alex's eyes narrowed. He slid to the side, raising a shield of light while his other hand pulled darkness up like a wall. Mjolnir struck the combined barrier, sparks flying, but Alex twisted the energy—turning defense into offense. The shield exploded outward in a blast that hurled Thor back across the balcony.
Thor landed on his feet, grinning even as his chest rose and fell heavily. "Good! That's it! Push harder!"
Alex obliged. He lifted both arms, and a swirling vortex of light and shadow formed above, condensing into a massive orb that pulsed like a second sun. With a sharp gesture, he hurled it down toward Thor.
Thor braced, spinning Mjolnir and calling lightning from the sky. A colossal bolt slammed into the orb, and the explosion lit up the entire balcony, turning night into day for a heartbeat. The shockwave blew both warriors backward—Thor digging his heels into the ground, Alex bracing with wings of shadow that flared from his back before dissolving.
Smoke and energy swirled. Both were breathing hard, eyes locked.
Thor charged again, lightning dancing across his body. Alex met him head-on, weaving light into blades and shadow into whips. Their clash was deafening—steel against energy, storm against void. Every strike shook the balcony, every counter filled the air with light and sparks.
Finally, Alex shifted, pulling both forces together in his hands. Light and darkness spiraled into a single beam, pure balance, and he thrust it forward. Thor swung Mjolnir to meet it, lightning roaring out.
The two powers collided with a shock that split the air like glass shattering. Energy ripped outward in a dome, rattling the city below. For a moment, neither gave ground—then the light-and-dark beam pushed harder, forcing Thor down to one knee before Alex cut it off, ending the clash before it destroyed the balcony.
Silence followed. The air smelled of ozone and scorched stone. Thor panted, sweat on his brow, but his grin was wide.
"You… held back at the end," he said, lowering Mjolnir slowly.
Alex exhaled, letting the last traces of light and shadow fade from his hands. "I had to. If I didn't, we'd both be in the courtyard below right now."
Thor laughed, a booming sound that echoed through the halls. "By Odin, you are dangerous. Stronger than I imagined. You don't just wield Asgardian magic—you've made it yours."
He extended his hand, not in challenge but in respect.
Alex clasped it firmly, still catching his breath.
****
The next day, Alex reached the Bifrost Bridge, where he met Heimdall.
"It was good to have you here," Heimdall said as Alex nodded. With a final wave, he stepped onto the Bifrost and was sent back to Earth.
Light swirled around him, and in the next instant, he landed in an abandoned factory. "Back on Earth," he mumbled to himself. The glow faded from his body, and he reappeared inside his home.
"Oh, you're back," said Maria, who was sitting on the couch eating ice cream.
Alex smiled and walked over, sitting beside her as she handed him a spoon.
"Oh, you're back," Maria said, sitting on the couch and eating her ice cream.
Alex smiled, shaking off the last shimmer of Bifrost energy. "Yeah… back on Earth."
Maria tilted her head. "Did you miss anything while you were gone? Was everything… different?"
Alex laughed softly. "Honestly? Not as much as I expected. Asgard feels different because of the magic, sure, but in a way, it's kind of like Earth—people, streets, markets… it's just that everything there has this energy, this power running through it."
Maria raised an eyebrow. "So… you're saying it wasn't completely out of this world?"
"Exactly," Alex said, nodding. "The buildings, the halls, even the people—it all reminded me of Earth. It's just… brighter, more alive with magic. But the way people live, laugh, argue, go about their day… it's the same. It made me realize what I can do, and what I want to do, without thinking magic automatically makes everything different."
Maria smiled, finishing her ice cream. "That's… kind of reassuring."
"So you get other elements too, not just light and darkness?" Maria asked, curiosity in her eyes.
Alex shook his head. "No… I'm only like a god when it comes to light and darkness. The other elements don't obey me the same way. It's different—they follow their own rules."
"I see, so it's like you have the other elements too, but they're not as strong as your Light and Darkness," Maria said.
Alex nodded, glancing around. "Speaking of that… where are the others?"
"They're back at the dojo," Maria replied. "Did you forget, they are usaually there at this time?."
Alex let out a small laugh. "My bad… I just misjudged the timing."
Maria smiled as she climbed onto his lap. "Well, that gave us some time," she said, leaning in and pressing her lips to his in a deep kiss. Alex responded with the same intensity, matching her fervor.
But after just half an hour, the door opened. Sue and Colleen were back, and they froze, seeing Maria on top of Alex.
"I told you—I sensed he's back!" Sue exclaimed, eyes sparkling with excitement.
Colleen appeared right after, grinning widely. Alex finally saw all three of them together after three months apart, and his chest tightened with happiness.
Maria leaned against him, smiling softly. "We missed you so much," she whispered.
Alex chuckled, holding them close. "I missed all of you… more than I realized."
Sue nudged him playfully. "Don't think you can just disappear and come back without consequences."
Colleen laughed, linking arms with him. "Yeah, we've been waiting for you. You owe us some serious attention."
Alex smiled, looking at all three with affection. "Alright, alright… I'm back now, and I plan to make up for lost time."
*******
if you like my fanfic, and want to support me and read advance chaps, checkout my fanfic on Patreon :- patreon.com/FantasyLi
There are regular updates too.
I have written Twenty chaps and will write more soo
***