The Reanimated Soldiers were strong, but against Thor, who had just regained his power and was in full momentum, they were no match at all.
Thor also showed no mercy to the American soldiers who had slaughtered so many of his comrades and injured those dear to him.
In only a few minutes, the whole squad was wiped out.
"You okay?" After the battle ended, Thor hurried to pull Che Guevara out from a flipped armored car.
Even in his rage, Thor had tried his best to avoid hitting the car that held his friend.
Cough… cough… "I'm fine. I just didn't expect to live long enough to see a true god… and that he would even be my comrade for a whole year!" Che Guevara spat two mouthfuls of blood but smiled as he spoke. His joy looked eerie because of his wounds.
Though Thor had done his best to shield him, his earlier injuries had already brought him close to death.
"Just hold on a little longer. I'll take you to Asgard right now—you'll be fine!" Thor, seeing how bad it was, called to Heimdall in the sky without delay.
Heimdall, who had been watching Thor's journey for the past year, wasted no time. The Bifrost came down, carrying Thor and his wounded friend back to Asgard.
"This feels… rough… God, is this the fabled palace of the gods?" Because of his heavy wounds, the passage through the Bifrost made Che Guevara feel worse. But soon, his eyes were caught by the golden shine of the palace in the distance.
"Yes, welcome to Asgard." A calm voice answered from nearby—it was Heimdall, the golden-armored guardian. When he saw Che Guevara looking at him, he nodded slightly.
Heimdall had long been watching Thor's path. He knew well of this new "comrade" and gave him some measure of approval.
"You are…?" Che Guevara asked, still uneasy.
"He is Heimdall. Enough talk, you need healing now… Sorry, Heimdall, his injuries are very serious!" Thor cut in, worried his friend might not last. Without further words, he carried him straight toward the Golden Palace.
Once inside, Thor rushed him to the healing chamber.
On Earth, except perhaps in the Austrian Kingdom, such wounds meant near-certain death. But for Asgard's science, they were but minor injuries.
With the Healing Pod—his recovery could be seen with the naked eye.
Thor finally let out a breath when he saw his friend safe.
"I always thought the first person you'd bring back to Asgard would be a young lady," came a gentle, teasing voice from behind him.
"Mother!" Thor turned, overjoyed.
It was his mother, Frigga, queen of Asgard.
Of all the people Thor missed during his year on Earth, the one he longed for most was this kind, loving queen.
He stepped forward quickly and gave her a warm hug.
"To see you return safely… that is more than enough." Frigga's eyes glowed with motherly love as she embraced her son.
Only after the hug did Thor notice a boy standing behind his mother, someone he had never seen before—handsome, curious, and studying him intently.
"Mother, who is this?" Thor asked, looking at the boy.
"Oh, let me introduce him. This is your brother, Baldr! Come here, Baldr—this is Thor, your brother!" Frigga said with a warm smile, bringing the boy forward.
"Hello, brother! I'm Baldr. It's an honor to meet you. I've often heard Mother speak of your heroic deeds!" The handsome boy stepped forward and saluted Thor politely.
What the…? My brother?
Thor's mind was full of question marks. He had been exiled for just over a year—how did he suddenly get a brother? And what about Loki?
"Don't misunderstand. Baldr isn't your father's and my biological son. Like Loki, he was brought from Midgard and adopted," Frigga explained, seeing the confusion in Thor's eyes.
Oh, just like Loki, adopted! Thor thought, suddenly realizing, but then froze again.
"Wait, Mother, did you just say… Loki is adopted?" Thor asked in disbelief.
After arranging the marriage with Laufey's daughter, Loki had taken the chance to reveal the truth of his origins to Odin and Frigga. For the sake of royal dignity, it wasn't made public in Asgard, but among the high council, it was no secret. Thor, exiled to Earth during the commotion, had never known.
"Yes, Loki isn't our biological son. We simply didn't tell you before out of consideration for your feelings. Now that Loki knows, there's no reason to hide it." Frigga explained. Then, as if remembering something, she added, "By the way, you also have a half-sister named Hela. Perhaps one day you should meet her."
Thor was completely stunned.
His childhood companion and brother, whom he had grown up with for millennia, was adopted.
He had a half-sister.
And his parents had adopted another child.
The amount of information was overwhelming—Thor couldn't process it all at once.
Wait… the boy's name is Baldr?
Regaining some focus, Thor looked at the handsome boy beside Frigga. If it hadn't been for the exile and the past year, the name might not have registered. But after seeing how Earth depicted stories of the gods, Thor had learned a lot about myths regarding himself. Most of the time, he treated them as amusing tales—after all, in Earth's myths, Loki was still his uncle.
But Baldr…
"Tell me, Mother… did you also adopt a child named Hodur?" Thor asked, his gaze sharp.