The key to this entire operation hinged on how to sneak away from Lothar without arousing his suspicion.
Given the way Lothar had previously barked orders at Woz, even Hela could tell, without needing to think too hard, that there was no way he'd entrust something as crucial as reclaiming his physical body to someone like Woz or The Other.
Especially not with her involved.
Getting Lothar's approval for this plan? Impossible.
"Menis will use the power of the Eye of Horus to construct a false illusion around Prince Lothar. The Other will stay behind to keep him distracted inside the illusion, preventing any suspicion."
"That's when we'll make our quiet escape."
"If Menis unleashes the full power of the Eye, he can perform a cross-dimensional teleportation. It'll exhaust him, but he can manage it."
Piece by piece, Woz laid out the entire escape plan before Hela in an orderly fashion.
"Quite the thorough plan," Hela commented.
"Hehe…" Woz scratched the back of his head sheepishly, beaming. "So, Lady Hela, does that mean you're in?"
"I'll help. But let's be clear: when the time comes, you'll handle transporting Lothar's body. Don't expect me to play nursemaid."
Given the chance to reclaim her body, Hela had no reason to refuse. She wasn't about to slink back to Asgard like some beaten dog.
Coming all this way only to end up as a disembodied soul? Who would she even complain to about that? How could she face the people of Asgard like this?
She was still a Princess of the Nine Realms, after all. She had to maintain at least some dignity.
"Thank you, Lady Hela!"
Woz, beaming with delight, pressed his stubby hands together over his round chest and gave Hela a deep, respectful bow.
With her on their side, the success rate of the plan had just skyrocketed.
But as soon as Hela accepted, the spark of life vanished from the miniaturized Woz's eyes. It was just a drone, a duplicate body Woz had crafted for remote use, and with his real consciousness now busy preparing, it was completely forgotten behind Lothar's statue.
Time to move.
As Woz's real self reactivated, his fake busywork mode was dismissed. With a quick glance, he signaled to the nearby Pharaoh Menis that it was time to begin.
Menis sat down on the floor and began channeling the power of the Eye of Horus.
Careful not to alert Lothar, Menis refrained from pulling too much magical energy all at once. Instead, he took over fifty minutes to carefully gather enough mana to construct the illusion.
Dripping with sweat once the preparation was complete, Menis gestured toward The Other, who, despite their mutual dislike, gave a knowing nod and shut his eyes.
He saw nothing. He knew nothing.
"Hoo…" Menis exhaled deeply. After nodding to both Woz and Hela, his hands began forming a series of intricate, arcane seals.
(Ancient Egyptian): "Mirror Flower, Water Moon."
Even Hela, heir apparent of the Nine Realms, didn't recognize the regional dialect of the spell. But its effect was immediate.
A silent wave of magic burst forth from the Pharaoh's hands, expanding outward in a hundred-meter radius centered on Lothar.
Now's our chance!
Woz shot The Other a final gesture, take care of Prince Lothar, before setting off with Menis and Hela, vanishing from the pyramid as they began their journey to the far North.
Please… let this work.
After their silhouettes had completely disappeared, The Other, still pretending to know nothing, sighed inwardly.
He turned around, only to lock eyes with Lothar's pitch-black pupils.
"!!!!!!"
"P-Prince… Lothar?!"
"You… you're awake?!"
The guilt-ridden Other flinched hard. The Mind Stone-embedded staff nearly slipped from his trembling hands. His voice cracked in fear.
Lothar didn't respond. His gaze remained fixed, unwavering, boring into The Other's panicked expression.
"P-Prince Lothar…?"
"Do… you have any commands for me?"
The Other stammered, bowing low and cautiously looking up.
"Where's Woz?"
"W-Woz? Isn't he still over there scanning for Dormammu cultists?"
The Other swallowed hard and pointed toward the illusion crafted by Menis.
On the massive blue display, the round blue robot cat was still tapping away at glowing runes, "hard at work." When Lothar mentioned Woz's name, it was as if the illusion triggered a script. The figure turned, beamed, and called out cheerily:
"Please be patient, Prince Lothar. Woz is diligently working on the search."
But Lothar didn't budge.
"The Other… do you know what I hate most?"
He stood, his left arm glowing ominously. With a simple motion, he tore through the illusion of Mirror Flower, Water Moon, revealing the empty pyramid in a burst of reality.
"I hate being lied to."
The words landed like thunder.
And with them, another crack spread across Lothar's already fragmented body.
...
Far north, on a snow-covered divine palace.
Outside the temple, sitting atop the steps, Cuba wore a white robe and a tranquil smile, eyes fixed on an orange tabby peeking curiously from behind a boulder.
Motionless. Silent.
In the open courtyard below, Lothar and Hela's bodies were bound to a pair of giant crosses, standing exposed in the frigid snow.
They were waiting.
Cuba was certain, what he wanted would come to him, whether it be Lothar… or Hela.
"Meow…"
The Flerken's whiskers twitched as it shook the snow from its fur. Its brown eyes fell on Lothar's snow-covered body, and it let out a soft meow.
Then, from the snowy sky, a massive green magic circle split open.
Woz, piloting a towering mech, descended from above, arms outstretched toward the defenseless bodies below.
"They're here."
Cuba's smile didn't waver as he looked up. Menis, the Pharaoh, appeared behind the mech, descending in his wake.
Ancient incantations echoed across the northern skies!
(Ancient Egyptian): "The legendary dragon of devastating power, known for its overwhelming offense and unrelenting force!"
(Ancient Egyptian): "In the name of the Pharaoh, I summon thee!"
A massive silver dragon tore through the dimensional veil, its wings beating fiercely as it roared into the world.
"ROOOOOAAAAAR!!!"
The sound shook the skies.
Behind the dragon, Hela drew her bow, her arrow aimed squarely at Cuba, still seated on the steps as if frozen in awe.
She was no longer the goddess of death, she was the solitary hunter, loosing the Piercing Arrow.
"Disappointing," Cuba murmured. "Only one of you came. Where's the other?"
He'd expected Thanos' son, Lothar, to appear as well.
"Still… one is better than none."
Then it hit.
The power bestowed by Dormammu himself, an essence of the Outer God, erupted within Cuba's body.
A consuming darkness, bottomless and insatiable, surged forth like a ravenous beast. In an instant, it devoured both Menis's summoned dragon and Hela's death-charged arrow.
Consumed in absolute, utter void.
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