There was no doubt about it—the power of the Infinity Stones was undeniable.
Not only did they contain massive amounts of energy, but the abilities they granted were beyond comprehension. They weren't just powerful—they were dangerous in the wrong hands. For Bella, these stones were essential pieces in her long-term strategy, especially the Tesseract, the Space Stone. It was her top priority.
"I warned you before," Bella said coldly, her eyes locked on Nick Fury. Her tone was icy, serious. "Don't mess with powers you can't control. The stone tablet in Barcelona was one thing. But the Tesseract? That's on another level."
"You trying to experiment with these things sends a message—a loud, clear message. And not a good one. You're basically waving a red flag in front of beings you shouldn't mess with."
Fury didn't respond right away. He stared at her, unreadable, clearly thinking hard.
Thor broke the silence. "The Chitauri weren't the masterminds behind the invasion. They were just pawns. Someone much bigger is moving behind the curtain, and that someone has their eyes on Earth."
"This attack? Just a test," Thor continued grimly. "Next time…"
He trailed off, but the message was loud and clear. Everyone in the room understood. The next time wouldn't be a test. It would be war.
"I had planned to bring the Tesseract back to Asgard," Thor added. "But the Goddess of Judgment is one of Asgard's most respected allies. On behalf of my people—I support her claim."
He said it so simply, as if it were obvious. In Thor's eyes, even the most powerful nations on Earth were mere children playing with fire.
If Thor hadn't already been exiled to Earth once, and if Loki hadn't been the one causing trouble this time, he probably wouldn't have wasted time talking at all.
To him, S.H.I.E.L.D. and the United States government weren't even remotely qualified to hold onto something like the Tesseract.
Across the room, Phil Coulson and Maria Hill exchanged uneasy glances. This was way above their paygrade.
One side was S.H.I.E.L.D., backed by the U.S. government. Another was Asgard, a realm of literal gods. And then there was Bella—the Goddess of Judgment, wielding immense power and growing influence across the globe.
Even Tony Stark, as bold as he was, knew better than to jump into this debate. He kept quiet.
But with Thor—the prince of Asgard, and its future king—publicly supporting Bella, Fury had no choice. If he resisted, he wouldn't just be opposing Bella. He'd be declaring hostility toward Asgard.
Fury saw the writing on the wall. So did everyone else.
Without wasting time, Fury nodded. "I agree. But the higher-ups in the U.S. government—"
"That's their problem," Bella interrupted, her tone sharp.
"I'm keeping the Tesseract. But the Scepter—you can have that back."
Fury was quick to agree. Bella knew exactly why.
The man was a seasoned player. He wasn't about to make enemies of both Thor and Bella. Supporting Thor—the rising King of Asgard—was politically wise. And avoiding Bella's wrath was even wiser.
She saw through him, but she wasn't surprised.
As for the U.S. government's stance?
Bella never cared.
Her focus was never on earthly politics. Her eyes were set on something far greater—cosmic balance and the power to control it.
Fury remained silent, acting as if he were on Bella's side all along.
Deep down, he was thrilled.
He got the Scepter back. He didn't know why Bella was giving it up, but he wasn't going to complain. Let the higher-ups deal with the consequences. If they were stupid enough to challenge Bella or Asgard, that was on them.
"I need to return to Asgard," Thor said seriously. "Loki was manipulated, and I have a strong suspicion that someone's pulling the strings."
There was tension in his voice.
As Thor's brother, Loki being used like a pawn wasn't just insulting—it was a personal attack on his family and on Asgard itself.
Of course he was going to investigate.
Bella's eyes flickered with thought, but she said nothing.
She already knew the bigger picture.
Thanos hadn't made a direct move yet—not as long as Odin was still alive. Loki's manipulation had been more of a probe than a true strike. A test.
But if anything happened to Loki or Thor?
Even the Mad Titan wouldn't dare strike carelessly.
Odin, even in his old age, was still the God-King who once waged war across the Nine Realms. If Thanos touched Thor, Odin would unleash everything. And facing a furious Odin, even Thanos would suffer greatly.
Thanos was waiting. Waiting for Odin to die.
And Bella?
She was waiting too—for the moment the balance tipped.
Everything she'd planned would begin the moment Odin fell. Especially her pursuit of the Mind Stone.
Giving the Scepter to Fury was just one piece in that plan.
"Heimdall," Thor called out, nodding to both Bella and Tony. He then turned to where Loki lay unconscious, calling for the Bifrost.
Boom—!
A column of rainbow light fell from the sky. In a blink, both Thor and Loki vanished.
With the gods gone, Bella had no reason to linger. She had something far more pressing.
She lightly tapped her right foot.
Boom—!
A sealed metal case nearby exploded into fragments as invisible force shattered it. The Tesseract, glowing bright blue, floated into Bella's hand.
Coulson and Hill instinctively stepped forward—but stopped. They knew better than to argue.
Bella turned her focus inward, and with a silent thought, a swirling cloud of blue energy enveloped her.
And then—she was gone.
Only Tony and Fury remained.
Both stared in silence, the weight of the moment sinking in.
---
Meanwhile, on Guillermo Reef, Angie frowned.
Bella had been in the bathroom for a while now.
"Could she… have diarrhea?" she muttered under her breath.
Do little fairies get diarrhea?
Next to her, Cosmo, the golden retriever, perked up his head. "Woof!" He wagged his fluffy tail with excitement, sensing something familiar.
A moment later, Bella appeared—walking through the door, dressed casually as if nothing had happened.
Cosmo's tail wagged at full speed, practically turning into a spinning fan as Bella gave him a pat on the head.
Crossing the room, she sat down across from Angie.
Angie squinted at her suspiciously.
"Did you… have diarrhea? You didn't bring any toilet paper," she said in a mock whisper, pretending to look down at Bella's hands.
Bella stared at her, speechless for a second, then bonked Angie lightly on the head.
"Cut it out, you little gremlin."
"Ehehe~" Angie giggled, rubbing her head playfully. "It didn't hurt."
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