Self-Esteem (Second Update)

Athena's suggestion had not come entirely from her personal feelings. Perhaps they accounted for some of it, but no more than ten percent. The Arcanist was quite certain of that, because if it exceeded that proportion and he said so aloud, his beautiful adoptive mother would throw her spear at him point-first.

Although Salomon did not know what unpleasantness had occurred between Hela and Athena, every word the wise War Goddess had spoken was true. The aging All-Father was indeed exceedingly dangerous, and that danger only grew with time. Not even the Sorcerer Supreme could be sure what Odin might do for Asgard's future, for there were simply too many possibilities, and some prophecies seemed terribly frightening and cruel. Athena had foreseen part of it, including Odin's many contingencies hidden away to deal with nearly every circumstance. Yet even Odin had matters beyond his reach.

That was Kamar-Taj, the safest magical place in the entire Prime Material Plane.

The course of a life could be predicted. A powerful Prophetess could plan someone's path through life as though training a plant, guiding them to grow in a particular direction. The Sorcerer Supreme and Athena had borne the pressure, carefully educating Salomon while ensuring that no harmful influence interfered with his development. Even Odin, an equally powerful Prophetess, could not exert his influence. That was why Athena had initially opposed Salomon's plan to live with the Witch, until they held negotiations that lasted years.

Salomon had been born for a plan of great ascendance, yet the Milky Way had no vacant ecological niche.

Thus, in this plan, a former galactic empire would step down from its original position. Asgard would serve as the sacrifice, and the Asgardians would inevitably become stepping stones. It was a plan reeking of blood. Countless schemes intertwined