Sif

A few days later, the Temple of Asgard

Loki had already learned of his identity as Frost Giants, which led to a fierce argument with Odin Loki. Odin was so enraged that he fell into a coma. After settling Odin in, Loki felt it was time to prove himself, to prove that he was more suitable to rule the realm of the gods than his mediocre brother Thor, and that no one was more deserving to be called king! He suppressed everything with thunderous force. At this moment, he sat upright in the place where Odin had once sat, the Gungnir leaning against his hand, his eyes indifferently looking at the courtiers of Asgard below the steps.

Sif and the Asgard's Warriors Three stood at the front of the crowd, watching the green-robed prince who always stood half a step behind Thor now sit on Odin's throne, scanning everyone with an indifferent gaze never seen before.

Hogun clenched his fists, his teeth grinding together. Fandral and Volstagg exchanged a glance, but neither spoke. Sif's fingers rested on the hilt of her sword, her knuckles turning white from the pressure.

" Thor will not return." Loki's voice wasn't loud, but it was clear throughout the entire hall. " The Nine Realms need stability, Asgard needs order. I have no intention of replacing anyone, only temporarily assuming the throne, until..."

"Until when?" Sif finally couldn't hold back any longer, her voice squeezing out through clenched teeth, "Until you hand over Jotunheim? Or until we all forget that Thor was once our king, fighting alongside us?"

Loki looked down at her, a faint smile playing on his lips, as if he had expected her to make a move.

" Sif, you were once Thor's most trusted comrade-in-arms, and I understand your anger. But your words and actions today question the Royal Court's decision. Do you think the Nine Realms Code is just for show?"

Sif was about to say something when Volstagg's large hand pressed down on her shoulder. Volstagg, the most composed of the Warriors Three, shook his head at her, his eyes conveying only five words: Don't cause trouble here.

Late at night, in Sif's bedchamber.

She had just unfastened half of her armor when there was a knock at the door. Sif opened the door and saw Queen Frigga standing outside, her golden hair flowing freely, holding a wooden box in her hands.

"Queen Goddess." Sif instinctively reached for a bow.

Frigga held her arm, preventing her from kneeling. She went inside, placed the wooden box on the table, turned to look at Sif, her eyes filled with worry and a complex emotion that Sif couldn't decipher.

"Mother, is there something you need so late?" Sif didn't stand on ceremony; she was raised by Frigga, and she had never changed this way of addressing her in private.

" Thor is still alive," Frigga said.

Sif seemed frozen in place. She opened her mouth, but couldn't utter a word; her eyes welled up with tears.

"Mother, where is he?"

" Thor is in Midgard now; he's safer there than in Asgard." Frigga paused, then sighed softly. Her gaze fell on the direction of the Eternity Star Sea outside the window as she slowly continued, "But there's an added variable in his destiny, one I can't see the whole picture of. I can only see one person standing beside him, clinging to him like a shadow. That person isn't an ordinary person from Midgard, nor even from any known destiny within the Nine Realms."

"Who are you talking about?" Sif's voice was a little tense.

Frigga didn't answer directly. She opened the wooden box, inside which lay a golden Joker card. The Joker on the card grinned, his smile simple and innocent. Sif stared at the card, a sudden, inexplicable sense of unease rising within her.

"You want me to go find him?"

"I didn't ask you to do anything." Frigga gently pressed Sif's hand, her voice tender. "I just cast a divination, and the divination indicated that person has a connection with the gods. More than one connection. One of them is the thread that binds to your fate."

Sif's pupils contracted sharply, and she abruptly pulled her hand back from Frigga's grasp.

"Mother, I don't believe in fate."

Frigga didn't move, just watched her quietly. After a long while, she sighed softly and pushed the wooden box in front of Sif.

Believe it or not. But if you go to Midgard, you'll meet him sooner or later. I can't see his whole face, but I know he's right next to Thor.

Sif didn't take the wooden box. Instead, she turned and picked up the spear from the bedside table, beginning to re-tie her armor. Frigga watched her retreating figure, offering no resistance, only saying before leaving, "Whatever choice you ultimately make, I won't blame you. Go, bring Thor back."

Sif paused for a moment, then pursed her lips. "I will. I will find Thor and bring him back. As for fate... I still don't believe in it."

Midgard, Puente Antiguo.

Lin Xiao sat on a folding chair in front of the motel, idly tossing a small pebble at an empty soda can. The pebble bounced off the rim of the can, didn't go in, and rolled twice on the ground. Lin Xiao wasn't bored, so he picked up a few more pebbles and threw them at the can.

Thor and Jane walked over from across the street. Thor looked much better than a few days ago, and his messy hair was now neat. He was chatting and laughing with Jane. Lin Xiao squinted as he watched the two stop by the roadside. Jane looked up and said something to Thor, Thor scratched his head and grinned like a fool.

Lin Xiao threw another pebble.

This time it hit the edge of the can, the can tilted slightly, but it didn't fall over in the end.

"Alright, alright, stop grinning like an idiot." Lin Xiao stood up from his chair, dusting off his backside. "In this sweltering heat, if you two keep lounging around like that, Puente Antiguo will be pickled with a sour stench."

Jane rolled her eyes at him, but Thor looked serious. "Lin, what do you mean by 'sour smell'?"

Lin Xiao raised his hand, pointed at Thor, then at Jane: "Given the distance between you two right now, you could smell the stench of romance from half a block away."

Thor seemed to understand but not quite, and Jane, feeling embarrassed, gave Lin Xiao a playful kick to the shin. Lin Xiao dodged to the side, grinning as he was about to say something more sarcastic, when the sand beneath his feet suddenly trembled.

Then came the second, then the third. The wind stopped, and a burnt smell filled the air. The sky changed from azure to deep blue, as if some force had held the entire space still. Lin Xiao looked up; the aluminum cans by the hotel entrance were trembling silently, like they were kneeling on the ground shaking.

" Lin Xiao, get out of the way!"

Thor suddenly roared, grabbed Jane behind him, and took a few steps back himself. Lin Xiao raised an eyebrow, reacting even faster, and transformed into a blur, flashing twenty meters away.

A seven-colored beam of light crashed down, striking the spot where Lin Xiao had just stood. The ground was scorched black by the intense heat, and as the beam dissipated, four figures emerged from it.

First up was Volstagg, his round body almost filling the entrance to the passage, carrying an axe, his beard slightly curled from the energy of the Bifrost. Next came Fandral and Hogun, their eyes lighting up when they saw Thor. The last to step out of the pillar of light was Sif. The moment she emerged from the Bifrost, Lin Xiao's breath caught in his throat for a beat.

She was even more beautiful than in the footage. Her long, dark hair was braided into a neat battle braid, and the wisps of hair on her forehead were slightly lifted by the residual heat of the sunlight. She had a high nose bridge, heroic eyebrows, and her lips were pressed into a tight line. Her armor gleamed silver in the sunlight, and she casually held a spear in her right hand. The way she stood there made her look both handsome and dashing.

But as soon as she came out, she seemed to ignore everyone else and rushed straight towards Thor. Her steps were so fast they seemed to fly, and when she was half a meter away from Thor, she suddenly stopped. Her expression changed several times, and her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she only called out softly, " Thor, we meet again."

" Sif." Thor looked at her, his smile brighter than ever before. "You're all here! I knew you wouldn't abandon me."

The four surrounded Thor. Volstagg patted his back, Fandral pounded his shoulder, and Hogun stood silently behind him, his eyes red-rimmed. Sif stepped back half a step, her gaze sweeping over Thor's face, and only after confirming he was alright did she finally manage a slight smile. It was a faint smile, like a sliver of light shining through ice.

Until she saw Jane.

Jane was still standing behind Thor, about half a foot away, but to Sif Thor, it stung. This Midgard woman still carried Thor's scent; how could Thor...?

Thor noticed Sif's gaze, naturally turned to the side, took Jane's hand, and introduced her to the group, "This is Jane Foster, she saved me. She's an astrophysicist in Midgard, very capable."

Jane nodded slightly, a polite smile playing on her lips. Sif's gaze lingered on Jane's face for a second before turning to Thor, her smile slowly fading.

"You look good, Thor." That was all she replied, completely ignoring Jane's meaning.

"Thanks to Lin Xiao." Thor laughed and looked around as if looking for someone. Then he saw Lin Xiao walking slowly towards him from a distance.

"Lin! Come here!" Thor waved his hand, his voice so loud that everyone in town turned to look. "This is Sif, this is Volstagg, Fandral, Hogun. They are all my best comrades!"

Lin Xiao walked up, his gaze sweeping over everyone's faces as he nodded in greeting. Finally, his eyes fell on Sif, and Lin Xiao's gaze hardened. He pushed Thor aside and said, "Hey, beautiful, my name is Lin Xiao. Thor is my good brother. You don't need to thank me for taking care of him; it's all what I should do."

Sif gritted her teeth, remembering the Queen's words. "Entwined by the thread of fate, beside Thor, the Joker card, why now of all times? You are the last thing I wanted to see, yet I met you when I met Thor. Fine, fine, die."

The next second, without any warning, Sif spun the spear in her palm, tore through the air, and thrust it straight at Lin Xiao's face.

Lin Xiao tilted his head back to dodge, the spear tip grazing his chin and taking away a stray stubble. He slid back half a step, his smile freezing in mid-air.

"No, what's going on?" Lin Xiao dodged the second shot, but Sif's offensive showed no signs of abating. Her movements were clean and swift, each shot carrying killing intent, instantly carving more than a dozen spear marks into the sand, each aimed at Lin Xiao's throat and heart.

Thor was stunned, thinking, "As expected of my most loyal subordinate, how did she know I wanted to beat up Lin Xiao? No, this isn't the time to think about that. What's wrong with Sif?"

The next second, Thor spread his arms and stood between the two, saying sternly, " Sif! Stop! Lin Xiao may look awful, but he's still my friend in Midgard. You can't do this. He saved me and even bought me drinks. Sif, you shouldn't do this."

Sif's spear was still pointed at Lin Xiao, her chest heaving violently. She had heard Thor's words, but she couldn't suppress the fire in her heart.

"My name is Sif." Her voice was as cold as iron in winter.

"I know, I know, Sif, huh?" Lin Xiao's smile became even more irritating. " Sif Sfttier, the number one Valkyrie of the Nine Realms, the most formidable being besides the Asgard's Warriors Three. I've heard so much about her; that shot just now almost cost me an ear."

When he said "I've long admired your name," he even cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, but his face still wore that frivolous grin, making anyone who saw him think he was flirting with someone.

Sif felt a surge of heat rise from behind her ears to her face, feeling both ashamed and angry. With a flick of her wrist, she thrust the spear forward again.

Lin Xiao stopped dodging. This time, he stood still and waited until the spear tip was only half an inch away from him before suddenly reaching out with his right hand and precisely pinching the spearhead with two fingers.

A strong gust of wind whipped the hair back from his forehead, and sandstorms erupted between the two of them. He stood there, motionless.

"Have you had enough?" Lin Xiao's voice turned cold, and the smile on his face vanished. "I was going to let it go because you're Thor's comrade. But you didn't listen to reason and just stabbed me in the face with that broken gun. Don't I, a local bully, have any dignity?"

He tried to let go, Sif pulled the spear back, took two steps back, and assumed an offensive stance again. Her eyes were fixed on Lin Xiao, her teeth clenched, like an enraged little beast with all its quills standing on end.

Thor tried to dissuade her again, but Volstagg grabbed his arm and whispered, "Let her fight. If she doesn't fight now, she might just rip up Asgard's armory."

Thor opened his mouth, sensing something was wrong, but couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Lin Xiao looked at Sif's posture, slowly moved his neck, and cracked his knuckles as he bent them forward with his fingers interlaced. He suddenly laughed, but the laughter turned cold and transformed into something more dangerous.

"Alright, little girl, since you're so eager to try, let's exchange a few moves and let me see just how tough the legendary Nine Realms Goddess of War really is."

He took a step forward, the sand beneath his feet sinking, and the atmosphere of the entire street seemed to quiet down with that step. Sif didn't retreat; instead, she stepped forward, spear held horizontally in front of her chest, her whole body like a fully drawn bow.

As Thor watched, he suddenly turned to Jane and said, "Should I stop them?"

Jane, munching on sunflower seeds, didn't even look up. "Can you beat him?"

Thor thought about it seriously for a while, then shook his head.

Jane patted his arm. "Then just watch, don't make a sound."

Hogun buried his face in his hands in the distance. Fandral nudged Volstagg with his elbow and asked in a low voice, "Just who is this Midgardian?" Volstagg looked at Sif, then at Lin Xiao, and finally shook his head. "I don't know. But I have a bad feeling that Sif doesn't just want to fight."

Before she could finish speaking, Sif had already shot off like an arrow...