Fury and Coulson left with heavy hearts.
One good piece of news, and two bad ones.
The good news was that Loki wasn't a true god—he was just an alien from an advanced civilization. The real god of fire and the god of lies and mischief had been completely destroyed in the age of myth, along with their children.
The bad news was that Loki's adoptive parents were the real God-King Odin and the Queen Frigga, and his foster brother Thor was the genuine God of Thunder. According to Melin, the family truly loved this adopted son.
The other bad news was that the Sanctuary would not intervene unless absolutely necessary. Matters of the mortal world were to be handled by mortals themselves—otherwise, what meaning would their existence have?
That final question left both Coulson and Fury speechless.
Wasn't S.H.I.E.L.D.'s purpose to protect the safety of Earth (at least that's what they believed)? If they ran to others for help every time trouble appeared, they might as well disband altogether.
This crisis was immediately defined by Fury as a Level 7 alert—meaning war had already begun. This would be humanity's first war against an extraterrestrial civilization. Clearly… Earth was not ready.
But Fury wasn't one to sit still and wait for death. The "Avengers Initiative," planned for years and carefully selected, was finally about to be activated.
However, before the call even went out, one of the chosen members had already defected—though it didn't appear voluntary, it was still a fact.
"Coulson, where's Agent Romanoff?"
"Sir, Natasha is still by her side." Coulson answered without hesitation. Unlike in the original timeline, she hadn't been assigned elsewhere—no mission was more important than the one she was currently on.
"How is she doing?"
"According to the latest report, she's still wary of Natasha, but there's been some progress—they occasionally exchange a few words now." Coulson said with a helpless sigh.
Fury rubbed his forehead in frustration. It wasn't Natasha's fault. She was one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top agents, skilled enough to make even the toughest adult drop their guard—regardless of gender.
He couldn't help but sigh. "That kid really is something. Even at her age, she can read people like a book."
"Forget it. Tell Natasha to pause that mission and go bring in the big guy." Fury decided on the spot. After multiple confirmations, he knew she was being protected by far more capable guardians—her safety wasn't an issue. Keeping Natasha there any longer was unnecessary.
"…Yes, sir." Coulson quietly prayed that Natasha would return alive. The green monster wasn't exactly known for pleasant conversation.
…
Meanwhile, Melin sat sipping tea, deep in thought.
"By logic, Loki's path should've changed—he shouldn't have met Thanos. So why, no matter how things shift, do we still end up back on this line of fate? And Thanos… he knows about the Ancient One and Odin. There's no way he doesn't know about the Sanctuary. Letting Loki waltz onto Earth with the Mind Scepter in hand—wasn't he afraid of losing both pawn and prize?"
Melin tapped his fingers against the chair's armrest, analyzing every possibility. If Loki came with only the power he remembered, he'd be crushed easily.
After all, with an alien invasion, the Sanctuary couldn't just stand by. A few Saints would be enough to wipe out the Chitauri army. Thanos might not care about Loki's life, but the Chitauri were a valuable force—losing them would still sting. Thanos wasn't that foolish. Which meant there was only one explanation.
"Does Thanos have another trump card—something that gives him confidence against the Sanctuary? Could it be another Infinity Stone? No… The Power, Reality, and Soul Stones are still sealed, and the Time Stone is with the Ancient One. Maybe he has help… other divine forces?"
He paused, eyes narrowing.
"That's it—other factions! Ones that oppose the Sanctuary and can actually threaten it."
"Who could it be?" he mused aloud. "The most obvious is the Buddhist realm, but they've hidden themselves too well. Even Asura hasn't found their new domain after all this time. Would Thanos succeed where we failed? Or… is it another pantheon entirely?"
The room fell silent except for the rhythmic tapping on his chair.
"Forget it. If soldiers come, we fight them. If water floods, we block it. Unless one of the exiled ones returns, even if Zeus himself appears, I can still drive him off again. Still… we need to make preparations."
With that, Melin picked up the phone and called Asura.
"What's the matter?" Asura's voice came through at once.
"Loki's come to Earth."
"Loki? Didn't he die? The whole family was wiped out—Odin blasted them to dust," Asura said in shock. The destruction of a god's very soul was irreversible—even time itself couldn't restore it.
"Not that Loki. This one's Odin's adopted son, a Frost Giant."
"Heh, that old fox Odin still plays the same dirty games."
"That's not the issue. The problem lies with whoever's behind Loki. Have you heard of Thanos?"
"I've heard the mages from Kamar-Taj mention him—a cosmic warlord, quite powerful, collecting those six Stones. Don't tell me… he's coming to Earth?"
"He will, eventually. Half of the Stones he wants are here. But not yet. Loki is just his scout."
"So, you're getting involved?"
"If it were only Loki and his army, I wouldn't bother. But a so-called 'cosmic emperor' doesn't send troops to die for no reason—especially not with the Mind Stone in hand."
"I see. You think he has another ace up his sleeve."
"Exactly. I suspect Loki will look for allies."
"You mean… the Buddhists?"
"I can't be sure, but the chance is high. Be careful. I'll send Shaka to assist you."
"No need. Don't you trust me?"
Melin rolled his eyes, though Asura couldn't see it. "Did you forget why I was sealed away last time?"
"…Fair point. Fine, I'll listen to you."
"Good. Finding them isn't the priority—your safety is. I've got a feeling this is just the beginning. Earth's about to get… lively."
"Relax. With the salary and bonuses you pay me, I'm not dying anytime soon."
After hanging up, Melin summoned Kanon and Mu.
"My lord." The two knelt before him, their faces solemn. Melin never called them lightly; when he did, it was for something critical.
Melin explained the situation quickly and began assigning orders.
"Mu, contact Kletia, Dadi, and Arougeti. They're to guard Athena at all times. No matter what she says, they are not to leave her side. You, Arugoru, and Misti must also stay nearby to prevent any sneak attacks."
"Yes, my lord. We swear to protect Lady Athena with our lives!"
"Kanon, tell Tony to contact Howard and the others. Whether they choose to act or how they do so is up to them. Also, reach out to Erik and Charles—have the X-Men coordinate with S.H.I.E.L.D. This is their best chance to step out of the shadows. Afterward, remain with them. If anything goes wrong, I'll contact you immediately."
"Yes, my lord!"
"I'll return to the Sanctuary to make further arrangements. The rest is in your hands."
"We shall carry out your orders without fail!"
"Go."
After they departed, Melin returned to the Sanctuary.
"Welcome back, my lord," said Shion, who sensed Melin's cosmos as soon as he arrived, rushing to greet him at the temple.
"How many Saints remain here?" Melin asked directly.
"Among the Gold Saints—Aphrodite, Shaka, and Aldebaran. As for the Silver Saints…" Shion listed them all.
"Good. Aside from Tong Hu, who guards the Seal, and Kanon in New York, summon everyone else back."
"Yes, my lord. I'll see to it immediately."
"And contact Mudyssel. Tell Hilda to send someone for an audience."
"Yes."
Melin's command in the Sanctuary carried the weight of divine decree. The moment his orders went out, the entire Sanctuary moved like a perfectly tuned machine. Golden lights flashed across the sky as Saints returned from distant missions. Within minutes, the assembly was complete.
Melin sat upon the Papal Throne, Shion and Alex standing behind him, while ten Gold Saints stood below, lined neatly on both sides. Hilda's envoy, Siegfried, stood respectfully at the end.
Once all were present, Melin summarized the current situation.
"Melin, my lord," Siegfried asked, "you suspect that this Loki—the current one—might form alliances with other divine factions and use the chaos to strike against us?"
"Exactly. Otherwise, Thanos wouldn't be foolish enough to send him to die—and hand us a gift in the process. When you return, tell Hilda that Mudyssel must remain vigilant. You may need to support us if the situation worsens."
"Yes, Lord Melin."
"And be cautious. Loki might come to you as well. Thanos may have told him about your realm. If needed, the Sanctuary will send aid."
"Your concern honors us, my lord. I will deliver your message to Lady Hilda."
"Now—Shaka, you will depart immediately and rendezvous with Asura."
"Yes, my lord."
"Aldebaran, Saga, Aiolia, Milo, and Camus—gather your subordinates and move secretly to New York. Stay hidden and await my command."
"Yes, my lord."
"Shion, Alex, Deathmask, Aiolos, Shura, Aphrodite—you will remain to protect the Sanctuary."
"We swear to defend the Sanctuary with our lives!"
"No," Melin said with a faint smile. "Protect it, yes—but stay alive. If the Sanctuary falls, we can always rebuild. But as long as you live, hope remains."
"Yes!" they answered in unison, though Melin could still sense their fierce determination—each one ready to die for the Sanctuary if needed.
He was proud of their loyalty, though also weary of their stubbornness.
So, in secret, he sent a private order to Shion and Shaka: If the Buddha himself attacks the Sanctuary, summon Asura immediately. You won't be able to kill him—but you can drive him back.