Chapter Six: The Cosmic Cube

"I should have realized sooner." Thor took a large gulp of malt beer. "If it weren’t for me, Loki wouldn’t have..."

Artanis listened intently to Thor’s confession. These two estranged brothers always showed their concern for each other in their own ways.

To keep Thor from sinking into sorrow, Artanis took the initiative to share his experiences on Midgard. Thor, his attention diverted, began to recount his own encounters and adventures there. The two engaged in a joyful conversation.

Midgard—S.H.I.E.L.D.’s secret underground research facility.

Dr. Erik Selvig was tirelessly adjusting parameters, attempting to harness the power within the Cosmic Cube, while Nick Fury observed the proceedings from a monitor at another base.

Since the failure of Project Pegasus in the last century, S.H.I.E.L.D.’s research into cosmic magic had stagnated. But after Thor’s return to Asgard and the recovery of the Destroyer’s remains, their study of the Cosmic Cube had finally made progress.

"Incredible. This gem holds unfathomable energy, and it seems to be connected to space itself. It’s a gateway to the universe!" Dr. Selvig exclaimed in awe as he reviewed the latest research report.

"I don’t care what kind of gateway it is—I just want to know, Doctor, can you tap into its energy?" Nick Fury was unconcerned with the so-called cosmic gateway; as long as he could extract the Cube’s eternal power, he could create whatever he desired.

"Of course, Director. Today’s experiment should reveal the true power of the Cosmic Cube," Dr. Selvig replied, brimming with excitement. Fury pressed further, "Can you guarantee the safety of this experiment? What’s the worst-case scenario?"

"It should be safe, Director. According to my calculations, using the Cube’s power requires subjecting it to one hundred million degrees. Currently, we can’t sustain such high temperatures for long, so even if there’s a leak, the impact will be limited. But if something truly goes wrong, then no matter where we flee on Earth, there will be no escaping this force of destruction."

Nick Fury frowned. He despised situations beyond his control. Still, all unrelated personnel had already been evacuated, so he didn’t expect too much trouble.

"Begin, Doctor. If we succeed, the dawn of humanity will be in sight," Nick Fury ordered. Dr. Selvig immediately pressed the ignition button.

As the energy beam activated, the lighting in the underground lab flickered. The Tokamak device confined the plasma, and through directed output, generated the extreme heat needed to activate the Cosmic Cube.

The Cube, stimulated by the intense temperature, began to visibly change; blue light flickered rapidly, finally unleashing a modest shockwave that sent nearby equipment flying and cut off the power supply.

A brief static flickered across Nick Fury’s monitor. He hurriedly asked, "Doctor, what happened? Was the experiment a success?"

Dr. Selvig, crawling out from beneath a table, reported with excitement, "It worked! We did it! With the data from this energy release, we can now build an extractor to harness the Cube’s power!"

"Excellent. I’ll send a team right away. Thank you for your hard work, Doctor." Fury’s brow relaxed. The first step of his plan was complete—Thor’s arrival had indeed brought good news.

But what they did not know was that the energy shockwave from the Cosmic Cube had done more than scatter some equipment; a more subtle gamma ray had radiated into the universe, alerting many powers to the Cube’s activation on Midgard.

Thanos smiled as he bestowed the Scepter of the Mind upon Loki, telling him, "If you seek revenge, go to the world of humans. I will send the Chitauri to aid you in conquering that realm. Bring me the Cosmic Cube."

The Khaydarin Crystal hidden in Loki’s chest emitted a faint energy, shielding his mind. Consumed by hatred, Loki’s smile never faded as he accepted the scepter.

The crystal at its tip glowed, Loki’s smile broadening ever so slightly. Thanos, satisfied with his performance, cared little for Loki’s true intentions; under the influence of the Mind Stone, victory would ultimately be his.

Were it not for the fact that the Cosmic Cube once belonged to Asgard, and Loki was the one aboard most familiar with it, Thanos wouldn’t have needed to use the scepter to influence him.

Yet Thanos did not know that Loki bore the Khaydarin Crystal from the Protoss Empire—an artifact sharing the same origin as the Mind Stone. It shielded Loki’s mind without betraying its presence.

Loki’s superb acting allowed him to shift seamlessly from genuine corruption to feigned malevolence, with none the wiser.

After Loki withdrew to make preparations, the Chitauri received Thanos’s orders to assist him in seizing the Cosmic Cube from the world of humans.

Meanwhile, Odin sensed the Cube’s activation and summoned Heimdall, instructing him in the use of rune magic to call forth the Bifrost. He informed Artanis that he could return to Midgard the next day, and dispatched Thor as well, charging him to defend against the impending invasion and retrieve the Cube to repair the Bifrost.

Upon learning that humankind on Midgard had activated the Cosmic Cube, attracting the attention of other alien races, Thor grew uneasy; after all, his beloved remained on Midgard, and with Asgard’s Bifrost destroyed, an alien invasion could jeopardize her safety. Knowing his father’s will, Thor agreed without hesitation.

The Protoss Empire, upon learning of these events, chose not to intervene. In principle, Midgard was a protectorate of Asgard, and humanity, as a fledgling civilization, had now crossed a threshold by activating the Cube. Thus, the Protoss could not interfere in the possible coming war.

Though Asgard had temporarily lost the Bifrost, few dared provoke Odin. Only the Chitauri, Thanos’s minions, planned a sudden raid to seize the Cube and retreat, for it was Asgard’s second prince, not the Chitauri, who sought to conquer Midgard.

As for human resistance, it was not even a consideration for the Chitauri. Although, in theory, humanity’s activation of the Cube meant they no longer counted as a primitive civilization, in reality, they remained such—incapable of waging interstellar war. They were no match for the infamous Chitauri.