Vengeance and Sacrifice
The funeral pyres burned bright, but the fire within Celeste burned hotter.
Frigga’s death left a hollow ache in her chest, but there was no time to grieve. Thor was preparing to defy Odin’s orders, to take the fight to Malekith before he could use the Aether’s power to plunge the universe into darkness. And Celeste would stand by his side.
“Are you certain?” Thor asked her as they stood at the Bifrost, readying their escape.
She met his gaze, her expression hardened with resolve. “I won’t stand by while they destroy everything Frigga protected.”
With Loki’s reluctant assistance, they fled Asgard, their path leading them to Svartalfheim—the desolate home of the Dark Elves. Celeste had little trust for Loki, but in this moment, their goals aligned. Her power pulsed beneath her skin as they navigated the ruined landscape, the air thick with the echoes of past wars. When they finally confronted Malekith, the battle was unlike anything she had faced before.
Celeste fought with everything she had. Light clashed against shadow, her constructs barely holding against the overwhelming darkness of the Aether. She moved like a dancer in battle, her blades of light carving through the enemy ranks, her energy shielding Thor and Jane from harm. But Malekith was unrelenting. His power surged, and for a moment, Celeste felt the crushing weight of true darkness.
Then, Thor struck.
Lightning crackled, the heavens answering his fury as Mjolnir found its mark. The Aether was torn from Malekith’s grasp, and with a final surge of power, the Dark Elf was no more. The battle was won, but the cost had been great.
As they returned to Asgard, Celeste looked upon the realm with new eyes. She had come seeking answers, seeking purpose. Now, she understood that her path was one of both light and loss. And though the war had ended, she knew this was only the beginning of the battles to come.