Chapter Sixty-Nine: Nidavellir

The next day, Thor brought Arthur to the Temple of Transmission. “Heimdall, send us to Nidavellir.”

“Wait for me a moment!” Arthur dove into the water, swiftly swimming to the bottom. He hefted the Destroyer Armor onto his shoulder and emerged from the water, landing before Thor and Heimdall.

“All right, we’re ready!” Arthur declared, carrying the Destroyer.

Thor nodded to Heimdall, who plunged the divine sword into the portal mechanism. The hall began to spin, waves of colored energy streaming from Asgard toward the Bifrost, finally converging at the gateway in a dazzling beam of white light that shot out toward Nidavellir in the depths of the cosmos.

Every time Arthur witnessed the Bifrost, he was awestruck. The magic of the gods was truly astounding. Later, he remembered, Thor would be able to summon the Bifrost with his own weapon alone, traveling through space as if wielding the Space Stone itself—wherever he wished, at a moment’s notice.

As Arthur and Thor stepped into the prismatic energy of the Bifrost, they were whisked away at incredible speed, arriving instantly on Nidavellir. Each journey through the Bifrost filled Arthur with wonder.

He was stunned by the majestic sight before him. Nidavellir was a neutron star blazing with dazzling fire—like a miniature sun. They stood atop one of four colossal star-rings built by the dwarves to encircle this stellar inferno.

These four immense metal rings orbited Nidavellir freely, home to more than three hundred dwarves who dwelled and worked there. The heat was intense, as one might expect when living beside a sun. Arthur found it difficult to adapt to the sweltering environment.

All around, countless dwarves labored at their forges, each station equipped with anvils and hammers. The clang of metal rang incessantly, a chorus of industry and creation that filled the air with vitality.

“Amazing, isn’t it? I was just as overwhelmed my first time here,” Thor said to Arthur, who nodded in agreement.

“The dwarves of Nidavellir are the universe’s greatest weapon smiths. Each one is a master of their craft. Any alien race seeking their weapons must first gain Asgard’s approval!” Thor explained with pride.

“I’ve heard that legend—there’s nothing the dwarves can’t forge,” Arthur replied.

“Exactly. My hammer and the Destroyer you’re carrying were both made by King Eitri—the true master smith,” said Thor.

As if summoned by their words, King Eitri himself appeared before them. “Well, if it isn’t Prince Thor of Asgard! What brings you to Nidavellir?”

“This is King Eitri, my good friend. Your armor is in his hands now,” Thor introduced Arthur.

Arthur gazed up at the dwarf king, who stood three times his own height. He barely reached Eitri’s waist. If Eitri was considered a dwarf, what did that make him—a halfling?

“This is my friend, Arthur of Jotunheim. He’s come to Nidavellir seeking your help to craft a suit of armor,” Thor explained.

Eitri laughed, “Surprised that the dwarves aren’t so small after all? Each of us is a giant in our own right!”

“Yes, your people are truly remarkable. This place is a revelation,” Arthur replied with admiration.

“Haha! Come with me, then. Any friend of Thor’s is a friend of mine. Leave your armor to me!” Eitri thumped his chest in reassurance.

King Eitri led Arthur and Thor toward his forge, and Arthur marveled at the technological wonders of the star-ring as they walked. Everything was fashioned from steel, intricate mechanisms and devices everywhere—a place that felt more like Cybertron than anywhere else.

Eitri’s forge was at the very heart of the ring, a vast circular chamber designed to harness the immense heat of Nidavellir’s neutron star. Here, any metal could be melted down to its purest form.

“That’s my Destroyer Armor, isn’t it? What happened to it?” Eitri noticed the battered suit on Arthur’s shoulder.

“Arthur and I broke it in battle. It’s beyond repair now, so Father gave it to Arthur for his new armor,” Thor explained.

Eitri was a bit taken aback. When had Odin become so generous? The Destroyer was forged from tons of Uru—now gifted to an outsider? He regarded Arthur with a deep, searching look.

“What sort of armor do you want?” Eitri asked.

“Well, something stylish but not too ostentatious, with high defense. And one more thing—I’d like a few slots in the gauntlets for Infinity Stones,” Arthur replied.

Eitri rolled his eyes. Why not just ask for the stars? Stylish, powerful, and capable of wielding multiple Infinity Stones? He’d never made anything so ambitious, not even for Odin himself.

“Can you do it? If not, I can lower my expectations, but I must have the Infinity Stone functionality,” Arthur insisted.

“Impossible? There’s nothing a dwarf can’t forge! I once made an Infinity Gauntlet for the All-Father himself, capable of harnessing the power of all six stones!” Eitri declared, unwilling to be underestimated.

“What? Odin once possessed an Infinity Gauntlet?” Arthur was surprised, but then recalled the fake one in Odin’s vault.

“I’ll give you the design—just follow this blueprint,” Arthur said, handing over a colored sketch he’d prepared. The armor resembled Aquaman’s from the comics: golden, scaled like a dragon, with green trousers and golden boots. The gauntlets were green with conch-shaped bracers, the right one set with six Infinity Stones. There was also a golden crown and a matching cloak.

Eitri examined the drawing and admitted it looked quite impressive. Thor glanced over and agreed.

“Isn’t it a bit too eye-catching?” Thor asked. Gold and green would certainly make Arthur the center of attention.

“It’s a fine design. I can make this,” Eitri said, nodding.

After measuring Arthur’s height and build, Eitri continued, “You won’t need all that Uru for this. Do you want anything else forged?”

Arthur produced the Trident of Poseidon and handed it to Eitri.

“This is one of our weapons!” Eitri immediately recognized the trident as a blend of Uru and other metals.

“I’m not sure. I found it in the depths of Earth’s oceans. Could you refine it and make it stronger?” Arthur asked.

“That’s simple. If I purify it and recast it entirely in Uru, it will be as strong as Thor’s hammer,” Eitri replied.

“Just shape it as in the blueprint. Thank you—I’ll buy you a drink next time!” Arthur said. The drawing included an improved version of the trident, which Arthur thought looked better.

“Very well. Leave everything with me. I’ll need a week to complete the work—your requests require custom molds,” said Eitri.

“Great. I’ll return in a week, then. Thank you! We’ll be going now,” Arthur said, and he and Thor took their leave from Nidavellir, planning to return in a week.

…