Marvel: I Am The Lord of the Shadow Dimension

At nine o'clock in the morning, Luke casually drew a Sling Ring portal in his Los Angeles apartment and stepped directly into the dusty, quiet streets of Puente Antiguo, New Mexico. 

"Having an instant portal really is the best," Luke muttered, slipping the brass Sling Ring off his fingers and dropping it into his pocket. While the magical artifact was incredibly useful, it was honestly annoying to wear constantly. With those bulky rings on his knuckles, he couldn't even comfortably open a can of Coke. 

Just as he stepped out of a secluded alleyway, a heavily dented, silver RV screeched past him. 

Peering through the dirty windows, Luke easily recognized the three frantic occupants inside: Jane Foster, Darcy Lewis, and Erik Selvig. 

'What a coincidence,' Luke thought, silently following the RV as it frantically pulled up to the local hospital. He watched as they practically dragged a dazed, heavily bruised Thor out of the vehicle and handed him over to the baffled medical staff. 

Luke casually strolled into the hospital, bypassing the receptionist, and walked up to the observation window of Thor's examination room. 

Watching the legendary God of Thunder being aggressively poked and prodded by a group of confused doctors and nurses, Luke shook his head in amusement. 

'This guy really has terrible luck. First, he gets violently expelled from the Bifrost, then he immediately gets hit by a female driver, and just when he finally wakes up, he gets tased by an intern with a tiny stun gun. You're really embarrassing the title of 'Thunder God.' I don't think any other deity of lightning has ever been knocked out by a commercial taser.' 

Luke tapped lightly on the observation glass. Inside, Thor's fingers twitched slightly. 

A doctor turned around, confused by the tapping, but saw absolutely nothing on the other side of the glass. 

'Kids playing pranks,' the doctor muttered, shaking his head. He turned back, preparing to draw some blood from the incredibly muscular, unidentified patient. Even though the man had clearly suffered blunt force trauma, running a full battery of unnecessary tests was a great way to squeeze more money out of his insurance—or lack thereof. 

"HOW DARE YOU ASSAULT THE GREAT THOR?!" 

Thor suddenly roared, his eyes snapping open. He realized he was pinned to a strange bed, surrounded by people holding sharp, terrifying instruments. 

Relying purely on his innate, impossibly dense Asgardian physiology, Thor effortlessly threw the doctors and nurses across the room like ragdolls. 

Hearing the screams, a massive swarm of hospital security guards and orderlies rushed into the room. It took a dozen grown men desperately dogpiling the enraged prince to finally pin him back down to the bed. 

Standing in the hallway, Jane, Darcy, and Erik watched the chaotic scene through the window in absolute shock. 

"Uh... if he's that healthy and energetic, does that mean we... don't have to pay his medical bills?" Darcy asked hesitantly, adjusting her glasses. 

"Technically... yes," Jane nodded slowly. The trio turned to sneak out of the hospital before anyone asked them for their insurance information, but they suddenly noticed a man standing near them, casually taking photos of the chaos with a high-end digital camera. 

"Um, excuse me? What are you doing?" Jane asked suspiciously. 'Is he a reporter for a tabloid? How did he get here so fast?!' 

"Oh, nothing. Just taking a few souvenirs. Since I just arrived here," Luke replied vaguely. It was entirely unclear if he meant he had just arrived in the town, or if he was referring to the screaming man pinned to the bed. 

"Oh my god!" Darcy suddenly gasped, staring at Luke. "Are you the Lord of Shadows?!" 

Luke raised an eyebrow. He hadn't expected the quirky intern to recognize him so quickly. 

"Hello. I am the person you're referring to, but I'd prefer if you just called me Luke." 

"Wait, who is the Lord of Shadows?" Jane asked, completely bewildered. 

"You seriously don't know?!" Luke, Darcy, and Erik all exclaimed simultaneously. 

Seeing their shocked expressions, Jane felt incredibly defensive. "Why should I know?! I'm an astrophysicist! I study the stars, not celebrity gossip!" 

"Do you literally never use the internet?!" Darcy yelled. She whipped out her brand-new, ultra-sleek Stark Smartphone, quickly pulled up Luke's viral Wiki page, and shoved the screen into Jane's face. 

"Oh, wow. That is a really nice phone," Jane said, immediately distracted by the bezel-less display and fluid interface. If it wasn't too expensive, she might actually buy one. 

Focusing back on the text, Jane's eyes widened in genuine shock as she read the long list of documented superhuman feats and the recent battle at the Stark Expo. 

"Uh... are we still living in the year 2010?" Jane mumbled weakly, her entire scientific worldview slightly fracturing. 

"You know it's bad when you're less informed about current events than an old man like me," Erik Selvig sighed. Thanks to his connections in the scientific community, Erik was highly adaptable to strange, impossible phenomena. 

"So, what brings someone like you out to a tiny town in New Mexico?" Erik asked Luke, genuine curiosity in his voice. 

"Just here to watch the show. I happened to be traveling through the area," Luke replied smoothly before turning and walking out the front doors. 

"What a weird guy," Jane muttered, quickly forgetting about him as she focused back on her research data. 

Outside the hospital, Luke was happily reviewing the photos of Thor getting dogpiled by doctors when the world around him suddenly shattered like glass. 

He was instantly pulled into the Mirror Dimension. 

"Uh... hello, Bosses!" Luke said, feeling incredibly awkward. Standing in front of him in the fractured, kaleidoscopic dimension were the Ancient One and Odin. 

"Hmm. Excellent photography," the Ancient One said. 

Before Luke could react, the camera was plucked directly from his hands. The Ancient One briefly inspected the photos of Thor getting tased and tackled, a rare, highly amused smile on her face, before handing the camera over to Odin. 

Odin stared at the digital screen, his expression incredibly complicated. Seeing his mighty, arrogant son being subdued by mortal doctors with tiny needles... Odin sighed heavily. However, compared to his furious disappointment a few days ago, Odin's mood was significantly better now. 

After all, as long as his life could be artificially extended, he had all the time in the universe to patiently guide Thor and Loki to maturity! 

"If Thor ever sees these 'photographs', he will likely lose his mind in sheer humiliation," Odin chuckled, understanding his son perfectly. 

Currently, Thor was incredibly arrogant, prideful, and obsessed with personal glory. In many ways, he was painfully similar to Tony Stark before his kidnapping. Both were brilliant, unmatched in their respective fields, and completely insufferable. But Odin knew they both had the capacity for profound change. 

Odin flipped through a few more photos. His single eye betrayed a mix of deep worry, exhaustion, and undeniable, overwhelming pride. 

While Thor currently lacked the temperance and wisdom required of a true King, his prowess as a warrior was absolute. He was the greatest champion Asgard had ever produced. 

'Perhaps... if Loki were to sit upon the throne as King, and Thor were to serve as his General, leading the armies of Asgard... our realm would have a far brighter future,' Odin mused silently. 

The more he thought about it, the more viable the plan seemed. 

'Uh... is this old man going to smash my camera?' Luke thought nervously, watching Odin stare blankly at the screen for a dangerously long time. He shot the Ancient One a panicked look: 'Is he mad that I took ugly pictures of his son? Is he going to destroy the evidence to protect the royal dignity?!' 

The Ancient One noticed Luke's frantic eye signals and Odin's deep, melancholic contemplation. She politely coughed twice into her hand. 

Odin snapped back to reality. Seeing Luke's increasingly suspicious, defensive posture, Odin instantly straightened up, projecting an aura of absolute, terrifying divine majesty. 

'Give me a break, old man. I know exactly what kind of Asgardian you are,' Luke thought, completely unimpressed. 

Stripped of his terrifying 'All-Father' title, Odin was basically just a strict, stubborn boomer desperately trying to force his kids to meet his impossibly high expectations. 

And he was incredibly ruthless about it. If his eldest daughter misbehaved, he didn't ground her; he erased her from history and locked her in a hell dimension. Poor Thor didn't even know he had a sister! 

Sensing the distinct lack of awe and the subtle hint of disdain in Luke's eyes, Odin felt slightly awkward, but he pushed forward with his grand speech. 

"I am the King of the Aesir! Odin All-Father!" Odin's voice boomed with cosmic weight. His golden armor seemed to glow with inner light, and an invisible, majestic wind billowed his crimson cape. "Mortal! You have my deepest gratitude for your aid. Your energy has granted me a renewed span of life." 

Luke crossed his arms, staring blankly at the dramatic display. He didn't know what kind of roleplay the old man was attempting, so he just stayed silent. 

Seeing that Luke absolutely refused to play along, Odin cleared his throat awkwardly, dropping the booming theatrical voice. 

"You have saved my life, and by extension, you have secured the future of the Aesir," Odin stated seriously. "Therefore... I have decided to officially grant you the title of 'Foreign Prince of Asgard'!" 1

Luke actually nodded at that. Odin was the ultimate, terrifying deterrent that kept the rest of the hostile cosmic empires from invading the Nine Realms. 

The Bifrost was a fantastic planet-killing superweapon, sure, but Odin himself—a being capable of physically shattering planets and erasing entire armadas with a thought—was Asgard's true, terrifying foundation. 

It was similar to Thanos. The Mad Titan commanded a massive, terrifying fleet, but it was Thanos's own overwhelming, personal combat strength that made him feared across the universe. 

However, hearing the title 'Foreign Prince,' Luke's heart skipped a beat. 

Asgard claimed dominion over the Nine Realms, and they had the absolute military might to back it up. With the Bifrost, Asgard could instantaneously deploy massive, highly advanced armies anywhere in the galaxy. 

And while Odin was currently old and unable to fully utilize his planet-shattering power without risking the Odinsleep... Luke was actively keeping him awake and energized! Being a recognized Prince of a civilization like that was a massive, incredibly tempting upgrade in status. 

If Luke accepted this title, he would essentially have absolute diplomatic immunity on Earth. The World Security Council wouldn't dare try to nuke him. If they did, he could just casually ask Heimdall to open the Bifrost for a few seconds and completely erase their secret bases. 

Sure, the Ancient One might get annoyed and punch his astral form out of his body if he abused the Bifrost, but having the option was nice! 

Odin noticed the greedy spark in Luke's eyes and decided to seal the deal. 

"However, immediately elevating a Midgardian to the status of Prince will undoubtedly cause severe political unrest among the conservative Asgardian nobility," Odin explained smoothly. "Therefore, to legitimize your claim, I shall officially declare you as my sworn blood-brother! Once you have established sufficient prestige and respect among the Aesir, I will formally elevate you to the true rank of Foreign Prince, second in authority only to myself and Queen Frigga!" 1

'Holy crap! This old man is going all in!' Luke thought, genuinely shocked by the massive political concession. 

Luke nodded frantically, terrified that Odin might realize he was overpaying and retract the offer. 

Honestly, he didn't care about the political power or the title of Prince. He just wanted to force the arrogant, 1500-year-old Thor to respectfully call him 'Uncle.' And forcing Loki to do it would be even sweeter! 

"Excellent! Then the Realm Eternal welcomes you to our family!" Odin smiled broadly. The trap had been successfully sprung. 

'Now that you are my sworn brother and a Prince of Asgard, you are officially obligated to help me clean up my royal messes... starting with my psychopathic firstborn daughter when she inevitably escapes,' Odin plotted silently. 

But Hela was a problem for the future. Throwing Luke at her right now would just be sending the boy to his death. Odin focused back on his current, immediate problem: his idiot son. 

"As you are likely aware, my son Thor is currently undergoing a trial here on Midgard. The hammer you attempted to lift yesterday belongs to him," Odin said, his tone shifting back to that of a weary father. 

"Originally, I intended for this trial to forge him into a true, wise King. But after reviewing certain... possibilities, I have altered my plans. However, he must still be broken of his crippling arrogance and pride. Can you assist him in this endeavor? As his Uncle?" 

Odin heavily emphasized the word 'Uncle,' knowing exactly which button to push to ensure Luke's absolute dedication to the task. 

Hearing the magical word 'Uncle,' Luke instantly felt a surge of motivation. He practically beat his chest, swearing on his honor that he would successfully discipline his 'nephew.' 

The Ancient One remained completely silent, acting as a neutral witness to the highly questionable political adoption. Once the two schemers had finalized their agreement, Odin tossed a heavy, golden token of authority to Luke and promptly banished him back to the material plane. 

Landing outside the hospital, Luke happily tied the golden Asgardian token to his belt. He hummed a cheerful tune as he casually shadow-stepped back to the S.H.I.E.L.D. perimeter around Mjolnir. 

He didn't need to chase Thor. As long as he waited by the hammer, the arrogant prince would inevitably deliver himself right into Luke's hands. 

"Hey, Coulson. Did you pull an all-nighter? Those bags under your eyes are getting worse," Luke teased, magically appearing inside the secure command tent and grabbing a cup of coffee. 

Coulson nearly jumped out of his skin, staring at Luke in exasperation. 

Luke glanced at Mjolnir on the monitors. It looked exactly the same, though it had sunk significantly deeper into the bedrock after Luke had dropped it yesterday. The S.H.I.E.L.D. engineers had been forced to build a specialized scaffolding ladder just so the scientists could climb down into the newly formed pit to scan it. 

Ignoring Coulson's tired, questioning stares, Luke found a quiet corner in the command tent, pulled out his phone, and started playing Angry Birds, patiently waiting for nightfall. 1

As the sun finally set over the desert, Luke plugged his dying phone into a nearby S.H.I.E.L.D. terminal to charge and wandered over to Coulson's primary monitor station. 

Coulson gave him a strange look but didn't say anything, his attention entirely focused on the live data feeds from the crater. 

Just as Coulson was letting out a sigh of relief that the day had passed without incident, the primary surveillance monitors suddenly violently flickered, overwhelmed by heavy static. 

"Research team, report! What is happening down there?!" Coulson yelled into his radio, instantly glaring at Luke suspiciously. 

Thank god the localized, low-tech radio frequencies weren't heavily affected by the interference, otherwise they would be completely blind. 

"The localized electromagnetic field emitted by the artifact just spiked massively! It's completely frying our delicate instruments!" a panicked scientist yelled back over the radio. 

Before Coulson could process that, another urgent alert popped up on his screen. 

"Alert! Perimeter fence breached at the southeast quadrant! Unidentified hostile has entered the facility!" 

As if on cue, the previously clear night sky was instantly swallowed by thick, roiling black storm clouds. A torrential, unnatural downpour began hammering the facility, severely limiting visibility. 

"Barton! Get to a high vantage point! Now!" Coulson yelled into the comms. He glanced at Luke, wanting to ask the magical consultant for help, but ultimately bit his tongue. 

'I'll save him as the absolute final trump card,' Coulson decided. He immediately ordered all available tactical teams to sweep the facility for the intruder. 

Within minutes, the tactical teams reported several agents had been neutralized and were completely unresponsive. 

Coulson immediately diverted the majority of his forces to the breached sector. However, he left Clint Barton—Hawkeye—alone to cover the most vulnerable approach to the crater. If the intruder was trying a diversionary tactic, Hawkeye would quickly teach them why he was S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top marksman. 

The tactical teams quickly located the massive, muscular intruder, who was making absolutely zero attempt at stealth. Dozens of agents raised their assault rifles and attempted to open fire. 

But miraculously, every single weapon—from the advanced tasers to the standard-issue Glocks—completely jammed or misfired! 

'Damn it! It's the localized magnetic field! It's intentionally disabling the firing mechanisms!' 

Realizing the situation was spiraling out of control, Coulson slammed his headset onto the desk in frustration. He spun around, fully intending to finally ask Luke to intervene. 

But Luke had completely vanished from the command tent. 

At that exact moment, Luke was standing comfortably in a crane basket suspended fifty feet in the air, right next to Clint Barton. They had the absolute best seats in the house for the upcoming show. 

Hawkeye, a consummate professional, completely ignored the fact that Luke was standing next to him taking flash photography. He drew a specialized arrow, smoothly knocked it on his bowstring, and aimed directly at the muscular blonde man brutally dismantling the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents below. 

Down in the mud, Thor was fighting like a literal god of war, effortlessly dodging strikes and throwing highly trained agents around like ragdolls, treating the elite S.H.I.E.L.D. security force like incompetent mall cops. 

"Coulson, I have a clear shot on the target. Requesting permission to engage," Hawkeye spoke calmly into his comms. 

In the command tent, Coulson initially wanted to order Hawkeye to immediately neutralize the threat. But for some inexplicable reason, he remembered Luke's cryptic comments about the hammer giving 'benefits' to whoever could lift it, and the fact that Luke was currently watching the fight with intense interest. 

Coulson hesitated, driven by a sudden, intense curiosity. 

"Hold your fire. Let's see what he can do." 

Through the pouring rain, they watched as Thor brutally fought his way to the edge of the crater. Seeing the familiar, beloved hammer resting at the bottom of the pit, an expression of pure, unadulterated joy broke across Thor's bruised face. 

He immediately jumped down into the crater. 

"Oh, this is going to be good," Luke whispered, leaning over the edge of the crane basket. 

As Thor landed in the pit, his foot slipped on the slick mud, and he unceremoniously wiped out, face-planting directly into the dirt. 

While simultaneously pitying his incredibly dense 'nephew,' Luke mercilessly snapped a rapid-fire sequence of photos of the humiliating fall. 

Thor quickly scrambled to his feet, frantically wiping the mud off his face and glancing around nervously. 

'Good, no one is down here. The dignity of the Great Thor remains intact! Nobody saw me fall!' Thor thought to himself, completely unaware that he was being recorded by dozens of S.H.I.E.L.D. cameras and a highly enthusiastic uncle with a DSLR. 

Thor approached Mjolnir. He wrapped his hand around the familiar leather grip, fully expecting the hammer to easily fly into his hand as it had done for a thousand years. 

He pulled. 

The hammer didn't move a single millimeter. 

Thor's eyes widened in sheer disbelief. He planted his feet, grabbed the handle with both hands, and strained with all of his massive, Asgardian strength, his muscles bulging. 

The hammer remained absolutely, perfectly immovable. 

"No... Father, NO!" Thor screamed in absolute agony, his voice carrying over the thunder. Completely broken and devoid of purpose, the mighty God of Thunder collapsed to his knees in the mud, weeping. 

He truly had been banished. He was unworthy. 

In the command tent, Coulson watched the dramatic breakdown, deeply disappointed that the man hadn't been able to lift it. He immediately ordered a tactical team to move in and apprehend the weeping intruder. 

But before the agents could even reach the crater, a figure plummeted from the sky, landing heavily in the mud directly in front of the devastated Thor. 

"Hey, Thor," Luke smiled warmly, looking down at the broken prince. "I'm your father's sworn brother. You can call me Uncle."

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