Chapter 33 MCE

Meanwhile…

Luke had no idea how much his rejection had pushed Tony over the edge.

Right now, he was focused on one thing — getting ready for his journey to the underworld.

Sure, it was Odin’s idea.

 But the logic behind it made sense. 

If he could bring Hela back, it could tilt the balance of power dramatically in his favor.

A win for Odin, who’d get closure for his children.

 A win for Hela, who could return from exile and chase her ambitions again. 

And for Luke? 

A major power boost and a valuable ally in his corner.

"Odin really is a sly old fox," Luke muttered, checking his gear.

The Eye of Agamotto — check.

The Great Shadow’s cloak. Belasco’s sword. A stack of powerful exorcism cards. 

And one more thing—Luke carried a special gift from Lucifer Morningstar himself: the power of the Morning Star, strong enough to pull someone back from the dead and even grants him immortality.

A little underworld goddess like Hela? Luke wasn’t worried... maybe a little bit?

"Wanda, while I’m gone, you’ll be in charge of the sanctum," Luke said, handing her a small, glowing silver key.

Wanda blinked, her hand hesitating. "Me?"

"This isn’t just a key," Luke explained with a grin. "It activates all the magic circles in the New York Sanctum. If anything goes wrong, you can use a portal to Kama Taj and ask the Ancient One for help."

Wanda still didn’t take the key.

"Should I go with you instead?" she asked, clearly concerned.

Luke chuckled. "Do you even know where I’m headed? The underworld, Wanda. You know what we usually call people who go there? Undead. Or lunatics. Maybe both."

He leaned in a bit closer, lowering his voice. "Every Asgardian soul ends up there when they die. And not one living person has ever come back."

Wanda's concern only deepened. "Then why are you going?"

She reached out, lightly grabbing his sleeve.

Luke cracked a crooked grin. "Relax. I’m just messing with you. It’s just a minor dimension. Nothing I can’t handle."

He patted her head gently, then said in a softer tone, "But I do need you to stay. If you really want to help, focus on developing your powers. That’s the best way you can support me."

Wanda finally let go, her hand dropping to her side. 

But her expression turned determined.

"I will, Mr. Constantine. I will become stronger."

Luke sighed hearing her call him 'Mr. Constantine' again,

'I really can't change that one,'

"I’m counting on it," Luke replied, turning and walking toward the exit of the New York Sanctum.

Ordinary teleportation wouldn’t cut it for a trip like this.

 You couldn’t just walk into another dimension like it’s a weekend getaway.

But Luke didn’t need fancy rituals. Not with the system's help.

He stepped outside, glanced up at the sky—and boom.

A vibrant pillar of rainbow light suddenly shot down from the clouds.

"So this is the Rainbow Bridge," he said, eyes gleaming. "Pretty awesome."

The beam wrapped around him, lifting him into the air and shooting him upward. 

It was like flying through a wormhole—except way more colorful.

In just seconds, the ride ended. 

The light faded, and Luke stepped out into a breathtaking golden hall.

Standing ahead of him was a tall, regal man with dark skin, golden armor, and a long sword—Heimdall, the guardian of Asgard.

"The God-King awaits you in the great hall," Heimdall said without looking away from the horizon.

Luke tilted his head. "Yeah, about that… I’m kinda on a schedule. Can we skip the meeting and just open the door to the underworld?"

Heimdall’s stern expression didn’t change, but there was a pause.

 "The God-King has chosen an artifact for you from the royal vault. He wishes you a safe journey."

Luke perked up instantly. "An artifact? Well why didn’t you say that in the first place? I’m on my way!"

Without hesitation, he started walking toward the throne room, eager to see what magical weapon was waiting for him.

"Is this the artifact you picked out for me?"

In the grand hall of Asgard, Luke stood before Odin once more. But this time, Odin wasn’t the weathered old man from Earth. He sat high on his throne, cloaked in golden armor with a gleaming one-eyed helm, radiating power and command—the true image of a God-King.

Luke crossed his arms, clearly unimpressed. On the pedestal in front of him sat what looked like a cracked, aged eyeball. "Seriously? This is it?"

"This," Odin said as he slowly descended the steps, "is the Warlock's Eye. It allows the wielder to glimpse fragments of the future. It's somewhat like the Eye of Agamotto you already carry."

Odin paused beside him. "But its real strength lies in dispelling illusions—banishing the false darkness that clouds the senses."

Luke raised an eyebrow. "Useful. I guess. Still kinda creepy."

"Helheim isn’t like other realms of the dead," Odin continued. "Illusions twist reality there. One misstep and your soul may be lost forever. That’s why I chose to exile Hela there."

Luke caught the hesitation in Odin’s voice. "But you didn’t expect her to thrive there, did you? Let alone take over and crown herself Hell Lord."

Odin sighed, guilt flickering behind his one good eye. "No... I didn’t. But knowing her nature, I should have. She’s always been relentless."

He stepped back. "Succeed in this, and the next time you return to Asgard, I will grant you another treasure from our vault."

Luke gave a small nod. 

He understood the deal. 

Do the job, get paid.

………

After parting ways with Odin, Luke took some time to roam the golden city. 

Asgard was breathtaking, but sprawling. 

He wandered for a while but didn’t run into Thor—or any of the famous faces from the movies or comics.

"What a shame," he muttered. "Would’ve liked to say hi to Sif… or run into the Enchantress herself... for research purposes of course..."

Eventually, Luke made his way back to the Bifrost. Heimdall stood there as always, unmoving, like part of the architecture.

"The path to the underworld is open," Heimdall said in his deep voice. "Be careful."

With a precise motion, Heimdall thrust his massive sword into the control pillar. 

The energy surged, and the Rainbow Bridge came alive in a flash of swirling color and light.

"Quick question, Heimdall," Luke said, glancing back. "If I scream for help from the underworld… can you pull me back?"

"No," Heimdall replied firmly. "My vision can stretch across galaxies—but Helheim is one of the few places I cannot see. In other words, I'll be sending you there blindly... a word that I haven't used for a long time..."

Luke gave a short sigh and turned toward the light. "Didn’t think so. Worth a try."

………

Moments later, the Bifrost faded behind him.

When Luke opened his eyes, everything had changed.

The air was thick with inky black mist, cold and heavy. 

It clung to his skin like static. 

The ground crunched faintly beneath his boots, but there was no wind. 

Only a deathly chill that seemed to cut straight through him.

"So… this is Hel," Luke muttered, half-joking. "Guess I finally made it."

He picked a direction and started walking, the silence pressing in on all sides. 

After a few cautious steps, a shape appeared through the fog.

A familiar figure.

"Mr. Constantine?!" a voice called out, weak but recognizable.

Wanda.

She stumbled toward him, clothes torn and eyes wide.

 She looked like she’d been trapped here for days.

"What the fuck Wanda?" Luke blinked. "Didn’t think you had the cash—or the guts—to get here."

He stopped and studied her carefully, his expression shifting from surprise to curiosity. 

"Now this… this is interesting."

The tattered clothes barely covered anything, clinging to Wanda like they were more for show than protection. Her form was completely exposed beneath the rips and tears.

"Luke... why don’t you come over here?" she said in a soft, shaky voice, arms wrapped around herself like she was freezing. "I’m so cold~"

She looked vulnerable, helpless even—but Luke didn’t move.

"Looks like these illusions are built off my memories," Luke muttered, narrowing his eyes. "Everyone probably sees something different."

He pulled out the Warlock’s Eye—Odin’s gift. With a flick of his fingers, he channeled a pulse of demonic energy into it.

 The eye lit up with an eerie golden glow before suddenly merging into his forehead. 

A glowing, vertical eye appeared there, gleaming with power.

"Great. Now I look like some budget version of Vision with extra steps," Luke grumbled.

As soon as the Warlock’s Eye activated, the illusion around him shattered. 

Wanda vanished in an instant. 

In her place was a massive, jagged abyss that looked like the earth had been ripped apart.

Luke cautiously walked to the edge and picked up a rock. He tossed it down.

No echo.

"Well, that’s unsettling," he muttered, taking a step back. "Now I get how people get lost in this place."

He turned away and chose a different path, opting not to fly over the crack.

"Knowing this dimension, it’s probably got some crazy law like anti-gravity traps or soul-sucking vortex. I'm not about to be dragged into a magical death pit."

But as he walked further, he ran into another fissure.

 This time, something jumped across it—a figure in rusted Asgardian armor.

"No mistaking it. That’s an undead," Luke said. "Guess not every warrior gets into the Valhalla."

Helheim wasn’t for the honored dead.

 It was where the forgotten souls of Asgard were dumped—the ones who died ordinary deaths, not in glorious battle.

"Think the Valhalla is some warrior paradise?" a cold voice echoed.

Luke tensed. 

That voice.

Finally.

She was here.

"It’s actually just an eternal nightmare," the voice continued. "The brave fight, die, then do it again. Forever. Until Ragnarok burns it all."

Hela stepped out of the shadows, regal even in her tattered clothes. 

Her armor was shattered, her cape in pieces, but her presence was unshaken. 

She looked every bit the goddess of death.

"We meet again, Hela," Luke said calmly.

But before he could get another word in, her expression darkened.

"Odin sent you, didn’t he?" she hissed. Her eyes narrowed at the golden vertical eye on his forehead. "The Warlock’s Eye… That old man wouldn’t hand that over unless it meant something big."

She dropped into a battle stance, energy crackling at her fingertips.

"It’s Luke Constantine, by the way," he muttered, confused and slightly annoyed. "And seriously, can we not jump straight into the stabbing part? And let's talk civilized for a sec?"

He raised a hand, stalling her for a moment.

"Hold on. Wait until I say 'let's dance,' then we throw down. Deal?"

With a smirk, Luke reached into his cloak and pulled out the Eye of Agamotto.