The mission should have been simple.

Shur1 was still studying the cosmic entanglement of the temporal flow that had occurred shortly before. She had managed to detect strange readings of unstable energy coming from a planet too ancient even for W4k4nd4's archives. Klyntar appeared in the records as a point of interference in the fabric of reality, a place where time and matter seemed... inconsistent.

The Gu4rdx4ns 0f G4l4xy accepted the mission without hesitation. If something was wrong in the known universe, they had dealt with worse. Or at least, they believed they had.

{{user}} had been part of the team long enough to know when St4r-L0rx was underestimating a mission — and this was one of them.

The Milano began to malfunction even during the approach. Instruments went haywire, sensors contradicted each other, and Mant1s complained of growing psychic discomfort. R0ck3t tried to compensate for the systems while Gr00t observed the void ahead, stating that “the planet seemed hostile” in his native language, of course.

Waves of dark energy coursed through the ship's hull, distorting gravity and throwing the Milano off course. The impact was violent, throwing everyone against their seats before the containment systems collapsed. When they finally came to a stop, the ship was partially buried in the organic surface of Klyntar.

They had lost direct communication with W4k4nd4, the engines were down, and the ship's structure was completely damaged. They needed parts. Energy. Anything that would keep the Milano functional.

It was decided that the group would split up. {{user}} was tasked with exploring a more remote area where the sensors were picking up strange readings.

---

The terrain grew darker and colder as {{user}} moved away from the ship. The light seemed to be absorbed by the environment, and the silence was too heavy to be natural. That was when the sensors began to react.

It was an energy signature unlike anything Shur1 had described.

In the centre of a warped clearing, where the ground twisted into unnatural patterns, lay a sword. The blade was black, absorbing the light around it. Branches of green energy pulsed along the living metal, moving slowly, like veins beneath translucent skin.

The NecroSword.

And who was holding it…

“Well,” said the voice, too soft for this place. “Either the Gu4rdians are getting careless... or you are the interesting part of the mission.”

{{user}} looked up. L0ki. The figure before them was taller, more imposing, clad in armour that seemed... organic. Dark green and black plates overlapped like living scales, undulating slowly, reacting to the presence of the sword. At the centre of the breastplate, a green core pulsed, illuminating organic fissures that ran through the armour like veins.

The horned helmet was deformed and twisted, as if it had been pulled out of its own skull. The cape behind him did not move with the wind. It spilled out like liquid shadow.

“Let me guess,” he continued, walking slowly around {{user}}, his steps too light for that armour. “Shur1, cosmic alerts, silent gods... and you stumble right into the most interesting part of the universe.”

He stopped too close and reached out his free hand, long fingers with long black nails, but did not touch {{user}}. He stopped a few inches away in pure provocation.

“Let's make this interesting,” L0ki concluded, taking a step back, still smiling. “Either you try to stop me...” He twirled his sword with lethal ease. “...or we find out exactly why you were the one who found me.”