The sky above Asgard was no longer golden.
It was red.
The Aether pulsed like a living thing, spreading through the skies in waves of molten energy. It crashed against Odin's shield, a massive dome of golden light that covered the city. Sparks of raw power burst every time the Reality Stone tried to tear through it, but the All-Father held firm.
For now.
Outside the shield, Thanos stood on the platform of his Sanctuary II.
The Chitauri swarmed the skies, surrounding Asgard from all directions. The armed aircraft were swarming all around the place, cutting off all escape routes. The Black Order stood by Thanos' side, their eyes fixed on the flickering barrier. Dozens of monstrous Outriders clawed at the ground, snarling in hunger.
The attack had begun.
Inside the shield, Sif stood with the Valkyrie fleet, gripping her sword so tightly her knuckles turned white. She wanted to fight. They all did.
But there was nothing they could do.
Any attempt to break through the Aether's corruption would be useless. The air was warped, shifting unnaturally, twisting anything that touched it. If they charged out now, they would be torn apart before reaching Thanos.
Sif gritted her teeth. "Damn it."
A Valkyrie beside her cursed under her breath. "We should be out there."
Sif knew that. Every warrior in Asgard wanted to charge into battle, to drive the Mad Titan back into the void he crawled from. But Odin had ordered them to hold the line.
Because if the shield broke…
Asgard would fall.
High above, Odin stood on the balcony of the Great Hall, Gungnir glowing in his hands. His one good eye burned with power as he focused all his strength into the shield.
But even he was struggling.
The Aether was ancient. Wild. And freaking destructive.
And Thanos had complete control over it.
A deep, rumbling voice echoed from beyond the shield.
"You cannot win, All-Father."
Thanos took a step forward, his massive frame casting a long shadow over the battlefield. His golden armor gleamed under the blood-red sky. The Reality Stone pulsed in his gauntlet, sending another wave of corruption against the shield.
"You are delaying the inevitable."
Odin did not answer. He only tightened his grip on Gungnir, his face unreadable.
Thanos smiled slightly. He raised his hand.
The Aether surged.
The golden shield flickered.
A single crack appeared.
And the war for Asgard truly began.
CRACKLE! A swirling vortex appeared in the sky.
A storm rolled in, thick clouds twisting as bolts of lightning tore through the crimson haze of the Aether. The golden shield flickered as the heavens roared in fury.
And then...
BOOM! CRACKLE!
A streak of lightning crashed down from the sky, splitting the battlefield in half. The force of it sent Chitauri flying, their bodies disintegrating into ash. Thanos lifted his gaze, unimpressed, as the storm descended.
Thor was back.
The God of Thunder shot like a comet, Mjolnir crackling with energy in his grip. His eyes glowed white-hot with rage as he let out a furious battle cry.
"THANOS!"
He swung Mjolnir with all his strength, aiming straight for the Mad Titan's head.
A mistake.
Thanos didn't move.
At the last second, the Reality Stone pulsed.
The Aether twisted the very fabric of existence around Thor. The space in front of Thanos rippled, just slightly, but that was all it took.
Mjolnir shattered.
The indestructible hammer, the weapon of kings, exploded into a thousand pieces, dissolving into red mist before Thor's eyes.
His mind barely had time to process what had happened before Thanos moved.
A massive hand shot out, grabbing Thor by the throat.
The force was overwhelming. Thor's breath caught in his lungs as he was lifted off the ship's platform, his legs kicking uselessly. He punched Thanos, but nothing. No damage. Then he grabbed at Thanos' gauntlet, his fingers clawing at the Titan's grip, but it was like trying to bend steel.
Thanos pulled him close.
"You are a fool," Thanos said, his voice deep, calm, and utterly condescending. "Charging at me like a wild beast. Like a reckless child."
Thor bared his teeth, lightning still crackling around his body. He tried to summon another bolt... anything... but the Aether swirled around them, corrupting the very air. His power flickered, unsteady.
Thanos squeezed.
Thor gasped. His vision blurred. His arms felt weaker.
The Mad Titan tilted his head slightly. "Odin taught you nothing."
Then, without warning...
BAAM!
Thanos slammed Thor into the ground, sending a shockwave rippling through the battlefield. The metal platform cracked beneath the impact, metal exploding outward.
Thor choked, the wind completely knocked from his lungs. He barely had time to groan before Thanos lifted him again...
And slammed him down again.
BOOM!
And again.
BOOM!
And again.
BOOM!
With each hit, shockwaves rippled. Asgard trembled. The golden halls in the distance shook. Even Odin grimaced slightly.
The warriors behind the shield watched in horror.
Thor, the mighty God of Thunder, was being rag-dolled like a toy.
Thanos lifted Thor once more, holding him up like a broken doll. Blood dripped from the Asgardian's mouth, his once-glowing eyes now dim, flickering with fading defiance. His armor was cracked, his body bruised and battered. He coughed, barely able to keep his head up.
The Mad Titan regarded him with an almost bored expression.
"You are not a god," Thanos said, his voice calm and absolute. "You are a child playing with thunder. You mistake power for wisdom. And now?"
His grip tightened around Thor's throat.
"I will offer your soul to my Mistress."
Thor weakly struggled, but it was useless. He was no match for the Mad Titan.
Thanos raised his fist. His gauntleted hand gleamed with power.
"This is mercy," he murmured.
He pulled back, his knuckles cracking as he prepared to cave in Thor's skull with one final, devastating punch.
Then...
BOOM!
Something struck him.
Something powerful.
Thanos' body flew backward with the force of a meteor. His massive frame crashed through the inner hull of the ship, tearing through reinforced metal and energy shields as if they were paper. Sparks exploded as he slammed through the ship's walls, his body launched across the battlefield like a cannonball.
Then...
BOOOOM!
He broke through the outer hull of the Sanctuary II.
And was sent flying into open space.
The battlefield fell into stunned silence.
For a moment, nobody moved.
The Outriders, the Chitauri, even the Black Order—all of them paused, eyes wide as they processed what had just happened.
Thor, still on his knees, barely conscious, weakly turned his head. His swollen eyes struggled to focus.
And then he saw them.
Floating above the battlefield.
Two figures, standing in midair as if gravity meant nothing to them.
One of them wore black and green armor, her long black hair swirling in the air. She looked down at Thor with her usual cold glare. She shook her head in disappointment.
"Hela!" Thor mumbled, trying to get up.
"I told you hundreds of times not to charge in like a stupid maniac, yet here you are. I am so disappointed in you, little brother. What would father say after this war, I wonder?" Hela mocked with a little chuckle.
The other?
The other was far more terrifying. Even in his broken form, Thor could sense the raw energy radiating from the man.
He wore a long black coat, his hands casually tucked into his pockets, and he hovered in the air. His silver-gray hair fluttered slightly in the wind and his face was covered in an ice mask.
He looked back at Thor.
Thor's breath hitched.
"Who are you?"
Aron didn't answer Thor's question.
He didn't need to.
Instead, he looked at Hela.
"I'll play with Thanos," Aron said, his tone almost amused. "You put Loki out of his misery."
Hela smirked, tilting her head. "Oh? You're giving me the easy job?"
Aron gestured toward a figure standing on the bridge of Sanctuary II.
Ebony Maw.
Or at least, the thing wearing Ebony Maw's face.
The tall, slender telekinetic stood unnaturally still, his hands folded neatly behind his back, his usual air of superiority unchanged. But his eyes… his eyes were wrong.
Hela narrowed her gaze.
Aron continued, "He took down Maw and took his place. Probably wanted to backstab Thanos."
"Oops," Loki raised his hands in the air as if he were surrendering. "You caught me." His real form appeared with a little glow of green light.
At that, Hela's smirk grew wider. "Well, well… my dear little brother, always scheming." Her emerald eyes gleamed with wicked anticipation. "I'll squeeze the life out of you, brother. Hope you are ready."
Aron didn't respond. He simply turned away from her, his coat billowing slightly as his body became engulfed in a dark blur.
BAMF!
He vanished from sight.
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