Americans often say that New York is a city plagued by disasters, where superheroes and supervillains run rampant, treating its towering skyscrapers as their playground and frequently unleashing catastrophic crises...
From the Green Goblin's rampage at the carnival to Magneto's assault on Manhattan, and later the Hulk's global rampage... Bruce Banner's transformed alter-ego clashed with numerous superheroes and the military, causing incalculable economic losses and casualties.
This bustling metropolis, known as the Big Apple, has always been the focal point of the world, a favorite target for villains and evil organizations. However, today, this rare 'honor' has fallen upon London, England.
A massive black warship, shaped like a vertical sword, cut through space with unstoppable momentum and abruptly descended by the banks of the Thames. No one even noticed how it appeared.
The Dark Elves' unique stealth technology allowed them to evade Earth's satellites and even S.H.I.E.L.D.'s surveillance, slipping undetected into the skies above London.
The archaic, colossal design of the black warship drew crowds of onlookers, with many even pulling out their phones to take pictures and upload them online, creating a scene of frenzied excitement.
Malekith looked down at the tiny humans scurrying like ants below, his eyes filled with disdain: 'This is the backward realm of Midgard huh... It's no different from a backwater.'
Like most Asgardians, his impression of Earth remained stuck in the primitive state it had been in tens of thousands of years ago.
"The Aether is somewhere else!" The thief who had taken the Aether seemed to have only stopped here briefly before moving on.
After leaving Svartalfheim, the Dark Elves first familiarized themselves with the current state of the Nine Realms, learning that Asgard had now become the sovereign of the Nine Realms, replacing their former dominance.
Bor had laid the foundation for Asgard's strength, leading the Aesir to prosperity. His son, Odin, possessed extraordinary wisdom and formidable power, defeating the Frost Giants of Jotunheim, driving out Surtur of Muspelheim, and leading his armies to conquer the Nine Realms, earning a fearsome reputation across the galaxy.
At its peak, Asgard stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the three great empires of the cosmos, and Odin was hailed as the All-Father, the mightiest of the Nine Realms, a figure no one dared to underestimate.
To be honest, when Malekith learned of this, he was filled with despair. Asgard loomed like an insurmountable mountain, leaving the Dark Elves who sought to rise again feeling utterly powerless...
But perhaps the heavens took pity on him. Just as Malekith seethed with resentment, he discovered that Asgard had recently fought a bloody war against the Chitauri, with Odin suffering severe injuries at the hands of Thanos. Now, only his eldest son, Thor, commanded the armies in his stead.
This was undoubtedly a rare once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. With the Aether in hand and the Nine Realms plunged into darkness, the hollowed-out Asgard would be no match for them.
"Let me be the one to end this era of light..." Malekith ordered his subordinates to activate the warship.
Turbulent winds howled as thick mist rose from the Thames. The black warship emitted a deafening roar, like rolling thunder.
To the countless onlookers below, the massive black vessel seemed to slice straight through a towering skyscraper, like a colossal sword cutting through the sky. The building at the heart of London swayed unsteadily before collapsing with a thunderous crash.
Countless bricks and shards of glass rained down like a storm. Amid the deafening noise, crowds fled in panic as thick clouds of dust billowed outward.
The Dark Elves, focused on tracking the Aether, cared nothing for the lives of Earth's inhabitants, nor did they spare a thought for the beings of the Nine Realms.
These long-dormant Dark Elves had but one ultimate goal; to create a perfect homeland by plunging the Nine Realms into an abyss of eternal darkness...
...
The black warship slowly made its way toward North America...
Meanwhile, Sean, who had returned to New York ahead of time, strolled through a lavish banquet with Jane, who wore an elegant light-blue evening gown.
Nearby, Darcy chattered excitedly, dragging along Harry, whom she hadn't seen in a while. The two lovebirds shamelessly flaunted their affection.
Of course, Sean and Jane were unfazed. The one truly suffering was the Asgardian prince.
Thor, who was clad in a red formal suit, wore an expression of utter frustration. He had always been the center of attention at banquets, basking in admiration and respect. Never before had he been reduced to a mere background character, overshadowed by others.
Avoiding the government officials and enthusiastic ladies, Thor coughed twice and sat at the bar, awkwardly inserting himself between Jane and Sean.
"What are you two talking about?" the Asgardian prince asked, feigning nonchalance.
"The Convergence. It might be a good opportunity to observe the Nine Realms," Sean replied with a faint smile, meeting Thor's hostile gaze without hesitation.
It was clear that Thor saw him as a romantic rival. He was determined to outshine him and win Jane's affection.
"I know all about that. The Convergence happens once every five thousand years, aligning the Nine Realms in a straight line. In Asgard's ancient tales, the Dark Elves used this event to nearly plunge the entire galaxy into darkness. My grandfather defeated them, saving the Nine Realms in one fell swoop!"
Thor spoke with pride, unaware that Asgard's victory over the Dark Elves had not been achieved through sheer martial prowess but through cunning tactics.
By diverting the Dark Elves' attention with part of their forces and launching a sudden assault via the Bifrost, they had seized the Aether mid-activation, barely managing to repel the demoralized Malekith.
That was the truth of the ancient war...
But history is always written by the victors. The Asgardians had no desire to portray their revered king as someone who relied on underhanded methods to win. Thus, they embellished and glorified the tale, turning it into a grand epic sung far and wide.
"...The Dark Elves longed for a lightless world, rejecting the birth and spread of civilization's flame. In the end, they were defeated, and the Dark Elves ceased to exist."
After the war tens of thousands of years ago, Asgard had carried out large-scale massacres to prevent the Dark Elves from rising again. They burned their lands, destroyed their cities, and reduced everything to ruins.
"Truly worthy of the Nine Realms' protectors," Sean remarked dryly.
Thor, oblivious to the sarcasm, laughed heartily, deeply proud of his ancestors' glorious deeds.
Jane, however, was unimpressed. As an astronomer, she revered the boundless cosmos. War and slaughter held no appeal for her. In fact, she found them repulsive.
Thor glanced at Jane, thinking, 'This is why she's the woman I admire.'
If this were Asgard, the women would already be swooning, their eyes sparkling with admiration, eager to throw themselves at him.
After all, who wouldn't want to be the future queen of Asgard, crowned and robed in splendor, basking in the envy of others and the blessings of the gods?
"Jane–" Just as Thor was about to pour his heart out, the building suddenly shook as if struck by an earthquake.
The crystal chandelier overhead rattled violently, and the delicacies on the long table spilled everywhere.
The grand hall erupted into chaos. Thor's eyes sharpened as if sensing something. His gaze pierced through the floor-to-ceiling windows, spotting the black warship descending with a thunderous impact.
"Jane, don't be afraid. I'll–" Thor turned back, only to see Jane nestled in the arms of that damned bastard.
Sean glanced at the Asgardian prince and offered a friendly smile, his hand resting on the smooth exposed skin of the woman's back, her fair complexion as soft as fine jade.
"Don't worry, Prince Thor. I'll take care of Jane."
The young man delivered the final blow without batting an eye.
"..."
Filled with indignation, Thor smashed through the reinforced glass curtain wall and flew out, Mjolnir in hand.
If he had a choice, he would have gladly used the hammer to smash that infuriating smirk off Sean's face!