Clad in thick sturdy armor, the Kursed resembled a terrifying demon emerging from the molten depths of hell...
With a casual motion, he lifted a steel car and hurled it with tremendous force!
Thor, who was buried under rubble and debris, crossed his arms to shield his head as the black Chevrolet came crashing down.
*Boom!*
The fuel tank exploded, igniting sparks and unleashing a deafening blast.
Burning with the fire of life, Kurse possessed twice Thor's strength. Even the indestructible Mjolnir could be sent flying by his might, leaving the Thunder god utterly overwhelmed.
With a powerful leap, Kurse, known as Algrim the strong, sent cracks spiderwebbing across the hardened ground beneath his feet. The massive figure shot into the air before crashing back down with earth-shaking force!
He grabbed the fallen Thor and rained down a storm of brutal punches. Caught off guard, the Asgardian prince could only barely defend himself, struggling to endure the onslaught.
In mere moments, under Kurse's relentless assault, Thor was left battered, bruised, and utterly humiliated.
Thor stretched out his hand, summoning Mjolnir. The atmosphere roared as violent winds surged, and white-hot lightning coiled around the metal hammer like furious serpents.
With a mighty swing, the hammer struck the Kurse's chest, sending the hulking figure flying like a cannonball through several buildings before finally coming to a stop.
"Is that all the strength Odinson has to offer?" Kurse pushed aside the crumpled wreckage of a car and charged forward.
The dark red crystal embedded in his body shattered further, intensifying the flames of his life force. Limitless power surged forth...
Meanwhile, Thor spun Mjolnir and shot forward like a bolt of lightning, tearing through the dense air with a piercing sonic boom.
Wreathed in blinding electricity, Mjolnir collided with Algrim's body. The monstrous warrior crossed his arms to block the hammer's strike.
For a brief moment, the violent momentum froze... then the ground beneath them caved in, bricks and stones turning to mush as the entire street trembled. A shockwave erupted outward like a tidal wave!
"Darkness consumes all! You cannot resist!" Kurse's gravelly voice scraped like grinding stone.
His massive arms strained against Mjolnir's weight, pushing back against the lightning-wreathed hammer with Herculean force. Then, with a sudden shift, he swung a devastating punch into Thor's shoulder!
Even an Asgardian's formidable physique couldn't withstand such a blow. Thor was sent flying, his red cape fluttering wildly as he tumbled across several blocks before finally skidding to a stop.
"None shall stand in my way before my life burns out." The Kursed turned away, returning to Malekith's side.
Time was short. His true mission was to protect his leader and recover the Aether.
"Where is it?!" Malekith muttered in frustration, his eyes filled with confusion.
Logically, once awakened, the Aether shouldn't have vanished without a trace, especially not during the Convergence.
The Dark Elf leader looked up at the night sky, where a massive vortex had formed, glowing with an ethereal light that many mistook for a divine miracle.
"Did you get permission before causing trouble in New York?" A cocky voice echoed from above.
Eight differently colored Iron Man armors hovered overhead, surrounding Malekith and Kurse, their repulsor beams primed and ready.
"Wow, Thor! Long time no see. Heard you became Asgard's diplomatic envoy... quite the promotion, Your Highness." Tony's voice boomed through the speakers as he remotely controlled the armors from Stark Mansion, having been alerted by S.H.I.E.L.D. while working on his next-generation nanotech...
Bruised and disheveled, Thor emerged from the wreckage of a building, Mjolnir back in his grip. He glared at the towering Kursed, never expecting the Dark Elves to possess such overwhelming combat prowess.
Malekith strained to sense the Aether, but its elusive fluctuations flickered in and out like a game of hide-and-seek, leaving him unable to pinpoint its location.
Confident in his control of the situation, Tony began his usual quips, "Now, hands up, heads down. As extraterrestrials, you don't qualify for extradition treaties, so get comfy; you'll be in prison for life."
Meanwhile, numerous long-absent superheroes began appearing across the city.
Spider-Man clung to the glass walls of a skyscraper, while the Punisher lurked in the shadows of a nearby street.
The Human Torch, Johnny Storm of the Fantastic Four, circled above, eager to join the fight. The Thing, his rocky frame imposing, stomped forward, and several street-level heroes darted through the ruins, all waiting for their moment.
It seemed they were all itching to prove that the age of superheroes wasn't over.
On a rooftop overlooking the chaos, a red-and-black-clad figure with twin katanas on his back sat munching from a giant bucket of popcorn, muttering to himself.
"Boss, why aren't they fighting yet? Just standing there posing? Lights! Camera! Action! Focus on the blond beefcake... yeah, the one with the hammer!"
"Sound check the mic! Camera one, move left half an inch! Audio team, ready to capture! Extras, take your marks! Okay, hand the mic to Tony Stank– oops, I mean Stark!"
"Makeup and wardrobe, clear the set! Cameras locked! Alien buddies, take it away..."
Chewing noisily, Deadpool played every role in his imaginary production crew while aiming a Sony camcorder at the tense standoff below.
"Quiet, Wade. Or I'll have Dr. Connors perform a little surgery on you." Sean appeared silently on the observation deck, miming a zipped mouth.
The chatterbox mercenary had long been employed as Umbrella's special security. His healing factor was a key research subject for the Babel Project.
Sean gazed at the battlefield where superheroes were converging. Malekith and the Kursed were now surrounded, the battle reaching a fever pitch.
Algrim shielded Malekith. Though the Dark Elf leader commanded respect, his combat skills were lacking... his position came from lineage and strategic prowess, not brute strength.
The eight hovering Iron Man suits opened fire simultaneously, only for Algrim to leap up and tear them apart effortlessly. Fortunately, Tony was safe at home while he remotely piloted the drones.
The Kursed roared, punching Mjolnir away before turning his fury on the Punisher, who could only provide sporadic cover fire.
Luke Cage, though bulletproof, was kicked aside like a ragdoll. Spider-Man, swinging nearby, was swatted down by a hurled car, while Johnny Storm's fireballs barely scorched the alien warrior's armor.
Then, dozens of armed helicopters arrived, their spotlights flooding the area. A team of elite soldiers in liquid armor rappelled down, all wielding energy weapons.
Nearly fifty operatives executed flawless tactics. They systematically contained the Kursed while the superheroes became mere bystanders, relegated to support roles.
Though Algrim was unmatched in raw power and durability, the coordinated assault pinned him down. Energy storms carpeted the battlefield, forcing the Kursed to divide his attention between offense and protecting Malekith.
Steel spikes embedded in the ground emitted crackling electricity, generating a powerful gravity field that further hindered the his movements. Exhaustion and pain crept in as his once-boundless strength waned.
Suddenly, the energy storm ceased. A disheveled Malekith stepped forward from behind the kurs. In the empty air, a faint crimson glow flickered like a surging tide of blood.
The red torrent twisted and churned, as if infinite worlds rose and fell within its depths. A destructive wave of energy crashed forth!
"The Aether..." Malekith whispered, his entire being submerged in the Aether's flow.
Illusory images warped around him like burning flames, searing into his very soul...