Several days had passed since the last gathering of Earth's mightiest defenders at the Avengers facility. The conversations from that meeting still lingered in the minds of those involved. Warnings of a greater threat, of a cosmic power unlike anything they had faced, echoed like a storm approaching from beyond the stars. But while Earth turned and people carried on unaware, somewhere far across the galaxy, the storm arrived.
A ship—vast, scorched, and broken—drifted silently through the void. Once the last hope of Asgard, it now lay crippled beneath the immense, obsidian vessel looming overhead: the Sanctuary II.
The Asgardian refugees were scattered or dead, their cries silenced by flame and steel. Fires burned along the decks. Metal groaned beneath its own weight. Amid the chaos stood Thanos, tall and absolute, surrounded by the ominous calm of conquest. His presence alone commanded dread, and his soldiers stood reverently behind him, their expressions unreadable.
Only one Infinity Stone rested in his gauntlet so far—the Power Stone. But that would soon change.
Bound in restraints, Thor hung battered and bloodied, his strength drained, his fury dulled by defeat. His eye was swollen shut, and deep bruises marred his skin. Near him, Heimdall lay crumpled, wounded but alive, one hand clutching his sword. Hulk stood at the center of the corridor, teeth bared, muscles trembling with anticipation.
"You're going to regret this," Thor growled, voice hoarse, strained with effort and pain.
Thanos stepped forward, the floor trembling beneath his slow, deliberate steps. His massive figure cast an eerie shadow as he approached, his gauntlet crackling with restrained energy. "I have never regretted a moment of my purpose."
Behind him, Ebony Maw addressed the remnants of the Asgardians in his usual solemn tone, his hands raised as if delivering a sermon.
"Rejoice, for you are about to serve a greater purpose. Your sacrifice shall bring balance to the universe."
Thanos raised a hand, signaling silence. His eyes settled on Loki.
The god of mischief stood, arms slightly extended, projecting confidence, though his eyes revealed apprehension. He glanced between Thanos and Thor, calculating his next move.
"The Tesseract," Thanos said simply, his tone devoid of emotion.
Loki's expression shifted just slightly. "We destroyed it," he replied casually, though the tension in his shoulders betrayed his lie.
Thor grunted through clenched teeth. "Don't do it."
Loki hesitated, then sighed dramatically. With a flicker of green magic, the Tesseract shimmered into the air before him.
"You're so predictable," he said dryly. "I suppose it's in my nature."
Thor shook his head. "You don't have to do this."
Loki glanced at his brother. For a heartbeat, something passed between them—a shared look, an understanding forged through a lifetime of rivalry and reluctant loyalty. Then he stepped forward.
"I offer this... in exchange for mercy."
Thanos reached out and took the Tesseract, observing it briefly before crushing the relic with ease. Within seconds, the brilliant blue glow of the Space Stone emerged from the shards.
It floated gently toward the gauntlet, then nestled into the second slot. The metal closed around it with a resounding click. Light surged through the gauntlet as it adjusted to the power.
Two stones.
The air bent around him. The universe itself seemed to pause, as though acknowledging the shift in power. Even the Asgardian survivors felt the moment pass through their bones—a silence deeper than space.
Thanos turned his gaze back to Thor, then to Loki.
"Your talent for survival is impressive," he said. "But misplaced."
Loki's eyes lowered for a brief moment—then he acted. A dagger materialized in his hand, and he lunged toward Thanos, aiming for the throat.
Thanos caught him mid-air, his reflexes impossibly fast. One massive hand closed around Loki's neck.
Thor shouted, thrashing in his restraints, powerless to stop what he knew was coming.
"You'll never be a god," Loki whispered, gasping.
Thanos's grip tightened.
"No resurrections this time," he said coldly.
With a brutal twist, the life faded from Loki's eyes. His body dropped to the floor with a heavy thud.
Thor's scream echoed across the ruined ship, filled with grief and rage. It was a sound that shook even the Black Order.
Thanos turned next to Heimdall, who was struggling to rise. His armor was bloodied, his grip on his sword weakening. He looked at Thor—an unspoken apology in his eyes.
"There is still one more act in me," Heimdall muttered, eyes glowing faintly. "All-Father... let me do this one last time."
With the last of his strength, he plunged his sword into the deck. Bifrost energy surged around him, crackling with divine force.
A column of rainbow light erupted, enveloping Hulk.
"No!" Thanos roared.
In a flash, Hulk was gone—hurtling through the Bifrost, shot across space toward Earth. His unconscious form twisted in the light, vanishing into the void.
Thanos snarled. He raised the gauntlet. A jagged spear of energy formed at his will and blasted through Heimdall's chest.
The guardian collapsed beside Loki, his duty fulfilled, a faint smile still on his face.
Thor, tears in his one good eye, stared at the scene—his people slain, his brother and friend gone. His fists clenched despite the pain. Rage simmered inside him, cold and deep.
Thanos turned back to his Black Order.
"Prepare the ship. We move to the next stone."
The Sanctuary II detached from the Asgardian wreck.
As it accelerated into the void, the dying vessel behind it exploded. Flames bloomed in the vacuum, consuming what little remained of the once-great realm.
Thor's body drifted freely into the cold of space, his consciousness slipping away. Debris floated around him—remnants of his people, his past, his failure. All he had left was vengeance.
Unaware of what still lay ahead.
To be continued.
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