"Sanctuary II?" Tony murmured, staring at the massive ship descending from the skies. His mind raced as he recalled the images Thor had shown him.
"No," he quickly corrected himself. "It's different—more heavily armed. Whatever it is, it's not here to make friends. Prepare for defense!"
Tony slapped the reactor on his chest. Instantly, his Mark 85 armor enveloped him. Over the past few years, he had made numerous upgrades to his nano-armor, pushing its capabilities to new heights. The Mark 85 boasted an energy shield for added defense, as well as a high-powered energy cannon on its back capable of absorbing Thor's thunder to unleash devastating blasts.
Beside him, Banner began to transform. Hulk emerged with a deafening roar, his massive green frame brimming with power. Behind them, the Avengers stationed at the base poured out, taking up positions and watching the sky warily.
The Avengers Base's defensive systems activated in full force. The building's turrets and missile arrays hummed with energy, ready to fire at a moment's notice.
Aboard the approaching spaceship, Thanos gave a simple command: "Fire."
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
A barrage of advanced missiles erupted from the ship's weapon systems, streaking toward Earth's surface.
Tony's eyes widened as he tracked the trajectory. "They're not targeting us!" he yelled.
"No!" Banner growled through Hulk's voice. "They're aiming for the Sanctum in New York!"
The missiles, far more advanced than anything Earth's defenses could counter, tore through the atmosphere. Moments later, explosions rocked the New York Sanctum, shattering its mystical barriers.
In New Asgard, Thor received a frantic communication from Loki.
"Surtur is approaching! Thor, it's heading straight for Asgard!"
Thor's face darkened. "Wasn't Surtur stranded on Titan? How could it have made its way to Asgard? It doesn't make sense."
Despite his confusion, Thor knew there was no time to ponder the situation. The truth was clear—this was a carefully orchestrated ploy, likely to divide their forces. But Asgard couldn't be abandoned.
Thor clenched his fists, his expression resolute. After only a moment's hesitation, he spoke. "I'll return to Asgard with Jane. Stay here and prepare for any threats on Earth. This feels like a distraction to pull us away."
Wanda was left behind, her immense power vital to defending Earth in their absence. Jane Foster, undergoing divine strengthening in Asgard, was already on the frontlines. Carol Danvers had also traveled to Asgard a few days prior, working on stabilizing the Bifrost's energy channels using her power derived from the Tesseract.
Thor's confidence was firm. With these forces in Asgard, they could hold the line. Worst case, they would resort to the same tactic as five years ago and use the Bifrost to banish Surtur again.
Five minutes after Thor's departure, Natasha's phone buzzed. It was Tony.
"Nat, where's Thor? Why can't I reach him?"
"He's back in Asgard," Natasha replied. "Why?"
"Damn it!" Tony snapped. "New York's under attack again, and we need him here!"
Above Asgard, a massive Flame Giant loomed, its fiery body radiating waves of heat and destruction. Surtur swung its flaming sword, unleashing torrents of energy as it roared in rage.
Three figures darted around the giant like flies around a colossus: Thor, Jane Foster, and Carol Danvers. Their combined attacks—lightning, energy blasts, and enchanted weapons—kept Surtur's attention focused on them, but their efforts barely scratched the giant's molten surface.
"Even at his peak, Odin couldn't kill it," Jane panted, her strength waning. "How are we supposed to stop it?"
"We don't need to kill it," Carol replied, her voice steady. "We just need to keep it away from Asgard. Worst case, we use the Bifrost again, just like last time."
But Thor's mind was elsewhere. He glanced upward as the once-clear skies darkened ominously. Black clouds swirled above Asgard, and an oppressive energy filled the air. A crack split the sky, widening steadily. From the void beyond, a massive, shadowy face began to emerge.
"Dormammu," Thor muttered, his voice heavy with dread.
Dormammu, the King of the Dark Dimension, was no mindless beast like Surtur. His intellect and power made him an infinitely more dangerous foe. If he crossed into Asgard, he wouldn't merely destroy it—he would consume it entirely.
Jane followed Thor's gaze and whispered, "Is it… him?"
Thor nodded grimly. For a moment, doubt flickered across his face, but he quickly steeled himself. "Even Strange, with all his tricks, dared to face Dormammu," Thor said, his voice laced with determination. "If a mortal can do it, so can I."
Without waiting for a response, Thor raised his battle axe, Stormbreaker, and charged directly toward Dormammu's looming visage. Lightning crackled around him, illuminating the darkened skies as he rushed into the heart of the abyss.