The battle in Asgard had reached its most perilous stage.
Surtur, the immortal harbinger of Ragnarök, pressed forward relentlessly. His massive form loomed ever closer to the ground, his fiery presence unstoppable despite the best efforts of those resisting him.
In desperation, Frigga prepared for the worst. The second plan was now in motion: evacuating everyone.
On Asgard's grand square, Frigga turned to Heimdall with urgency. "How is the evacuation progressing? Have the people boarded?"
"There's one last group," Heimdall replied, his tone calm but hurried. "They should all be on the ship in a few more minutes."
Loki, standing nearby, whispered, "Mother... are we really abandoning Asgard?"
Frigga sighed heavily, her expression weighed down by sorrow. "Son, Asgard was never just a place. Wherever our people are, that is where Asgard will be."
Her words were resolute, but they couldn't mask the grief etched into her features. Around them, Asgardians hurried to board the ships, their faces pale and heavy with despair. Despite her brave front, the sight of her people's somber exodus left Frigga's heart aching.
Above, the clash of titans reached its climax.
Surtur, wielding his enormous Twilight Sword, let out a roar that shook the skies. With a devastating swing, the blade collided with Hela, shattering her defense. The Night-Sky Sword she raised to block his attack splintered under the immense force.
"Boom!"
The ground quaked as Hela was sent hurtling downward, crashing into Asgard's surface with enough force to leave a crater. She crawled out moments later, battered and panting.
High above, Jane Foster raised Mjolnir, hurling it toward Surtur with all her might. The hammer streaked through the air like a blazing meteor, its lightning cutting through the thick layers of fiery energy surrounding the colossal being.
Mjolnir struck with earth-shattering force.
But Surtur, unfazed, grabbed Carol Danvers mid-flight and used her as a shield.
"Boom!"
The impact was enough to briefly stun Carol, her dual-star defense barely holding up against the thunderous blow. She groaned through gritted teeth, "CNM..."
Surtur wasted no time, following up with a massive strike that sent Jane careening into the ground.
"Boom!"
Another crater appeared in Asgard Square.
"Boom..."
Surtur's colossal frame descended onto Asgard's surface, his landing sending shockwaves through the crumbling city. Chaos erupted as flames consumed the land, the weight of history bearing down on the realm.
Standing amidst the destruction, Surtur's chaotic mind calmed for a moment. He gazed at the ruins of Asgard and let out a deep, guttural laugh.
"Ragnarök! The great prophecy has come to pass!" he declared triumphantly, lifting the Twilight Sword high above his head. The flames of eternity swirled around it, their heat palpable even from the evacuation ships.
"This is power!" Surtur bellowed. "And power is the only law!"
Centuries of waiting had led to this moment, and Surtur relished it with unbridled arrogance. "I am the end of Asgard!"
The Twilight Sword descended with all its might, its flames surging toward the ground to deliver the final blow.
On the ships, the Asgardians turned away, unable to bear witness. Frigga's gaze dropped as Loki stood silently, his expression conflicted. Hela, too wounded to intervene, stared blankly ahead.
"Boom!"
The Twilight Sword halted mid-strike. The force meant to obliterate Asgard was stopped in its tracks, its power neutralized.
Standing in its path was Thor, cradling the unconscious Jean Grey in one arm while raising his newly forged Phoenix Stormbreaker in the other.
The cosmic energy radiating from Thor was unmatched. His presence alone seemed to rewrite the very laws of the battlefield.
A portal appeared behind him, leading to his quarters. Thor carefully placed Jean inside, ensuring her safety before stepping back into the fray.
His gaze turned toward Surtur, his eyes blazing with fire and thunder.
"You talk too much," Thor said, his tone dripping with disdain. "Don't you know the villain always dies because they talk too much?"
With a flick of his wrist, the Twilight Sword was wrenched from Surtur's grasp. The massive blade rose into the air as Surtur's fiery hands reached out in vain.
"No!" Surtur roared, leaping to reclaim his weapon.
Thor surged upward, flames and lightning entwining his body as he closed the distance. Surtur froze for a moment, a terrifying realization dawning upon him. The flames emanating from Thor's form—they burned hotter than the Eternal Fire itself.
Before he could react, the Phoenix Stormbreaker cleaved through the air, colliding with Surtur's desperate defense.
"Boom!"
The explosion was blinding, a cacophony of power that rippled through the universe. The combined force of Thor's divine power and the Phoenix Force shattered all resistance.
In the distant reaches of the cosmos, ancient beings stirred from their slumber.
Eyes that had been closed for eons opened, their gazes piercing the void.
"Odin?" they murmured, disbelief flickering across their faces.
But then they paused, shaking their heads. "No... not Odin. This is something else..."
A hushed awe filled the space as they whispered, "Stronger than Odin..."