Hearing Thor's promise, Jane Foster couldn't hide her joy.
This was what she had long been waiting for.
The days that followed were gentle and full of warmth. The two of them lived quietly, savoring each other's company, finding happiness in the simplest moments.
Meanwhile, in Asgard, Loki sat upon the throne, effectively ruling the realm. His mood was equally bright.
Although many of his decisions now required Thor's approval, he had grown far more measured. Gone were the reckless choices that once risked rebellion. Under his watch, no kingdom dared to defy Asgard.
Yet Loki failed to notice something unfolding deep within the royal vault.
Surtur's crown had somehow come into contact with the Eternal Flame.
Bathed in its power, Surtur's form began to regenerate.
He flexed his fingers, recalling the humiliation of his previous defeat at Thor's hands.
"Thor…"
The name slipped from his lips in a low, burning growl.
Flames of the Eternal Fire roared to life across his body.
Not far away rested another relic, the Twilight Sword.
Once, with both the Eternal Flame and the Twilight Sword in his grasp, Surtur had been unstoppable. But after his defeat by Odin, both had been sealed away in the vault.
Now, he stepped forward and seized the sword.
In an instant, boundless power surged through him. The flames around him swelled, growing wilder and more intense.
"Power… this is what power feels like!"
Surtur laughed, a deep, thunderous sound that echoed through the chamber.
"Odin…"
The name carried centuries of hatred.
Now, he had the strength to avenge himself.
Without hesitation, Surtur swung the Twilight Sword at the vault gates.
A deafening crash followed.
The doors shattered.
Asgardian guards rushed in, but the moment they saw him, it was already too late.
With a casual swing, Surtur cut them down.
Then he roared.
"ODIN!"
The roar shook the realm itself, fueled by fury and immense power.
As he bellowed, his body grew larger and larger, breaking through the vault's ceiling in moments.
Soon, there was no one in Asgard who could ignore him.
A towering giant of flame, dozens of meters tall, now stood within the golden city.
Inside the palace, Loki shot to his feet.
"What is happening out there?"
His expression darkened with unease.
The Warriors Three exchanged glances, all turning toward the source of the sound.
"That voice… it's familiar," Hogun muttered.
A soldier soon rushed in.
"Surtur has escaped! He wields the Eternal Flame and the Twilight Sword. His power is overwhelming!"
Loki's face drained of color.
"How is this possible?"
He had not forgotten the prophecy. Odin and Thor had both spoken of it.
If Surtur regained the Eternal Flame and the Twilight Sword, he would bring about Ragnarok and destroy Asgard.
They had dismissed it after learning the prophecy might point to Hela instead.
But now…
"Notify Thor immediately!" Loki shouted.
Gripping his scepter, he strode toward the battlefield.
He was the acting king. Retreat was not an option.
Outside, Asgard was already engulfed in flames.
Cries of panic filled the air.
Wherever Surtur's blade fell, destruction followed.
Ragnarok was no longer a distant warning. It was unfolding.
"Damn you!" Loki roared, unleashing a surge of magic.
His power gathered, then burst toward Surtur.
But Surtur merely glanced at him.
With a single swing, the Twilight Sword shattered Loki's spell.
"How is that possible?"
Loki stood frozen in disbelief.
He had grown stronger, far stronger than before.
Yet Surtur had brushed aside his magic as if it were nothing.
Fear and anger twisted within him, but neither could change reality.
Surtur was unstoppable.
On Earth, Thor knew nothing of what was happening.
He sat with Jane Foster in a small restaurant, enjoying a quiet meal.
It wasn't extravagant, but to Thor, it meant more than any feast in Asgard.
At last, life had become peaceful again.
Though Hela remained a looming threat, Thor believed she had been gravely wounded. It would likely take years before she could act again.
By then, he would be stronger.
Everything seemed to be moving toward a brighter future.
Then suddenly, the Bifrost descended.
Sif stepped out, traces of blood staining her armor.
Thor shot to his feet so quickly he knocked over his coffee without noticing.
"What happened? Is it Hela?" he demanded.
Sif glanced at Jane before answering.
"No. It's Surtur."
"What?"
Thor froze.
"He was sealed. His crown was in the vault, right beside the Eternal Flame."
Then realization struck.
"He touched the Flame?"
"And the Twilight Sword," Sif added.
"Damn it!"
Thor cursed himself.
He should have separated them the moment he believed Ragnarok had been averted.
Lightning erupted around him as his divine power surged.
Storm clouds gathered instantly, darkening the sky.
Jane stood, worry etched across her face.
She didn't understand everything, but she knew something was terribly wrong.
In New York, a woman suddenly looked up.
"Thor… on Earth?"
Hela's lips curved slightly.
She had been enjoying her time, indulging in experiences long denied to her.
But she had not forgotten her defeat.
She had no intention of challenging Nolan Locke yet.
But Thor and Loki?
That was another matter.
A portal opened.
Her casual attire dissolved into her dark armor as she stepped forward in high heels.
Back at the restaurant, Thor was about to say goodbye to Jane and return to Asgard.
Then a calm voice sounded behind him.
"This is Earth. Why is the King of Asgard here?"
Thor turned sharply.
"Hela. What are you doing here?"
His expression hardened.
Hela smiled faintly.
"Do I need permission to go where I please?"
Her gaze shifted to Jane.
"You, however, are a king. Even if a poor one. Tell me, why abandon your throne for this place?"
Thor stood firm.
"I came to see the woman I love."
"Love?"
Hela's eyes flicked to Jane.
"A mortal?"
Her tone turned cold.
"A king carries responsibility. A burden. Even for a single day, he must lead his people to greater strength."
Her voice sharpened.
"Odin grew complacent. That is why he no longer deserved the throne. And you… you have barely inherited it, yet you abandon it for affection."
Killing intent flashed in her eyes.
"If she distracts you, then I will remove the distraction."
Blades formed in her hands.
"Stop!"
Thor summoned Stormbreaker and struck.
But he was too late.
Hela moved faster than thought itself.
In an instant, she stood before Jane.
The blades pierced her chest.
Jane stared down in shock.
"Bastard!"
Thor roared.
His axe came down, but Hela caught it with one hand.
She pulled the blades free.
Jane collapsed, confusion still lingering in her fading gaze.
She didn't understand why she had been attacked.
She only felt her life slipping away.
Thor erupted in fury.
The two clashed instantly.
Though Hela was not fully recovered, Thor still could not overpower her.
For a moment, they fought evenly.
But neither noticed what was happening within Jane.
The Reality Stone was forming.
As Odin once said, it could only be removed when the host stood on the brink of death.
That moment had arrived.
Protected by its power, Jane did not die.
Instead, the Reality Stone separated from her body.
Nolan watched it all unfold.
Surprise flickered in his eyes.
Surtur's escape had not been his doing.
Though he had considered forcing Jane into a near-death state to extract the stone, he had rejected the idea. It was crude, even if effective.
As for triggering Ragnarok, he had no interest in such destruction.
He stepped forward.
The moment he appeared, the battle stopped.
Now, his presence alone could determine the outcome.
Thor's fury still burned, but Nolan spoke calmly.
"Relax. Jane isn't dead. The Reality Stone protected her."
Thor turned instantly.
"How is that possible? My father removed it."
Nolan shook his head.
"Odin was more cunning than you think. He only made it appear that way."
Then he glanced at Sif.
"Why did you come to Earth?"
"Surtur has escaped," Thor answered, voice steadying. "He wields the Eternal Flame and the Twilight Sword. It matches Odin's prophecy exactly."
Before Nolan could respond, Hela's expression darkened.
"Ragnarok?"
Her voice turned cold.
"That is not something I can ignore."
Asgard was her source of power.
Its destruction was unacceptable.
"Useless."
With a snort, she opened a portal.
On the other side lay Asgard.
Hela stepped through.
She had arrived.
----------------------------------------
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