Marvel: As Thor

It was a colossal structure, larger than any spacecraft Thor had ever seen before, almost the size of a small satellite. To describe it as a spaceship felt inadequate—it was an interstellar fortress.

Holy Place No. 2!

For the Asgardians and others in the cosmos, the Chitauri were not considered an overwhelmingly strong force. While these soldiers seemed more advanced than their usual counterparts, they were no match for someone like Thor. Since awakening his supernatural powers, Thor had no trouble dealing with enemies like these, no matter how numerous they were.

The problem, however, was not the soldiers themselves but their master.

Thor felt despair creeping in as he realized where he was. This wasn't just any battlefield; it was Thanos' stronghold. His heart sank.

He crouched in a shadowy corner, his mind racing for a solution. Could he call Captain Marvel to help dismantle this fortress? The idea tempted him.

But Thor knew better. If they tried that here, in the heart of Thanos' domain, both of them would likely die.

The enormity of the situation struck him as he looked out a nearby window. The void surrounding Holy Place No. 2 was filled with Thanos' warships—leviathans, star destroyers, and cruisers that stretched endlessly across the sky. Together, they blocked out the last remnants of starlight.

The previous battle against Thanos had seemed manageable because the Mad Titan had brought only one ship to Earth. But here, in his base camp, he had everything—his entire fleet, defenses, and weapons of unimaginable power.

Thor turned his attention to a layout map he had found, studying it intently. Near the front deck of the fortress was a hangar filled with fighter jets, ready to take off at a moment's notice. The surrounding escort fleet in that area seemed relatively sparse, and not far beyond lay a wormhole jump point.

If he could seize a fighter and make it to the jump point, he might have a chance to escape. But there was a catch—the firepower at the front of the fortress was overwhelming. It was the most heavily guarded area.

As he was planning his next move, Thor's thoughts were interrupted by a desperate scream.

"Ah! Don't… let me go… please, give me another chance!"

Thor froze. A woman's voice echoed through the corridor.

What's going on here? he thought. Since when did the Chitauri start abducting civilians?

He heard a gunshot, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps approaching. Before he could react, a figure came into view—a young girl, no older than fourteen or fifteen.

She had a delicate, youthful face, framed by messy hair. In one hand, she held a dagger; in the other, a Chitauri firearm she had apparently stolen.

Thor blinked. "I was just passing by. Would you believe me?" he said awkwardly, raising his hands.

The Chitauri soldiers chasing the girl didn't hesitate. Without a second thought, they raised their weapons and opened fire.

Thor sighed. "I wanted to keep a low profile…"

Lightning erupted from his hand, crackling and surging through the corridor. In an instant, the Chitauri soldiers were reduced to ash.

Silence fell.

The young girl stood frozen, her wide eyes fixed on Thor. She seemed both terrified and awestruck.

Suddenly, alarms blared throughout the fortress. Thor sighed. So much for staying under the radar.

He turned to the girl. "If you want to live, follow me."

There was no time to explain. The fortress was on high alert, and staying in one place was a death sentence.

The girl nodded silently and fell into step behind Thor, clutching her weapons tightly.

The sound of soldiers approaching grew louder. Thor gritted his teeth as more enemies flooded into the corridor—Chitauri soldiers, vanguard guards, Saka warriors, and even massive battle apes.

Thor charged forward, lightning surrounding him like a shield. The enemies fell one after another, unable to stand against the full might of the God of Thunder.

To his surprise, the girl kept up. Her movements were sharp and precise, her strikes efficient. It was clear she had combat experience, though her youthful face betrayed her age.

Who is she? Thor wondered.

The fighter hangar was now in sight, just a few hundred meters away. But those last few hundred meters were heavily guarded, and standing between them and their goal were five figures.

Thor stopped in his tracks, his heart pounding.

At the center of the group stood a massive figure—nearly 2.5 meters tall, with purple skin and muscles that seemed carved from stone. He wielded a double-edged blade, and his piercing gaze seemed to penetrate Thor's very soul.

Thor's breath caught. Even from a distance, the figure's presence was suffocating, like the weight of an entire mountain pressing down on him.

The girl behind Thor stumbled slightly, struggling to breathe under the oppressive aura.

There was no mistaking him.

Thanos.

The Mad Titan stood at the center of his forces, his eyes locked on Thor. A chilling smile spread across his face as he raised his blade.