It's a universal truth: water extinguishes fire.
But Surtur, the fire giant, was far from ordinary. At his level of power, such logic no longer applied. Even if he were submerged in the ocean, the waters would evaporate in an instant, leaving him unscathed.
Thor's lightning, for instance, wasn't something a simple grounding rod could redirect. Yet, despite Surtur's formidable defenses, there was one glaring vulnerability: his head, split open by Thor's axe.
For all his immense power, even Surtur couldn't protect the interior of his skull.
The sound of boiling water echoed through the battlefield as Jean Grey's psychokinetic water dragons poured into the fissure. Surtur clutched his head, letting out a guttural scream—a sound so raw and pained it seemed to reverberate across the realms.
The once-mighty fire giant now resembled a panicked animal at a barbaric feast, its head assaulted and exposed.
"Now's our chance—attack!" Thor roared.
The air came alive with activity. Dark green spikes, conjured by Hela, rained down upon Surtur's wound, driving deeper into the chasm in his skull. Wanda's crimson energy wrapped around the fire giant's head, prying the fissure wider.
Above them, Jane Foster flew with purpose, Mjolnir spinning in her grasp as she calculated the best angle to deliver her blow.
Thor watched in awe as the women unleashed a coordinated assault. "By Odin's beard," he muttered. "These women are absolutely relentless."
Meanwhile, on the Sanctuary II, Thanos sat confidently upon his throne. His mood was light, his satisfaction evident.
The Asgardian Golden Hall, once considered impregnable, had been breached. Its treasure vault, thought to be impenetrable, had been accessed. It wasn't brute force that achieved this feat but rather the assistance of an immensely powerful magician.
Thanos smirked. To think I once underestimated those so-called sorcerers.
The portal the magician had conjured bypassed the Golden Hall's restrictive defenses entirely, granting access to the vault. It was an elegant solution to an otherwise impossible problem.
His thoughts drifted as he turned his gaze to Gamora.
The anger and hatred etched across her face were clear as day, but Thanos regarded her with an air of resignation.
"I hate this room," Gamora spat, her voice shaking with emotion. "I hate this ship."
Thanos sighed, his tone almost paternal. "Yes, I know. You've been saying that every day for twenty years. It's practically a ritual at this point."
Before she could respond, he leaned forward, his expression hardening. "But let's set that aside. The reason you've stayed away for so long… it's because you've found the Soul Stone, haven't you?"
Gamora froze, her eyes narrowing. "No," she said quickly, shaking her head. "I didn't find it."
Thanos chuckled darkly. "Lies. I taught you everything you know, little one. Your skills, your strength—even your compassion and generosity. But lying?" He shook his head. "You're terrible at it. Your expressions, your gestures—I see through them all."
Gamora's heart sank. She had known it would come to this. Thanos was too perceptive to be deceived.
"You may as well tell me where it is," he continued, his tone laced with menace. "Because whether you cooperate or not, you will tell me eventually."
Gamora clenched her fists. "You'll never get it from me. You should give up now."
Thanos smiled—a grim, humorless smile. "Oh, you'll tell me. And you'll do so willingly."
Back in Asgard, Surtur roared, his voice shaking the heavens.
"Damn you all!" the fire giant bellowed, his words echoing with a primal fury. "You will not stop my prophecy!"
Even as his mind faltered, his purpose remained clear. Lifting the Twilight Sword high, Surtur channeled all his life force into the blade. The fiery energy radiated outward, turning the sky blood red.
"I… am the end of Asgard!" he roared, plunging the blade downward with unimaginable force.
The weapon's sheer momentum threatened to destroy everything. If it struck the core of Asgard, the entire realm would collapse, becoming nothing more than a memory.
Thor surged into action, ascending into the sky. With a mighty roar, he raised Stormbreaker and hurled it toward the Twilight Sword.
BOOM!
The two weapons collided midair, the impact sending shockwaves rippling across the battlefield. The force was so great that even Wanda and Jean Grey, masters of their respective crafts, were momentarily thrown back.
For a brief moment, Stormbreaker's power held Surtur's blade at bay. But the fire giant's overwhelming strength soon began to push Thor's axe downward.
Thor gritted his teeth, pouring every ounce of his energy into resisting. Yet he knew, deep down, that he couldn't hold out forever.
Just as Hela prepared to intervene, her eyes widened. "Something's approaching," she said, her voice tinged with confusion.
A streak of light shot through the sky, growing brighter with each passing second.
With a deafening CRASH, Captain Marvel struck Surtur's head like a meteor, the force of her impact nearly toppling the giant.
Surtur staggered, his flaming form flickering as he roared in frustration.
Carol Danvers hovered above, her fists glowing with cosmic energy. "Every time I come back," she muttered, exasperated, "it's always some giant cosmic boss. Seriously, is this a joke?"