Thor raised his voice above the chaos, his tone commanding yet tinged with urgency. "Don't let his sword touch the ground! If it does, all of Asgard will be destroyed!"
With a fierce determination, he surged forward, Stormbreaker raised to meet Surtur's Twilight Sword mid-descent.
Carol Danvers wasn't far behind. The two collided with the immense blade, holding it at bay in midair. The sheer force of the impact caused ripples of energy to distort the space around them, creating a stalemate high above the battlefield.
"Stupid—"
Hela, her tone as sharp as her dark spikes, hurled a massive projectile toward Surtur's flaming hand. The spike slashed across his wrist, forcing him to release his grip on the sword.
Thor seized the opportunity, landing a direct blow to Surtur's head with Stormbreaker. But despite the power behind the strike, it barely seemed to faze the fire giant.
Carol, her fists glowing with cosmic energy, unleashed a barrage of beams at Surtur. The attacks peppered his massive frame, drawing his attention but doing little more than annoying him.
To the Asgardians watching from the rear, it might have seemed like the heroes were winning. Surtur, surrounded and under relentless assault, appeared to be in disarray. But those on the front lines knew better.
Even with so many powerful combatants, the only weapon that could inflict significant damage on Surtur was Thor's Stormbreaker—and even that wasn't enough to stop the fire giant's relentless recovery.
Carol landed beside Thor, her breath labored from the prolonged fight. "This guy's stronger than Thanos," she muttered, her frustration evident. "He's like an indestructible punching bag. What the hell is this thing?"
Thor, equally winded but no less determined, responded, "Surtur, the legendary harbinger of Ragnarök. My father defeated him half a million years ago and took the Eternal Flame from him. That's the source of his power. We can't kill him, not as long as he has the Flame. Our only option is to take it from him and seal him away."
Carol threw her hands up. "Great! So how did your dad beat him?"
Thor hesitated. "The Eternal Flame grants him infinite regeneration. The only way to defeat him is to destroy him faster than he can recover."
Carol shot him a withering look. "That's not a plan—that's wishful thinking!"
Thor didn't argue. His mind raced as he tried to devise a solution.
Surtur, while unimaginably powerful, had one critical weakness: his intelligence—or lack thereof. His single-minded focus on fulfilling Ragnarök gave Thor and his allies a sliver of time to strategize.
Odin's words echoed in Thor's mind: Asgard is not a place—it's a people.
For the first time, Thor began to accept that saving Asgard might mean leaving it behind.
If Asgard could not be saved, perhaps its people could.
Thor glanced at Heimdall in the distance, a new idea forming in his mind. "Wait… Bifrost!"
He called out, "Heimdall! Can Bifrost teleport Surtur?"
Heimdall, startled, responded, "Not in his current state. He's far too powerful. Unless he doesn't resist, my strength alone isn't enough to complete the teleportation."
Thor grinned, his eyes flashing with renewed determination. "Then let me help you. We'll give him the destruction he craves—elsewhere."
"Carol!" Thor shouted. "Hold him off for just a moment longer. Jane—strike Carol with lightning. Full power!"
Carol blinked in confusion, then rolled her eyes. "What does that even mean? And can you word that better next time?"
Jane Foster hesitated, clutching Mjolnir. "Wait—what? She's on our side!"
"Do it!" Thor barked as Surtur raised the Twilight Sword for another devastating strike.
Carol braced herself, grabbing hold of the massive blade to halt its descent. "Just get it over with!" she yelled.
Jane nodded, summoning the full power of Mjolnir.
BOOM!
A thunderbolt shot from the heavens, striking Carol directly. Her entire body lit up with energy, her strength amplified beyond its normal limits.
With a cry of fury, Carol released the Twilight Sword and delivered a devastating uppercut to Surtur's chin, sending the fire giant reeling. His massive body crashed to the ground, shaking the entire battlefield.
Jane, still holding Mjolnir, stared in disbelief. "Am I… just a power bank?"
Thor landed beside Heimdall. "Do you know the coordinates for Titan?"
Heimdall's eyes widened. "Yes, but—"
Thor interrupted, his grin turning grim. "Good. That's where we're sending him."
"To Titan?" Heimdall repeated, confused.
Thor's smile darkened. "Yes. Let the harbinger of Ragnarök destroy the world of the one who caused this mess. Thanos destroyed Titan through neglect and arrogance. Let him witness its second destruction, this time by Surtur's hand."
Heimdall hesitated for only a moment before nodding. He activated the Bifrost, his sword glowing with the power of Asgard's ancient magic.
Thor turned back to his allies. "Stall him a little longer! Ragnarök will not be Asgard's demise—it will be Titan's!"