Carol's mind was in turmoil.
Although the crisis with Surtur had been averted, she couldn't shake off the unease gnawing at her. Thanos could launch an all-out assault at any moment, and this wasn't a time for her to walk away. Yet, to her surprise, it was Thor who convinced her to step back and intervene elsewhere.
"It is a trap," Thor had said, his voice steady yet laced with urgency. "Thanos and the Kree are working together; their timing isn't a coincidence. Their attack is designed to pin you down." He paused, his expression fierce. "But remember, when faced with absolute strength, no amount of scheming can prevail. As long as I draw breath, I will not let him win. He and his entire fleet will become nothing more than debris floating in space."
Carol had been skeptical but listened intently as Thor continued. "Go, Carol. Handle this. Don't let this weigh on you as a regret."
With his words echoing in her heart, Carol returned her focus to the task at hand. Her gaze sharpened as an enormous spaceship loomed in the distance.
It was Sanctuary II, one of Thanos' mightiest strongholds.
A subtle smile graced her lips. "You won't regret this, Thor," she whispered to herself.
Meanwhile, Thanos had departed with Gamora, heading toward Vormir. Gamora, knowing the Mind Stone was already in his possession, had no choice but to comply. For the safety of her friends, she agreed to guide him to the Soul Stone. Her team, however, had been left behind as hostages within the massive ship.
"It's been an entire day since Gamora was taken by that purple-skinned lunatic," Quill muttered, his worry evident. "What if something's happened to her?"
His gaze swept across the team, silently pleading for some reassurance.
Rocket Raccoon, however, offered no such comfort. "Who knows? Sure, he's her so-called father, but let's be real—family ties don't mean squat these days."
Drax chimed in, his tone grave. "Thanos is a butcher with no trace of humanity. Father-daughter relationship? Look at how much Gamora despises him."
Quill clenched his fists in frustration. "Damn it! We have to do something. We can't just sit here while she's out there alone!"
Rocket smirked slyly, lowering his voice. "How about you dance again, Quill? Maybe Groot can sneak in and unlock a door while everyone's distracted."
Quill glared at him. "Even if it means dying here in this cell, I'll never use such a humiliating tactic again!"
Minutes later, however, the group was quietly slipping out of their cell, the scent of freedom tantalizingly close.
"Quill," Rocket whispered as they crept through the corridors, "doesn't something feel...off?"
"No," Quill hissed back, grimacing.
Before Quill could respond, a piercing alarm blared through the ship.
"Great! Just great!" Quill groaned, throwing his hands up. "Not even a minute out of the cell, and we're already caught!"
Rocket pulled him aside, his expression serious. "This isn't about us. That's a ship-wide alarm."
In the control room of Sanctuary II, Ebony Maw watched the monitor with a grim expression. His hands trembled as he saw Captain Marvel hurtling toward the ship.
"Fire the main cannons! Bring her down at all costs!" he barked.
An officer nearby snorted dismissively. "Sir, it's just one woman. Surely our troops can handle her—"
A sharp slap cut him off mid-sentence.
"Fool!" Ebony Maw hissed. "This is the woman who killed Cull Obsidian! If you're so eager to die, go out and face her yourself!"
The officer paled, retreating into silence.
Outside, a relentless barrage of artillery fire filled the sky. Explosions erupted around Carol, but she didn't flinch. She didn't even bother dodging, her path unwavering as she charged forward.
Flames roared around her, painting the battlefield in hues of destruction. Emerging from the inferno unscathed, her golden energy aura burned brighter than ever.
Real heroes don't look back at explosions, she thought with a smirk.
Inside the ship, Ebony Maw's frustration boiled over. "Impossible!" he shouted.
With a deafening crash, Carol smashed through the hull of Sanctuary II. Golden energy rippled across her body, dimming slightly from the impact, but her speed remained undeterred. Without hesitation, she vanished into the void of space, leaving a trail of destruction in her wake.
Her mission was clear—rescue the Skrulls and prevent further chaos. The current state of Sanctuary II was enough to give even Thanos a headache.
"Well," Carol muttered to herself with a wry smile, "since Thanos try to destroy Thor's home, it's only fair I destroy it back."