"Was that really Thanos?" Star-Lord asked, nudging Gamora.
"Uh… it should be, right?" Gamora replied hesitantly. "I've never seen Thanos retreat before…"
Thor interrupted her with a smirk. "That's because he didn't cross me. Besides, I already drove him off once on Vormir."
The group fell silent, exchanging incredulous glances.
"..."
Tony Stark landed heavily nearby, the impact forming a small crater. His Mark 50 nanotech armor was battered, covered in scars and dents, and struggling to function properly. Even his landing had been rough.
"Damn it," he muttered, inspecting the damage. "Just got this thing fixed, and it's trashed again." After a moment of venting, he turned to the others. "So… where the hell did Thanos go?"
Thor rolled his eyes. "How would I know?"
He turned to Strange, who had just arrived on the scene. "Did someone open a portal for him to escape?"
Strange nodded grimly. "It was one of Mordo's followers—someone seduced by the promise of power. They helped him escape at the last moment."
Thor's expression soured. "Your people again. Not only did they leave their mess for me to clean up, but now they've gone and saved the guy I was about to finish off."
Strange pointed to a dark stain nearby. "You won't be able to interrogate them. Their life was consumed by Dormammu as payment for tapping into the dark dimension's power."
Thor froze for a moment, frowning deeply. Though annoyed, he accepted the outcome. "Fine," he muttered. "But the real question is: where did Thanos go?"
Tony chimed in, his tone laced with frustration. "You're telling me we just let him run off? And we're supposed to believe he's not coming back?"
"Impossible!" Thor declared firmly. "His army has been obliterated, and he's sustained multiple fatal injuries. The wounds from Stormbreaker are deep. Not even the Time Stone could heal them fully. If he's alive, he'll probably need a wheelchair."
Thor's confidence seemed to ease the tension among the group. As the strongest Avenger and the one who had defeated Thanos in direct combat, his assessment carried weight.
But Tony frowned. "That's great and all, but he still has the Time Stone and Mind Stone. Without them, there's no way to bring Vision back."
Thor placed a reassuring hand on Tony's shoulder. "Don't worry. We'll find him. The Infinity Stones can't be destroyed—not permanently, anyway. Even if they're reduced to atoms, there's always a way to restore them."
Wanda, standing silently nearby, caught his glance. As the only person capable of destroying the stones, her presence was a subtle reminder of their contingency plan.
Tony sighed. "Alright, I'll get back to repairing my suit. Let me know if you find anything." He turned and walked away, his battered armor sparking faintly.
Thor watched him go before turning to Gamora. "I've got a few guesses about where Thanos might be."
Gamora shook her head. "Titan's gone. It's just a barren wasteland now, completely uninhabitable."
Thor thought. "Then it's the farm. But the problem is, I don't know its location."
He turned to Nebula. "Did Thanos ever mention where he planned to retire after completing his goal?"
Nebula looked at him, clearly confused. "What? I've been off Sanctuary II for over ten years. How would I know?"
Thor raised an eyebrow but quickly dismissed the thought. It was true—Nebula had been far too young to hear about such plans when she left Thanos' side.
Gamora, however, stepped forward. "He talked to me about his vision often, trying to convince me to embrace his ideals. I asked him once where he'd go after fulfilling his mission. His answer was always the same."
Thor's eyes narrowed. "Where?"
"He said, 'The garden.'"
Star-Lord let out a low whistle, crossing his arms. "Seriously? Thanos, the Mad Titan, planned a quiet retirement on some farm? That's wild."
Thor wasn't amused. "Do you know where this 'garden' is?" he asked Gamora.
Gamora hesitated. "I have an idea, but I'm not sure he's actually there. He's lost so much—his army, the battle, and almost his life. He might not retreat just yet. He could still be plotting something."
Thor's expression hardened. "Then we go there. I have a feeling he'll return to that place. It's his sanctuary."
Star-Lord raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Are you sure about this? It's Thanos' home turf. This isn't Earth. And let's not forget, he still has two Infinity Stones."
"We'll take them back," a cold voice cut in from behind.