Rocket tossed me his radio, then climbed into the pod with Thor, and they sped off to get the rings spinning again. I stayed with Groot, helping Eitri with the things he needed dexterity to complete. We placed the mold under the pot of what would soon be molten metal, aligning the opening so nothing would be wasted.
"I don't think you get the scientifics here." Rocket said to Thor, "These rings are gigantic. You wanna get them moving, you need something bigger than this pod to yank them loose!"
"Leave that to me." Thor replied.
"Leave it to you?" Rocket scoffed, "Buddy, you're in space. All you got is a wrong plan…"
Rocket's chiding was cut off by his screaming, and I looked out to see Thor swinging the pod around off the end of a cable like it was no heavier than a bowling ball. Thor stopped spinning, the pod flying outwards.
"Fire the engines!" Thor shouted, and Rocket immediately did, flame pouring out of the pod in its attempt to move the rings.
"More power, Rabbit!" Thor shouted, the strain in his voice easily heard.
With a groaning shudder, one ring began to move. Then another. And soon they were all moving, the star in the center slowly beginning to glow once more.
"Well done, boy." Eitri said.
"That's Nidavellir!" Thor shouted happily, pointing to the star.
The star's heat and energy was sucked in to the forge, beginning to heat the metal we needed to forge the new weapon. But, as soon as it had begun, the star's power was cut off, the forge going cold once more.
"Damn it." Eitri said.
"What's damn it?" I asked, approaching him.
"The mechanism is crippled." he replied.
"What?" Thor asked, his voice grainy through the radio.
"With the Iris closed," Eitri replied into my radio, "I can't heat the metal!"
"How long will it take to heat it?" Thor asked.
"A few minutes, maybe more." the dwarf replied. "Why?"
"I'm going to hold it open." Thor said, flying towards the star.
"That's suicide!" Eitri cautioned.
"So is facing Thanos without that axe!" Thor countered.
Thor landed in the iris mechanism, standing for a moment as he gathered strength.
"You understand, boy?" Eitri said, "You're about to take the full force of a star. It'll kill you."
"Only if I die." Thor said.
"Yes, that's what killing you means." Eitri sighed.
Thor took one last deep breath, before pulling the iris open, the full flaming force of the star searing his back on its way to the forge. The heat funneled to the metal vat, slowly starting to melt all of the ingots within.
"Hold it, hold it, Thor!" Eitri yelled out.
Eitri and I stood, waiting for the ingots to melt completely with baited breath. The second the last corner submerged into the molten metal, Eitri becan pouring it into the mold. I glanced up to see the iris closing, Thor rocketing towards the forge uncontrollably, limp as a rag doll.
Thor came bursting through the forge, rolling to a stop on the ground. I dashed over to check on the Asgardian as Eitri cooled the axe.
"Thor?" I said, slapping his face in an attempt to wake him. "Say something, come on!"
"Thor, you okay?" Rocket said, having arrived back in the pod. We both sat there, attempting to revive the unconscious man. Eitri began pounding on the mold with his fists, shattering the mold in an attempt to free the axe.
"I think he's dying!" Rocket said, and I began to try cpr, tears streaming down my face. I couldn't lose Thor now, not after everything.
"He needs the axe!" Eitri shouted, breaking the last of the axe blade free. "Where's the handle? Tree! Help me find the handle!"
Eitri tore the forge asunder, desperately trying to find the axe's handle. Groot stared at the blade, then at Thor. Tossing his video game aside, Groot extended his arm, his fingers elongating to wrap around the Axe, his arm thickening to make a sturdy handle. With a shout, Goot chopped off the portion of his arm that he had just grown out, Stormbreaker dropping to the ground heavily.
Thor's fingers opened, and Stormbreaker began to hover off of the ground, electricity arcing in all directions. I backed away, not wishing to be hit with the electrical surge. The axe flew into Thor's outstretched hand, a blast of lightning striking that was so large, I was knocked back into the pod. Thor stood, electricity arcing off of him.
"We must leave to Earth, now." Thor said. "Thanos has either captured the reality stone and headed there, or he has arrived there without it in an attempt to collect the other two stones. I shall summon the Bifrost, and we shall face Thanos with renewed strength. Prepare for battle."
I scrambled inside the pod, grabbing my sword and Rocket's gun. I snagged Loki's helm, placing it on my head so that I would not forget it. I ran out, handing Rocket his gun.
"Thank you for your help, Eitri." Thor said.
"Go, Asgardians." Eitri said, "Go to your friends. Make Thanos weep for the day he chose to slaughter my people. And your own."
Thor nodded solemnly, and Rocket climbed up to Thor's shoulder. I drew my sword, bracing myself against Thor as he summoned the Bifrost with Stormbreaker. As we were shot through the cosmos, my mind couldn't help but wander to the last time I had traveled the rainbow bridge. A part of me wanted to laugh sadistically, longing for a time when I only thought I had been separated from Loki forever. With the actual separation standing before me, it all seemed so trivial now.
"We're approaching Earth!" Thor called out, raising Stormbreaker. I nodded, taking a deep breath and preparing for what might await on Earth.
We arrived on the surface, surrounded by two armies clashing. African warriors fought alongside the Avengers, bringing down Chitauri-like creatures together.
I saw Dr. Banner, inside an enormous suit of Iron Man armor, laughing. "Oh, you guys are so screwed now!" he laughed.
Electricity continued to arc off of Thor, Rocket leaping off to the ground, gun readied. Thor looked to Rocket, Groot, and I, nodding before running forwards, electricity increasing. Rocket, Groot, and I followed, raising our own weapons as we ran alongside the God of Thunder.
"Bring me Thanos!" Thor cried, taking a running leap off of the ground. Lightning surrounded Thor with an intensity that I had never seen before, his eyes glowing white hot as he struck the ground with Stormbreaker. A shockwave of lighting shot out as it struck the ground, bringing down all of the enemies that stood within a hundred foot radius of the Axe's strike.
We continued to run forwards, Rocket heading off to assist someone away from our group. As we continued to fight, we encountered Steve Rogers, who had since I last saw him, grown a beard and longer hair.
"New haircut?" Steve said, gesturing to Thor.
"I notice you've copied my beard." Thor said, smiling at his friend. "Oh, by the way these are friends of mine. This is the sister of Coulson, and this is my other friend. A tree."
"I am Groot!" Groot shouted back, sending his arm through several enemy creatures.
"I am Steve Rogers." Cap answered back, too tired to bother asking how a tree could talk.
Steve ran off in another direction, headed towards Black Widow, as Groot ran to fight with Rocket. Thor threw Stormbreaker into the ground once more, again sending a devastating wave of electricity into the enemy's ranks.
I was nearly blinded by a flash of green tinted light, and was immediately wrapped up in the tightest embrace I had ever felt. My nose breathed in a familiar scent, and my mind went blank.
"Brother?" Thor asked, even his voice sceptical.
"I've missed you." Loki murmured into my neck. "I couldn't find you after the explosion of the ship, I thought you might be dead. I was trying to find you, but I couldn't feel anything until I realized my helm was gone, and that you must have taken it. I followed it, and here it is…" he said, leaning back from the embrace. "Here you are." he whispered, a smile spreading across his face.
"We will talk later, Brother!" Thor shouted, shoving a creature away. "You have a lot of explaining to do. Make yourself useful!"
Loki nodded, knives shimmering into his hands. "Let us avenge Asgard."
