I am Thor

A colossal structure loomed ahead, dwarfing any spacecraft Thor had ever seen. This wasn't a ship; it was an interstellar fortress, almost the size of a small moon. Sanctuary II.

For the Asgardians, the Chitauri weren't usually considered a formidable force. Although these soldiers seemed to be of a higher rank than standard Chitauri, they were still no match for Thor, who had fully awakened his powers. But as the saying goes, you should be mindful of whose dog you're beating—and in this case, that dog's master was beyond Thor's reach.

Thor swallowed hard, realizing he had been dropped right into the heart of the enemy's base. Hiding in a nearby corner, he weighed his options. Should he call Carol and take down Thanos' base right here and now?

Tempting, he thought. But if he tried, he'd likely end up on his knees, along with Carol. This was Thanos' stronghold. From his vantage point, he could see through a window into the dark expanse of space, where enormous Leviathans and star cruisers hovered, blocking out the distant light of stars.

Thor now understood why the Sanctuary II in Avengers: Endgame had been so easily torn apart. Thanos had brought only a fraction of his forces that day. Here, in his true domain, Thanos' defenses were overwhelming.

As Thor tried to devise a plan, he found a blueprint of the Sanctuary's layout. Near the front deck, there was a bay with a fleet of fighter jets, ready for launch. The surrounding escort ships were sparse in that area, and there was a nearby jump point in open space—perfect for an escape, though the Sanctuary's forward defenses were heavily armed.

Just as Thor was moving into position, he heard a sudden cry.

"No! Please, let me go… give me another chance!"

The voice was desperate. Thor frowned, wondering if the Chitauri had taken to abducting civilian girls.

A gunshot rang out, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps. Before Thor could react, a young girl came into view, clutching a dagger in one hand and a stolen Chitauri firearm in the other. She looked no older than fourteen or fifteen.

Thor raised his hands slightly. "If I said I was just passing through, would you believe me?"

The pursuing Chitauri soldiers didn't hesitate, raising their guns and firing without a word. Thor sighed.

"Wanted to keep a low profile," he muttered. With a flick of his hand, lightning crackled around him, reducing the Chitauri soldiers to smoldering heaps. The girl beside him stared, wide-eyed.

An alarm blared.

"If you want to survive, stick with me." Thor wasn't one to abandon someone in need, but there was no time for sympathy here—he had to move fast if either of them were going to get out alive.

The girl nodded, gripping her weapon tightly, and followed him without a word. Their cover blown, Thor moved quickly toward the fighter bay.

As they pushed forward, they encountered all manner of obstacles: more Chitauri soldiers, Vanguard guards, alien soldiers, and even hulking battle apes. Ordinary soldiers were no match for a fully empowered God of Thunder, but Thor couldn't help but notice the girl's skill. She was quick, precise, and clearly no stranger to combat—she handled herself almost as well as Natasha had in her early days. This was not her first time killing.

Who is this kid? Thor wondered as they fought side by side.

They were close now—only a few hundred meters from the fighter bay. But those last few hundred meters felt like a chasm.

Thor came to a halt, face grim as he looked ahead. Five figures stood in their path, each different in appearance but all radiating power. The one in the lead was an enormous purple-skinned figure, standing nearly two and a half meters tall, his muscles rippling beneath his armor. In one hand, he held a massive double-edged blade, his gaze locked on Thor with an intensity that felt like a physical weight.

Even from several meters away, Thor felt a crushing sense of dread, as if a mountain were pressing down on him. Behind him, the girl's breath caught in her throat.

Before him stood the supervillain, the Destroyer—the Mad Titan himself.

Thanos.