"Coward."
Thor's voice was cold, his irritation no longer hidden. Though he was often impulsive and arrogant, he was far from foolish.
He could clearly see what Stark was doing, trying to push responsibility onto him. If Stark had spoken with even a hint of respect, Thor might have considered it, but the tone alone was enough to ignite his anger.
To Thor, it felt like Stark was tossing him a burden disguised as a favor.
The Cosmic Cube belonged to Asgard. He did not need permission from anyone on Earth to take it, nor did he need it handed to him like charity. Stark's attitude only made things worse.
He had long been annoyed by the man in the iron suit.
Too flippant, too arrogant, and always speaking as if he stood above everyone else.
"Coward?" Stark shot back immediately, his voice sharp. "Are you trying to be funny? You were the one who wanted to take the Cube and your foolish brother earlier. Now it's right in front of you, and suddenly you're hesitating? Aren't you the God of Thunder? Son of Odin, King of the Gods? So what's the problem, you scared?"
Stark never backed down in an argument, and this time was no different.
"Enough. This isn't the time for this." Steve's voice cut through the tension, though irritation was clear on his face. Earth was on the brink of disaster, yet these two still found time to argue.
"You two can keep going if you want, just send me back to the ground first," Banner added, clearly uncomfortable. He had no intention of staying here any longer than necessary.
"Everyone, calm down," someone tried to intervene.
"You shut up!"
The tension snapped.
What had started as a small disagreement quickly escalated into a heated confrontation. Voices rose, insults followed, and the atmosphere in the room grew increasingly volatile.
None of them realized that the Mind Stone scepter resting on the table was subtly influencing their emotions, amplifying every trace of anger, frustration, and resentment.
"Banner, put it down."
The argument came to an abrupt halt.
All eyes turned to Banner, who had unknowingly picked up the scepter. His expression shifted as clarity returned to him, but the damage had already been done.
Before anyone could react further, disaster struck.
A fighter jet appeared outside the Helicarrier, and within seconds, a missile slammed into the structure.
An explosion erupted.
Flames spread instantly as the entire Helicarrier shook violently. The shockwave threw everyone off their feet, and alarms began to blare throughout the facility.
Chaos erupted.
The events unfolded rapidly, almost as if fate itself refused to change.
Banner lost control and transformed into the Hulk, rampaging through the Helicarrier. Stark and Steve struggled to stabilize the damaged systems. Thor was tricked by Loki and trapped in a reinforced cage designed to contain the Hulk, only to be dropped from thousands of meters in the sky.
Loki escaped.
The Cosmic Cube and the Mind Stone scepter fell back into his hands, and he fled aboard a fighter jet.
The attackers were none other than the agents Loki had previously controlled, including Dr. Selvig.
When the chaos finally settled, the conference room was left in ruins.
The team was scattered. Thor and Banner were gone. Stark's injuries had worsened significantly. Loki had escaped with both Infinity Stones.
Coulson was dead.
And Loki's true objective was now clear.
"This is bad," Nick Fury muttered, rubbing his forehead as the weight of the situation grew heavier.
"Our priority is stopping Loki," Black Widow said, wiping blood from her forehead. Her encounter with the Hulk had not been easy.
"He'll need a massive energy source to open a portal," she continued. "We have to get the Cube back."
"That guy has a flair for drama," Stark suddenly said.
"This isn't the time," Steve replied with a frown.
"No, wait," Fury interrupted. "He's right."
Fury's eyes sharpened as he pieced it together.
"Loki craves attention. He wants an audience, recognition, a stage big enough to elevate himself. He won't settle for anything less than something iconic."
"Stark Tower," Natasha said immediately, turning toward Tony.
"...Shit."
"Move out. Now."
---
At that very moment, a fighter jet landed atop Stark Tower.
Loki stood at the highest point of the building, his injuries already healed. Beside him was Dr. Selvig, preparing the necessary equipment.
Looking out over the city of New York, a cruel smile spread across Loki's face.
He had no concern for Earth.
His eyes were fixed on something far greater, the throne of Asgard.
"Begin," he said calmly.
Selvig obeyed without hesitation.
Half an hour later, the device was ready.
With the Cosmic Cube as the energy source and the Mind Stone as the key, Loki activated the mechanism.
A towering beam of light shot into the sky, piercing the heavens.
The clear blue sky began to ripple, distorting as a massive circular portal formed above the city.
Then they came.
The Chitauri Army poured through the gateway, flooding into Earth's atmosphere from the far reaches of the universe.
New York descended into chaos.
Explosions erupted across the city. Buildings crumbled. Civilians ran in terror, their screams filling the streets.
A falling beam of steel or a chunk of concrete was enough to crush multiple people. Blood stained the roads as severed limbs and shattered bodies lay scattered everywhere.
This was no movie.
There was no pause, no safety.
Only death.
Captain America, Iron Man, Black Widow, and Hawkeye fought desperately to protect civilians, but it wasn't enough. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't save everyone.
When Hulk finally arrived, smashing through enemies with raw power, the pressure eased slightly, but the situation remained dire.
---
Inside the Helicarrier, now barely operational, Nick Fury monitored the battle.
"Director, there's been a change!"
Maria Hill pulled up a new display.
A blazing streak of fire was descending rapidly through the atmosphere, its trajectory locked onto New York.
"Whitebeard," Fury said immediately.
The image slowed, revealing Theo within the flames.
"How long until Lucien reaches Earth?" Fury asked, his voice darker than ever.
"At least one hour."
Fury clenched his jaw.
Only one option remained.
If Lucien and Theo clashed, there might still be a chance. Otherwise, everything would collapse.
"Connect me to Stark."
"Yes, sir."
The communication link opened.
Fury didn't waste time.
"Theo has entered the atmosphere. He'll reach New York in one minute. Lucien won't arrive for at least an hour. You need to stall him. No matter what, the Infinity Stones cannot fall into his hands."
"What kind of joke is this?" Stark snapped, dodging attacks midair.
Everyone's expression turned grim.
They were already struggling to survive. Now they were expected to hold off someone who could destroy planets.
It was absurd.
Looking up, the portal continued to pour out endless waves of enemies. The city burned beneath them.
"Can we shut that thing down?" Natasha shouted, pointing toward the device atop Stark Tower.
"I'll handle it," Thor declared.
He soared upward, summoning lightning as he reached the top of the tower, but his attack had no effect.
"It's useless," Loki laughed from the side, clearly enjoying the scene.
"You bastard!"
Thor's anger exploded. He hurled Mjolnir, striking Loki and sending him crashing across the platform.
Grabbing him by the collar, Thor roared, "How do I stop this device?"
"Look around you," Loki sneered. "This isn't rule, it's destruction."
"Don't give me that self righteous nonsense," Thor shot back.
Loki shoved him away, his face twisted with hatred and jealousy.
"The throne of Asgard should have been mine. That old man always favored you, just because I was adopted. And you think you have the right to lecture me?"