Chapter 14 - The Death of Malekith

The storm of Aether raged around us, warping the air with its destructive pulses. Malekith stood on the Arc, a triumphant expression frozen on his pale face. He stretched out his arms and, with a simple gesture, unleashed a wave of energy that consumed even the light itself, plunging the Nine Realms into suffocating darkness.

I moved swiftly through the chaos, watching as Thor joined Jane and Selvig. He was exhausted but still determined. The look he gave Malekith was filled with cold rage, a burning desire to end this once and for all.

"No one can reach him," Jane panted. "The Aether would disintegrate us."

Thor straightened, his features marked with effort, and his eyes fell on Selvig's gravity spikes.

"But I can."

Before I could tell him to think of a plan B—because, honestly, his thing was more hammers than science—he grabbed several of the devices and walked confidently toward Malekith. I wasn't about to let him face this thing alone.

"I'm going too," I said, positioning myself behind him.

Thor glanced at me, but he knew I was stubborn beyond reason. Without protest, he simply nodded.

We stood together, facing Malekith for the final battle.

"You wish to see the end of the universe, son of Odin?" Malekith sneered, a wicked grin spreading across his blackened lips.

"No," Thor retorted, lifting a gravity spike. "I came to see yours."

With inhuman strength, he hurled the first spike, which activated instantly. A portal opened beneath Malekith, ripping his right arm away in a swirl of glowing light. The Dark Elf howled, his pain reverberating through the distorted space around him.

Without hesitation, I seized the opportunity to summon a freezing gust, lashing against his already weakened body. His legs began to stiffen under a thick layer of ice, slowing his movements.

But he was still dangerous.

With a roar of fury, he unleashed an explosion of Aether that struck me head-on, hurling me violently against a broken column. My entire body vibrated from the impact, a dull pain radiating through my back. But I had endured worse. I pushed myself up, just in time to see Thor throw the second spike.

Malekith's left arm disappeared into a vortex, leaving him completely defenseless.

"The Aether cannot be destroyed…" he growled, his voice trembling with pain and wounded pride.

I wiped the snow from my face with the back of my hand. "Maybe not. But you can."

With a leap, I took to the sky and unleashed another attack. The air above us swirled under my magic's influence, and a snowstorm crashed down on Malekith, freezing him almost instantly. But he fought back, his fury fueling the Aether that crackled around him.

Thor saw his opening. He slammed Mjolnir into Malekith's chest, sending him crashing across the Arc. The Dark Elf fell to his knees, hissing in rage.

"That's for Asgard!" Thor roared.

But Malekith wasn't done. With the last of his strength, he unleashed a massive wave of dark energy, enveloping us. I barely managed to conjure a shield of ice around us in time. The impact sent us both staggering, but I held firm.

"You never give up, do you?" I laughed despite the situation.

With a final roar, Malekith sent another blast of Aether at me, slamming me once again into the ruins. My vision blurred for a moment, but I forced myself to rise.

Thor, his expression fierce, raised Mjolnir high and, with a cry of rage and determination, drove the last gravity spike directly into Malekith's chest. The impact hurled him backward, his body sucked into a dimensional portal before being violently expelled onto Svartalfheim.

Silence fell.

An instant later, an explosion echoed through the skies. Malekith was defeated.

I let out a shaky laugh. "We did it…"

But our victory was short-lived.

A massive shadow loomed over us. Malekith's ship, now without a commander, was plummeting straight toward us. Thor, exhausted, wavered and collapsed, unconscious from the battle's toll.

I gritted my teeth. No way was it ending like this.

As the ship descended inexorably toward us, I rushed to Thor, grabbing his arm and dragging him as fast as I could. Adrenaline and magic fueled me as I slid across an ice path I created beneath my feet for speed. Erik Selvig, realizing the danger, quickly activated one of his devices. A portal opened just ahead, and at the last second, I shoved Thor through it.

Malekith's ship crashed onto Svartalfheim, reducing the Dark Elf to nothing but dust.

Silence fell over Greenwich. The air was heavy with dissipated magic and lingering ash. Jane dropped to her knees, struggling to catch her breath, while Thor slowly opened his eyes. He pushed himself up with effort, scanning his surroundings until his gaze met mine.

I smirked, shrugging. "That was… intense."

Thor let out a weak chuckle, standing with difficulty. "It's over."

But as he spoke those words, I saw something in his eyes. Hesitation, a flicker of thought. He knew his duty wasn't done. He had to return to Asgard.

Before he could leave, Jane stepped closer and placed a hand on his arm. "Will you come back?"

Thor gave her a solemn nod. "I will, Jane. But Asgard still needs me."

She lowered her eyes before managing a small, sad smile. "Two years is a long time. Don't make me wait that long again."

Thor gently took her hand, promising, "I will return."

As he prepared to depart, he turned to me. "Jack, you fought with honor. I am grateful."

I winked. "That was fun. We should do it again sometime—without the demon elves."

Thor smiled, then after a brief pause, asked, "What if you joined the Avengers? They could use someone like you."

I considered it for a moment, then shook my head. "Tempting, but… not yet. I need to figure out what I'm meant to do in this world."

Thor inclined his head respectfully. "Then may your path lead you where it must, Jack Frost."

I watched as Thor disappeared in a golden light. After he was gone, Jane and I remained silent for a moment. Then I broke the quiet.

"Something tells me men in black suits are going to come looking for me."

She raised an eyebrow. "The kind of guys who…?"

I grinned mischievously. "The kind who don't like anomalies like me. But don't worry. When the time comes, when the world needs me… I'll be there."

Before she could reply, I let the wind carry me away in a flurry of frost, vanishing in an instant.