Chapter 35: The Gathering Storm
Chapter 35: The Gathering Storm
June 5, 2010 – Puente Antiguo, New Mexico
The desert air was heavy with the coming storm. The small town of Puente Antiguo remained quiet, but there was an undeniable tension in the atmosphere.
Something was coming.
Something far worse than mortals could comprehend.
---
SHIELD & WHA: Uncertain Alliances
Inside the temporary SHIELD and WHA joint command center, the atmosphere was thick with anticipation. Phil Coulson, arms crossed, studied the latest intel reports while Valeria Monroe scanned energy readings of the crater site.
"Anything?" Coulson asked without looking up.
Valeria's brow furrowed. "No sign of Loki since his last encounter with Thor. But the cosmic fluctuations haven't stopped. Something is happening in Asgard."
Coulson exhaled. "I don't like unknown variables."
Barton, leaning against the table, smirked. "You're working with a guy who thought he was a Norse god. Unknown variables are kinda our thing."
Valeria remained focused. "And yet, we still know too little."
She turned to Coulson. "We should be preparing for an escalation."
Coulson gave a small nod. "We are."
Because if Thor had been cast down—then something else was bound to follow.
---
Thor & Jane: Searching for Meaning
Under the dim glow of Jane Foster's makeshift lab, Thor sat at a worktable, watching her work.
His once-commanding presence had softened. He was no longer the arrogant prince who had crashed onto this world. He was… learning.
Jane paused, glancing at him. "Something on your mind?"
Thor considered his words before speaking. "I do not know my place here."
Jane set down her tablet. "You mean, on Earth?"
He gave a slow nod. "Aye. I was once a warrior. A prince. But now, I am…"
She smiled slightly. "Human?"
Thor exhaled. "Perhaps."
For a long moment, they simply watched each other, the hum of the lab filling the silence.
Finally, Jane sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "You know… maybe this isn't just about what you lost. Maybe it's about what you find."
Thor's expression softened. "You are wise, Jane Foster."
She chuckled. "I try."
And for the first time in days, Thor smiled.
But outside, the storm continued to build.
---
Asgard – Loki's Deception
High in the golden halls of Asgard, Loki stood before the throne of Odin.
He was no longer the trickster in the shadows.
He was now king.
Or so he had convinced the court to believe.
Before him, the Warriors Three and Lady Sif knelt, their faces etched with barely contained frustration.
"You must understand," Loki said smoothly, "Thor's banishment was father's final wish. He wished for his son to learn humility—to be unburdened by the weight of the throne."
Sif's eyes burned with defiance. "That is a lie."
Loki's gaze darkened. "Careful, Lady Sif. I would not have my own subjects accusing me of deceit."
The tension crackled.
But before Sif could retaliate, Heimdall's voice cut through the silence.
"The Bifrost has stirred," he announced from the observatory. "Something is descending upon Midgard."
Loki's fingers tightened.
His worst fear had come true.
Odin had not merely cast Thor out—he had set events into motion.
And soon, Asgard itself would tremble.
---
WHA's Precaution – Edward Lin's Directive
Far away, inside a high-rise penthouse in Manhattan, Edward Lin sat at his desk, reviewing the latest reports.
The cosmic signatures were increasing.
The energy readings near Puente Antiguo were reaching new peaks.
It was time.
Pressing a button on his desk, Edward activated the encrypted WHA channel.
"Send reinforcements," he instructed calmly. "I want operatives in place before the storm hits."
Valeria Monroe's voice came through. "Already in motion."
Edward exhaled, watching the skyline.
The game was moving.
And soon, everything would change.
---
The Arrival of the Destroyer
Puente Antiguo remained peaceful.
Too peaceful.
Then—
BOOM.
A violent shockwave rattled the earth.
The air crackled with unseen energy, the sky swirling with unnatural movement.
And then—it emerged.
A massive obsidian figure, its towering form gleaming under the moonlight. A single glowing slit pulsed across its featureless face.
The Destroyer had arrived.
It stepped forward, the ground shaking beneath its weight.
With one slow movement, it opened its face—
A blast of pure destruction erupted.
The town would not survive this.
---
June 5, 2010 – Puente Antiguo, New Mexico
The night was eerily silent in the desert town. Not a single light flickered from the now-abandoned homes, the once-lively streets devoid of all human presence. Only the occasional breeze disturbed the eerie quiet—until the air itself began to tremble.
Then came the first thud.
The ground trembled.
Another thud.
A monstrous shadow loomed over the small town, its towering form reflecting the dim moonlight.
The Destroyer had arrived.
And it was about to unleash hell.
WHA & SHIELD: Preparing for War
On the outskirts of Puente Antiguo, a fortified perimeter had already been established. WHA and SHIELD had worked together quickly, mobilizing agents and operatives in record time.
A convoy of armored vehicles, combat-ready personnel, and surveillance drones created a tactical command post.
Inside the mobile command center, Phil Coulson, Clint Barton (Hawkeye), and Valeria Monroe stood over a holo-map of the town, their faces illuminated by the glow of incoming data feeds.
Coulson adjusted his earpiece. "SHIELD ground teams, report."
A voice crackled through. "Perimeter secured. No civilians detected in the area. The evacuation was successful."
Valeria exhaled slightly in relief. "If we hadn't moved everyone out early, we'd be looking at a death toll in the hundreds."
Coulson nodded, glancing at Barton. "We're lucky."
Barton, perched on a weapons crate, shrugged. "Luck had nothing to do with it. We knew something was coming."
A warning siren blared through the camp.
Valeria turned to a WHA operative monitoring a scanner. "Report."
The agent's face paled. "The entity has entered the town perimeter."
The Destroyer had arrived.
First Engagement – WHA & SHIELD Strike
The first blast of golden energy erupted from the Destroyer's faceplate, tearing through an abandoned building like paper in a wildfire. Debris and flames erupted skyward.
Barton was already moving. Perched atop a Humvee, he pulled an advanced compound bow from its case, drawing a custom explosive arrow.
He muttered, "Let's see how this thing likes high-impact ordnance."
Barton let the arrow loose.
The projectile soared through the air, striking the Destroyer's upper shoulder plating—
BOOM!
A powerful explosion engulfed its upper body. Smoke and fire churned violently.
For a moment, there was silence.
Then—
The Destroyer stepped forward, completely unscathed.
"…Well, that's not good," Barton muttered.
"Fall back and regroup," Coulson ordered over comms. "We need a different approach."
WHA's Offensive Response
The three WHA heroes deployed, each one strategically flanking the massive enemy.
Hero 1 – Valeria Monroe
Valeria, enhanced with kinetic energy manipulation, rushed forward, dodging falling debris as the Destroyer unleashed another beam of concentrated destruction. She channeled kinetic force through her gauntlets and sent a shockwave rippling toward the Destroyer's lower body.
The impact struck hard, causing the massive machine to momentarily stagger—the ground cracking beneath its weight.
Valeria landed gracefully. "That got its attention."
The Destroyer turned its lifeless metal head toward her.
Its faceplate opened—
A massive blast of golden energy surged forward.
Valeria barely had time to react.
Just before impact, a blue blur streaked past her, grabbing her and pulling her to safety.
Hero 2 – Dash
Dash, the WHA speedster, yanked Valeria out of harm's way in the nick of time, moving faster than the human eye could track.
They skidded to a stop several blocks away.
"You're welcome," Dash quipped, dropping her onto her feet.
Valeria, catching her breath, punched him in the shoulder. "Warn me next time!"
Dash grinned. "Hey, I saved your life. Buy me a drink later."
"Get back in formation," Valeria ordered, refocusing.
Dash gave a mock salute and vanished in a blur of movement.
Hero 3 – Titan
The third WHA hero, Titan, a powerhouse built for raw strength, charged straight at the Destroyer, slamming into it with the force of a freight train.
The impact sent shockwaves through the ground, cracking pavement and toppling nearby structures.
Titan dug his heels in, pressing against the metal behemoth with everything he had. "You're not going anywhere, big guy."
The Destroyer shifted, effortlessly tossing Titan back with one arm.
Titan crashed through a concrete wall, groaning. "Okay. That thing is strong."
Coulson's voice came through the comms. "Regroup. Now."
Thor's Decision – The Turning Point
From the distant edge of town, Thor watched everything unfold.
His heart clenched as he saw brave warriors, both mortal and enhanced, fighting against the monster meant for him.
And he?
He had been sitting on the sidelines.
No longer.
Turning toward Jane and the others, his voice was resolute.
"I must go."
Jane's eyes widened. "Thor, no, you can't—"
He shook his head. "They fight in my stead. I will not let them face this alone."
Before she could argue, Thor was already running toward the battle.
Final Clash – WHA, SHIELD, & Thor
The battle had reached its peak.
The Destroyer's energy surges were increasing, each blast leaving massive craters in the earth. The WHA heroes and SHIELD operatives fought valiantly, but they were being pushed to their limits.
Then—
Thor arrived.
He moved past the battlefield, unarmed, completely vulnerable—yet unwavering.
Coulson's gaze narrowed as he spoke into his comm. "Hold fire."
Thor stood before the Destroyer, his eyes fierce but calm.
"I know why you are here." His voice carried across the battlefield. "But your fight is with me."
Silence.
Then, the Destroyer's head shifted, locking onto Thor.
Valeria watched closely. "What is he doing?"
Thor took a single step forward.
"No more," he said softly.
The Destroyer hesitated.
Then, it moved.
The great machine swung its massive arm, striking Thor with devastating force.
The blow sent him flying backward, his body hitting the ground with a sickening thud.
Jane gasped. "No!"
Silence.
Thor did not move.
Dust and debris settled over him. His body was lifeless.
Jane fell to her knees, tears brimming in her eyes. "He's… dead?"
Then—
A rumbling in the sky.
The air shifted.
The storm had returned.
Lightning crackled.
A bolt of pure energy shot down from the heavens—
Mjolnir moved.
To Be Continued…