Removing Aether

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Seeing Malekith's actions, Kai said to Thor and Jane, "Ha, it looks like he can sense your presence too. That means we have to face him head-on. Are you ready?"

Loki smirked. "I'm ready!"

They exchanged glances before telling Jane to stay put. Then, standing up from the hillside, they faced Malekith.

Loki, though prepared to act with them, still complained to Thor, "This plan will get us killed!"

Thor simply replied, "Maybe."

Kai turned to Loki and reassured him, "Don't worry, we're strong."

Tony gave a silent nod, preparing for the upcoming battle. But Loki shot Kai a suspicious look. "Are you implying I lack combat skills?"

Doubtful of Kai's words, Loki extended his handcuffed wrists toward Thor. "You still don't trust me, brother?"

Thor glanced at him and countered, "Do you trust yourself?"

Loki hesitated. "I don't."

Even so, Thor stepped forward and unlocked the handcuffs, figuring that an extra fighter would be useful.

The moment the restraints fell, Loki swiftly pulled out the dagger Thor had given him and stabbed him in the stomach.

"Oh! Thor!" Jane gasped in horror, rushing forward, while Tony recoiled in shock.

Without hesitation, Loki kicked Thor off the mountain and followed him down. As Thor tried to summon Mjolnir, Loki slashed his right hand off, preventing him from wielding the hammer. Then, stepping over him, Loki sneered at Malekith, "All I want is to see you and Odin crushed beneath me."

Jane ran to Thor's side, checking his injuries.

Kai and Tony hurried after them, but before they could react, Loki struck them down effortlessly. They collapsed, unable to move.

Loki then grabbed Jane and threw her before Malekith. "Malekith, I am Loki of Jotunheim, and I bring you a great gift."

His request was simple. "I only ask one thing—let me watch Asgard burn."

Malekith was skeptical, but the cursed warrior whispered in his ear, "He is an enemy of Asgard."

With that confirmation, Malekith believed Loki and turned to Thor. "Look at me."

Ignoring Kai and Tony, whom he deemed insignificant, Malekith raised his hand, manipulating the Aether within Jane's body. Jane floated in the air as the Aether was forcibly drawn from her, forming a swirling mass of energy. Once extracted, Jane dropped to the ground.

Malekith, captivated by the recovered Aether, failed to notice Kai suddenly appear beside him.

Thor's voice rang out. "Loki, now!"

Kai reached out and touched the Aether's surface, then quickly grabbed Jane and retreated.

In that instant, Loki's illusion faded—Thor's severed hand reappeared, still attached to him. Mjolnir shot into his grasp, and he immediately summoned a bolt of lightning, striking the Aether.

Tony, seeing them take action, launched over a dozen explosive projectiles at the Aether.

The energy overload triggered a massive explosion.

Earlier, while descending the mountain, Kai had secretly pulled Tony aside and explained Thor and Loki's plan. Expecting a trick, he told Tony to play along and adapt.

The real goal was to extract the Aether from Jane's body and destroy it at the right moment.

As the smoke cleared, everyone's eyes locked on the explosion's center.

Malekith was gone. Only red crystalline dust hovered in the air before reforming into the Aether and merging into Malekith's body once more.

Kai sighed. "Well, I guess our second objective failed."

Having absorbed the Aether, Malekith dismissed them as insignificant. He turned away, leaving them to his soldiers.

Kai knew a battle was unavoidable. "Alright, everyone—let's fight!"

With that, he cast large-scale freezing magic, encasing the dark elf warriors in ice.

Tony and Thor seized the opportunity, dispatching their enemies one by one.

Unwilling to give up, Thor charged at Malekith, forcing him to engage. When Thor flew at him, Malekith swatted him aside with a wave of his hand.

Loki moved to assist, but Kai stopped him. "Loki, don't engage head-on. Let us draw their fire while you attack from the shadows. That'll be more effective."

Loki considered his words and recalled his expertise—illusions and deception. Agreeing with the strategy, he vanished from sight.

Kai signaled Tony to back up Thor, easing the pressure on him. Then he turned to Jane. "Jane, stay put. We may not have time to protect you."

Jane nodded as Kai rushed forward to face Malekith.

Meanwhile, Tony bombarded the battlefield, eliminating clusters of dark elves. Soon, he found himself face-to-face with the cursed warrior.

Tony braced himself, but before he could act, Loki appeared behind the cursed warrior, ready to strike.

Unfortunately, his attack was dodged at the last second.

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