36

Thor drifted in a haze, his consciousness slipping between memory and reality. He was a boy again, listening in awe as his father recounted tales of valor and sacrifice. He remembered the pride of being a warrior, but also the heavy words Odin had spoken: that a king's duty was not only to fight, but to protect his people.

John's words echoed through the fog. As a king, you should never let your people down.

Now, as flames and chaos raged outside, Thor felt the weight of that responsibility. He sensed Jane's presence, her voice breaking through the darkness, her tears falling onto his face. Even battered and broken, he wanted to rise, to shield those he cared for.

Move. Move!

He willed his body to respond. Sparks of electricity flickered at his fingertips. Fifty miles away, Mjolnir pulsed in the crater, Odin's enchantment swirling around it.

Whoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor.

Odin's voice resonated in the storm. When a king is willing to sacrifice for his people, he is worthy.

John, watching over Thor, pressed his wand to Thor's chest and whispered, "Rennervate." Silver light danced over his gloved hand. He placed his finger gently on Thor's heart, channeling a jolt of lightning through it.

Thor's eyes snapped open. He sat up with a gasp, chest heaving as life surged back into him.

John let out a long sigh of relief. "Finally awake. That was almost a disaster."

Thor blinked, still dazed. He looked at John. "Didn't you say you would help me?"

John coughed, glancing away. "Well, there was a bit of an accident. Who knew things would get this wild?"

Thor struggled to his feet, his gaze drawn to the Star Spirit Guardian battling the Destroyer. The memory of the little golden figure flashed in his mind. Was that tiny creature truly the fearsome guardian now trading blows with the Asgardian weapon?

John caught Thor's confusion. "That is the guardian here. You saw it before."

Even Thor, who had seen much in his life, was momentarily at a loss. The world was stranger than he had ever imagined.

John gripped Thor's shoulders, his tone suddenly serious. "Think of your father, Thor. Remember what it means to be a king. When you are willing to sacrifice for your people, you are the most qualified king."

Thor stared at his hands, wrestling with doubt. "Am I truly a worthy king?"

His past mistakes flashed before him. The arrogance, the recklessness, the pain he had caused.

Sif rushed over, grabbing his arm. "Thor, let us get out of here!"

The Warriors Three echoed her plea, desperate to escape the devastation.

But Thor shook his head. "No. This is what I must face."

John rubbed his chin, thinking aloud. "Why not try lifting your hammer? If you can wield it again, you will have the power to end this."

Thor hesitated, then nodded. "What about you?"

"I will hold it off," John said with a small smile. "That is our deal, is it not?"

Thor gave him a grateful look, then turned to the others. "I will go. Buy me time."

Daisy pointed to the wrecked cars. "How are we supposed to get there? Everything is destroyed."

John raised his hand. At the edge of town, a yellow taxi appeared, as if summoned by magic.

Everyone stared in disbelief. "Are there even taxis in this place?"

Thor climbed in, pausing to look at John. "You are a good man. Thank you."

John nodded. "Go, and come back soon."

The taxi sped away, leaving John, Sif, and the Warriors Three to face the Destroyer.

Sif and the others drew their weapons. "We will buy time for Thor. Protect Jane and the others."

John twirled his wand between his fingers, eyes narrowing to vertical slits. Now it was time to take things seriously.

He vanished, reappearing behind the Destroyer in a flash. Red lightning crackled from his wand.

"Expelliarmus!"

The spell struck the Destroyer like thunder, shoving its massive frame forward. The ground split beneath its feet, but the weapon barely staggered.

John frowned. "So the disarming spell does not work on a weapon that is itself a weapon. Uru metal truly is formidable."

The Destroyer turned its visor toward John, unleashing a torrent of fire. The Star Spirit Guardian leapt up, landing a punch that knocked the Destroyer's head aside. The two titans clashed, each attack sending shockwaves through the ruins of Old Bridge.

The Destroyer seized the guardian and hurled it through the air. The Star Spirit opened its mouth, gathering white light for a counterattack. The Destroyer responded in kind, their beams colliding and exploding in a storm of energy that flattened the surrounding buildings.

The Asgardians shielded Jane and her friends, retreating as the battlefield turned to rubble. The Star Spirit Guardian, battered and spent, tumbled from the sky, shrinking back into its golden form. John caught it with a flick of his wand, then tossed it to Sif, who passed it to Volstagg. The little creature buzzed with curiosity, unfazed by the chaos.

Now it was just John and the Destroyer.

Half the town lay in ruins. John's face grew solemn. "A weapon forged by gods."

He traced the Elder Wand with his fingers. This was a true test, a battle between the Witch King and the might of Asgard.

The Destroyer's visor opened again. John spun away in a burst of magic, Apparating from place to place, dodging each attack. He reappeared, wand blazing with red light, and sent the Destroyer flying down the street.

He did not let up. "Oppugno!" he cried, and debris from the shattered buildings rose into the air, pelting the Destroyer in a relentless barrage. Sparks flew as stone and metal battered the Uru armor.

"Impedimenta!"

The Destroyer spun, knocked away by an invisible force, and crashed outside the town limits. John Apparated after it, relentless.

Those left behind could only gape in amazement.

Volstagg's jaw dropped. "That wizard is incredible."

Hogun's expression was grave. There was power in Midgard after all.

John pressed the attack, dodging blasts and retaliating with spell after spell. "Confringo! Protego!" Explosions rocked the landscape, and John shielded himself with the Iron Armor Charm. Still, the Destroyer rose, unscathed.

John could not help but admire the craftsmanship. "Uru metal is truly something else."

But he was not finished. Dark clouds gathered in the distance. Thor was drawing near to Mjolnir.

John readied his next move. Silver light danced along his wand.

The Destroyer advanced, visor glowing. John waited until the last moment, then slashed his wand.

"Diffindo!"

A blade of silver light sliced through the Destroyer's arm. The armor trembled, a piece clattering to the ground. John watched, surprised that the spell had worked at all.

The Destroyer retaliated, unleashing a massive beam. John soared into the sky, wings of magic unfurling from his back. He rained down a sphere of light, the explosion engulfing the Destroyer in a dome of energy.

When the dust settled, the Destroyer stood in the center, briefly stunned. John reached out, and two shards of Uru metal flew into his hand.

He smiled. "That was worth the effort."

Thunder rumbled overhead. The Destroyer's visor glowed, readying another attack.

Suddenly, Mjolnir streaked through the storm, slamming into the Destroyer and sending it flying back toward Old Bridge.

John watched as Thor, now clad in his armor once more, stood tall and proud. He could not help but smile. "He really does love his brother."