Satoru and Thor strolled through the high-arched corridors of the palace. Satoru held a silver tray with intricate design piled high with golden cakes, taking casual bites from the pile.
"The texture is incredible," Satoru muttered, gesturing with a half-eaten piece. "It's fluffy but dense, and the honey has this floral aftertaste that doesn't linger too long. It's a solid ten out of ten, Thor."
Thor, holding a cake in one hand and a large bottle of Asgardian ale in the other, let out a chuckle. He slowed his pace and looked at Satoru with a sudden uncharacteristic seriousness.
"Gojo," Thor said, his voice lowering. "If you do not mind my asking... what exactly are you going to use the Mind Stone for? A power like that is not a simple bauble."
Satoru stopped mid-chew. He debated for a second whether to give an answer or not, but he realized Thor was just genuinely concerned. Plus, the guy was literally taking him to see dwarves and helping him with a 'housing' problem.
He swallowed the bite and sighed. "Do you remember the technique I used to scrap Ultron? And Novi Grad just... stopped being there?"
Thor nodded slowly. "I remember. It was a power I have only heard sung by bards and stories from my father."
"It's called a Domain Expansion," Satoru explained, leaning his back against a gold-leafed pillar. "It's the pinnacle of sorcery where I come from. What I used is called Unlimited Void: Nihility. Unlimited Void being the base of it and Nihility is what I added on over the years. Dare I say, it's the crème de la crème of Domain Expansions out there."
He doesn't really mind filling in Thor on the basics. He looked at the golden ceiling, trying to find a way to explain the concept to Thor.
"Think of it like this, Thor. Imagine I hand you every book in the Asgardian library all at once. Every word, every history, every secret. Now imagine I force you to read all of them in a single second. Your brain would just... fry, right?" Satoru poked his own temple. "That's the 'Unlimited' part. But 'Nihility' goes a step further. It's like being at the center of a black hole where everything is 'nothing' and 'infinite' at the same time. The problem is, using it makes my brain feel like it's being squeezed through a wringer. I'm hoping the Mind Stone can act as a sort of... external hard drive or a stabilizer, so I don't accidentally turn my own head into mush while I'm using it against losers."
Thor stared at him, the ale bottle forgotten in his hand. "You are using a Stone of Creation to stabilize a technique of destruction."
"Pretty much," Satoru smirked, popping another cake into his mouth. "Risky? Maybe. But, if I can't handle it, nobody can."
Satoru paused mid-chew, he remembered Heimdall mentioning Thor's traveling before his arrival here. He looked over at him, who was taking a long swig of his ale.
"Your gatekeeper mentioned you were out in the far reaches of space when I called," Satoru said, popping the last bit of a honey cake into his mouth. "What was that about? Hunting for space-donuts?"
Thor's expression darkened slightly. "I was out searching for the other Infinity Stones. I have been traveling for weeks, only stopping when Heimdall notified me of your arrival."
"Searching for the other stones?" Satoru blinked in surprise as they reached a wide, open-air terrace. They stopped before the railing, looking out over the entire asgardian city. Below them, the sprawling waterfalls of Asgard tumbled into the space below. "Why the sudden interest? And did you actually find anything?"
Thor let out a heavy sigh, leaning his massive forearms against the gold-flecked railing. He gazed out at the horizon with exhaustion.
"I... had visions," Thor admitted quietly. "Visions of a great shadow falling over Asgard. "The visions implied that our home is in grave danger and that a threat of immense magnitude lies out there, seeking the stones to achieve something. I sought to find them before this threat could, but…"
He trailed off, shaking his head in frustration.
"My search was fruitless and devoid of even a whisper of their presence," Thor said, his voice laced with disappointment. "It was as if they have been scrubbed from the stars themselves. Not even a trace remained for me to follow."
Satoru leaned back against a pillar, his blue eyes out from their blindfold, scanning the sky.
"Visions of a big bad and adventure hunting in space for pebbles," Satoru muttered, his lopsided smirk returning but not quite reaching his eyes. "Sounds like a headache to me, honestly."
Satoru and Thor continued their conversation as they finished their sweets and refreshments.
Satoru tossed the empty silver tray onto a nearby table with a satisfied exhale.
"Alright, sugar high is achieved. I'm ready to move," Satoru said, adjusting the sleeves of his black jacket.
Thor finished the last of his ale and set the bottle down. "Then let us go. I shall take you to the smiths of Nidavellir so you can be done with your errand and we can return for a proper feast."
Satoru simply nodded, and the two of them walked off, leaving the terrace behind and making their way back across the Rainbow Bridge toward the golden observatory.
As they stepped back into the domed chamber, Thor didn't waste any time. He looked toward the golden guardian standing at the center.
"Heimdall! Open the Bifrost. Take us to Nidavellir!" Thor commanded, his voice echoing.
Heimdall, however, did not immediately move to rotate his sword. He frowned, his amber eyes glowing with a troubled intensity as he stared into the void.
"I do not know if that is wise, Odinson," Heimdall said, his voice unusually heavy.
Thor raised a brow, confused. "And why is that? It is a short journey, and the dwarves are allies of the throne."
Satoru leaned back against the curved wall, throwing a look at Heimdall that clearly said, 'Yeah, why the hold-up?'
Heimdall spoke slowly, his gaze never leaving the stars. "The homeworld of the dwarves... is being eluded by a cloak. A dark shroud has fallen over that sector of space, and I can no longer see past the space it occupies.
Thor's expression shifted from confusion to a cold hard focus. "Eluded? By whom?"
"I cannot say," Heimdall replied. "But the shadows I sense there are cold. If you go, you might encounter a force that has already set foot in Nidavellir."
"Have you notified my father of this?" Thor asked.
Heimdall nodded slowly. "I have. But the King has no intention of taking action at this time."
"What?" Thor asked incredulously. "The dwarves are under our protection! Why would Father ignore them?"
Thor was genuinely confused and was getting suspicious. Nidavellir was more than just a long-standing ally; it was one of the Nine Realms the Asgardian throne had sworn to defend. The dwarves were the legendary smiths who had forged the very foundations of Asgard's weapons. They had breathed life into Mjolnir, fashioned Odin's spear, Gungnir, and countless others made for Asgardians. To turn a blind eye to them was disgraceful and unacceptable.
Heimdall remained silent. He would not question the decrees of his King.
Thor turned to Satoru, the apology already forming on his lips for the delay, but he never got the chance to speak. Mjolnir suddenly began to vibrate in his grip. Frantic sparks of electricity crackled across the hammer's surface, and sharp sparks of blue lightning danced toward the floor.
Thor's brow furrowed as he gripped the handle tighter. He could feel it through the leather — a resonance of distress, as if the weapon was mourning its creators.
"Something is very wrong," Thor muttered thoughtfully. He looked at Satoru with a grim determination. "Gojo, the path ahead is likely more dangerous than I promised. Would you still like to accompany me to see what has befallen Nidavellir?"
Satoru shrugged, his hands still casually in his pockets. "Sure, why not? We were heading there anyway, right? I don't really mind."
Thor turned back to the gatekeeper, his cape snapping as he squared his shoulders. "Heimdall, open the Bifrost. Take us there now."
"But the King—" Heimdall started.
"I will answer to my father once this matter is resolved!" Thor countered, his voice booming with the authority of the Prince of Asgard.
Heimdall looked from Thor to the white-haired sorcerer. After a heartbeat of hesitation, he plunged his sword into the central pedestal and twisted.
"Brace yourselves," Heimdall warned.
The observatory erupted into a roar of kaleidoscopic light. The Rainbow Bridge flared with immense power, and in a violent flash, Satoru and Thor were ripped from the dome and shot into the dark, silent void toward the Star-Forge.
…
[ Nidavellir ]
The deafening pounding from the Star-Forge ceased, replaced by a thick and suffocating silence.
In the center of the massive ring, smoke curled from a newly forged object resting on a cooling pedestal.
Eitri, the King of the Dwarves, stood trembling. His massive frame was covered in soot and sweat, his eyes bloodshot from the heat of a neutron star. He turned slowly toward the shadowed figure watching him from the edge of the platform.
"It's done," Eitri rasped, his voice cracking with exhaustion and shame.
Thanos stood up from his seat, the heavy gold of his armor clanking softly. He walked toward the pedestal where the Infinity Gauntlet sat — a dull, unadorned glove of Uru metal, yet designed with a complexity that could bridge the gap between mortal will and universal law.
The Titan reached out and slid his left hand into the gauntlet. He flexed his fingers, the metal grinding perfectly against his skin. For a moment, he stared at the empty sockets on the knuckles, imagining them filled with the shifting colors of the stones he seeks.
"You have outdone yourself, Dwarf," Thanos said with a low rumble of satisfaction. "My plan is finally in motion."
He turned on his heel, his heavy boots thumping against the metal floor as he began to walk away. Eitri let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, believing that it's finally over.
But Thanos abruptly stopped.
"Kill them," the Titan commanded, not even looking back. "Leave the Dwarf King alive, but take off his arms. He shouldn't be tempted to forge anything else."
"Yes, Father," Proxima Midnight and Corvus Glaive replied in unison, bowing their heads.
Thanos continued his walk toward his waiting ship. Eitri's eyes went wide. The world seemed to slow down as the horror of the command settled in.
"NO!" Eitri roared, lunging forward with a desperate, clumsy speed. "YOU SWORE! You said if I forged it, you would spare my people!"
Before he could take three steps, Corvus Glaive moved like a blur. He slammed the butt of his polearm into Eitri's chest and pinned the King's head hard against the cold metal floor.
Eitri struggled, screaming in agony and fury, but his eyes were forced toward the gathering of his people. He saw the Outriders, the Chitauri soldiers, and a few of the Black Order advancing toward the huddling groups of dwarven children, women, and his fellow smiths with their weapons raised and aimed at the crowd.
"NO! STOP! PLEASE!" Eitri's scream tore through the forge. "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
But, the firing never started.
A thunderous crack suddenly sounded out through the Forge that made Thanos glance at the sky.
A massive pillar of kaleidoscopic light slammed into the metal floor between the dwarves and the Black Order, sending a shockwave that knocked the advancing Chitauri off their feet.
The Bifrost light receded, revealing two figures in the center of the ring. Thor stood tall, his red cape whipping in the heat-starved air and Mjolnir sparked with arcs of lightning. Beside him, Satoru stood with his hands casually in his pockets, his white hair barely ruffled.
Eitri, still pinned by Corvus Glaive's polearm, stared through the settling dust, his voice a broken rasp. "Thor...?"
Satoru let out a long whistle, his head swiveling to take in the warships, the army of monsters, and the giant purple man walking toward a ship.
"Whoa," Satoru started, pointing toward Thanos "Thor, look! It's a big purple nutsack!"
He looked directly at the Mad Titan, who had stopped and turned around.
"Hey, purple nutsack!" Satoru called out, waving a hand. "Nice glove. Does it come in men's sizes?"
...
[Author's Notes]: Pfft! Purple nutsack... Pfft!
I realized I might've fucked up the pacing. I'll fix that. Thankfully, it's still early.
We're at 30+ chapters in. If you liked the story so far, would appreciate a review or some spare power stones; those two things go a long way as motivation as an author, imo.
Additionally, guys, Thanos didn't wait for Odin to die; that's literally just fan theory. Plus, this is fanfiction.
Advanced chapters & show of support: Patreon.com/Shiriai
Daily chapter drop (One each): Monday → Sunday.
Powerstone Goal (When including the DCD and this goal is met, there'll be two chapters released when Sunday arrives): 1,500 Powerstones [DROP THOSE STONES!!]
My private island, let's hang out: discord.gg/E5Nhb5aSNY