The Phoenix Force blazed brightly, consuming Thanos' lifeless body. The flames reduced him to ashes, ensuring his complete and irreversible end.
Thor watched the Mad Titan's remains burn, but his expression betrayed little joy in victory.
The nightmare that had haunted him for decades—Thanos, the enemy of his life—was now history. More than twenty years of struggle and hardship had finally paid off. Thor had changed his destiny, yet a strange melancholy lingered.
Nearby, Tony Stark's Celestial Armor opened slowly, allowing him to step out. He approached Thor, his movements weary, and muttered, "So... is this nightmare finally over? Because I'm broke. The drones? Toast. The Iron Legion? Scrap metal. Mark 85? Gone. And now even the last Celestial Armor is kaput."
Tony's words came faster, his frustration spilling over. "I was planning to use this beauty to challenge you, but nooooo, instead it gets wrecked by Grimace over there."
Thor listened, his expression softening. He suddenly pulled Tony into a bear hug.
"Yes," Thor said simply. "It's over."
Tony hesitated, then patted Thor's back. "Yeah... it's over."
The battlefield had quieted, but the cost was clear.
The Nine Realms, united against a common enemy, would now be a forbidden zone in the universe. Earth's hidden power, often underestimated, had revealed itself to be among the greatest in the cosmos.
Thor's presence filled the void left by Odin and the Ancient One, solidifying him as the new uncrowned king of the universe.
"That's the best news I've heard all day!"
The voice was strange yet familiar. Thor and Tony turned to see a short man—barely 1.6 meters tall—approaching. His face struck a chord of recognition, but the half-broken shield in his hand caught their attention most.
"Uh... are you Steve's kid?" Tony asked, raising an eyebrow. "Wait, no, that doesn't make sense. Did the Captain have a kid we didn't know about? And who in their right mind would send a minor to the battlefield?"
Tony's trademark sarcasm was in full effect, but Thor chuckled. "Steve? Is that you?"
Captain America, now stripped of his super-soldier enhancements, smiled warmly. "The world doesn't need an old soldier like me anymore. Maybe it's time I finally retired."
Sam Wilson, the Falcon, landed beside him, folding his wings. "Well, congratulations, Steve. You can finally take it easy. But... it's a little sad knowing there's no Captain America in my world anymore."
Steve's smile didn't waver. "Everyone has it in them to be a captain."
"Hey, Brooklyn!"
Bucky Barnes, his vibranium arm gleaming, ran up to join the group.
Thor watched the reunion with a small smile but soon turned away, his gaze landing on Doctor Strange standing nearby. Even without his magic, the Sorcerer Supreme exuded confidence, his cloak billowing dramatically in the wind.
Thor approached him. "Is this the ending you foresaw?"
Strange nodded. "Yes. If it had been revealed, it would no longer exist."
Thor understood. If Strange had interfered or shared what he knew, the course of events would have shifted unpredictably. Dormammu, Surtur, and Nightmare might never have emerged, but neither would Thor's newfound power. The battle with Thanos would have been far more difficult, if not impossible.
Thor shook his head and turned to leave. After a few steps, he paused, an amused thought crossing his mind.
"You know," he said, looking back at Strange, "I just realized—I took care of two major problems for you. Dormammu and Nightmare, wasn't that Kamar-Taj's job?"
Strange shrugged. "Perhaps. But you seem to have taken to multitasking."
Thor smirked. "What my lover does is what I do. So, shouldn't you at least offer me a reward?"
"Like what?" Strange asked, arching an eyebrow.
Thor grinned mischievously. "An Infinity Gem or two?"