Ethan tightened his grip around Sif's long sword, eyes locked on the Destroyer as he charged forward.
With two swift, powerful slashes, the enchanted blade cut deep into the armored construct's chest, leaving jagged cracks that exposed the surging energy within.
Sparks danced wildly as the metal groaned under the strain.
The sword trembled in his hands from the sheer force of impact, but thanks to his ability, the blade held firm.
If it weren't for his control over vectors reinforcing the weapon, even a dwarven-forged blade might have shattered from such force.
"Not bad," Ethan muttered, watching as golden runes flared to life, slowly repairing the damage. "But let's see how long that trick holds up."
Without hesitation, he launched himself back at the Destroyer, unleashing a relentless flurry of strikes.
His attack pattern prioritized offense over everything else, focusing entirely on overwhelming his opponent.
It was an aggressive, almost reckless technique—one that had only one goal: to carve his enemy into pieces before they had a chance to fight back.
"It's working!" Volstagg called out, watching the growing cracks across the Destroyer's body.
Reinvigorated, he exchanged glances with Fandral and Hogan before rallying with a battle cry. "For Asgard!"
The trio rushed in, their weapons raised high.
Volstagg leaped onto a nearby car and swung his massive axe down toward the Destroyer's neck.
BANG!
The moment his axe made contact, a jarring shockwave nearly knocked the weapon from his grip.
Instead of a clean strike, the axe barely left a scratch.
A faint golden glow flickered across the Destroyer's armor, and in an instant, the mark was gone.
Before Volstagg could react, the Destroyer casually swung its arm, swatting him and the others aside like insects.
The three warriors tumbled through the air, crashing hard onto the pavement.
"Are these guys even trying?" Ethan sighed, shaking his head. "At least bring something to the table before jumping in like that."
Despite his grumbling, he didn't hesitate.
The Destroyer's faceplate opened, preparing to unleash its destructive energy on the fallen warriors.
In a blur, Ethan appeared in front of the towering machine, gripping Sif's long sword.
Without missing a beat, he plunged the blade straight into the glowing core of its outstretched palm.
A pulse of energy surged through the air, and for a brief moment, the light in the Destroyer's hand intensified—then imploded.
A violent explosion followed, sending metal shards flying.
Sif's long sword, unable to withstand the force, shattered, fragments clattering onto the ground.
The Destroyer stumbled back, clutching its damaged arm as erratic energy flared from the deep cracks spreading along the metal plating.
Unlike before, the self-repairing runes struggled to keep up.
This level of damage would take longer to heal—four, maybe five seconds.
"That's all I need," Ethan smirked. "Keep it busy!"
Understanding his intent, Sif, Volstagg, Fandral, and Hogan sprang into action.
They threw themselves at the Destroyer, grappling onto its limbs in an attempt to slow it down.
Their strength alone wasn't enough to restrain it, but it was enough to buy time.
Seizing the moment, Ethan snatched Volstagg's massive battle axe.
A faint hum filled the air as he focused his ability, amplifying the force behind the weapon.
Closing his eyes, Ethan attuned himself to the battlefield, feeling the chaotic dance of kinetic energy surging through the air—every clash of weapons, every shockwave, every tremor rippling through the ground.
It was everywhere, a vast sea of motion waiting to be harnessed.
Through sheer will, he seized control, drawing the raw energy toward himself.
The wind around him stirred violently, dust and debris lifting as if gravity had momentarily loosened its grip.
The very air crackled with invisible force, bending to his command.
With a determined growl, he swung it directly at the most damaged part of the Destroyer's arm.
BOOM!
A deafening shockwave erupted, sending an invisible blast rippling through the battlefield.
The sheer force was enough to make Sif and the others reel back, blood trickling from the corners of their mouths as they staggered away.
CRACK!
The Destroyer's arm split wide open, jagged fractures spreading through the metal like veins of lightning.
The axe, however, couldn't withstand the sheer magnitude of the attack. With one final shudder, it crumbled into dust.
At this moment, the Destroyer staggered back, clutching its damaged arm.
It no longer advanced but instead prioritized repairing itself, its internal systems determining that self-preservation was more important than continuing the battle.
Ethan wasn't about to let that happen.
Without hesitation, he discarded the broken remnants of his weapon and lunged forward.
His hand clamped down on the Destroyer's arm, and with a surge of raw strength, he twisted his body and slammed the towering automaton into the ground.
The pavement cracked beneath its weight as dust and debris shot into the air.
Ethan followed up by stomping down on its already broken limb, pinning it in place.
"Don't need any fancy Asgardian weapons," Ethan muttered, eyes narrowing as he focused on the Destroyer's shattered limb. "I think we're past that point."
With a determined expression, he extended his hand over the damaged appendage.
"Let's see you recover from this."
A surge of energy pulsed through his palm.
The golden runes along the Destroyer's arm flickered erratically, reacting violently to his manipulation of the surrounding vectors.
The intricate inscriptions began to shatter one by one, unable to withstand the overwhelming force pressing down on them.
Cracks webbed outward at an alarming rate, and with a sharp, deafening snap—
The Destroyer's arm tore off completely.
"Ethan, look out!" Sif's urgent warning rang out.
The Destroyer's head snapped toward them, and the energy emitter beneath its mask glowed ominously as it charged another blast.
"Oh, shut up already!" Ethan growled, gripping the severed arm and, with a mighty heave, shoving it straight into the Destroyer's own faceplate.
BOOM!
A blinding explosion erupted from the point of impact.
The ground trembled violently, and a towering column of smoke and fire shot into the sky, engulfing the battlefield in thick dust.
"Cough—damn it," Ethan muttered, waving his hand in front of his face as he coughed.
Without hesitation, he snapped his fingers, sending a powerful gust of wind surging outward, instantly clearing the dust.
In the heart of the destruction, the Destroyer was on one knee, its once-impenetrable body riddled with gaping holes.
Energy poured from its wounds like molten gold, and cracks spread across its form like fractured glass.
It was barely holding itself together.
"There! Its core!" Sif shouted, pointing toward the exposed, rune-inscribed sphere pulsating inside the Destroyer's chest.
Ethan smirked. "Then let's finish this."
He extended his hand, gathering energy at his fingertips.
Unlike before, this time, two opposing forces spiraled violently around his palm, colliding and compressing into something far more volatile.
Silver-blue sparks flickered wildly as the energy condensed into a crackling white mass.
The very air hummed with tension as the compressed plasma in his hand coalesced into an electrified spear of destruction.
"Let's see you tank this."
With a single, fluid motion, Ethan surged forward, piercing through the hole in the Destroyer's chest and slamming his attack directly into its exposed core.
A deafening crack split the air—
Then, an eruption of uncontrolled energy sent the Destroyer hurtling backward, smashing through several buildings before finally crashing against a distant wall.
The impact left a crater in its wake as residual energy crackled from its body, signaling that it was on the verge of collapse.
"Is it over?" Fandral muttered, struggling to his feet alongside the others.
They could see the Destroyer barely moving, its form flickering with unstable energy.
"Maybe," Ethan murmured, staring at the glowing runes still trying to hold the machine together.
His expression darkened. "But… does anyone else think this thing is about to explode?"
Sif hesitated, then exchanged glances with the others. "Well… maybe the runes will stabilize it?"
Before anyone could answer, a sudden clap of thunder boomed in the distance, shaking the heavens.
A deep, triumphant laugh echoed across the battlefield.
They all knew that voice.
Thor had returned.
Having finally reclaimed Mjolnir, the God of Thunder soared through the sky, his presence undeniable.
With renewed strength, he charged toward the battlefield, his cape billowing behind him.
Spotting his companions below, he saw them waving frantically. A grin spread across his face. "Ah, I see they welcome my return!"
Fueled by his eagerness to prove himself once more, Thor turned his attention to the Destroyer.
His eyes gleamed as he raised Mjolnir high above his head.
"I am Thor, God of Thunder! For the glory of Asgard!" With a mighty swing, he brought Mjolnir crashing into the Destroyer's chest, sending a burst of electricity surging through its weakened form.
For a moment, everything went still.
Then—
The Destroyer convulsed violently as the unstable energy inside it finally lost control.
The golden runes shattered, releasing an uncontrollable surge of light.
"Oh, you idiot," Ethan muttered, already stepping back.
The Destroyer's body turned into a miniature sun, swelling and expanding as it consumed everything around it in a storm of energy.
The brightness was blinding, and the air crackled with sheer power.
As the energy sphere grew to an overwhelming size, the battlefield braced for the inevitable explosion. But then—
Instead of detonating outward, the fireball suddenly imploded, rapidly collapsing in on itself like a dying star.
In the center of the phenomenon, a tiny black void appeared, devouring everything it touched. Within seconds, the destructive force vanished—along with half of the town.
Volstagg let out a long breath and collapsed onto the ground. "By the gods… If that thing had gone off properly, we'd be vaporized."
"Where's Thor?" Sif asked urgently.
Before anyone could answer, Mjolnir came soaring down from the sky, dragging along an unconscious Thor, who landed with a loud thud in front of them.
"…Well, that could have gone worse." Ethan crossed his arms, looking down at the fallen God of Thunder. "Welcome back, big guy. How's the flight?"
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Word count: 1674
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