Long Time No See • Natasha Romanoff

Part 51: Thats What Killing You Means

The small pod zooms around the large metal rings, signalling that they've made it to their destination. It was pivotal that they were able to get what they came for or any chance of beating the Titan was slim.

Nidavellir, The dying star. It's a shining light even in the dark, both in the context of the fight against Thanos, and in the vastness that is space. This wasn't any old star, no. This was used to cast the most deadly weapons the galaxy has ever seen. Two being the mighty Mjolnir, and the Golden Gauntlet wielded by Thanos himself.

"I don't think you understand the scientifics here." Rocket says, voicing his lack of faith in Thors plan to activate the star. Thor stands on the pod as it floats towards the rings, which have frozen over. "These rings are gigantic. You wanna get them moving you're gonna need something a lot bigger to yank 'em loose."

"Leave that to me." Thor says as he hops from the top of the pod to the solid floor of the metal. His eye is now replaced by a fake rocket was able to sneak off a hostile planet by... you know what, it's not relevant.

"Leave it to you? Buddy, you're in space. All you got is a rope and a..." But before he can finish he's being flung around by Thor, who's using the rope to swing him around in circles. Once Thor is satisfied that the pod is travelling at an adequate speed, he lifts off the floor and lets the momentum of the pod to shoot himself off the ring. Rocket fires the engines to max speed and as they come flying past the next ring, Thor grabs the metal and pulls with all his might to slow the pod down, using his feet as a lever so that they crank over.

As he comes to the end, her plants his feet on the floor and grabs the rope with both hands, as the power isn't quite enough as it is. "More...power... rabbit!" Thor yells and instantly feels the increased strain on the rope, but he can also feel the rings cranking free of the ice that shut them closed. With a final pull and a yell, the huge metal rings form, and all fluently fall into place around the star.

In a flash of orange and purple, Nidavellir is revived. Once Thor is back onto the pod and has scaled the rope, he taps on the window.

"That's Nidavellir!" He yells and points at the beautiful star. Rockets eyes light up at the magnificent swirls and lights that come out of the star, it's one of the most beautiful and scary sights he's even encountered.

With a surge of power, a organs beam shoots towards the casting section of the rings, triggering the heating mechanism to sting into action after a long break off. But the pieces holding the rings open is, unfortunately, broken with the sudden awakening of its partner.

"Damn it." The dwarf says in defeat. All of that work to activate it and problems just seem to be cascading.

""Damn it" what's "Damn it?"" Rockets asks, thinking it's another term for the mechanisms, when in reality it's just a phrase people say when they encounter problems.

"The mechanism is crippled." Eitri confirms.

"What?" Thor asks, still not believing that something so little as a small mechanism failing is enough to halter their progress.

"With the Iris closed, I can't heat the metal." The giant dwarf says.

"How long will it take to heat it?" The Asgardian asks, hoping that this isn't going to be as big as a deal as Eitri is making this out of be.

"A few minutes, maybe more. Why?"

"I'm going to hold it open." He says, and it's clear by the tone of his voice that he's convincing himself he can do this. He's psyching himself up. Even for Thor, holding open a dying star, one as strong as Nidavellir, is not easy.

"That's suicide." The dwarf says, and even in all of his days he's never seen anyone with the strength of Thor, and even more so, never seen anyone show such a great feat of strength.

"So is facing Thanos without that axe." He spats and he leaps from the pod, pushing himself in a superman pose towards the mechanism.

"Allfathers give me strength." He mumbles and in all of his 1500 years of existence, he's never needed the strength of the Allfathers, until now.

"You understand, boy? You're about to take the full force of the star. It'll kill you." Eitri says, but there's no talking Thor out of this. Not when the chance of Avenging his brother, Heimdall and all of the Asgardian people is on the line.

"Only of I die." He says and takes a deep exhale as he prepares himself, mentally and physically, for the feat.

"Yes. That's what...killing you means." The giant dwarf says and arches his eyebrows in confusion. Thor was never the most readable person.

He reaches out to the levers to his right and left, and with a little tug and a second moment to ensure his grip is good, he uses all of his might to lift the mechanism that allows the power of Nidavellir to shoot through him, along her to heat the metal.

The pure force and speed at which the power the force he's getting hit with enough to leave burns on his back and arms, but despite this he stands firm and yells, convincing himself that this is possible and he needs to be able to hold it.

"Hold it! Hold it, Thor!" Eitri yells and rushes of to the prepare the mould and to make sure that the metal is being heated.

Thor's power is enough for the time being bit for the metal to fully melt, he's got to hold his position for a couple of moment more. Once it had, the dwarf tilts the pot to the side and it slides easily into the mould of the axe head.

Despite all of Thors strength and straining, his body gives in to the power and is flung fierce the casting area of the rings. Rocket tries his best to catch him, or slow his speed somehow but it's too late and he flies into the top of the entrance and falls to the floor, rolling as his body skids limply across the hard metal floor.

A teenage Groot looks up from his gaming tablet to see that Thors limp body has flown past him and spares a look of sympathy. Rocket lands the ship and hops out to inspect Thors condition. He runs to his side and yells: "Thor! Say something. Come on." Thor shows no sign of hearing him. ""Thor, you okay?"

The dwarf throws the mould off the table and onto the floor, where the newly cast axe head lays, bit without any handle. Without the handle the axe is as of the same use as a pencil when fighting Thanos.

"I think he's dying!" Rocket yells, and the strain on his voice can be heard by all, although none see to notice as they all scramble to help him. Apart from Groot who is currently sitting with the gaming tablet in his hands, looking around at the commotion.

"He needs the axe!" He yells and looks around manically, looking for any sign of the handle. "Where's the handle?!" He yells. A thought pops into Groots head, and decides that the. best option that they've got as of right now is the one where he sacrifices an arm. "Tree, help me find the handle!"

He puts the tablet down and walks over to the two stray pieces of metal and extends the beaches in his arm. He then wraps a few branches around one end of the axe and his second around the sharp, curved end and brining them together. He moans ag the burning sensation in his arm but it's swiftly relieved when he brings up his free arm and knocks off the other arm. Leaving a newly formed, and albeit shoddy, fully-functioning axe.

Thors seemingly lifeless hand extends to the direction of the axe, and funnily enough the weapon is raised off the floor, blue sparks of his signature lighting sprawling off the axe as it levitates.

His fingers curl in wide and extended grip, in a similar way he would when he summoned the deadly Mjolnir to his hand, tiny blue bolts jumping from finger to finger.

A/N: I know this is slow but I want to make this as painfully slow as I possibly can, so when he snaps I can finally kick back and look down upon whoever reads this with a satisfied smirk.

;)