The Weight of the Universe | Avengers

13. Stormbreaker

N I D A V E L L I R

"What happened here?" Thor asks the only dwarf on the deserted planet and still lies on the ground, cautious with Eitri's violent behavior. Aurora helps Rocket and Groot up while an awful assumption crawls into her mind, having a dreadful idea of what happened in this place that once used to be so magical.

"You were supposed to protect us." Eitri's voice rises as he remembers the loss and pain, his trauma turning him incredibly angry and upset. "Asgard was supposed to protect us!"

"Asgard is destroyed." He informs him with a heavy tone and stands up. Aurora recognizes the shock and pain on Eitri's face and she immediately feels bad for him. Whatever Thanos has done, it has ruined his life. "Eitri, the glove. What did you do?"

The dwarf steps away and sits tiredly down in the dark corner, suddenly looking like a very old man who is burdened with the past. "300 dwarves lived on this ring. I thought if I did what he asked, they'd be safe. I made what he wanted. A device capable of harnessing the power of the stones. Then he killed everyone anyway. All except me. 'Your life is yours', he said, 'but your hands are mine alone'."

Aurora glances at the heavy iron hands that replace his flesh and she presses her lips together in sympathy. He had to watch all his friends die and must suffer from survivors guilt now. Also the others remain in a mournful silence, processing Eitri's trauma until Thor speaks up. "Eitri, this isn't about your hands. Every weapon you've ever designed, every axe, hammer, sword– it's all inside your head. Now I know it feels like all hope is lost, trust me, I know. But together, you and I, we can kill Thanos."

"Eitri, I'm sorry for what happened. Really am, Thanos is one purple son of a bitch. But Thor is right. The fate of the universe is in our hands– Sorry, pun not intended. Better, it's in your head and Thor's hands and only with your help, we can defeat Thanos and avenge your people. Otherwise their death was in vain and you let this monster win." She supports Thor's view and sends him a compassionate smile. "I'm Aurora, by the way. So? Will you help us?"

Eitri stares at Thor and Aurora and there's something in his eyes that shimmers through the darkness. Hope. He has faith in Odin's son and the rightful heir of Asgard. The tense silence breaks with a little nod of his and he stands up. "Follow me."

Aurora's face lightens up in relief and she's glad to welcome another ally on board. The four follow him through the shadowed corridor and eventually stop in front of a moveable, rusty piece of equipment that reveals an odd, big stone thing and Aurora frowns. This looks far from promising. And Rocket seems to share her opinion. "This is the plan? We're gonna hit him with a brick?"

"What Rocket wants to say is: Please, tell us that it's more than a brick." Aurora sugarcoats his comment and translates it in a nicer way.

"It's a mold." Eitri glances at Thor. "A king's weapon. Meant to be the greatest in Asgard. In theory, it could even summon the Bifrost."

"Did it have a name?" Thor asks in astonishment and Eitri nods with a light smile.

"Stormbreaker."

"Badass." Aurora grins in admiration and now has much higher expectations of the Thanos-killing weapon.

"That's a bit much." The raccoon still isn't really impressed by the plain brick. Obviously, he hasn't seen enough of Asgardian magic and might, like Mjölnir, to expect anything good out of it.