The unending roar of explosions echoed from below as the warriors of Asgard and the Chitauri clashed in brutal combat upon the Bifrost, the bridge connecting Asgard to the outside world...
In terms of individual strength, the Chitauri, armed with energy weapons, were nothing more than ordinary mechanical soldiers. They were utterly incomparable to the battle-hardened and rigorously trained warriors of Asgard.
But their advantage lay in sheer numbers. They overwhelmed their enemies through relentless waves of expendable troops.
From above, the battlefield looked like an endless tide of ants swarming and engulfing Asgard's forces.
The fearless Thor raised Mjolnir, divine power surging through his body as devastating bolts of lightning struck the battlefield again and again, annihilating countless Chitauri. Yet for every enemy slain, more poured forth, ferried by the armored Leviathans that surged forward without end.
In the skies, Asgardian warships armed with energy cannons rose, bombarding the oncoming hordes. Under the command of Chitauri riders, the serpentine Leviathans lunged like ravenous sharks.
Explosions of bright fire erupted across the battlefield, both sides suffering losses as the battle reached a stalemate. The fervor of war gradually waned in this grinding slaughter.
No matter how mighty Asgard was, even an elephant would eventually be devoured by an endless tide of ants...
"We must cut off the source! These damned creatures won't stop coming!" Thor bellowed.
Beside him, the warrior Sif swung her sword, cutting down several Chitauri. This was not like their past campaigns across the Nine Realms. These enemies were an alien race... One that was weak individually, but infinite in number.
"There must be a central command controlling these monsters. If they have no commander, then they must be linked another way!" Volstagg, one of the Warriors Three, shouted as he fought.
The Asgardian army pushed forward, hacking and slashing, yet they could not break the invaders' relentless advance.
The once-wide Bifrost had become cramped, packed with combatants from both sides. Warriors and Chitauri alike fell from the bridge, screaming as they plunged into the abyss beneath Yggdrasil, swallowed by the churning darkness below.
"Is this the king you chose? Thor is brave, yes... but what does reckless courage achieve? He nearly died in Jotunheim, was exiled to Midgard, and even became a prisoner of the humans. And now, against the Chitauri, what can he do? Is a true king meant to rush headlong into battle, seeking glory in slaughter?"
Loki's handsome face twisted with open mockery as he brandished his scepter, his voice a venomous hiss:
"In the end, it all comes down to blood. I am a Frost Giant's spawn, while Thor is of true royal lineage. That is what matters! No matter how well I perform, I will always be in his shadow!"
Dozens of armored Leviathans encircled the imposing Allfather. Sleipnir, the eight-legged steed, hovered in the air, its iron-hard hooves crackling with electricity as Odin sat astride it like an unshakable mountain.
The King of Asgard gazed calmly at his adopted son. Once a mistake was made, it grew like tangled weeds, feeding the flames of hatred until they burned uncontrollably.
Odin admitted that he had taken Loki in with his own motives, but the truth was not as cold and cruel as the trickster claimed.
"Even if you believe all of this is our fault, do you truly think Frigga's love for you was ever false?" Odin's voice was rough as he asked.
Loki fell silent. Even now, with his heart clouded by hatred, the Queen's kindness remained one of the few bright spots in his soul.
"The Mad Titan is coming. I have no way back. The Chitauri are just mindless and expendable pawns. If you surrender, I can ensure Asgard remains unharmed. Then I will take the throne, rule the Nine Realms, and restore this kingdom to its former glory!"
Loki sought to sway Odin, just as he had once used silver-tongued lies to obtain the Scepter and the Chitauri army. Now, he wanted the Allfather himself to bow before him.
Thanos was not an enemy to be trifled with. The Mad Titan was a harbinger of death and ruin. Failure would bring consequences too terrible to imagine.
A shudder ran through Loki as he recalled how the great being dealt with those who disappointed him. Those were not memories he wished to revisit.
"Stop this, Loki." Odin sighed heavily, Burdened by guilt, he truly did not wish to strike down his own son, "There is still time to end this disaster!"
"Disaster? No... This is my chance to become king of the Nine Realms!" Unable to let go of his ambition, Loki laughed as his dark golden robes billowed in the wind.
Raising his scepter, he commanded the Leviathans to attack.
Mounted atop a monstrous war beast, a Chitauri elder unleashed a devastating energy blast, the brilliance of which was like a miniature sun erupting in the sky.
Watching from a distance, Loki felt a sudden hollowness in his chest. He narrowed his eyes, his emotions in turmoil.
Odin was the greatest obstacle to his conquest. He was the one who stood most firmly between him and the throne. Yet Loki hesitated.
At first, he had only wanted to prove himself superior to Thor. But now, things had spiraled beyond his control. There was no turning back.
No one in the cosmos dared deceive the Mad Titan. To do so meant a life of exile, with no refuge left among the stars.
"Loki, Asgardians do not fear death!" An authoritative voice pierced the blinding light.
The Chitauri elder's triumphant grin froze as Sleipnir charged through the destructive energy storm.
Clad in golden armor, Odin raised Gungnir like a spear, and a colossal wave of power surged across the heavens. Both the mighty Leviathan and its rider were torn apart and reduced to nothing.
The sky cleared as a fierce wind whipped at Loki's robes. Staring into the Allfather's commanding gaze, he felt an instinctive urge to flee.
Only now did Loki remember; this being astride the eight-legged steed was the King of Asgard, the one who had crushed the Frost Giants and conquered the Nine Realms.
A thousand years ago, the name Odin had shaken the galaxies and echoed across the cosmos.
"Long live Asgard! Long live the King!" The warriors below erupted into cheers. Even Thor, locked in battle, looked up in awe at his father's might.
And then, a deep earth-shaking voice rumbled from the abyss:
"Pathetic fools. It seems I must intervene personally..."
The voice was thick with power, rolling over Asgard like a tidal wave.
A terrifying presence was descending...