Rending the Heavens

A colossal pillar of fire rose into the sky. Tremors from underground rumbled continuously, throwing the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents into panicked confusion.

The massive underground explosion made the ground roll like a soaring dragon beneath it, waves rippling through the earth as the fleeing S.H.I.E.L.D. agents stumbled in every direction.

"Vivian, analyze it! Build a transmission channel. I want its maximum output power." He-El casually tossed the Cosmic Cube onto the ground.

On the ground, the micro armor on Thor, Nick Fury, and Dr. Erik Selvig began to contract like sheets of metal, reverting into three thick pieces of black-gold micro armor. The three restored pieces flew to the azure Cosmic Cube, pressed close to it, and extended spider-like mechanical appendages. Streams of data flickered across their surfaces as they began analyzing it and constructing an energy transmission channel.

"Get your director off the battlefield. Leave the supplies behind. Everyone evacuate at full speed," He-El said to the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents rapidly withdrawing around him.

Phil Coulson, who was directing the evacuation, saw the towering fire pillar and hurried to his director's side. He ordered his men to drag the dazed and agonized Nick Fury, along with the unconscious Dr. Erik Selvig, into a vehicle and take them away.

He wanted to take Thor as well, but Thor shook his head. Enduring the pain in his skull as though it were being sawn apart by an electric saw, he braced himself on Mjolnir and forced half his body upright, shoving away Phil Coulson, who was trying to take him away.

"Can you hold on? The Helicarrier is already on its way. The eighteen Quinjets that arrived ahead of it are armed with intercontinental missiles twice as powerful as Little Boy. Can that kind of firepower solve whatever is down there?"

Phil Coulson