After bidding farewell to Nick Fury and little Eve, William and the Avengers left the 1990s and headed for their next destination—the timeline where the Reality Stone was located.
Inside the Watcher shuttle, Thor told everyone about the Aether.
"Long ago, my grandfather sealed away the Aether to keep the Dark Elves from obtaining it. But then my ex-girlfriend Jane..."
"I heard she dumped you," Hawkeye said with a laugh.
"No, no, I dumped her," Thor said. "Anyway, she came into contact with my grandfather's seal, and the Aether entered her body, making her its host. That also awakened the Dark Elves. You all know what happened afterward—we defeated the King of the Dark Elves..."
"Where did the Reality Stone go after we defeated Malekith?" Captain America asked.
Thor thought for a moment before answering, "The Reality Stone was kept in Odin's vault. When the Serpent revived and the God of Fear invaded Asgard, someone from the Black Order took advantage of the chaos and stole it."
"In that case, there are quite a few options for the Reality Stone," Iron Man said. "We can go to the place on Earth where the Aether was originally sealed."
"We could also go to Asgard," Black Widow said.
"I don't want to go to Asgard," Thor said, sadness in his eyes.
At his words, everyone fell silent. After all, Thor had witnessed his homeland's destruction with his own eyes. Going back would only bring him pain.
Besides, he didn't want to face Odin. Setting aside whether Odin would agree to let them take the Reality Stone, Thor simply didn't dare face his father.
After the God of Fear died, according to the World Tree's prophecy, Thor was supposed to die as well. Odin had borne that curse and died in his place.