At the edge of the Nine Realms, Nidavellir, once glorious and bustling, was now left with nothing but deathly silence and wreckage.
The massive star-ring forge had long since gone cold. Dwarven corpses floated within and beyond the ring, bearing witness to the recent tragedy.
Thanos's fleet had departed, leaving behind only ruins soaked in blood and betrayal.
Thanos had plotted for this moment for a long time.
He knew full well of Odin's protection over the Nine Realms, especially the importance he placed on the dwarves.
Thus, he shrewdly reached a fragile agreement with the Frost Giants, who hated Asgard to the bone, and the Dark Elves, who had lain dormant for ages.
The allied forces of those two races launched a fierce assault on Asgard, tying down Odin and Asgard's forces.
The plan proceeded exceptionally smoothly.
As war erupted across Asgard and the alarms of the Golden Palace rang out, Thanos's legion launched a lightning raid against the completely unprepared dwarf kingdom.
Though the dwarf warriors fought bravely, they were steadily driven back before the tide of Outriders.
Dwarf King Eitri had a cold blade held to the throats of his people.
Under Thanos's threat to exterminate his entire race, Eitri endured immense humiliation as he activated the dormant star-ring forge, exhausting the dwarves' final secret arts and resources to create the divine artifact capable of bearing the energy of the Infinity Stones—the Infinity Gauntlet.
Only after the situation in Asgard had somewhat stabilized did Odin realize the drastic change at Nidavellir.
He left Hela behind to guard Asgard, then forcibly broke through the encirclement and rushed to the rescue with what remained of his divine power.
However, by the time he arrived, everything was already too late.
The Infinity Gauntlet was already on Thanos's massive hand, and