I am Thor

"The Cosmic Orb is in our possession!" Ronan's subordinate reported.

A triumphant smile spread across Ronan's face as he grabbed Drax by the leg, preparing to toss him into a nearby dye vat. "No one can stop me! The Power Stone is destined to be mine!"

A voice disrupted his victory speech. "Oh, really? Big words from someone who couldn't even face Earth twenty years ago."

"Who dares?!" Ronan spun around, enraged. That humiliating retreat was his darkest secret, one no one dared bring up. He turned, only to see a stranger—a man he didn't recognize.

Ronan paused, his gaze locking on Thor's face. As recognition dawned, he realized this was the Asgardian who had been a thorn in the Kree Empire's side. Captain Marvel had been a major problem, but Thor, too, had made quite an impact on Kree operations. The Supreme Intelligence had even listed Thor as a high-level target, second only to Carol Danvers.

Of all people, why him? Ronan felt his confidence waver. He looked back at his adjutant with a silent plea.

The adjutant understood instantly, clearing his throat. "My lord, the Power Stone is secure. We should attend to more pressing matters. Perhaps we could leave these… individuals for now?"

Ronan straightened, feigning magnanimity. "Very well. Consider yourselves spared." Without another word, he leapt back to his ship with comical haste, clearly eager to avoid further confrontation.

The poor acting wasn't lost on Thor, Nebula, or Minerva, who exchanged bemused glances.

"What exactly did you do to make him so scared of you?" Nebula asked, surprised. Ronan was feared throughout the galaxy, yet he'd retreated without a fight.

Thor simply shrugged. "Nothing special. I just figured he might be useful later on. Otherwise, I'd have shot his ship down myself."

Nebula nodded, then her expression grew worried. "What about Gamora? Is she safe?"

"She'll be fine," Thor replied, chuckling. "Just off to meet her boyfriend's 'family.'"

Minerva stifled a laugh, while Nebula's face darkened in mild annoyance.

As it turned out, Gamora hadn't been so lucky. Ronan's men had shot her down during her attempted escape, seizing the Cosmic Orb and leaving her adrift in space. Within moments, the vacuum began to take its toll; only a few races could survive the void, and Gamora wasn't one of them. She was on the edge of death.

When Star-Lord arrived and spotted her, something stirred within him. Ignoring Rocket's protests, he made a fateful choice. He opened his flight cabin, floated over to her, and offered her his own spacesuit. As suffocation and cosmic rays overwhelmed him, he managed to send out a signal to Yondu's crew before darkness overtook him.

Back on the ground, Rocket Raccoon landed the ship with a string of curses. He found Drax sitting nearby, lost in thought. "Idiots! All of you! This mess could've been avoided! Quill went out there on his own, and you—you thought you could take on an entire army alone!"

Drax, filled with remorse, murmured, "You're right. I am an idiot. All my anger, all my hatred… just a cover for the pain I carry."

Groot gently placed a branch on Drax's shoulder, offering silent comfort.

Rocket sighed, taken aback by Drax's rare admission. After a moment, he muttered, "Listen, no one's saying your pain isn't real. But dragging others down with you… that's not right. We have to keep living, not die for the past."

With Drax silent, Rocket looked around, resigned. "Fine. What's done is done. But we're too late now. Ronan's got the Orb, and we should head for the other side of the galaxy. Groot, let's go."

"I am Groot," Groot replied.

"What? You want to go after them?" Rocket asked incredulously. "And just how are we supposed to save them?"

"I am Groot," came the calm reply.

Rocket's ears twitched in annoyance. "I know we're teammates, but they're in the hands of a psycho! It's just us two—how do we even stand a chance?"

Before Groot could respond, Drax slowly stood up, his face resolute. "No. It's the three of us."

Rocket scratched his head, frustrated but slowly relenting. He looked from Drax to Groot, unable to hide a small smile. "Fine, you big lugs. Let's go."

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