Outside the Abandoned Factory…
"Oh my God, what happened to Jane!?"
Kai stepped out of the building, holding the unconscious Jane Foster in his arms.
Seeing them, Darcy Johnson ran up immediately, panic written all over her face.
Before Kai could answer, Jane stirred weakly in his arms and blinked her eyes open.
"Ugh… what happened to me?"
"You passed out," Darcy said, crouching beside her.
Kai gently set Jane down and asked, "How are you feeling?"
"I'm okay, just a little dizzy…" Jane rubbed her temple, then suddenly remembered the dark red Aether that had merged into her arm.
She yanked up her sleeve in alarm.
"Kai—did you see that thing? It—it went into my body! Oh my God, what was that?"
"Wait—something went into your body?" Darcy blinked, her expression shifting from worry to mischief.
"Jane… are we talking scientific anomaly, or…?"
"Stop it!" Jane snapped, glaring at her.
She turned back to Kai, who looked as calm as ever.
"I saw it," he said evenly. "It's inside me too."
Before Darcy could comment again, the sky darkened, and rain suddenly poured down.
But strangely, the falling water bent around them—forming a perfect dry circle where the three stood.
"What the—? Kai, is this your doing?" Darcy asked, looking up in awe as the rain avoided her completely.
"It's not me," Kai said, raising his left hand.
Dark red energy flickered faintly in his palm. "But I think I know what's happening."
A flash of rainbow light split the sky. A massive beam of energy descended, forming the Bifröst.
A moment later, Thor landed with his hammer crackling in hand.
"Thor…" Jane breathed, stunned.
She passed her detector to Darcy and stepped forward, disbelief written across her face.
Watching the reunion, Darcy elbowed Kai with a grin.
"So… you think she's gonna hug him?"
Kai smirked. "No clue. But I bet it's worth watching."
"I think so too. I've been around Jane long enough to know what comes next—"
SLAP!
Jane's hand connected squarely with Thor's face.
"Whoa!" Darcy gasped, covering her mouth. "She slapped a god!"
Kai, meanwhile, had somehow conjured an orange and was calmly eating it like he was watching a soap opera.
Darcy blinked. "Where did you even get that orange?"
"Want one?" Kai asked, offering her a slice.
"…Thanks." Darcy took it and popped it in her mouth, watching the scene unfold.
"Hey, look—they're gonna kiss!"
Her voice carried a bit too loud. Both Thor and Jane looked over, red-faced.
Thor awkwardly cleared his throat, then looked at Kai with a wide grin.
"Kai! My friend! It's been too long. The battle of New York—what a glorious fight that was! Even while I've been restoring order to the Nine Realms, I kept hoping to fight alongside you again."
Kai smiled slightly and offered him another orange slice.
"It's been fine. Just some… work issues lately. Want some?"
Thor chuckled. "No, thank you. But Heimdall just told me you and Jane vanished. What happened?"
Kai raised his palm, letting the dark red Aether energy pulse across his skin.
"That's what happened."
He explained everything—the abandoned factory, the dimensional pull, and the Aether merging with their bodies.
Thor's expression hardened as he listened.
"My body can handle it for now," Kai said seriously, "but it's feeding off my life force. Jane's in even more danger. Her human body won't last long under that strain. We need to get it out—fast."
Thor nodded firmly. "Then you'll both come with me to Asgard. Our healers—and my father—may find a way to separate it."
"Perfect," Kai replied with a faint grin. "I was planning to go there anyway."
He knew his body couldn't resist the Aether's corrosion forever.
And to fully obtain the Reality Stone, he'd need to extract the particles from Jane as well.
Taking out his phone, he sent a quick message to Phil Coulson before joining Thor and Jane beneath the Bifröst's rainbow beam.
Moments later, the three vanished from Earth.
Meanwhile — On the S.H.I.E.L.D. Blackwing Airbus
"Everyone, heads up. We need to be careful on this mission."
Coulson's tone was calm but firm as he addressed Simmons, Fitz, Skye, and Ward, who were gathered around the table.
"I just got a message from Kai—he's requested leave. He's… gone to Asgard with Thor," Coulson said matter-of-factly.
"Not sure how long he'll be gone."
Simmons' eyes widened. "Wait—he left Earth?!"
"Oh my God," Skye muttered. "He's gone? Then who's supposed to save us if things go south? Do we call another Avenger?"
Ward folded his arms. "We don't need another Avenger. We've got me."
Coulson chuckled lightly. "Easy, Agent Ward. We'll manage. Don't forget—you're S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. Try not to rely on Kai too much."
"But…" Simmons hesitated. "It's just—he's saved us so many times. We're used to him being around."
Ward's jaw tightened, but he said nothing. Fitz gave him a skeptical look.
Coulson continued, "I trust Kai will handle whatever's happening out there. Until then, we stick to protocol. We handle our missions. Understood?"
Everyone nodded—some more confidently than others.
Ward leaned back in his seat, silent but determined.
With Kai gone, this was his chance—to prove himself worthy, to take the lead, to fill the void left behind by the team's strongest member.
And maybe… to prepare for what came next.